GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1117, 5 July 1883, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The Hon the Minister for Public Works delivered his statement last Wednesday evening. He proposed that a Minister for Railways should be ap-

pointed, as that depaitment was large ■'. enbughto be separated from the Public Works. To the balance of the Public Works Fund in hand on 31st March 1882, viz., £924,865, there has been added the sum of £989.897, being the proceeds of debenture! for £l,ttl>o,ooo v which we sold in January last, thus making a total of £1,914,762. Out of this fund there had been spent during the year a sum of £897,037, and in consequence the Public Works Fund amounted at the close of the last financial year to £1,017,725. After giving a detailed account of the progress made in the construction of the various railways, he stated that it vias the intention of the Government to submit resolutions to the effect that property which maybe specially benefitted by public works in future should be specially taxed, The Government' did not consider it desirable to go on wub the line to Picton at present. The receipts from railways during the year rose from L 892.029 in 1882 to L 953,347 in 1883, being an increase of L 61,321, notwithstanding that reductions in freight amounting to L 40,000 per annum had been made. The increase in the number of passengers 891,901 ; in 6eason ticket holders, LI, 157 ; in

tonnage hauled, 127,079, pnd in live stock, 13,020. The cost of rolling stock built at Home and in the colony was L 205,000, and Ll 45,000 had been spent out of the loan on improvements to opened lines. If the railway were paid for carrying mails and volunteers it would have increased its revenue by LIB.OOO a yes>r. In 1882 the expenditure was L 523.049, in 1883 L 592.821, or L 11,525 more than the estimate, the principal item of which was L. 29,703 for maintainance of the permanent way. For the current year he would make the estimate L 63 4,000 or L52,70<> more

than last year, while receipts would be

Ll ,020,000. The total expenditure on constructed railways to March 31 last was L 10,473,898 and the receipts were at the rate of L 3 8s lOd per cent on the capital. To give a better knowledge of the exact position of the North Island, the net revenue was L 71,387, or L2 155.1 d percent on a capital expenditure on open lines of 1,3,474,681. In the ] Middle Island the capital cost of the : open lines was L 7.004,316, the net revenue being at the rate of L 4 2s 6d per cent. List Tear the net revenue from North Island railways was L 68,126, and from those in the Middle Island L 300,000. The interest on the gross outlay on railway! opened and unopened for 1881 82 wa« L 5 7s 3d percent, and for the year 1882 83, it was L 3 3s 2d per cent. With regard to/districts benefitted by a railway being raaie through it ther» were two plans which might be adopted to secure to the fotate a share of the arl vantages which owners of property would gain. One was to buy all the land in the vicinity of the line at about 25 per cent over the property tax valuation, the other to value the land before the con struction of the railway, and charge its owners with half the cost of making it. To carry out the tormer would necessitate the raising of a loan, to carry out the latter no money would be required The Government would submit a Bill empowering them to adept both plans with the intention of acting generally on the secood, except where settlement could be favorably pushed forward. The Government considered that land through which a railway which was not paying should not be rated to make up the deficiency. They had inaugurated the leasing system of land, they proposed abolishing all restrictions as to the alienation of lands, and he trusted the proposals

would be recognised as having tor their object the advancement of the country. Mr Seddon moved the adjournment of the House. He deprecated the proposal to appoint a Minister of Railways as an attempt to secure a Canterbury supporter to the Government. Sir George Grey understood the Government now proposed a conciliatory policy. Scorn failed him to find words to characterise such a proposal. The people, it was proposed, were now to hi allowed to participate in wli&t was their own, and in what they had .for years been robbed of, while those who had robbed them were not only to be allowed to retain the spoil, but were also to get 25 per cent more given to them. Such was the monstrous proposal made. Why were not those who had acquired these vast estates not made to do justice to the people of the colony? Many had acquired the property br most unfair means. Why did not the Government produce the Canterbury pre-emptive rights books, and have a Doomsday Book compiled so as to be in the hands of every man in the colony, and so that they might know how they had been robbed of their birthright ? He demanded a dissolution before fresh taxation in such a time of genaral depression, The motion for the adjournment was negatived. The Tenants Fixtures Bill and the Prisons Bill were then considered in Committee, and agreed to with amendments. The House adjourned at 12.45,