PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1813, 14 October 1884, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

[By Telegraph,]

In the House, the Premier made the following Ministerial statement : Members were aware that they had not been long in session, and the Govern-, ment were desirous of facilitating the progress of business and the close of the session, He had stated there were several Bills which the Government 1 wished to push on as rapidly as possible. There were the East and West Coast and Nelson Railway Bill, the Government Insurance Bill, the District Railways Bill, and Bills relating to the West Coast harbours. Efforts would therefore be made to proceed with these measures before the estimates were further considered or the Public Works Statement brought down. The Minister of Public Works was having pkns, &c, prepared of the North Island Trunk Railway in order that contracts might bo let in a few weeks. He could not offer a decided arrangement concerning private Bills, but at any rate the Policy Bills of the Government must be taken first, Mr Wakefield resumed the debate on the second reading of the East and West Coast and Nelson Railway Bill, He asked why the Government did not bring down the whole of their policy instead of discussing it piecemeal as at present. Their scheme appeared to be that the whole of their measures should be carried in pieces by the diflerenfc sections of the House interested, He looked on the work as a very important and desirable one, but there would not be a good immediate return. He would oppose large bonowing, and argued that the colony was not in a position to go in for these large works, Members should carefully consider the magnitude of the proposed- grant, and said if the Bill passed, the Company would simply be a vast squatting incorporation, and by this means preventing settlement, This group of financial Bills should never have been brought forward this session, and he predicted the policy now being

developed would be most deterimontal to the welfare of the Colony. Mr Sutter supported the bill. Mr Gilhes argued that the returns from the railway would be small. Looking into the proposals he was appalled at the magnitude of its provisions. It actually meant giving this company land to the value of one million pounds. He opposed the sesond reading. Mr Holmes said the bill was one of the best in the interests of the colony that had been before the House since 1877, The charges by land carriage would be cheaper than by water, and he was assured the nett revenue accruing from the line would be from four and a half to six per cent on the co3t of construction. The railway would open up a vast forest and mineral property. Mr Bhyge contended that, if work were so important, it was the duty of Government to undertake it. , He objected to large tracts of land beinp handed over to a company for the settlement of land, This was an important function devolving on. the Go-. vemmen f <, and it could not be carried out if blocks like this were given to private companies. He moved as an amendment ." That.it is not expedient to alienate vast tract of public land and mineral prosperity of unknown value to a private company as ai premium for engaging in railway speculation in New Zealand, as railway works, when of large colonial consequence, ought to be undertaken and executed by the Government,

Mr Montgomery supported the bill. • Mr Hobbs said he also would support it if the measure was altered so as to connect the East and West Coast of the North Island by running a line from Hokianga to the Bay of Islands. Mr Grigg moved the adjournment of the debate, which was nngatiued, The motion for the second reading was put and curried—ayes 39, noes.l2,

Sir Julius Vogel said, in reference to the proposal made by Mr Wilson, to the effect that a better route was obtainable, the Government were inclined, from information to hand, that the route suggested by that gentleman was the best and the matter would be considered. The House adjourned at 1.25 a.m,