PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5197, 12 September 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[Peb Pbess Association.] *• ______ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Yesterday. Mr Ballance moved the second reading of the Special Powers and Contracts Bill. He asked that the bill be referred to the Waste Lands Committee. —Agreed to. Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill.—Agreed to.

Mr Barron resumed the debate on CapE. Russell's motion. He referred to the debate which was as unsatisfactory as the present coalition Government. He was altogether opposed to Ihe policy of the Colonial Treasurer.—Mr Kerr complained that Otßgo and Tnranaki bad entered into an unholy alliance for years past in order to obtain an unfair share of public money. He considered it would have paid the colony well to hare given Otago £300,000, and hare done with it.—Mr Fyke was glad to see that the Govern--m&B£~-h&&~&9$~m&h thenmeaf -ißcrffotr*party question, and he hoped the House would go into Committee and discuss the estimates. I —Mr Turn bill thought the Canterbury members were making a mistake in the action they were now taking.—Mr Hobbs said the tone of the debate appeared to be solely as to the wrongs of Canterbury. '. He pointed out at some length that the districts north of Auckland had not received anything like a fair share of public expenditure.—Mr Duncan had intended voting for the motion, as he generally supported reduction in expenditure! but he could not see his way to vote for the present motion.— Mr O'Callaghan's amendment waa then put and lost on the voices—Capt, Russell's motion was then put and carried, on division, by 44 to 29.

The House went into Committee of Supply for the consideration of the Public Works Estimates. On tbe rote, Kawakawa railway, £4100, Major Atkinson said tbe House had Just passed a resolution, affirming that the estimates should be re duced by a certain sum.—Mr Hislop said he would move that the Chairman report progress, so as to give the Government a little more time.—Mr Hursthouse said the motion was distinctly one of no-con-fidence. He thought the member for Oamaru was anxious to occupy the Premier's position.—Mr Bolleston said that the Government having accepted Capt. Russell's motion it was their place to, see that the reductions were properly made. —Mr Stout said he had distinctly stated that tbe Government would not take back the estimates.. The Opposition was pursuing a very unfair course.— Major Atjfinsoo said the Premier had. stated that he vrouid resign big position if Captain Russell's motion were carried. —Mr Stout gave this statement an absolute contradiction.—Sir J. Vogel said tbe member for Egmont mistook the position. The Government had said that, in obedience to the will of the House, tbey should not make Captain Russell's motion a party mpstinn. Thp Ministry fa« Public Works had also stated that he was prepared to point out where reduc lions could be made—A lengthy discussion followed, Mr Richardson said the following reductions could be made in tbe votes for railways, without impairing eyistiag contracts, vi^ , Huntfey oranph £?50.Q out of £12,000; Helcnsville northwards, £20,000; Hamilton to Grahamstown, £11,000 off £40,000 ; Napier, WoodyHle, and Palinerstos North, aSij&OCO off £114,0qQ ; Main Trunk line, Ma^-ton-Te Awamutu £4§.ooooff £178,0Q0 ; East and West Coast Railway. £1481,000; Pici^ii £§OOQout of £2$ 000 ; Livingstone branch, £§00Q out 0f£}7,4Q0.; Otagq Central,' £23,000 out of £131,600.; Waime*Swiiaers, £l0,0Q0; vqtes for addjtipns on, open railways, £20,0.00; ibis would make a total reduction pf £^7,5,0.00,,—Mr flislop then withdrew his motion for reporting progress, aDd the vote for Kawa--1 kawa railway, £4.100, was then passed ; Wuangarei Kamo, £3,200, was carried. Oo the HunUey branch, £I§,IOQ, Mr Holmes moved that this jje reduqed b,y £ll,§oo. After some discussion the reduction was carried on the voices!

This to In the item East and West Coast 'Railway; Mjf ' Kees^ moved to reduce' the vote by $50,000. —Mr Sutler wofe4 a further aiflend*

ment to reduce it by £149.000 — Mr Holmes considered the member for Staomore had acted for the sake of popu^ lnrity, and the hon. gpmleman had been prompted by the member for Auckland City -Rant.—Sir G< orge Grey repudiated the statement, and said he had not prompted Mr Reese in any way in the matter.—Mr Fishnr defended Mr Reese from the misrepresentation, and said if he was not too busy with his own election he should pny a visit to Chriatchurch in order to help the member for Stanmore in justifying himself before his constituency.—* Mr Beese said ho feared nothing from the Stanmore constituency for the action he had taken, and he considered tbe Canterbury members had not taken up a proper position towards the Government they supported —Mr Sutler's amendment, to reduce the item by £149,000, was then put and carried by 70 to 12, and a vote of £1000 was carried.— Oreymouth-Hcknik'i, £15,100; Mr Mac Brthur moved to reduce the item by £10.000. which was lost by 42 to 32 —Mr J. B. White moved to reduce it by £8000, and the reduction was carried on the casting vote of the Chairman—ayes, 35 ; noes, 35.—'Class 3: Railway item, JSawakawa, £4100, agreed to; Whangarei-Kamo, £3200, agreed to ; Huntly branch, £12,000. Mr Holmes proposed to reduce the amount by £11,500, (?) and the amendment was agreed to; Helensville northwards, £20,000; this item was struok out by 51 to 31; Hamilton Cambridge, £1400,' agreed to ; Hamilton Grahamstown, £40,000. Mr Holmes moved to reduce the amount by £11,000, and this was agreed to ; Napier, Woodville, and Palmerston North, £114,100 (?): Mr Holmes moved to reduce the item by £6.600, and the reduction wbs carried ; Wellington Woodville, £46.500, was agreed to; New Plymouth Foxton, £26,000, agreed to; Wellington Fox ton, £1.000 (?), agreed to; Main Trunk line. £178,000: Mr G-. F. Richardson moved a. reduction of £48,000, and the item was so reduced by 55 to 26; Pictou southwards, £25,000 ; Mr Suttsr moved that the item be reduced by £8,000; carried.. Hurunui northwards, £7,200, carried; Hurunui-Waipawa, £9,200, carried; Upper Ashburton branch, £7,900, carried ; Lincoln, Little River, £15,900, carried ; Albury branch extension, £300, carried; Oxford and Sheffield, and Whitecliffs extension, £4,100, carried ; Livingstone branch, £17,400: Mr Sutter moved a reduction of £8000, which was carried by 49 to 24 Palroerston to Waihemo, £8800, carried; Catlin River branch, £11.800, carried; Waipahi to Heriotburn, £1200, carried ; Edendale to Toitoi, £5000, carried; Otago Central, £151,000—Mr Sutter moved a reduction of £25,000, which was carried by 42 to 26; Lumsden to Mararoa,. £5100, carried; Waimea, £10,600—item struck out; Steward branch, £7100, carried; Riverton to Orepuke, £5200, carried ; additions to open lines, £172,100—Ministers suggested that tbe item be reduced by £15,000, which was agreed to ; permanent way rolling stock, £268,000, carried. Progress was then reported, and the House rose at 4.50 a.m.