PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2093, 12 September 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

(united press association.) THURSDAY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

The Council met at half past two, The Gold Mining Districts Bill was third time and passed. The Council went into Committee on the Public Revenues Bill and' Public orks Bill, The former waa read a third

time and passed, and progress was reported on the latter.

On the third reading of the Property Assessment Bill, Mr Reynolds moved that the Bill be read a third time in six months. The Council divided and the amendment was negatived by 22 to 14. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. The Counties Bill was further considered in committee and progress was reported. The Justices of the Peace Bill was committed and reported with amendments. Tho Auckland Harbor Board Bill was read a first time,

A complaint was received from the other House to the effect that as a Committee of the Council had proposed to question Mr Bryce regarding words used in a debate in the house, the house revoked the leave granted to him to give evidence before that Council. The Council rose at 4.65. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2,30, p,m, Mr Bryce called attention to what he considered was a breach of privileges of' the House, He explained, that he had been summoned before a Committee of the Legislative Council in order to give evidence in the petition of Tairaoa. Finding, however, that the 'evidence desired to be given related to the power of the Crown over a sum of £4,000 which was referred to in a speech made in the House of, Representatives by Colonel Trimble, he had with all respect to Committee asked to be allowed to withdraw, as he could not give evidence before it. He now desired to leave the matter in the hands of the Speaker. Tho speaker said the honorable membsr had done his duty in bringing the matter befoie tlie House, Members were not to be questioned anywhere by anybody as to what was said in the House. It seemed to him that the matter was a serious breach of privilege, and it was generally the duty of the leader of the Houso to propose a motion on the subject Mr Stout agreed that it was a breach of privilege. He then moved a resolution to tho effect that the attention of the Council be called to the improper conduct of the committee and that the leave given to Mr Bryce to attend before the Committee be revoked. Several members spoke on the motion, which was agreed to on the the voices.

Mr Daroaviue gave notice to ask the Government whether they would take steps to move the electric light from the House of Representatives, as it had proved injurious to the eyes of honorable members,

Mr Stout move that the House at its rising adjourn till Monday at 2.30 p.m., for Government business only.-Agreed

Replying to. Mr Sameul (1) whether the Government had taken any steps to ascertain the best route for a branch railway or road from a point on the New Ply mouth-Hawera line of railway to a point on the North Island main trunk line in order to connect Taranaki and Auckland; (2) whether it is the intention of the Government to close the workshops at Sentry Hill near New Plymouth ; (3) whether the Government will institute inquiries as to the working of the New Piymouth-Foxton railway with a view to improve the same.

Mr Richardson said the question as to laying a road from New Plymouth to the main trunk line had not been brought to the notice of the Government. It was not intended to close workshops. As to the third question,instructions were given to make further enquiries. Replying to Colonel Thimble, whether it is intended this session to repeal "The Native Laud Alienation Restriction Act, 1884," and if not whether it is intended to make any arrangements under which the coal mines on the banks of the Mokau river may be worked by the Natives and Europeans now embarked in the coal industry of that region, Mr Balukce replied in the negative.

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 Captain Russell's motion, He referred to the debate as a coalition debate, which was as unsatisfactory as the present coalition Government, Ho considered the Public Works Policy had had a very demoralising effect on the Colony. The Public Works Estimates now before the Mouse contained votes for many works which would not only be unproductive, but which would be univise to continue, They had found year after year votes on the Etimates for roads and bridges which were altogether unnecessaiy, and were in too many cases the result of pressure on the respective Governments. Ho was altogether opposed to the policy of the Colonial Treasurer, and sympathised with scarcely anything that hon. gentleman had done. He defended the construction of the Otago Central Railway as a colonial work. He also pointed out the work was now nearly reproductive,>nd that the expenditure of a few thousand pounds would greatly lessen the annual charge on it. He hoped if the House got into Committee they would discriminate between useful votes and those that were altogether unnecessary.

Mr Kerr complained that Otago an Taranaki had 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 to have given Otago £300,000 and havo done with it.

Mr Macandrew said he had always held that the East and West Coast rail-

way should have been made by the colony. It was he who had first put the railway on the schedule, and if the Government, of which he was a member, had remained in office, there was no doubt that the railway would have been nearly constructed by this time. He was surprised at the action of the Otago members over this railway, and considered they were acting a very unneighborly part. Referring to the expenditure in Otago, lie asserted that since the constitution was established, Otago had contributed to the revenue four millions of money more than had been spent in that district,

Mr Pyke combatted the statement of the member for Port Chalmers that all the Otago members were opposed to the East and West Coast Railway. He had more than once stated that the railway shpUld be 'Constructed, but he was opposed -to the way in which it was proposed to be constructed. He was glad to see that the Government had not made the present motion a party question, and hoped the House would go into committe e and discuss the estimates in theusua

Mr Turnbull thought the Canterbury members .were., making ,a mistake in the action .they were now taking. He charac. terised the Opposition as not being opposed to the East and West Coast Railway Bill, but were actuated by hostility to one of the members of the Government. He had supported that railway, and would continue to so. He referred at some longth to the opposition of the member for Geraldino to that railway, and said that gentleman had behaved veiy unjustly to the Canterbury district. Mr Hobbs said the tone of the debate seemed to be the wrongs of Canterbury. The debate was interrupted by the 5,30 adjournment,

EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. After a short debate, Captain Russell's motion was carried by 44 to 29.

The following is the division list Ayes 44—Allwright, Atkinson, Barron, Beetliam, Bevan, Bruce, Bryce,Buchanan, W. F. Buckland, Conolly, Dodson, Garrick, Guinness, Hamlin, Harper, Hislop, Hobbs, Holmes, Hursthouse, Ivess, Johnston, Kerr, Lake, Lance, Levestam, Lock, Macandrew, McMillan, Menteith, Mitchelson, O'Callaghan, Peacock, Pearson,' Richardson, Ross, Russell, Samuel, Stewart, Sutter, Thomson, Trimble, Walker, White, Whyte. Noes, 29, Ballance, Bradshaw, Brown, J. C, Buckland, Cadman, Cowan,Dargaville,Duncan, Fitzherbert, Gore, Hatch, McArthur, M, J, S. McKenzie, J. McKenzie, Moss, Newman, O'Conor, Pere, Pratt, Pyke, Richardson, Seddon, Smith. W, D. Stewart, Stout, Te Ao, T. Thompson, Turnbull, and Reid, ,

Pairs—For; W, J, Hurst, Fulton, H, Hirst, Rolleston, Wilson, Fisher, Wakefield ; Against: Grace, Larnach, Joyce, Tole, Reese, Moat, Fraser. Mr Macandrew explained that he had voted for the ayes because having paired with Mr Montgomery, he had found himself locked in the chamber. The Premier then moved that the House go into supply, the motion being carried. The following reductions wore then agreed to Huntley Branch, from £12,100 to £11,500; Helensville, northwards, £20,000, struck out; HamiltonGrahamstown, from £40,000 to £29,000; Napier-Palmerston from £114,100 to £59,000 ; Main Trunk Line £178,000 to £130,000; Bast and West Coast £150,000 to£l,ooo (carried by 70 to 12); Greymouth Hokitika £15,100 to £7,100; Picton Southward £25,000 to £17,400, Livinstone Branch £17,400 to £9,400; Otago Central, £151,600 to £120,000; Wairnea £IO,OOO, struck out; additions to open linoß, £17,210. The House rose at 4.50. a.m.