LEGISLATIVE OONNCIL

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1718, 24 June 1884, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE OONNCIL

''Jllieidoltlicil met at eleven, • -;Mi': Waterhouse moved 'ffct tllo payment to the Tai.makr.Harbor Board.of one fourth of the proceeds o£ the confiscated lands and. lamls bought from Maoris, is aj togetlier lioauthqnzed, by the law and . ought' to . be discontinued, He urged that by the terms'. of tho Act only one-fourth ot the proceeds of .the ordinary .waste land of the. 'Crown at tho time of the Act being passed, worn to go to the Harbor, and; lie blamed' the auditors oteco'fo'r'iipt insistin'g on the observance of the law and not reporting to the Legislature the unlawful payment of ono fourth of the proceods iof confiscated land to the Boiird, So attributed this/exceptional condtit to tho political position : of the- members representing Taranaki, . * Mr Oliver argued that the terms of the Act covered what had been-: done, and that any question in reference .to 'it would be an intricate legal point. He quoted several Acts, in support 'of his contention, and said the, point raised had been fought out and decided jn the other House. ' Mr WATEKiioysE said it was.'-,a most important consideration, for, if what Mi' Oliver said was right,-and the Crown resinned pre-emption, one : third of the value of an enornious'area 'would'go'to the harbor. , Jiopcd tho. matter would receive careful attention, and in the meantinie.withdrew his motion.

The Council adjourned till 7.30 p.m, as no business had come, up from. the House. . • • . .•••••

: In the House, .yesterday afternoon somo' discussion;, took place on the motion of Mr Seddon about the Kuniara Sleidge, Channel, and the subject of kaiiri gum leases was also, renewed, Sir G. G-eey quoting' papers to shovy that he -had not, as Superintendent, granted'any; 1 '

The Houso wont' into Committee of Supply,' first vote was £29,500 for honorariuuif be : proposed to reduce tho amount.,to £SO, After some discussion this wai negiuiyed on the .voices! . ■

Mi' HußST'then moved the reduction of tho amount to £loo,.and Mr Trimble supported, this.,' The discussion was interrupted by dinner. In the House last night the debate on the horiorarinm-.' was continued by Mr, Fish, wlio'ldvocated the payment of members as .fixed by statute. ' He 'deprecated - any • reduction, and thought members had i fully earned the full amount turning the 'Government out., . 7

Mr Peacock 'supported reduction, and Mr Moss supported tho J full amoiini,' ami-pointed out the danger of allowing piily.;i ; ich men-.in .tho bouse. Members: .were under various disad-being-unable to do business with. tho, Gqverment or take pay as commissioners'. . ; v - I '-

Majoy.'' : AiiciNsoN'''thought £l5O sufficientVto..oovey till : reasonable ex-, penses, members should not be paid foritlteir service's, In proportion to -the! Ordinary .length-of a session £IOO slf6Ail,d"3uflicO' : this,year,

Sir G;;.;Grqy Mipported' .tiie full there was an implied contract that , the honorarium should bes62-10/:.Thcy should not- shut poor men.out ofJParlkment.,

Messrs'.Seildbn, .'O'.Callaghan and Harris supported the "full amount, and Mr Stevens urged a reduction to £IOO.

Mr SwANSON;' supported a reduction but lliou«lit"a",special "tux should be imposed topi'ov'ide lionorarium. . Tlie moti'On'fora reduction was put and lost'on division. Ayes, 25 Atkinson, Beethnm," Bryce, YV. C. -Buchanan, OajJman,. Dsclc,' Driver, b'ulton, Ilobbs, Holmes, Hursthouse, ■W. Johnston)Levast-am, • Locke, Mitclielson. -Newma'i, Peacock, Peorson, Postlcthwaitc, R illestnn, - Shepherd, Stevens, Swaijson, W. White, Wilson,

Noes,' 35—Bathgate, itracken, J. B, Brown, Daniel, rDefjantonr, Dodson, Feldwick, Fish, -Fitijgcrald, George, J, Green, Grey, Harris, Hutchison, Joyoe, Kelly, ' Larnach, Macaridrew, F. .MclCenzie, J, McKensde, Montgomery, Moss, Munroj "O'Oallaglum, Petrie, Pyke, Se'ddon, Shaw, Sli'eehan, Turnbull, Steward, Tawhai, 11. Thompson, J. W.',Thompson, Watt. Pairs, -Ayes—Tole, Trimble, Tiichardson, Sutton, Williams, Mason, Ilurst, Conolly, Wakefield. . Noes—Toiiionna, Taiaroa, Ivess, MeMilla'fi,' Duncan, M. \V. Green, J. 0, Brown, Morris, Pilliett. On tho motion to go into .committee of ways and means, Mrilimo moved an amendment, calling tor immediate action towards improving the harbors of Greymoutb and Westport so as to. assist the development of the' coal trade. Considerable; discussion took place on tl#mdiibni' /, ■ Major Atkinson recognised, the colonial importance of the work, and said ; he it as.fust as he could witli.theiiheaus.at his disposal.. Mr HtinsTHOiisij urged that Collingwood should also ,be,included. Ultimately' tho amendment was negatived on the voices. .