HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3594, 3 July 1880, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON

Friday,

The House met at 2 30 p.m. DEFERRED PAYMENT SETTLERS.

In replying to questions it was stated that Government was of opinion it would be a great misfortune if deferred payment settlers in arrears were turned off their land, and that Government would, a* far as possible, take care their interests would bs looked to, while also conserving those of the public.

EDUCATION RESERVES. A bill was about being introduced enabling one class of eduoa'ion reserves to be sold or leased, and it would be desirable to see the effects of that measure before dealing with these reserves as a whole. , ' HANSARD. j When the vote came on Government would be prepared to state what they intended doing re the abolition of Hansard. WEST COAST PROSPECTORS. The prospectors at work between Paranga and the Haast, on the West Coast, had got six pounds weight of coarse gold in seven weeks, but at this season of the year a rush was to be deprecated. THE PROPERTY TAX. Under the Property Tax Act, nobody need state the amount of his debts, whether secured by mortgage or otherwise, unless he wished to have a deduction of these made from his property. IMPORTED MAIZE.

Government would not impose a duty on maize imported from America or the colonies.

MINISTERIAL TRAINS.

The amount credited to the railway department on account of special trains ordered by Ministers during the perioi from first July, 1878, to 30th September, 1879, was £569 17s.

MIDDLE I9IAND COMMISSION. ' Middle Island Native Claims Commission had not reported, and Government! did not know when 1 hey would. Thef, Commission had cost £1700, and Govern- J ment had ..refused-further supplies until the Commissioners had informed them as to what they had done. MB HAMLIJN's SWAMP EXPEDITION. Mr Hamlin explained that he visited -tter-Waimiat^-Phtnra^wTtli- the view q£-

ascertaining how far reports about the roads in course of formation were correct. He reached Stoney River on the 14th ult, and the following morning rode two miles in the. direction of Parihaka, and then turned at right angles, where he found a road two chains wide, and two miles long. There weie several streams on. that road that were not bridged yet, which rendered the road impassible for vehicles, though it could be used by horses. From the. end of the two miles it was continuous to the present camp, near Parihakai by a good track twenty or thirty feet wide. This part of tbe road was perfectly good, but tbe other part of it was not. The approaches* to the culverts were not completed.

Mr Bryce said the statement made was correct, and was quite in accordance with what be bad stated the other, day. He had himself driven from Parihaka to New Plymouth, a distance of forty nri'es, in four and a half hoars and the only instance on which they had to leave the road was at a place where the culverts were not filled up.

BILLS PASSED. The Election Petitions an i Pharmacy Bills were reported, aud read a iliird time and passed.

• LICENSING BILL. The Licensing Bill was further con sidered in committee. * ..' ~, House adjourned at.5.30 p.m