FRIDAY'S SITTING. The South Pacific Resolutions.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 156, 12 June 1886, Page 5

FRIDAY'S SITTING. The South Pacific Resolutions.

There seems to be no disposition 'on the part of the Government to allow Sir George Grey's motion, that the House concurs irt the report of the Pacific Island Committee* to come on as readily as the hon. eeatleman would wish. On Tuesday it was talked out, and to-day Sir Geo. Grey asked that, as ie was a matter of urgency, it should be taken at once. , The-PKEMiER replied that there was no I was no urgency io the matter. ( There were now, to print two despatches^ which had just come out from Home from Earl Granville to the Government. They would, be in print in a few days, and if Sir Geo. Grey's motion were not reached on Wednesday, h« wonld facilitate the motion being taken. Sir Geo. Grey asked : Would the PrQmier like to name a day ? Sir Robert Stout said : It is not usual fora member of a committee to move the adoption of the committee's report, and as the hon. gentleman had not the courtesy to consult the Government 'on the matter» he muat take his cbances. The member for Auckland East doea not seem ta have liie courtesy tv cuu&uiu the 'Government about any matter.' 1 Sir Geo. Grey : I spoke ,to the Chairman, of the Committee, who wishes me to bring the matter before the House. I hope the Premier will name a day, for consideration of the report. I have received telegrams trom different parts of the colony asking that this* question might be settled. „ The Prkmier : Ido hope the h->n member will not rely upon the truth of received. Already ib has been shown he has received inaccurate telegrams, and, if I am correctly informed,' other telegrams he has, got are also inaccurate. ,Sir Geo Grey moved the adjournment of ' the House to enable him to speak to the question. .He said he did riot admit that the telegrams were inaccurate, for he believed that'they'were perfectly accurate. He was sorry the Premier should have found fit to make disparaging remarks concerning other colonial statesmen ;' that he had in fact lectured Premier, Gillies for'speakings out boldly on the JSew Hebrides question. The motion not being seconded, lapsed* The Opposition and Retrench m nt. On the motion foi going into* Committee of Supply to consider the Estimates being put, Major Atkinson said: xTne gentlemen who usually work with me, after the.vote of yesterday,* have come to the conclusion that the whole responsibility in .connection with the matter of retrenchment ..must now rest on the Government.- We/shall not attempt to offer .any > factious' opposition* (Hear). Nor ohall we attempt-to reduce, as we might have done, if the Government had wisely .accepted' the motion of the hoa. member, for, Akaroa,, ,We throw, £oe whole responsibility, asit.ought totbe^on.the Government, and if we do not, make .motiona for reductions in committee,it is because we recognise that no one .outside the Government can dp so ..effectually or fairly, and. therefore the whole responsibility must rest oii those gentlemen. (CheerS).

, , The Estimates. ,The House, ,went mto 5 Committee of -Supply, tojconsiderj,the Estimates. The ■ Post-office was first .taken.^ tl Th£)yote for .General, Post office rofif£7,7l6 w'asi passed efuaaltered. v,On the -yote^f, £1£%353 for chief orfice'j and sub offices,being. put., MetJDwcAev movedt,a re^uotipnj [ot t the .amountpf total increases., ,The r J?ostmaster-Gisnebal-pointed outj.that.yvitit.the exception of; fquc eases the, increases'.were on salaries-o( the humbler members of the Department. , After .discussion, the amendment wasvlost •on $be voiced, the vote agreed to. ' ' ' .tV,:,«,t ij;i . ,{i iV;ote;of <£40,246^f0r mainten^njpe, repaira, and/mi^ceHanpouis was.ag^ecljjbor c j f iVTofe.of !£3,5 J ,Q^or»telegrap*rt! caol t e sub?idioe^ ,Jn answeß4(93Mr|vG^N^ES§,jSi^X Vogec , ;explajned jwh^t^hacl been doneA^i't jifrogard to «khe,s}ibai,d( y lto.the Eaaterjo,-s^xteo4on Companyif andsßaid, that papqr&jgpttf&'be laid on. the,»jtajjle(pii jtheJsubject^^Thq-.xote was agree ld.,to.-/ , c;, t,(, ... t., <f v jf t;n _ „ • Si l7iS, cqhyeyaoc^ef^)t|mailg.—'Re-. g^»»g 4h,ej|,Mn iFrapcisfifti'ser^ice, rSIc ■it ,waB. gatislaojory, that f'thp^jßite/tt^^les govern m(e,nt,^ere assistjing^in the,sen\ri^e., ,t T^ direefc^gvice was nYeMabisfacte. bji^t^e^jbujjbiofthe mails, w? n*\ by t; he San Fran? is< s(>,>9^%ijTheJ^QU,v t \opQ£,UmO t carriage or; mails Abvtaife^

; eli£^/d^73^i7, j: V^s then passed and pro- . grew reported.'" >»/'-•- ■• t^;, - ' j

7 :\;, ; '.**** biuv;;; y. ,„: ■ ": 1 The Native Equitably Qwner^ Bill was considered in Committee,"reported "with amendments, and sent down to the Native Affair* Committee. *v: ,-ja

Monieipal Corporation* < BUI. At the evening sitting, the 'House was occupied till toe sapper adjournment with the consideration of the Municipal Corporations Bill in Committee. Oh clause 406, providing that the Council may contribute funds for school buildings. ' - ' [ Mr Hatch moved that the clause be' excised. , ' l \ A' division was taken, and the olause retained by 27 to 10. Several clauses were passed with amendments, and progress was reported. ,

Coal Minos Bill. Mr Labnaoh. in moving the recond reading of the Coal Mines Bill, said'this was a technical bill relating entirely to the safety and ventilation of mines. He moved the second reading of the bill. He said it was absolutely necessary, seeing- the ad* vanced state in which the coal mines were. He objected to the clause dealing with certificated inspector?, inasmuch as the present managers weie exonerated from the operations of the Act. He thought it necessary that the present mine managers should hold certificates, and that provision Bhould be made for certificated engineers. More loss of life had resulted from incompetent engineers than frcm those in charge of underground workings. He suggested that the bill should be remitted to the Gold Mines Committee. Mr Connolly protested against those portions of the bill which affected the era ployment of women and children in connection with mining. Mr Larnach said the suggestions made could be considered by the Gold Mines Committee, and the second reading was carried.

The Counties Bill. The Premier moved the second reading of the Counties Bill, which was a consolidating measure, and therefore there was not much ground for debate, He formally moved the second reading in the hope that the measure would get into Committee. Sir Geo. Grey objected to the second reading being moved in pro forma. Ho intimated the amendments he proposed moving, and which have already been telegraphed, and urged that the second reading be deferred till Tuesday, in order to get a full House. The Pkemieh said that he agreed with the amendments suggested, with the excep tion of the one making County Councils the Land Board for the district, which he considered to be unworkable. Mr Seddox wished to see the whole question of local government discussed under the Counties Act, which he conceived to be imperfect. The present local government system should be swept away, and extended powers given to local bodies. He hoped that the second reading would be deferred. It was undesirable to discuss the principles of a measure on going into committee. Mr Fulton pointed out that several members were absent, not having anticipated that this measure would be reached to-night. Messrs Hursthouse and Cowan pointed out that the Counties Act would not upset the principle of local government, and therefore the second reading of the measure should be persisted in. The Premie k said he was willing that the debate should take place on the motion for committal on Friday, and after this assurance the second reading was carried, aad the committal fixed for Friday. / The House rose at 11.55 p.m.