GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1371, 28 July 1885, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday, Replying tfc questions, the Hon. the —»i Colonial Secretary stated that inquiries were being made into the report that a number of railway passes were being issued to pass a person over the railways iu Australia; that the annual Printing Report would be presented next week ; that it was the intention of the Government (o introduce a Bill to amend the Public Trespass Act. Various returns were ordered to be printed, and Mr Walker was granted a week’s leave ot absence on urgent private affairs. Mr Brandon moved that the Criminal Code Bill be referred back to the Statutes Revision Committee. This was negatived on a division by 19 to 18, and the Bill was ordered to be committed presently. Various Bills weie read u first time.

The Gaming and Lotteries Bill was read a thrid time and passed. The Criminal Code Bill was considered in Committee, and reported with amendments. The Industrial Schools Bill and West Coast Settlement Reserves Bill were read a third time and passed. The Timaru Harbor Board Loan Bill and Imprest Supply Bill (No. 72) were read a first time, and the latter was also passed. The Council adjourned at 4.40 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.20 p.m. on Friday. Replying to questions, Ministers said : That it bad been found impossible for the railway, in short distances, to compete with the road : that a report would be furnished on the Timaru Courthouse, and when it was received Government would consider whether a sum should be placed on the Estimates for its improvement; that Government would consider whether it was advisable to connect the pilot station at Kuipara heads with Te Kopura by telephone, but they were of opinion that a tug was needed there ; that steps had been taken to carry out the promise made last session that the soldiers’ graves at Ohawai and Ouapekapeka should be fenced. Replying to Yincent Fyke, whether the well known Harry Meiggs, of Californian, Mexican and Peruvian notoriety, is in anj' way connected with the firm of Messrs Meiggs and Sens referred to in the Hon. the Treasurer’s East and West Coast Railway statement as “ a well knovn firm of railway contractors and financiers,” and if the Government is not in possession of such information whether they will make the necessary enquiries, the Hon, Sir Julias Yogel said he had no personal knowledge of the firm. It was quite true the Meiggs referred to had been unfortunate in early life, but he afterwards made a large fortune and founded the celebrated firm of Meiggs and Co. From the enquiries he had made in Wellington during the last few days he had elicited the information that the statements made in reference to Meiggs, who he understood was now deceased, had no foundation. A number of new Bills were introduced. It was agreed that for the remainder of the session Government business should take precedence on Wednesday ; and also that the House on rising should adjourn till Monday night for the consideration of private members’ business. A select Committee was appointed to consider a petition from the settlers and colonists of Fiji, and the general position of the Western Pacific Islands in their relation to New Zealand. The House then went into Committee of Supply, and an Impress Supply Bill for £300,000 was passed through all its stages. Major Atkinson moved for a return showing the rate the public works expenditure was now going on. The Hod. Sir Julius moved “ That the House go into Committee to consider the following resolution : —‘ That Government be authorised to negotiate for a fresh mail service between Auckland and San Francisco, for five years, at a 1 cost not exceeding £30,000 per annum.’ ” | He said the average passage made by j those steamers from Auckland to London j was 36 days 20 hours, while the average f of the direct steamers from the colony to Plymouth was 39 days 6 hours. He thought, therefore, that this matter de- 1 served some consideration. He did not ] desire to disparage the direct service, t which he looked upon as of immense, * value, but he thought the proposal to run | a fortnightly service in conjunction with j the direct service was of more importance to the colony. We were now paying 1 £31,215 per year, and New South Wales f contributed £7OOO a year. He contended i that owing to the agreement, and the fact j that they were to receive the postages | from New South Wales, the service j was really costing the colony nothing, , but rather that a profit was made out. of it. 5

Mr Levestam moved as an amendment “ That the whole question of the mail service be referred to a select Committee to report on in a week,” but was ruled out of order. Captain Sutter then moved the following amendment, of which he had given notice: “That the figures “£30,000” be struck out, with the view of inserting the following scale of remuneration, viz : The Postmaster-General will pay the contracting party at the following rates — Letters, 12s per lb ; packets, Is per )b ; newspapers, 6d per lb. He said Auckland had no right to such a large sum as it was proposed to give as a subsidy. The United States Government were bound to carry a mail to Honolulu, and we could make arrangements with them. An amendment to report progress was negatived. Mr Macandrew considered that £30,000 was too much for the service. They should all cultivate the direct service, and the mere fact of one or two days difference in the routes was of minor importance compared with the benefit of the direct[nervice. He would be sorry to see the service abandoned altogether, but it was the cost he objected to, which, in his opinion, was far too heavy. Major Atkinson submitted that the House was in full possession of all information that was desired on the subject, and that a Committee was not at all necessary. He said it could not be gainsaid that the £30,000 would be more than recouped to the colony by postages if the proposals of the Hon. the PostmasterGeneral were carried out. The whole of . the proposal was to make New Zealand the terminus, and to make not a loss but a profit. He thought it would be wise on all grounds to accede to the proposals of Government. A long debate took place, Mr Sutter’s amendment and several others were negatived, and the resolution amended to read that the agreemeat be for “three” years (in lieu of “ five ”) was reported to the House and ordered to be considered on Friday next. Tbe Hon. Mr Larnacb moved the second reading of the Mines Act Amendment Bill, and in doing so made his Mines Statement. The House rose at 1 a.m.