PUBLIC WORKS SUPPLY. EFFECTS OF THE OTAGO CENTRAL VOTE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 397, 28 August 1889, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS SUPPLY. EFFECTS OF THE OTAGO CENTRAL VOTE.

Supply for public works will be taken this evening. The estimates being before tho House each item will have to be struck out by voting. JNJr Mitchelson tells me the vote last night means throwing a great many out of employment. The works proposed would have provided employment for 1,000 men at least, besides which many now on must go, including ab leasb twenty officials in the Public Works Department, clerks, overseer?, etc. Mavsden (Mr Thompson), is of course, greatly disgusted over tho result, as it means the killing of the Puhipuhi tramway. The Minister says something must be done with this forest, as the timber in it is more than ten times the value of the tramway, and unless prompt action is taken a considerable quantity will be lost.

KUMARA SLUDGE CHANNEL. Some trouble is expected over the Goldfields Committee's report on the Knmara Sludge Channel which is to be considered this afternoon The Minister ol Mines intends moving to have it relerred back to the Committee, which is likely to be cairied, but not without considerable opposition.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Sir George Grey will move an addition to Mr Seddon's motion re the responsible Govommenl/ for Western Australia. It states that in granting a constitution proA'ision should be made to give teriitory propoitional to the area and population of other colonies. At the same time provision should be made to enablo the Governments of Australian colonies to placeallunalienated Ciown and public lands in the colony under the control of .any confederated Government of all Australian colonies, or of a special land Council elected by them for the administration ot the' waste lands of that continent, REVALUATION BILL. The Waste Lands Committee this morning passed the selector's Revaluation Bill without amendment except that, on the motion of Mv Ballanco, ifc was made to apply fco village homestead special settlements.

UOLDFIELDS COMMITTEE. Mr Seddon thought he had caught the Chairman of the (Joldfielus Committee (Mr Cad man) napping yesterday. The member for Kumara complained to the Speaker that tho Chan man had neglected to biing up a resolution which the Committee had directed him to bring before the House. The Speaker, however, said that Mr Cadman had told him that the resolution contained a rellection upon somebody, and asked whether it was within his power to hold it over till noxt day. lie (the Speaker) agreed that; he had, and he theieforo "sat upon" Mr Seddon and ret used to allow him to moceed. I understand the fact js that the report was not diawn up bv the clerk and put befoie Mr Cad m an till after the House met ; and it contained some rellection upon the Minister for Mines in regard to the Kumaia Sludge Channel. The Hon. Mr Richardson asked Mr Cadman whether he could defer its presentation until to-day to givo him time to look into tho matter; which Mr Cadman, finding 1 ifc was within his discretion, agreed to do as a matter of courtesy.

NEW BILLS. The following new Bills were introduced and read a first time in fcho Upper Chamber yesterday : Savings Bank Act, 1858, Amendment Bill ; Auckland and Onehunga Native Hosto'ries Bill ; Offences Against the Person Amendment Bill, in the House : Tho Public Works Act Amendment Bill, and the Bankruptcy Bill, both Government measures, as were those in Council, also were introduced and lead a first time ; as well as Mr Fisher'? Public Schools Bill and a Bill to Amend the Timaru High School Act, 1878, Amendment Act, 1882 (Mr Turnbull).

' PROTECTION OF GAME. The increased stringency in the game laws proposed by the Animals Protection Act Amendment Bill received vigorous opposition. The clauses prohibiting tho killing of game or native game between sunset or sunrise or for more than 3 months, and allowing: the Government to make regulations for the protection of game, native game, etc., were struck out. No gun used in shooting game is to exceed 10 pounds in weight. An addition was made to the Bill providing that the annual statement of accounts of Acclimatisation Societies, which is to be forwarded to the Colonial Treasurer each year, shall be published once in some newspaper circulating in the district. On the motion of Mr Duncan a new clause was inserted requiring every holder of a license to sell game to keep a book in which to record the particulars of any game he may purchase and the district whore ib was shot. On tho motion of Mr Taipua a new clauso was added, fixing the soason for shooting curlew as the months of February, JMaich and April. The liill was reported with its umendmonts, read a third time, and passed,

The Shipping and Seamen's Act Amendment Bill was also read a third time, .and passed. The House adjourned at twenty minutes to twelve.

VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS. Mr Mavsden Thompson asked the Government whether they, would appoint a Commissioner to inquire into the, expenditure of the sum of t1,753, which has been authorised by the Waate Lands Department in Auckland, as shown in return No. 164 C, in connection with the village settlements of Herekino, Mobukaraka, and Punakitere, and for which the Waste Lands Department is unable to account., He said that; a system had grown up in these settlements* of paying men by orders that had to be sold for what they would fetch. Jn many cases no cash was given and settlers only gob 10s in, the £ for what they had done. He only asked for justice for these people, and thought a commission should be set up to inquire into the matter. The Minister for Lands would not promise such a commission, but he thought it very desirable that the matter should be inquiredinto. Mr liobbs denounced Mr Thompson's supposed irregularities as a mere " mare's nest." The Department had assured him there was nothing in it. Mr R. Thomp&on had been there too, arid the Department would give him no information on the subject, and that was what he wanted to get at. The Hon. Mr Larnaoh and Mr R. Reeves advocated sending the matter to the Public Accounts Committee. Mr Ballance thought the officer who had to pay the money to the settlers should give an exact account of how it had" been paid. Mr iiobbs thought refeiring matter to the Public Accounts Committee was a very good plan. The matter then dropped ; but the Minister intends having it inquired into at once.

COAL MONOPOLY. On the motion for going into Com" mifcte6 of Supply last night Mr Seddon moved, an amendment to the effect that in the opinion of this House the time has at - rived when the Government should give encouragement to the development of the mineral resources of the colony ; and wifch that object in view that they be requested to instruct the Railway Commissioners to give preference to native coal on our railways. The Minister for Works said the amendment was one which could well be accepted by the Government, a? in every instance they had instructed the officers of the various departments throughout the colony to purchase local coal. The amendment wa3 unanimously adopted.