HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 155, 22 May 1886, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

Kaipara Railway Extension. Thk House met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr Hurst^thc Minister of Works Baidthe Government had not changed their minds relative to w&,£ oUte # *}\ e H^ensville Extension line? which would be by way of Kaukapakapa.

Railway Carriages. To Dr. Newman, tho Minister replied that they were not prepared to have all railway ca^iioges and trucks used on the Wellington railway manufactured at Petone,

Bills. The Hon. Mr Stout introduced tho Municipal Corporations Bill and Counties Bill, which were read a first time. The appointment of Committees was then proceeded with. A desultory discussion was raised by Mr Sutton on tho question of payment of Chairman of these Committees. The other business transacted was of a detail character.

The Address in Reply Carried. Tho House resumed at 7.30, when Mr Bevan rose to move the Address in Reply. In his opening address ho eulogised Her Majesty in glowing terms, and said that under her able rule the whole British Dominions ivro making steady progress. Reference was mndo to the satisfactory condition of native affairs, and Mr Bryce was eulogised for his action in proceeding to England to vindicito his own honour and that of his country by disproving untruthful statements which had been circulated to our detriment, and which would otherwise have passed unchallenged. Touching on the question of industries, he said thpt New Zealand could never bo a great and prosperous country until it was covered with a net-work of railways. He believed the depression of which they had heard po much was more imaginary thnn real, because there was an absence of squalid poverty, which was so frequently seen in tho old c >untry. He looked upon the depression as the result of the great commercial and sorial reforms that were taking place. Overproduction ha* much to do with it, and during tho last 150 years wool, tallow, and other staple products were never at s,o low an ebb as at present. It was our duty to develop o\ir natural resources and extend our manufactures and industries which so greatly astonished visitors to the recent Colonial Exhibition in Wellington. Tho necessity for developing the mineral resources of the country was shown by the fact that last year tho expoit of gold exceeded the prcvioiis year'by £4,200. while the export of coal during the year hud amounted to £15,000. He alluded in congratulatory terms to the intervention of Biitish capitalists in the construe tion of the East and "\ye<t Coast Railway. "We had, of course, to give our lands in return for this lino, but good use would be made of these lands. With respect to the inland trade, it was gratifying to find that during the last decade our Colony stood second amongst the Colonies, our expoits alone having amounted to a million and a quarter. The timber trade maintained its importance, and it was a good omen that statistics showed steady progress in every branch of our industry. The highest credit was due to every member of the present administration. Mr T wi.oij, the new member for Sydenham, was ■narmlv applauded on rising to second The Address. He commenced with a personal explanation, in which he said ho would support the Government because it was a Liberal one. He hoped Ihe Government would extend the workshops throughout the Colony, and thus aid colonial industry. He looked upon Government as a large joint stock company of w Inch they (the members) were the directors. In the matter of Railwajs he hoped that the district which he represented would have its fair share of expenditure. (Laughter). They could do with a little more than the East and West Coast Railway. He approved of the Village Settlement scheme of the Government, and would like the Crown to resume possession of the large blocks of land in Canterbury. Majoh Atkinson followed. He congratulated the mover and seconder on the way in which they got through a difficult task, and twitted the seconder on the partiality show n for his own district. He thought the time liad come when they should cease to make an address-in-reply the battlc-cround of party politics, He looked on these discussions as a waste of time, and hoped, if tho Government occupied those benches for another cession— and he thought that very unlikely indeed— they would have the Addrcss-in-Reply passed as a formal matter. He pointed out one omission. There was no reference to the question of representation and redistribution ot seats. In the present circumstances of ihe colony, it was a public duty to bring in the Representation Bill, and he might toll them they must do it, and they would not get through so mu ch business until they took th & matter up. They had been told that the Go\ eminent had a mature and progressive policy, on which the Government were prepared to make an appeal to the country. If they had such a policy, why was it not disclosed ? All this talk about going to the country ■was sentiment, and he bclic\cd, as a matter of fact, that if they looked behind the scenes they would h'nd that the Go\ eminent could not, agice upon a policy, and consequently they had a speech with nothing in it. The Government could not decide upon any policy and \\ ould find it not so easy as they said to go to the country. lie submitted that a blind policy of lailway inakintr as ngninst road construction washangingamillstone round the neck of tho colony. Railway s would be worse than useless unless they made roads to open the country and feed the railways of the colony. The Treasurer was entitled to praise for putting before the country a speech which contained no hing and which disguised the thoughts he did not wish to utter. There were some great matters of a-lministrntion which required to be sifted thoroughly to the bottom. He trusted the financial and public works statements would bo brought down as soon a possible. The PiiKMiKit was the next speaker. He did not think they should abolish the Governor's speech or the reply to it. He quoted Mr Gladstone that the speech should indicate the measures to be brought forward, and should be of a non-committal character. The hon. member, an ho had just sat down, commenced by telling them he did not give them his views, but went on to tell them that no reference made t» a Representation Act or road - making, which he supposed comprised the whole of his policy. It Avas not desirable to promise to introduce a Representation Bill before it was required. He did not know Avhatthe population was, nor whether the Act required alteration, but he would say that if the population returns called for attention. Tho Government would not shrink from the duty. He accused Major Atkinson of a desire to ascertain the policy of GoA'cirnment in order that he might go round the lobbies and ascertain whether it is likely to be successful. There a% as, he said, a better and kindlier feeling on the part of the natives tow ards Europeat s than there had been for years past. The policy of the Government Avas prepared, and the session had been called earlier than usual, in order that it could be more freely discussed. It would be found that the Government measures would come down more rapidly than had been customary Avith previous Governments. Ho thought himself that avc had too much legislation, and referred to the fact that the neighbouring colonies occupied double the time to pass fewer measures. Mr. Wakkpikld reminded the Premier that in ISBI the North Island members supported a Representation Act on the distinct understanding that if tho next census returns showed a preponderance of population in the North, a redistribution should be made on the same basis as Avas then agreed to. The Premier at that time bound himself, as far as he could bind successive Governments, that such should be done. Mr Thompson (Ulutba) said the Bneeche* of Minis era had kept the cjun'ry in a sta'e of ex citement during the razees This ten million business hid apitated the country, but had dote a great deal of good, because st had drawn attention to the fact that we h'd borrowed too much, and that prudence was necessary. He disapproved of the proposed additional land legisla'i n. Ihe Government had tnen assuring the peop'e that they could remove the deeiTeaalon. and noAY they were saying they could do nothing. Tho only answer now was that ihe reoili mutt be more indußtiicus. and put forth more r-xertion. Mr TußNßnu held that the depression Avas very Avidfspreid. The real cause was not Dnblic borr wine, because ife might borrow twen'y millions if it liked without any danger toourcredir. Te was the innmense amount borrowed by private individuals. The production from our Jaod vas not really as great aa it should be. bscause there were vast tracts of country throußh which coatly railways weiv constructed and which were lyins? Ul'o They would never find the remedy until they marie the owners of this Jand pay ft tax which would compel them to make the'r poa?esiions productive He advocated the raising of a loan by the Government in order to assist struggling farm era. Mr Moss suggested that there might have been an arrangement between tho Premier and leader of the Opposition respecting tbe friendly litte sham fight of that evening. ((Mrs of " No" from the gentlemen indicated). Mr Moss proceeded to say that if not, the debate was of such » friendly character that one might almost Busnect such an arrangement. While Riving credit to the Native Minister for resisting the p-essureputmonhlmbythemernnerforEgmont and others to use force on tho WeetCoas^, he denounced the action of Mr Ballance In giviDg the natives erroneuusideas respecting the w oalth tha*- will accrue to them, white their duties as landlords were not impressed uoon them. It was understood that the Nat.ye Lands Purchase was to cease- [The Premier : Not by this Government] -and if this purchase was being resumed it would give a übo to corruption as strong as had existed under previous administrations. The renewal of land purchase was cowing suspicions broadcast over all tbe Auckland district. Bis constituents bad expressed ditsatiefactiun respecting t>ie manner in which the battery cites for defence parpo?es were being purchased in Auckland, and he could mention an i& stance where twice the value of the land was given. He hoped *U the papers on the subject

WOU I4 v ba . R^en. The Auokland members would be interested to learn wnat interest the na ives were evincing in colon's»tion opera ions. Ihe natives Rho wed no desire to sell or lea«e lajide.aud if Mr Grace were ia hhsa\ he could tell them that in his district 700,000 acris were lockedup 1 1 wjw, herald, a ferco tot-ilk abrutthe finances being in a sound conrtttion Heohiec c I to the attempt to send niomb rs into a "foil's paradise. Be believed confidence in th*> c untry would be re tored if the Government wou d proceed to institute a radio*] and om plate change, and placo the flaa&c> 8 of tho country in a so at d cond ition . Messrs Joyce and Beetham epoke bri fly. Mr J. O. Buokland considered the only ohance the Government rad to retain their seats was to po on with a proper system of rptrenchment. He considered that mon^y might V£ Bavol nntho maintenance of theHtnemoa, Ministerial expenses, and deparcmontal management. Mr Batxakce def ndod hia department from the attacks made Ul.O « ir. He said land bfinj? purchased was only on the route of the North I land Trunk Railway, and pointpd out thar they bad innuced the Maniapotoa to bring th» wholo of tho Waikato country unde" ihe Nativo Lands Court, and th» Court would sit a month henc* to determire "the tic o to lands in thi-? district. The wholo policy of tho Govopnm°nt had been to preveni Daive Unda b f ing thrown open to rrivate speculatora. The purohiso of land at the North Shore could be fully explained. Mr W, F. Buckland as.erted that in the p et the Government had bought all the bad land and private specutatoi-3 all thn good Jnnd.and he would prefer to sco either the r newnl of tho pre emptivo right or absolute free tra"«. The House agreed to the Address in Reply, which waa presented and ajtretd to. 'Jhe Premier will move on Friday next that the Honse resolve Hself into Committee of Supply on ways and Means. The adjournment took place at a quarter to 11 p.m.