HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3364, 3 October 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Afternoon Sitting 1.

■Wellington. Last night. The House mot at 2.30. LANDS IN "WAIKATO. Mr Whitaker asked the Minister of Lands why the Government had not yet offered for sale the suburban allotments in the vicinity of the town of Ngaruawahia. Mr Thomson said that the Government were taking steps for opening land for salo, and would be ready before long;. PRECAUTIONS IN (3ABE OF FIRE. Mr Seymour asked if the Government will take such steps as may bo necessary to compel hotel and lodging-house keepers to provide and maintain facilities for the escape of persona from the upper rooms in ease of fire. The Premier said the matter would be considered, and also to what extent the act should be made to apply to private houses as well as public houses. The Premier also promised Seymour a return of the value of all properties in New Zealand under the Land Tax Act, showing the amount for each borough and county separately, and giving the value with improvements and without improvements. PROTECTION TO* THE NOBLE DIGGER. Mr Bcetham asked if it is the intention during the present session to introduce a measure for the protection of prospectors for gold in districts that have not been proclaimed goldfields. MrGisborne said the subject was under consideration, and the result would be shortly made known, OTAGO INTERESTS. Mr Pyke aslced when the Government will cause a survey of the Otugo Central Railway to bo completed from the Clyde to Lake Wanaka. Mr Macandrew replied the survey was about to be resumed. A NECESSARY REFORM. Mr Finn asked (1) whether ifc is intended to introduce a measure providing for the audit by public officers of the accounts of municipalities and other public bodies, and (2) whether they will also pi'ovide for similar audit of benefit and building societies. The Premier said the Government had the matter under consideration, but no decision had been arrived at yet. The latter part of the question had not been considered, but it was one well worth consideration. THE GOVEKNOR'a INSTRUCTIONS. Mr Bowen asked if. a copy of the Royal instructions, together with His Excellency's commission would be laid before the House at an early date. The Premier replied that with the permission of the Governor the papers in question would be produced. BRIBERY BILL. Mr Saunders asked if ifc is intended to introduce a Bribery Bill this session. The Premier replied the Government had prepared a Bill and it would be introduced at the earliest possible opportunity. OUR RAILWAY. I Mr Wliitaker aslced whether the amount required for the construction of the railway bridge over the Waikato river at Hamilton was not included in the sum of £168,000 voted by the House in the session of 1878 for the construction of the Thames-Waikato Sail way, and part of which vote had been expanded between the Thames river and Grahamstown. Mr Macandrew replied that the sum voted for the railway was only £30,000. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. Mr Hall rose to make au explanation. In the New Zealauder of that morning a letter was printed signed J. 0. Brown, which set forth that the Hall-Vogelf Government of 1872 had promised Broivn anything he might name for his vote at a time when the want of confidence motion was pending. The members of the Government at that time were the late Sir D. McLean with Messrs Fox, Vogel, Ormond, Gisborne and Reeves. He (Mr Hall) had communicated with Mr Ormond on the subject and the testimony of Mr Eeeves would be available if it was required. Mr Ormond quite coincided with his own and he (Hall) would ask the House to believe that the statement so made by Mr Brown was absolutely nothing more nor les3 than an unblushing and unmitigated falsehood, Brown's namo on that occasion never having been mentioned in the Cabinet, and it would be the very last name the Cabinet would ever have thought of mentioning. Another statement in a letter about the Luna being sent to bring voters from Ota^o was also untrue. The Luna went down with the 'Frisco mail.

Mi* Brown rose to a point of order. Ho complained of the language made use of by the Leader of the Opposition, and on being questioned explained that his objections referred to the words "an -.absolute uublusUms—falsehood.!!—Jl» nould challenge the Leader of the Opposition whom he called a " Johnny all sorts " to get a select committee appointed to enquire into the truth or otherwise of the statements which appeared in the newspapers. Ou Speaker's ruling Brown withdrew the term " Johnny all sorts." In response to an appeal made by Mr Hail to Mr G-isborne that gentleman said he was a member of the Government referred to and no such proposal had ever been made to Brown so far as ho knew, and had it been made he (Gisborne) would never have remained a member of a Government capable of such conduct. Mr Browu said he acquitted Mr Hall and Mi* Gisborne of all responsibility for the proposal, nevertheless it had been made, and if allowed- an opportunity he would prove ifc«to be true before a select committee. Mr Hall challenged Mr Brown to name the party by whom the offer had been made, and Mr Brown replied that if a select committee was appointed he would be prepared to establish both that and other facts of a similar import. NO-CONFIPEITCJ! DEBATE. The debate on the no-confidence amendment was resumed by the Hon. Mr Fisher. He said it was surprising that the gentlemen who wanted to turn them oufc of oißce professed Liberalism, and yet they- had never attempted to do anything of a Liberal character until they were forced to it by the voice of the country. He thought ,Mr Hall was, wrong in coming forward as a Liberal leader, as he had never been known to do a Liberal act during Iho time he had resided in Hie colony. Ho defended the

Government against the charge made of having improperly interfered with the immigration arrangements. Tliose that wished more immigrants should be made to provide for them when thoy arrived. The complaints simply emanated from those who desired that the wages of the classes should be reduced to a rate below that upon which they could exist. That uus the class of men who desired to see a change of Government.

Mr Murray failed to see the ground on which the Government acceded to a request for a dissolution. He charged the Government with having neglected to pass the redistribution of seats proposal, and in the absence of such a re-adjust-ment there could be no possible to plea for a dissolution. The cost could not have been less than £100,000. He charged the Government with showing a partiality to the natives, and they had failed to introduce the Drainage Bill, which they promised to do. The Premier had most injudiciously attempted to create a class feofing, throughout the colony. Mr Barron said that although entirely free from party trammels still he would feel bound to vote against the amendment. He complimented the Opposition and thought ifc would be a great pity to convert a good Opposition into a bad Government.

Mr Masters rose to explain that an assertion had been made by a previous speaker to the effect that he was returned to support the Ministry, which, was incorrect, aa-during his candidature he told the constituency most distinctly that he would be an independent member, he told them further that although ho had perused the speeches given on the last no-confidence debate he was unable to make up his mind how he would act, but that when he got to Wellington he would be better able to judge, and now, however, he had made up his mind. He said there were gentlemen on tbe Opposition benches who were well able to form a Government, and he had made up his mind to support the amendment.