PARLIAMENTARY.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 90, 26 October 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Mr Macandraw, in moving - the second reading of the Railways Construction Bill, said the Government would ask authority to spend L 400,000 within the current year. Next year a larger sum would be asked. L 157,000 would be spent on immigration during the year, labour being an important element in the scheme. Ample reserves would be made along the lines for towns, and for land to be sold for settlement for cosh, and on deferred payments. The minimum area of blocks of land opened in the Colony has hitherto been too large. He was glad to hear from telegrams that the proposals for a monthly steam service between New Zealand and Home were on the way out. Many men in the Colony were able to undertake contracts for fifty or a hundred thousand pounds, and remain out of their

March, 1878, 3,795 water-races in existence, of an aggregate length of 5,230 miles. The total cost of these works with their attendant tail-races, dams, and reservoirs, is estimated in round numbers at L 850,000. Tuese were constructed hy ; private enterprise. In addition to these were 127 miles constructed hy Government at a cost of L 362,000. There were employed during the year ending with March* last, 83 steam engines, with a total of 2,157 horse-power, and 1,591 stampers, in the crushing of quartz and cement. From a report on tire volunteer force of New Zealand recently presented to Parliament, we learn that the present strength of tiie force in both islands is, adults, 5508, cadets 2180. The report stated that the excitement caused by the disturbed state of European affairs had the effect of stimulating the volunteer movement in the Colony, The increase in number has been 279 adults, and 232 cadets. It is said that the new regulations, which fix a minimum of fifty as the least which the Government would recognise as entitling a corps to capitation allowance, have had the best possible effect. Several corps have been disbanded, they having fallen below this minimum, but six new corps have been enrolled. Large guns are noiv expected from England, which will be handed over to the artillery corps at the principal seaports, and should it be found necessary, qualified instructors will be obtained from Australia to initiate the corps in their use. Windy Wellington is to receive a new name to immortalise the fact that it is the dustiest town in New Zealand. Simoom City has been suggested, but possibly some better one may be fixed upon. Just a week ago, Friday night and Saturday moruing having been both wet, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon clouds of dust were flying. Old residents all declare that the town is getting worse in this respect than ever it was. The reason why Willis street is so bad undoubtedly is that the facing put upou the rough metal is of such a soft inferior nature that it works into dust with the least traffic. In oth. r parts of the town something might be down to remedy the evil by only putting on the hardest and .leanest metal, and by insisting upon a careful system of street-cleaning. A foot race for £2OO a-side for a distance of 200 yards has been definitely arranged between Watson and Aplett, the two fastest sprint runners in the colonies, to come off at Maitland on November 2. A Wang mui paper says a good story is told of a local hotel-keeper as follows : other had lost one of his legs, and walked with the assistance of a wooden substitute, came to stay at an hotel in town, and the night of his arrival put outside his door two odd boots, both beh nging to his sound leg, to have them cleaned. In the morning the head of the house, on making a tour of inspection, came upon this odd pair, and wanted to know where were the fellows. Being unable to find them he descended to the nether regions, and threatened the man who had the cleaning of the boots to do with immediate expulsion unless the fellows of the two odd boots were at once, forthcoming. A general overhaul of all the boots in the establishment ensued, but without satisfactory results, a id an execution of the threat was impending, when the onelegged guest made everybody happy by clamouring for “one of his boots" #