GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1249, 7 October 1884, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. In the Legislative Council on Friday, the Otago Harbor Board Empowering Bill was committed, read a third time and passed. The River Boards Bill was reported from Committee, with amendments, and passed. The Pensions Bill was, after a short debate, read a third time and parsed, as were also the Foreign Companies Bill and the Timber 1 loating Bill. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. In the House of Representatives on Friday, Replying to Mr O’Callaghan, the Hon. Mr Tole said the cost of administration of the Contagious Diseases Act in Christchurch was on an exceptional footing, and the Government was determined to have these exceptional circumstances removed. Replying to Dr Newman, the Hon. Mr Richardson said the rule in the Railway Department was that servants on sick leave got half pay during the first, and

one-quarter pay during the next three months. Replying to Mr Wakefield, the Hon. Sir Julius Yogel said the Government did not propose an amendment of the law so as to render property belonging to religious denominations liable to any direct taxation in force for the time being witli respect to similar property belonging to private persons. The Hon. Sir Julius Yogel moved —• “ That inasmuch as the Californian service and the direct mail steamers afford the quickest means of communication to and from Great Britain and New Zealand and mail matters brought or sent by way of Brindisi entails a considerable loss, this House is of opinion the rates on letters to and from Great Britain by way of Brindisi should be raised to one shilling the half ounce and other mail matters in proportion, and that if there is a difficulty in levying the additional amount in Great Britain, the same should be paid here.” He argued that if it was necessary that they should have a bimonthly mail it was their duty to give the preference to the direct steam service. The San Francisco route had been of great service, and its termination would be a disaster to the colony commercially. It did not pay the colony to charge less than one shilling for letters by the Brindisi route, and it should not undertake it at a lower rate. It would not be any loss to any part of the colony if the raising of the rate discouraged this route and rendered the other still more popular.— The motion was carried on the voices.

The following Bills were reported, read a third time and passed -.—Parliamentary Honorarium and Privileges, and Public Health Act 1876 Amendment.

The Hon. Sir Julius Yogel moved the second reading of the Westport Harbor Bill. There was no reason why this and Greymouth should not rival Newcastle and other large coal exporting places. 11 was estimated that they had equal to 105,000,000 tons of coal in this place alone ; besides, there were other coal deposits m the vicinity. It was not, therefore, a local work that was aimed at, but a work of colonial importance. Beyond the relinquishment of the revenue named in the Bill, the colony incurred no risk in the undertaking. Mr Shrimski opposed the motion. He contended that a large number of the members of the House were interested in the mine, and ought not to bo allowed to vote.

Major Atkinson recognised that it was a colonial, and at the same time a most important, work, and that as such it should recommend itself to their notice. As to the best means for assisting io developing these mines there might be a diversity of opinion. He did not like the method proposed by the Bill. He was entirely opposed to a guarantee, as it left it indefinite when their liability ended. He should like to see the mine and the railwaygiven in security. They could haye money on that security at a low rate of interest. A Trust should be constituted, under the direct control of the Government, for that purpose. He would be happy to consider this if brought down as part of their Public Works Statement. Ha would support the motion, but in Committee would move in the direction ho had indicated.

Mr Mucandrew agreed in the views expressed by the last speaker. He believed the coal deposits of the West Coast were sufficient to cover the whole of the colonial loan.

Mr Turnbull supported the Bill, but hoped Government would so change its provisions as would enable them to raise the loan in the colony, and retain the power of carrying on the work in their own hands.

Mr Rolleaton deprecated the principle of bringing down these local Bills piecemeal, as in that way they entailed higher rates of interest than if they were brought down in a lump sum. He quoted from statistics to show that the coal industry had not, as had been alleged, been falling off, but that on the contrary it was making satisfactory progress. He did not think they had sufficient data before them to justify them in agreeing to ail the proposals of the Bill. They had already spent large sums to very little purpose in the derelopemeut of these coal mines. Again, there were those who were of opinion that it would be better to erect permanent works at Wes f porl at a point where they would be more independent of the Haller river. They should carefully consider the policy of entering into schemes which entailed heavy borrowing. The security proposed to be given had been already pledged under the Westland Goldfields Administration Act. The Bill ought to go before a Committee, in order that its proposals may be considered in connection with the Act, and in the House they should consider the proposal in connection with the Government scheme of finance.

Mr Montgomery admitted the colonial importance of the work, but the question was, was the Board to have the spending of the money 1 Ha„could not support the BUI in its present form. Mr Bryce, Colonel Trimble, Mr W. F. Buckland, and Mr Barron spoke against the Bill, whilst the Hon. Mr Stout, Mr Sutter, Sir George Grey and others supported it. The Bill was read a second time.

The Greymouth Harbor Bill was then read a second time, ana referred to a select committee to report on Tuesday, and the House rose.