HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 10229, 21 June 1883, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m.

Sir George Grey gave notioe of a Bill '. to repeal the Imperial statute known as the Constitution Act Amendment Act. ' Sir George Grey also gave notice of a. Bill to exempt charitable bequests from 1 legacy duty. — Leave of absence until 3rd 5 of July was granted to Mr Pilliett, on ' account of illness, and for a fortnight to ' Mr Hobbs on urgent private affaiM. — ' Replying to questions, Ministers stated ' that provision would be made this year for a light in the French Pass and a 3 beacon at Jackson's Head. Want of J funds had prevented it being done last 3 year. Government were considering tho \ propriety of compelling all insurance , companies doing business in the colony , to register under the Companies Act. Under the existing law dogs must be registered in the County where the owner resides or has his place of business. The West Coast Bailway Commissioners report would be presented in a few days. The Tophouse route, Nelson to Wesu Coast, was not within the scope of tho Commissioners inquiry, as it was already ' sanctioned, and a portion provided for. T Mo cases had arisen under the Tea Examination Act. There was no reason to snppose thai adulterated tea was 3 being imported. In future all tenders for " leasing West Coast native lands would ' be opened in public. They did not 5 believe that the highest offer was ever 1 refused. The sandhills at Duuediu would 1 be placed under the management, of a ' Domain Board. Government would be l . prepared to assist Mr Thompson, of f tbo Dunedin High School, in pub--3 lishing a manual of botany for., the ' use of. New Zealand schools.. If, on ' examination, the work proved suitable, 'it could he printed at the Government ' offices here. Government did not in--1 tend this session to ameud the Licensing 1 Act by returning to the system of nominated committees. Government did ' uot propose to further interfere with the 1 disposal of Eduoational reserves in " Otago. It was proposed to continue 3 the free immigration of single women, 1 in addition to nominated immigration. ' They would ascertain it locomotives and > rolling stock could be manufactured in " the colony at prices uot greatly in ' excess of those imported, aud, if so, ■ would order them.— The following new ' Bills were introduced aud read a first 5 time : — Evidence Amendment (Mr ' Hutchison) ; Hokitika High School ' (FitzGerald) ; St. Peter's Church, Caver- ' sham (Barron) ; Shopkeepers Hours of J Business (Green); Timaru Racecourse ; (Sutton) ; Murihaku Native Reserves ! Grants and Taumutu Native Commonage (Bryce) ; Massey Frauds, Dunedin 1 Southern Market Amendment, and ' Taranaki Iron Works Land Bill Amend- ' tnent (Fish) ; Mining Comnanies Act ' Amendment, and Affirmations and Declarations (Rolleston); Gold Duties s Abolition (Seddon) ; Geraldine Water- ' works (Postletnwaite) ; Libel (Tole). I Major Atkinson said that the Govern- [ ment would not assent to Mr Seddon's introducing a Bill to provide for pay- | ment of members of the House of Representatives, as the Government intended to introduce a Bill to provide Cor payment of members of the General Assembly. Several unopposed returns 1 were ordered, and the motion of Mr ' Maeandrew, That the House should ' meet at 11 a.m , and not sit after 5 p.m. ' daily, was, on Major Atkinson's motion, referred to the Standing Orders Com- , mittee.

The Houferesurued at 7.30, Mr Seddon resuming the debate on the Address in Reply. He characterised the speech as a sham, and the perpetrators of such a fraud should be punished. He strongly condemned the conduct of the Government in regard to roads and bridges, especially on the "West Coast. "What had been refused to him had "been granted on the ovo of an election. The action of the Government iv regard to the Inangahua and Selwyn elections was most improper, and showed how the Government majority was secu-od. He also severely condemned the i uoent appointments to the Council. If Mr Wakefield had been return? 1 for Ituiugahua, he asked, would Su- Brandon have got a seal in the Council. The omission to refer to the East and West Coast railway, or to a method of taxing the land through which lines were being constructed, was a serious one. References should also have been made to the Education Act and elective Waste Laud Boards. Were the present original taxation and the property vote to continue, and was the leasehold qualification to be refused ? The House had a right to information on these and other important questions. He also condemned tho Government for neglecting goldfield interests. Mr Levestam said that no reference could be made iv the speech to the East and West Coast railway, as no money was available for it, the money borrowed under the Act being strictly ■ appropriated to specific purposes, which could not now be honestly altered. Mr Sutton challenged the correctness of Mr Bathgate's statement as to the existence of depression amongst the industrial classes. Mr Hutchison, as having been iv Wanganui at the time, and having had ample opportunity for knowing the facts, expressed his utter disbelief in. the charges mado by Rusden, in his history, against Mr Bryce. He expressed this conviction with the groatcst pleasure, as if, was well known he was no admirer of tli9 K alive Minister's policy. He considered Cue tpeeoii oxceptionaiiy ■barren. »md especially regretted tho üb'.enco of reference to native lands rrfiirm. Ho tvould liko to iso th.a '

Government sole purchasers of native lands. — Mr "Watt said his' constituents had uot, as Mr Seddon said, required an explanation about the Wauganui Bridge. They were quite satisfied, as they hud got the money. As Mr Fish had got the largest bribe of last session, the £200,000 for the Otago harbour, he ought, in ooiniuon gratitude, to have supported instead of abused the Government. — Mr J. McKenzie charged the Government with maladministration during the recess. This was apparent iv their centralising the Property Tax Assessment in Wellington. Great inconvenience and injury had resulted. He quoted instances of this in his own district, where the valuation had been reduced by £100,000. The railway management was also exceedingly bad. The laud administration was also most unsatisfactory, and there was great difficulty in getting land for settlement, and the Minister of Lauds was afraid to open the country. He also complaiued of the administration of the Babbit Act. People should be given power to sue the inspectors who neglected to do their duty. ■ ■ - - -"