PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4558, 14 August 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[Per Pbess Association.]

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Yesterday

Sir Geo. Grey moved that this House is of opinion that the Premier of New Zealand should not be a director ; or, manager of any Banker Company trading in the colony, nor *should he receive any salary, pay, fees, or any remuneration whatever, for any services rendered to' any such bank or company. He pointed out the great powers which the Premier possessed, and which might be improperly used for the benefit of financial 1 iriatitu; tions here. The Premier's powers were very touch larger thin those of the Premier of England—the Premier was, in fact, virtually the governor of the colony, and his influence penetrated every branch of life. #This, combined with the influence of the great monetary institutions with which the Premier was connected, gave him enormous and most dangerous powers. One great central power oppressed New Zealand from end to end, and that power was moved by the Premier, who was the solicitor to these great .monetary institu* tions, and a decoy duck for the further development of these institutions.— Mr Jttolleston thoughtjhe action of the House in the past snowed there was very little chance of its conduct being influenced by any monetary institution. He denied that the Premier occupied any autocratic position such as Sir Geo. Grey described, and he also denied that the | present (Government were in any way under the influence of any monetary institution. It would be most dangerous to j begin to disqualify any men from political office because of their connection with , mercantile pursuits.r Sir Gv Grey had utterly failed to show that the Premier had in any way sacrificed the interests of the colony to those of his private engagements.—Messrs Fish and Seddon strongly supported the motion, and so did Mr Bathgate, who also urged the necessity for general bank reform.—Mr Mont- j gomery thought the; resolution as it stood ; was rather too personal; the question wag.lreally a great Constitutional one. He suggested that the resolution should be altered so as to apply to all Ministers of the Crown. He thought when a man became a Minister he should resign ; bank directorship.—Messrs Joyce" and Turnbull supported Sir G. Grey.—Mr DeEautour thought the posK tibn Of the Premier different from that of others-Ministers, Vs he; was responsible for them and tjlieir, appoint-iJwnt.--JiCr?B^uchanan 'warmly supported Sir G. Grey's motion.—The House divided on the motion for going into supply. The following is the division list:—Ayes, 24 :■ Allwright,* Atkinson, Beetham, Bryce, Connolly, Dick, Dodson, Driver, Fergus, Fitzgerald, Fulton, Hamlin, Hobbs, Hurst, Hursthouse, Johnston C. J., Johnston W. W., Kelly Lee, Levestam, McKenzie F. W., Mason, McDonald, McMillan, Mitchelson, Morris, Munro, O'Callaghan. Peacock, Petrie, Postleth waite, Pyke, Eolleston, Stevens, Sutton, Swanson, Thomson, Trimble, Watt, j Whitaker, Whyte J. 8.. Wright, Wynn Williams—Noes, 26: Barren, Bathgate,;, Buchanan J, Cadman, Daniel, Dargaville, DeLautour, Dunoan, Feldwicki Fish, Grey, Harris, Ivess, Joyce, Macan* drew, McDonald A., McKenzie J., Montgomery, Sedd on, Shrimski, Smith, Steward, Thomson J. W., Tole, Turnbull, White W. — The House .went into Supply on Class 1; Immigration' £79}706. —Messrsl Levestam and Hutchison opposed any expenditure on immigration An amendment by Mr Levestam to reduce the rote by £15,030 was negatived on the voices; the vote then passed.—Public Works Department, head office, £6060. Mr Fish moved to reduce it by £SCO. This was negatived on the voices, and the vote passed.—On the vote head office, ISorth Islands £3947, Mr Turnbull moved to reduce the item Inspecting Engineer, £750, to last year's amount, £600. Mr Johnston explained that the increase was necessary to retain the present officer's services. After discussion, the motion for reduction was lost on a* division of 30 to 28, and the vote as printed.—On the vote head office, Middle Island, £4145, Mr J. McKenzie moved' to reduce the item Engineer-in-Charge.fPCO, by £100. Mr Fish said this officer earned a large sum by private praotioe as consulting' engineer. On a division .the motion*' for reduction was lost by 41 to 8, Mr Johnston said he would not allow this officer private practice. Latch.—This day, - Head Office Middle Island vote passed as| printed. Class 3 Railways. The following rotes passed without alteration .— Kawakawa, £16;033; Whangarei to Kamo, £5050; Kaipara to Waikato, £75 J,0O0; Waikato to Thames, £80,000? Wellington to Napier, £115,000; Bunnythprpe Gorge, £101; Wellington to Foxton, £3,6C0; Foxtan to New Plymouth, £84,000; Nelson to Eoundell, £13.000'; Greymouth to Nelson Creek, £29,003; Grey mouth to Hokitika, £6jfloon Westport to Ngakawau, £4,QQQ>. A long discussion took place on the vote Picton to Hurunui £55,000; Messrs Fish and Levestam, Capt. McKenzie and others maintaining that the sections Pjoton to Awatere, and Hurunui to Patban were not realfy extensions of the Northern, Trunk line, aa the route of that Hue was not yet settled. The hon. W. W. Jobn-: gton defended the extension of the line to the Bedpost, and to the Awetere, no matter what route < was ultimately adopted of the trunk line.—Mr Montgomery urged the stopping of any Northern extension for a year at least.—Messrs Pearson, O'CalJaghan, Dodson, and others supported the vote as it stood, and ultimately it was passed as printed.—A motion to report progress being lost, the following votes wore also passed;—Hurunui and Waitaki,

with branches, £162,000; Canterbury Interior Main Line. £11,030; Waitaki to Bluff, with: branches, £241,000 ; Otago Central, £13O,C0O; Invercargill to Kingston, £11,003 ; Western Railways, £29,500; Contingent Expenses, £3,003; Expenses of Railway Commission, £5C3. Class 4, survey of new lines of railway— The following votes were passed :—North Island, £10,003 ; Middle Island, £4,000.— Progress was reported, and the House rose at 2.25.