OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. DEBATE ON THE BILL. THE WORK SHELVED. _ Wellington, August 23.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 397, 28 August 1889, Page 4

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. DEBATE ON THE BILL. THE WORK SHELVED. _ Wellington , August 23.

Tina Obago Central Railway Bill came up lor its second reading last evening, -when Mr Guinness withdrew his amendment which would have shelved the Bill. * This had beeu done by arrangement with the other opponents ot the Bill, in order that Mr Smith might move an amendment thac he had given notice of, which instructed the Government to withdraw the Bill unt 1 they could place all the other unfurnished railways ot the colony on the same footing as it was proposed to place the Olago Central. This he did. 1 understand that the change was made in order to secure additional opposition to the Bill, for many members who would oppose Mr Guiune&s' amendment had sigmned their willingn &3 to vote tor Mr Smith's. In moving his amendment, Mr Smith briefly stated hia leason for thinking that Ui© Otago Central should not be treated in an exceptional manner. Mr Gnmmond seconded tho amendment. The Hon. Mr Fergus in a long speech defended the railway and the proposals of tho Government. He would like to see the same systom extended to the other railways of the colony. He showed in glowing colours the splendid results that Mould follow the construction ot fche line, and earnestly appealed bo the House to have the Bill read a second time. He said' it it was not it would plunge the country into I a borrowing policy. ! The Hon. Mr Ballance stigmatised MiFergus' speech as one of bribing, because he had hinted that it the Otago Central was passed, all the other railways in the country would receive like attention. He denounced the scheme as one of borrowing in the worst form, viz., from the trust funds ot the colony, and expressed his desire to put a stop to all borrowing. He Bhowed that the Government were pledged not to borrow until 1891 ; and if the House refused to sanction borrowing from the trust funds, it would give the country time to reflect upon the matter. Mr Fraser compared the Otago Central with the Thames-Te Aroha line and condemned the underhand borrowing proposed by the Government. Mr R. H. Reeves would vote for the amendment. He advocated a light tramway in&tcad of the line proposed. Mr Vincent Pyke made a lengthy defence of the Bill and &poke in glowing teims of the country through which the railway would pass. Mr W. P. Reeves read a lengthy extract from a novel by Mr Pyke, giving a description of a very different cla&s of country in Central Otago to what Mr Pyke had cles cnbed to the House. Mr Seddon denounced the policy of the Government, and urged that the House should stick to the original determination not to borrow on any account. Mr Buchanan regarded the Bill as nothing more or less than a proposal to borrow in another form. Mr Scobie Mackenzie said there was not a word about borrowing in the Bill. He supported it because it would remove difficulties in the way of the further prosecution of public works, and showed a way to an entire cessation of borrowing. Mr Stuart Menteath spoke strongly against the Bill, denounced the policy of the Go\ eminent, and would vote for the amendment. Mr Fish and Dr. Fitchett supported the Bill. Mr Moss could not vote for the railway on thesystem proposed, as he considered it would be opening a new door to corruption.

PREMIER'S REPLY. The Premier replied at length to the speeches. He argued that why the Government proposed to treat Obago Central diflerently from other lines was because they were instructed to do so by the House. He characterised Mr Ballance's conduct as a very extraordinary thing. He had turned completely round irom the position he formerly took up. He appealed to the Canterbury members to pass the Bill, showing them that they had been treated fairly over their lines. He attributed the opposition to the Bill to the fact that the Opposition were going against it in a body, and denounced them for having no sense of responsibility, and being only anxious to do anything that would give the Government a slap in the face. The Opposition had ac first received the Bill with open arms, but now without giving reasons they had turned completely round. He would tell them that the Government could take slaps in the face and even harder knocks, and could pay them back with interest. He showed that on three different occasions the Bill had passed the House, and then the Bill was to give land away for the line. If it would influence the votes he would be prepared to take that portion out of the Bill which related to the taking of money from the trust funds. He would get the money another way. He would not borrow it, and would construct the line quicker and at a cheaper rate. He said there was no necessity to borrow a penny. Under this Bill there was no pledge given not to borrow any money for threo years. Before it was necessary to spend a penny on the line, there would be i' 35,000 to the credit of the line, and before the end of a twelvemonth £45,000. Referring to the Woodville-Eketahuna line which Mr Smith wanted, he said it was not urgently required for settlement), and by constructing it a gross injustice would be done to the Wellington - Manawatii Company. It might be advisable to make that line when they had plenty of money to spend; As to the Holdtiki line the Government had already made arrangements to connect Greymouth by rail with the other parts of the colony, and he was astoni&hed at the action taken up by the West Coast members. He would welcome a local company to construct the lines there, and had proposed it in the Public Works Statement. Dealing with the amendment, he said it meant placing all the railways in the Bill and going in for borrowing. If the House would carry the Government proposals, it would bring the railways to a reasonable renting place. If the amendment was carried they would take it as a direction not to proceed with any new works?. They were not prepared to make any fresh proposals. They would have to drop their works until the Otago Central was carried. (Cries of "Hear, hear," and " That is what we want.") The Premier said he would go no further, but would proceed to deal with the leader of the Opposition. Ho took the speech made by him that night and compared it I wibh a previous one made on the subject, showing the change of front he had made. Sir H. Atkinson concluded his speech at one o'clock with' an earnest caution to the ! House not to stop works that' were necessary. Mr Monk rose to explain that. why he voted against the Bill was that he considered that in 1887 they came up with an understanding nob to engage in any work

of tbisrkind. Her considered "the work a 'jgoocl'j pnej" bub he< thought/ ths " Premier's system* of raising money a most pernicious ono, and waB bhe worst kind, of borrowing ; he urged that they should adhere to tneir pledges not to go in for any kind of borrowing. Wr.Feldwick explained that 'many members who were now voting against the Bill, bub who had voted for bhe second reading ot Mr Pykes Bill last year had only done to to get it read and to get time to understand it. They would oppose ib in all its future stages.

THE DIVISION. Ab a quarter-past one the division was called for, and, contrary to expectation, did not prove very close, there being 17 for the Bill and 33 against it, the announcement of .which was received with dead silence. Another division was insisted upon by Mr Pyke as to the insertion of the words of the amendment, viz., " That the Bill be now postponed in order to give the Government an opportunity of including other unfinished railway lines in it." This was of course carried by 32 to 20. r , The Otago Central is thus lost for this session. But it means that other public woiks are also left.