GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2098, 13 September 1890, Page 1

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. On Thursday, WESTPOET -NQAKATf A¥.

Mr Stevens moved the second reading, of the Westport-Ngakawau Bailway Bill. Mr Shrimski opposed the Bill. Mr McLean saicl that considering the position he held in the Union Company, he would not vote either; way. At the same, time he declared; that the company had nothing to do with the West Coast coal companies. Dr Pollen opposed the hjll. Mr Buckley strongly opposed the; bill, which he characterised as iniquitous, and hoped those interested would not vote on the measure. The second reading was carried by 14 to 7. THE SCHOOL COMMITTEES ELECTION BILIi. The council went into committee on; the School Committees Election Bill, which was passed without amendment,; read a third time and passed. The council rose at 9.55 p.m.

HOtJ3E OF SEPBESENTATIYES. On Wednesday, NOTICES OF MOTIQJTi

Mr Goldie gave notice to move on going inte Committee of Supply that in the opinion of the -House the Government is deserving of grave censure for having, in defiance ef thj clear and repeated votes of the House,; reinstated in the Supplementary;! Estimates items dealt with in Committee of Supply. ANSWERS TO QUESTION. In answer to Mr Humphreys) j Captain Bussell said that the Govern-j ment' bad noticed the; cablegram' published in the colonial newspapers,; stating that the War Office had issued; regulations prohibiting the purchase of; frozen beef for the Army, and they; intended to cable to the AgentGeneral and obtain fuller information regarding the matter. He need scarcely say that the Government would use every effort in order to ensure that frosen meat from New Zealand would obtain a fair chance of getting universal consumption in ! Great Britain..

WANT 09, • CONFID ENCE MOTION.

Mr Ballance called the attention of the Government to what he regarded as a want of confidence motion proposed by Mir Goldie, and contended that, according to the usual constitutional, practice, no, other,buß|neßß should W proceeded with/until'that wasdisposed of. He might say that he quite agreed with ,the terms of the motion proposed by Mr Goldie, and he considered that the Government were deserving of "ceasure focputting on the Supplementary Estimates items that had been struck out in Committee of Supply. Mr. Mitchelson replied, that ;i the Government did not, intend to go on with the Supplementary until the resolutions already arrived at, by the Committee, were;;reported to the House; -When they came to that, question the House would be duly informed of what attitude the Government would/, adopt in regard to the items now appearing on the Supple-j mentary Estimates. i After answering several questions; on the subject Mr Mitchelson promised! to state the intentions of the Govern- ; ment that evening. AUCKLAND BOMAN CATHOLIC RESERVES j BILL. The second reading o£ this Bill was! adjourned, THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT. Mr. Mitchelson said, with regard toi the Supplementary Estimates the; Government would ask the House, to consider the first vote it was proposed to restore, and if the House; "rejected that item the Government would accept it as an indication that the other ones should not be moved. On Thursday, THE DISMISSAL OF RAILWAY EMPLOYES.

Mr Mitchelson saidi that, in ; accordance with 5 the promise he had made to the House on the previouo evening, he had placed himself in, communication with the Railway Commissioners with respect to the dismissal of four railway employes at Chrißtchurch, and had obtained a memorandum on the subject. He moved that the memorandum should lie on the table and be printed. [The memorandum shortly reviewed, the circumstances which led up to the ; dismissal of men at Westport, Lyttelton, and Christehurch, and included a copy of several circulars which tbe; Commissioners had addressed to their men during the recent crisis. The; report of the meetin/j held at Christchurch at which the four men, Elvines, Winter, Owen, and Newton, were concerned, was also attached to the communication]. Mr Ballance said that this was a very important question, and he should propose that the memorandum be printed at once, and be circulated before the House met to-morrow, so that a discussion might take place on it. The Commissioners were nt> doubt servants of the House, and members had a perfect right to criticise their actions.

•Several other members having spoken, Mr Mitchelson said that he regretted that any debate had taken place at this stage. He had no objection to the memorandum being -printed at once, but he could not say at present whether the Government would eet apart any time for -its consideration, He should inform the House definitely of the decision of the Government on the matter at halfpast two next day, THE ESTIMATES. On the resolution from the Com-, mittee of Supply being reported, Mr! Mitchelson said that the principal' motive of the Government in replacing; the items which had been struck off was that some members considered an injustice had been done by attacking the salaries of* some of the ofScers whose cases had been first dealt with. My Goldie said that after the statement made by the Minister, he would not move the motion he had given notice of.

Mr Ballance desired to congratulate the Government on the course which they had decided on, and he was glad to perceive that they had seen the error of their ways. He was sorry, 1 however, to see that the Government were determined to stick to the Audit Department, and he expressed the opinion that the reduction made in the; vote was more called for tbau in anyf other department in the service, and! it would in no way interfere with the; efficiency of the department. He also, wished to give the Government notice; that he intended to oppose several! items on the Supplementary Estimates strenuously, and he thought that those Estimates could be reduced by £20,000. After some discussion the resolutions from the Committee of Supply were read by the clerk. On the vote for the Audit Department being reached Mr Mitchelson that the vote be recommitted, in order that the £950 which had been struck off should be restored. Mr Mois moved as an amendment—j" That in tbe opinion of |be House the

Jovernrnent were not jastifi-cl in filling the vicant office of Assistant Control ! er and Anditor, entailincr a nebdlpsa, stau. tory life charge of £BOO to the rpvmues of the colony," The voting resulted as follows : Ayps—(For recommittal) 28 ; Noes—(for Mr Mosa' Tbe Speaker gaWbis casting voip with the Ayes, and the amendment;, was losj. question being put for the recommittal of the itcm.AndfyPeparira nt the motion was lost by 29 to 28. The rrm»ining resolutions were- then reported, ancj the House roee at 1 a.m. till llfflext day,