TEMUKA PARLIAMENTARY UNION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1387, 3 September 1885, Page 3

TEMUKA PARLIAMENTARY UNION.

The weekly Bitting of the Temuka Parliamentary Union was held on Tuesday evening, the attendance being good. On the Speaker (Mr Bryars) taking the chair, Mr Twomey (Gladstone) on behalf of Mr Murray, asked if the Minister oi Lands was prepared to indicate the steps he intended to take in reference to the Government Leaseholds (pastoral) which will shortly expire.—The Minister for Lands (Mr Gray) stated that as far as he knew at present the Government would follow the course adopted when the leases expired on the last occasion, vi« , submit them to public competition: or they would be put up fer tender. The Colonial Treasurer (Mr Hargreavee) then moved an Imprest Supply of £250,000, which he stated was necessary to carry on the business of the conntry --a large portion of it was wanted to meet the liabilities left by their predecessors.

Mr Twomey (Gladstone) after speaking of the extraordinary way in which the Ministry ivere conducting the business of the country, moved as an amendmeut until it is brought forward in proper form" He said that the proper mode of procedure was by Bill. Mr Gaze (Auckland East) seconded the amendment and combated the statements of the Colon'al Treasurer re the state the finances of the country were left in by the late Ministry. The Native Minister (Mr Bolton), the Minister for Lands (Mr Gray), the Premier (Mr Aapinall), Mr Wills (Waimate), aud Mr Lee (Mount Egmont), all supported the request of the Colonial Treasurer holding that it was quite in order. Mr Bnnibridtje (Wakanui), and Mr Harrop (Timaru) Bpoka against the request, urging that the proposals for which the amount was required should be stated, and the former defended the late Ministry against the statement made by the Colonial Secretary re the liabtlities left by the late Ministry. Mr Twomey and the Colonial Secretary having replied the amendment was put , and lost, aud the motion was then carried. The Minister for Lands then made his promised Public Works Statement. After a few prefatory remarks requesting a fair hearing, etc., lie said the first question he would toncli on was Railways, ft was the most important question that lie had to deal with at the present time. The number of mi'es of railway epen for traffic on 31st March 1884 was i,464 miles, which hid cost £11,251,633. The receipts for the last j ear had been from all sources £1,045,742, and expenditure was £699,026 leaviug a nett pr-tii of £346,716, which was equal to 3 p».r cent on the outlay of construction. This might be louked on as fairly satisfactory. The Government would ask the House to pass a measure to relieve Parliament of carrying out Public Works. He was jonviiitTd it would be far better if 'Railways weie managed by Nonpolitical Boards. Tliey should put wood men on the. Boards whatever They had to pay then;. They must be aware that there was a large amount of work now lost—entHlod by various names

which they should do. At present they had to send to England fur rolling stock, and until very lately every item connected witli the railway hud been imported. Tliey wished to relieve the Go vernment of these departm-nis, which he thought would he a great saving-. Of course the measure which would hibrought forward could not, be expected to he got into working order this session. They would only ask members to pass it through the preliminary stages, so that they might consider it during the rc-cens. It would relieve the Government of ali public works, and place them in the hands of public bodies. There were a large number of railway lines started which would have to be finished to secure a return for the outlay, and the amount ha should have to ask for this purpose was considerable. He instanced several lines io the North Island, and also the TemukaOxford. For the latter £20,000 would be required to carry it on to the Kakahu, where minerals lay under the surface of the ground, only awaiting the spade or axe to bring them to light. Rolling Stock.—Under the present arrangements all rolling stock needing repairs had to be sent to Christchurch or Dunedin. I but he proposed to establish workshops i.i the smaller centres of population which would give employment there. Everything connected with the railways that could be made in the colony would be done so. He thought that if they had even to pay slightly higher rates for the work it would be recouped by the amount the workmen contribuled to the country through the Customs. He proposed to materially reduce the present charges for carrying live stock on the railway, which preßsnd very hard on Canterbury. They proposed to reduce the passenger fares by Id per mile. The whole tariff would be gone into and probably reduced. He proposed to ask for £250,000 to commence the East and West Coast Eailway. This would help to relieve the depression by providing employment. Regarding harbor defences, public buildings, etc., he said great expense had been incurred placing the principal ports in a state of defence and further outlay was still neceisary. He was pleased to state that they could manufacture torpedoes in the colony. There were a large number of public buildings yet unfinished, notably lunatic asylums, schools, and courthouses, and it would be necessary to place a sum on the Estimates for their completion. In conclusion he would ask for £1,000,000 to carry out these works. That Bum would be necessary. One or two questions were then asked regarding the statement, and Mr Wills then moved the adjournment of the debate on the Statement till next meeting. The proposition was seconded by the Premier and carried.

Mr Gordon Wood (Avon) was elected Chairman of Committees. The Native Minister then asked leave to introduce, as a private member, a Bill to abolish actions for Breach of Promise of Marriage.—Leave was granted, and the Bill was read a first time.

Several questions were then given notice of, and the meeting adjourned till Tuesday evening next.