HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3298, 17 July 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

,The; House met at 2.a»i ' (. j ■1 i THE THAMB3 VAIiLBT BAItWAT. i?^ r Mr Kichardson gave nbticefthat'Tfie would ask the Minister of Eublic AWorks.i .what< steps had been taken to,carry out clause three of the Kailways Act of last session. In reference to the line j from Hamilton to the Thames, if any Splans. and estimates had been submitted far tlie' same ; if the best route had been selected; if the Governor in^Council Lad been consulted in reference to the carrying.) out of the same ; and the cost thereof ? - NOTICES OF MpTIOBTJ ' ' ■ Several hon. members gave notice 1" Bfl their intention to ask questions. ''■>'■'■-> \

" LIFE TITLES IN THE".CptOSTft j v The Premier laid on the'table Itiie correspondence between himself 'and the Secretary of State for the, Colonies on the subject of honours conferred' upon! Her^ Majesty's subjects in the Colony, j ABMS FOB VOLTTNTEEBS. | ; Mr, Morris gaye;nptiqe he^ should i^tWifGovernment approved handing over iarms to all Volunteers on the East Coasl. |

■ (i tn; -r ISSUE O,F,TBEASUBY,BM.LS. " \ Mr Jdhnstbne asked' the Colontat Treasurer, "What As the amount of the. Treasury / Bills issued during the! last 1 financial year # when they fall duej and, under what authority, .they .have. Ibeen made payable in London at the office of the {Grown {agents; a-lso 1 whether j any deficiency bills were Issued during the last financial yearj and if so,, to'what amount?" ' .), The Premier replied' that £443,000, falling due on various dates) and Ijo partially meet this the Colonial Treasurer had issued deficiency bills to the amount of £184,000; these had become, payable, and were renewed.

LATE PBOVINCIAL LIBRABT. , Mr Whitaker moved the adoption of a bill to put the Auckland Provincial Library and the 1 Institute in,trust of the M.ayor, Councillors, and citizens 'of the city of Auckland. ' ' <D , '4'he bill < was ■ read a < firsfc-timfe, j and ordered to 1 be read a second time on Wednesday.BfePBESEKTAttfON OF THE POLICE.— PLUBALIIY OF VOTES. ' The Hon. Sir George Grey moved a bill' to make provision for ihe 'presentation of the police in' the General Assembly;, : also a ,bill to suspend the plurality of 1 voting in certain cases. ' ' r - ■The bills were read for the first time; and the second readings fixed for Friday and Tuesday week. ' V f CHAIBStAN OF COMMITTEES.

The Hon. Sir W. Pox moved, " ThatMr Seymour be appointed Chairman of Committees of the whole House." \ . , The Premier seconded the nomination. " Mr Seymour thanked the House' for hip, election. •;: [ THB LOAN BILL The Premier at this sta^e unexpectedly proposed to move that the; deb&td on the ]B<ildresshe ta^on,at''7.3o, as'the Governor declined' to assent to the Loan: Biljfor ask" for a supply until some reply to the address had been arrived at and repotted to him. ( -:•( Sjr W. Fox thought this sajcban.gjj of front. They wished to know the reasons for the suspension at such an early stage. The cause of the pressure for an immediate Imprest Bill and a loan of £500^000 they were told there( were £400,000 of deficiency bills, and an expenditure of £200,000 over the revenue, but they were not told the reason for such a step as; the setting aside of the numerous safeguards for the protection of the finances,* which such an unseemly haste displayed.; If they were in such straits, tberevSras no reason why the House shouid--hbt have been called together earlier, instead of now setting aside rules of the House to introduce such a matter. They wished to know why such extraordinary action was taken in the absence of quarterly, retiirns of the heads of revenue,, and, some mformation as to the necessity for' such haste ? They did not wish to throw. »Ny obstaplejg tin' the way of granting- such supplies (hear, hear), but they did want .the matter "made' clear so that they should riot be going on in darkness and ob&qurity. The fact was, this obscurity; was Carried j too far, and applied to all the business of ithe Ministry. He trusted the' information sought would be furnished without reser,'vaiion (cheers).

Major Atkinson said that notice of ithe motion having been given, it could not be withdrawn without the consent of ithe House. Ho wished the Premier} to unburden himself before such a; request' was preferred, .in order : >4hat the necessities of the Colony might'be knowa at once, and our real state and condition known. ; The Premier, in reply, said he, had given all the information in his power. He only knew that the necessities of 'the coun.try demanded that money.ahoiild be. obtained. He had told the House that they would have gome difficulty, in ,ob-^ taining a loan at the end' of the y|ar, and it was for the 'Hou.se,,to consijdet" whether they would risk the raising of a loan and the delay in pushing forwjard public works,~~whicb. must follow. ~ only desire was to get money in Sopt^riiber, instead of suffering a delay to arise,' which would be prejudicial to the interest of the Colony. He bad been asked to fake a clean breast of it, but as he> nad jfore said he had nothing to give ibim.,j he reason for making the request wa», satisfactory to himself and his' colleague*.'l As to the Imprest Supply Bill, that Was ,th,e visual course adopted to provide fu&dt for carrying'on the functions of Govejrß T: ment. ' It' was certain that if the 'loaja was not raised-until, the new year there would be considerable distress in the colony, through want of funds for carrying on the necessary works. He regretted

hat the Address in Beply had not been aken, as he thought it ■hpuld have been amongst the first business of the session, instead of being delayed until Friday. He was sorry, indeed, that such a mistake had been made, but he trusted it would not prevent the loan bill from going home at once. He trusted the hon. member for Wanganui would allow the course he asked to be taken in the interests of the colony. The motion was rejected on the voices. ..The Committee of .Supply not moved, and nothing further can^be done, untjl.the Address has b,een ; dealt with. G i > C. • i (joytiitNMßNT ADVERTISING.

- The Hon Mr Mwjandw^««ied that a select committee, consisting of eleven members,; be app6iiiitfe'<si to consider and report as to the principle which shall -regulate, the distrjibuxionjof r Government advertisement* pafopng the Vamiuiß newspapers throughout" the colony.* ' MiMdEan 1 the Gorernineiit' took no notice >of tliiiQ&tter, bat »n.pK! 4t wat dthe rejre|se been great maladministration in this matter of the;-distribution yof Go jfernu^t favours. The Press had been bribed to an enormous ? «xtentrtby Minister! Wo^h&Rittf**- of advertisements,, they now came to the House and asked the Hon. aneniberg ito ta,ke;/thej wpjfe in hand. He moved the adjournment of the; debate to give members an opportunity toy think it pv.er. Hefelt strongly on thY subject' because of the press were prevented from criticising the faction/ off 'ih&{ Gorermnento fa* feu of losing advertisements. " Mr J^.ce.seconded the adjournment of the "debate. 1"'

Adjourned until Wednesday next. A Petitions Committee was appointed. p „ y. v , DIBECT MAIL BBBVICJS. 'The HonMr MacartdW*'WJred that a Select i pommit^e,.b : e appointed to consider and'report' as to the belt means of establishing a direct steam passenger and mail semocT between New Zealand spoke in favor. . * * T -§&x pgwousiy^onnoMd, and said He would decline' to serve^on the committee., , T3I , , T ,,., n "Mr Woolcocfc thought it wai a proper !?t Mr SollSton though?tliey'Bhou% take , up/tlm.mafter, f aj f gxj}a^expenjy> ; W|^being incurred in doing the work.

'rmMooi Jf. 'M,. l 'tymsff># <#&$&&§& his surprise that the Opposition Were so much inclined to adjourn'mattertliaiftdjified by the Government.

-Mr Sa\inder9 thought that the motioa would commit them to a piece of extrarar j?ant luxury which was undeairaHK in the face of the alarm which the lgaojjrgpoMU brought down. f ./Odlthe question'oftpdjougiijfciftttf the motion, beipg put,,^ d^ision wai.ealled for, with the foll'pwing result:—Ayes 38, nties 28. The followinj? i^-the diTiiioa list:—

[ i Ayes 38.-rAd»mi, £tttnJ«iVssligent, f ßal}ance, Barft .Mf^ty^JftMielrfßiyae, Curtis, Douglas, PitzEoy, Fox, George, Gibbs,,. sart; f' Henr^, Hunter, Httjrthouse, 1' Ma'6'farlsn& f<iflbller) ( McLean, 0 Murra^'-'l|| wlej» OUiyer, Ormoftd, Eiohardton.flP4wiioiid, BoHe«top, .#uisell, Saandfrt, aVnaour, Jqo/m Sbeehaii, „P ls teyenfaj Mss£o)me, ;.Button, jTawjti, ~'W;ftk^fi!?ld r! ; !^pller), Whitaker,;Williams, W'ooloqQf.brf: ■-N ob'B, < 28.—Ballaneei .Bwtou,/rsrown J..G«,i Garringtop,, D^LaiftU^,^eldwiok, Fisher, George,. .Giiborne, Goldie, Grey, Manders., McMinq,, Mpnteoinerj, Mom feller);, f^ fM ' Tole, and ( Wallip., _. i , ' ' SESSIONAL' COMMITTBI.

A. number of sessional committee^ were then formed.

DEFECTS; IN #IECHMAH{£OI*%j- / Mr Woolcock moved that the jftvernment take steps to remedy the defect in the present eleotqral rolls. He knew; instances, ancTsuch had occurred in his own district, where numbers were likely to be din franohised through fjhe]f|erieat mi clerks to County Conncils to send in their returns.

DrHenry;supporjbejlithe motion from the same cause.

The Premjersaid^Qjovernment had no objection to the motion, as they intended to carry out its spirit by means of a bill now being rprepare«d,..i..J.'j;L JJ.A3 , Mr Maofarlane moved that a Seleei Committee be appointed to inquire into fahd > report to; this; ;H#ake; j whft,tn£cilities can be given to newspapers for the use of the telegraph.

Mfc:ißwa«BQn j i*po^dfd^>ith»rf|Motion which was carried, and the House ad* journed.