HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2965, 16 August 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON??*, Thursday. The House met at 2.30 to-day. WESTERN DISTRICT RAILWAY MATERIAL. Mr J. E. Brown asked why certain sleepers and fencing wire, obtained for the Western District railways, were sold; what was their first cost, and the price realised ?

The Hon. Mr Macandrew explained that some of the material was retained by the Government, and some sold on the advice of the Engineer-in-Chief and the Inspector. The first cost be did not. know, but it was sold for about nine thousand pounds, chiefly because it was too light. He believed it would take twelve hundred pounds to replace the material. . . RAILWAYS EMPLOYEES* HOLIDAYS. In reply to Mr Manders, the Hon. Mr Macandrew said some railway officials were allowed the usual regulation holidays, and others, such as engine drivers, were not allowed any, but were paid overtime instead, and the Government did not intend to change the system. DEFAULTING CONTRACTORS. In reply to Mr Ormond, the Hon. Mr Macandrew aaid a return would be prepare! showing the contracts' for publio works in which penalties had been en- < forced since the commencement, of the Public Works Policy, together with a return of contracts on which penalties had accrued, but were not enforced. DEFERRED PAYMENT LANDS. . Mr Ormond asked if the Government would extend the operations of clause 59 of the Land Act, 1877, which gives onethird of the price of blocks of land pur* chased on deferred payments, for roads within such districts to the case of blocks taken up on deferred payments prior to the passing of that Act, but for which payment has been made since the passing, or has yet to be made. The Hon. R. Stout said the law was not retrospective, and they did not intend to make it so. They mast draw the line somewhere.

j Mr Ormond asked if the Government would amend the present law so as to enable associations to take up blocks of land on deferred pay meat system iv the manner formerly provided for by the Wellington and Hawke's Bay Settlements Act. The Hon. R. Stout said those interested in the matter should apply to the Government. No application of the kind had yet been made to tksm. CHABITABLE BBIIBF. ' In reply to Mr Fox, the Hon. J. Ballance said a report would shortly be laid on the table upon the question of charitable relief and the system adopted in other colonies and countries. ; BEWI AND FOX.

Mr Fox asked whether the Govern* ment had.received any lette:*i from Rewi Maniapoto commenting on debates in the House.

'i he Hon. J. Sheehan said a letter had been received from Rewi in reference to a speech on the address in reply by the hoo. member. The letter was written on behalf of Bewi by De Carroll, and in that letter Rewi said, " Why did not Sheehan tell them that I represented all the Waikato chiefs," and added that "he was glad to see by the papers that the. Government was not in danger of being - turned out, and therefore he would return to Waikato." The letter was laid on the table. THE WAITAHA MEETING. The Hon. Mr Sheehan lai i the first batch of papers relating to the Waitara meeting on the table; also reports of officers in native districts, - ' THE EASTERN QUESTION. Sir George Grey laid on the table all papers connected with inquiries by the Government regarding the Eastern question. THE CENSUS. M r Morris asked wheu the last Feb. census returns would be available.

The Hon. Mr Stout said they were in preparation, and would be got ready as Foon ai possible. NATIVE LEASES. *='

In reply to Mr. .Russell, the Hon. Mr Sheehan said a clause was contained in the Native Lands Bill to enable lessees of land held by natives to pay the rents as they fall due to any two grantees to bo chosen by the remainder or to some officer of the Crown in cases where lessors cannot agree as to the divisions of the rent. BILLS BBAD. Several private bills were read a first time. PAYMENT OF MEMBERS. Mr Woolcock moved that in the opinion of the House the Government should this session bring in a bill dealing with the question of payment of members. The hon. gentleman argued at some length to show that payment of members should be fixed by statute, and that it was high 1 time the Government took the matter in hand and disposed of the question finally. Until that was done they would havo the time of the House taken up every year over discussions "on this question. The Hon. Mr Stout objected to pressure being put upon the Government in this way. Government might possibly be able to face the question next year— they certainly could not deal with the matter this session, as they had their hands full with more important measures. Mr DeLatour moved the previous ques« tion, which was carried on the voices. WATTLE BABK. Mr Moss moved that an address be presented to his Excellency to place a sum upon the estimates to encourage the production of wattle bark in the colony. GEOLOGICAL BTTBVBY. Mr Bastings moved that, in the opinion of the House, Government shall causa a geological survey- of New Zealund, find a topographical map of the st-^e io be prepared. He did apt expeot

Government to undertake.this work at once, and complete it off hand, but they had a staff that would quite enable them to do it in parts. It was due to the mining interest that the work should be done, because Professor Ulrich and gentlemen like him could not possibly form an opinion as to the prospects of certain tracts of country without such data to go upon as he was asking for. Tho hon. member quoted statistics to show the exceedingly large amount of money invested in gold mining. The Hon. Mr Stout said that to do what the hon. member proposed would not cost less than one hundred thousand pounds, but they intended to employ Professor Ulrich during a certain portion of the year in ascertaining geological and topographical, data on the West Coast, Nelson, and Westland, hi the same way as he had already collected similar information for Southland, In the meantime Dr Hector, assisted by Mr Cox, had been and were still engaged upon a geo logical survey of the colony. Mr J. C. Brown thought Government fljßuld establish a- new department to take charge of so important a work.

Agreed to