GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1537, 27 July 1886, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. In the Legislative Council on Fri<J «y, The Council resolved to sit on during the remainder of the session, Mr Buckley, replying to a question by Dr Mercies, said that Government vm inquiring into the condition of the unemployed at Dunedin and Auckland, with s view to affording relief. ■ The debate on Mr Beeves' motion recommending Government not .to import stoats and weasels was continued, sod an amendment by Sir Frederick Whitaker that Government be requested to import these animals was carried. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill was further considered in Oommittse. The Chairman ruled that the Bill being a money Bill could not bs amended, and thia ruling was upheld by; the Speaker. Eventually progress was reported, leave being given to sit again. The Companies Branch Roristers Bill and the Coal Mines Bill were Committed and reported with amendments. * The Companies Branch Register* Bill was read a third time and passed. ' The Otago Harbor Board Leasing Bill was read a third time, and the Oountisa Bill was further considered. Several amendments were agreed to. Mr Barnioortt’s new clause that Chairmen ot Conoty Councils should receive £IOO per year out of county funds waa lost on a division—ayea 10, noes 76. The Bill was reported with amendments and the Council at 10-30 adjourned till . Monday. / HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. Mi Hislop moved the second reading of the Wairtu Gas Bill was ordered to be read that day month. Mr Ormond brought up the- report of the Government Insurance Committee.---The Premier said that Government proposed giving an opportunity for discussing the report this session. Replying to questions it was stated that the Tarawa** natives had besn approached with a view to ascertain whether they would be willing to exchange tfta land of the Terraces for a site in another part of the colony; that country postmasters and telegraphists who had to kesp their offices opan between 7 and 8 p.m, had not received any gratuity.last year as the extra duty was part of the regular duty of officers. Tbs Premier moved that the' House it Us.rising adjourn till half-past two on Monday. The motion was agreed to.. The House rose at 6.30 p.m. Ou resuming it was decided thnQ private members’ business should be lakew on Mondays up to 5.30 p.m. Tbs Mining Bill was passed. Sir Julius Vogel said he would net proceed any nirther wjth the Beer I)uty Amendment Bill, Mr Fergus then resumed the debate on the Loan Bill. Mr Montgomery followed. k - Major A tkinson twitted Ministers with sitting dumb under the accusations brought against them. He presumed th#y were waiting ..to hearall the speeches and smother them up in acloud of words, , but he would take car® they ' did say waf‘answered.- They popfesteq they did not even know how muph they were aoing to spend this year on native land purchases. The Public Works State*

rpent showed that the Treasurer and premier had been giving Mr Richardson Contradictory orders, if the latter, had not changed the opinions with which lie entered the Ministry he had no right to beaittingon those benches. Where were the Railway Board and other promised reforms 1 Then Government had distinctly stated they preferred making railways to XOads, but their actions had not borne out their pledges. They said railways were reproductive, but what lines on the present schedule were reproductive. The fact. was many of them bad no bu»ioess on )t. Only about halt the money on the Estimates was to be spent on railways, and they tad no right, therefore, fo pose ■l a Government who only went iu for reproductive works. Regarding the pur- - chase of native lands, be denounced the returo|to the “ commusioner# ” system. There was grave reason to think political Influence bad been at werk, for one of the men thus employed was an ex-member and an avowed candidate at next •lection. The House ought to express its rpiiion of this defiance of - the. law. II» then proceeded to deal . with: the qut, t;on of the £BOO,OOO of liabilities. He suggested that as .they, had bought rolling stock, etc., for .themselves they should go a little further and buy the earth works of railways 'ln progress a* well. He ridiculed the •-efforts of Government to get rid of these -' liabilities, and argued that practically • half the loan was already spent. It was clear the Treasurer bad completely for- ... gotten them ar. first. Government proto spend this year £700,100, but Sjjc'cording to the Estimates they were ’ ’Milked to vote £950,000. This would 1 • leave only ‘£170,000 for next year; - £120,000 of- this was already forestalled ; ■ ip that they would only have £50,000 left for native lands, school buildings, . and everything else. This really meant tfiey were voting this year all the money that was intended to last for years. It. was impossible to give effect to the proposals without borrowing again next year; He urged that the Estimates should be cut down to a million. . Mr Richardson said there would be £4OOO available, for the purchase of native lands next year. Major Atkinsoo knew very well the expenditure would net come up to the estimate, and he asserted them would be over two millions available for the next two years ■ from all sources. He would be glad when .the Estimates came onto explain bow much would be needed to complete the railways for which votes were asked. The principal votes were for lines com--1 menced when Government took office. Ha denied the land purchases were worthv- ■ less, and reminded the House that though 130 additional miles of tinea were open, the working expenses of the railways had \ , not been increased, and material changes had also been made for the better. He had not altered his opinion about railway boards, but they would mean a consider- ■ able expense for two or three years. With reference to Mr Ormond's remarks on the Napier line, he pointed out the House had completely stopped all work on it by cutting off the £500,000 last 1 year. Moreover, it had never been contemplated to finish it in two years as alleged. Provision had been made to complete the Otago Central up to a point where it would begin begin to open up good country, and the Northern Trunk -"-would be carried on quite as fast as the country cared for, The hon. gentleman then reviewed at length the attacks made on -the Public Works Department, and ’• defended it from the charges of extravagance and lavish expenditure. They had ' been accused of contemp'ating an unnecessary deviation of the QokitikaQreymouth line,-but as a fact no such : thing had been determined on, nor were to propose a line from New Plymouth and Gisborne aa bad been ; hinted.- • Mr Kerr and Mr Hobbs spoke briefly. MrJ. McKenzie moved the adjournment of th* debate. Ayes 30, noes 13, The House rose at 1.30 a.m.