HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 257, 31 October 1901, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, 29th Ootobik,

Evening Sitting.

Tbe Imprest Supply Bill was further considered, and Mr Pirani's amendment was negatived by 34 to 20.

Messrs Herries and G. W. Russell spoke.

Mr Pirani considered the Colonial Treasurer should bring down a rough balance sheet, showing the particular work for which theamount was required, and the state of the colonial finances. After further discussion tbe Bill passed through committee without amendment, and waß read a third time and passed.

The Maori Oounci's Act Amendment Bill was received from the Legislative Council, and read a first time. The amendments made by the Legislative Oouncil in the .Trustee Act Amendment Bill were agreed to.

At 8.50 p.m. the House went into Oommit'ee of Supply for consideration of the Public Works Estimate;.

Public Works Department—£l3,2so. Mr Herries asked what what proposed to be done in regard to the Midland Railway. Sir Joseph Ward considered that th« Midland Railway debenture-holders should be treated fairly and honestly, but he ridiouled the suggestion that the colony was to be affected in its loans on the Home market because of the debenture-holders of the Midland Railway. In reply to an interjection, he said if the worst Same to the worst the Government oould borrow money in the oniony.

The Premier said there had been rumourß as to whan the* Midland Railway debenture-holders intended to do, but he took it that as business men they would never be so foolish as to threaten tbe colony while tbeir petition was before Parliament. The finacoial position of the 01-->ny was si sound that the Government oould get wh itever money it wanted. The vote passed unaltered.

Railway construction—£s6l,ooo Mr Massey said a sum of £242,500 was voted to the North Island, as against £279,000 for the South Island, yet the European popula'ion of the north was greatly in excess of that of the south.

Mr Houston moved that the vote for Kawakawa-Grahamstown line (j£15,000) be reduced by £1 as a protest against the Whangarei-Grahamatown section of the lice being completed before the Hukeranui-Kawakawa section. After considerable discussion the ameudment was carried by 29 to 24. The Hon. Sail-Jones quoted figures to show -that the expenditure on roads and bridges in the North IsUod was greatly in excess of that in the south, and that the expenditure in the Auckland province (including expenditure on main trunk line) was especially heavy, Captain Russell asked if a tunnel was to be constructed at Otira, and at. whatoost?

Mr Hogg said he understood the tunnel in question would be six milts in length, and the money to be spent on this work might just as well be thrown in mid-ocean.

Mr Hall-J ones said the Otira tunnel would be more economical than ctrrying the line over the heights. Mr Broge, on American expert, had been engaged to report as to the best means of carrying tLe railway through that country. At the vote for Harbour Deftne s, £20,000, Mr Millar moved a reduction of £15,000. He said no less than £427,000 appeared in this year's estimates for defence, which meant lis per head for every man, woman, and chi'd in the colony, and he urged the colony could not stand it. Mr Hall-Jones said the colony should maintain its defences in good condition ■ and the sum asked for was not toa large.

The motion was lost by 28 to 16, and tho vote passed unalter d.

The remaining items were passed without amendment, and the House rose at 4 a.m.

Wednesday, 30th October,

The House met at 2.30 p.m. In r<ply to questions, Minis'ers stated it would be a very good thing if reciprocity could ba obtained with America, although Mr Seddon did not think there was muoh chance of it; there ought, however, t-> b) a preferential tariff between New Zealand and the Mo'her 0 untry; thit the recommendation of the timber coufereßce, that an export; duty of 3s p«-r 100 sup. feat ba placed on whi'e pine ftnd kauri bilk timber was now before the Cabinet. A statement recently | cabled from Sydney that Mr Seddon had already arranged ti eff. ct puch a duty was ifcsolutely incorrect That no invitation bad yen bien received for this colony to be represented at the King's coronation, but it was expected the invitation would come to haud in tin recess, and the Government would consequently ask for tha necessary financial provision on the Supplemautary Estimates; that raoent events b\d

fully shown the wisdom of the rourm taken by the Government in appointing the Federation Commission, the evidence alone was worth three times the cost; that the recently annoanoed innovation of the Telegraph Department in regard to the treatment of | messages to racecourses had been dei vised in order to facilitate public busiI cess over telegraph wires on race days, j The House rose at 5,30 p.m. , Evbsibq Sirrara.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. A new Government Railway Depirtment Classification Bill was introduced by Governor's message. It replaces tbe Bill which had already been circulated.

Sir Joseph Ward seated that the first division of the original Bill had been favourably received by theoffiom interested, but in consequence of representations made by the staff the second division had been amended. This amendment he said would tend to still further improve the status of the workers in the department. The Bill was read a first time.