PARLIAMENTARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2357, 27 July 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

(United Press Association.)

The Hutt Gas Corporation's Bill was read a second time. The Goal Mines Bill was read a third time and passed

The debate on the question tjhat the Civil Service Roform Bill be tread a second time, to which an amendment was moved by Dr Pollen that the Bill be read that day six months, was resumed. After discussion the motion for tho second reading wa« carried on a division, ayes 21, noes 13. The First Offender's Probation Bill was read a pocoud time. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill was further considered in committee. Some slight amendments wore agreed to, progress was reported, and the Council adjourned to the next day.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House went into Committee on the Port Chalmers Fire Brigade Bill, which was passed without amendment, and read a third time and passed. Mr Leveßtam moved that the Committal of the Nelson Foreshore Reserve Bill be postponed till Thursday,—Agreed to after some discussion.

Colonel Trimble resumed the debate in committee of the New Plymouth Harbor Loan Bdl and spoke for several hours, duriug which the bell had to be rung for a quorum frequently. He was still Bpeaking when the House rose for dinner at 5.30 p.m.

The House resumed at 7.80. Mr J. McKenssie resumed the debate on the Loan Bill, and criticised at length the speeches against the proposal!, and contended the reason ot such speeches was that the opposition wetft sorry they did not occupy the Government benches. If the colony, were to stop borrowing now it would mean a loss of over two and a. half millions by works in course of construction, and it would also lead to stagnation all over the country. Mr 6. F. Riohardson thought the new works set forth in the Financial Statement were not givon effect to in the Bill now before the House. He said the Government were' responsible for Mr I Russells amendment last session, as no sooner was it moved than the Govern: ment accepted it. The most important Ime under consideration of the House was, he thought, the WnodvilUPalmerston line, which would connect the East and West. Coasts of the North Island. He spoke against the amount for the construction of the BleuheimTophouie line, and also that from Westport to inaugahha, as without .completion these works were nothing and were quite uncalled for. Taking into .consideration the positiou of, the colony, ho thought it an extremely bad policy to proceed with any new lines. He moved an amendment to the effect that no new lines be commenced until the lines at present under, construction are completed to a working point, and that the votes for Blenheim Tophouse Lfiß,ooo, and West-port-bangahua L 63,000, bestruck off, and that the vote for the Permanent way sleepers and rollinsr Btook be reduced by L 44.000, and that the savin? of the L 175.000 be allocated to the following lines;—Helensvillo Northwards 185,000° Napier - Palmerston North L 45,000, Blenheim-Awatere L 20,000, Otago Central LGO.OOO, and the Seaward Bush line LIO.OOO.

Mr Dargwillo spoke in support of the Bill.

DrNnwman Raid lie would vote (or the second reading of the Bill, and also for the amendment. Ha pointed out that the cardinal policy of the present Government was th» completion of the Main Trunk Line, and yet in their third Public Works Statement there was no attempt to cany that out.

_ The Premier aaid.the reason for bringing down the amendment was that it gave some members of the Opposition an opportunity to make two speeches on the ono debate. The Government would not accept the amendment nor would they allow the opposition to dictate, to them as to what the schedule of the Bill would be. If the House agreod to the amendment others would carry on the Bill. In referring to the speech of Mr Ormond he • said he first made an attack on the" Public Works Policy of the Government and then wound up by complaining of the amount of money expended in his district. He asked was that a statesmanlike way in which to attack Government. There never could be a successful financial policy if there was continual preaching for roads and bridges by districts. Districts should not rely upon the Government, Referring to immigration, the colony should be mado so attractive that immigrants would come to it without public aid. The sole object of the member for Napier was to remove the burden off the land and place it on personal property and customs revenue. He referred at some length to the speehes made on the railway management. He said the services of Back and Smith could havo been retained if higher salaiies i had been paid, and he could not blame j those gentlemen for accepting better positions in the sister colonies, but their departure could not be made a subject of attack on the Railway management in this colony. Referring to Railway Boards he saw danger in handing over any of the Government departments to nonpolitical boards unless suoh boards were responsible to Parliament. He defended the.votes for Blenheim'-Tophouse,.and Westport-lnangahua lines. Meferring to railways he could see that support to the Manawatu line was giving a premium to the Wellington Manawatu Railway Company to ask an extravagant price for the purchase of their line from Wellington to Palmerston. A good deal had been said about the North Island Trunk. Loan, and that a large amount had been inaccurately spent'on roads and' river works but he denied this and quoted figures in support of his statement. ■ The purchaso of Native lands along the line had also come out of the loan. He had

always contended that the colony could not always go on borrowing: for all kinds works. He thought the colony should construct its buildings out of the consolidated funds. Roads,-with exception.of those intended for opening up Crown Lands, should be left to' local bodies. With reference to railways, • no doubt some of the lines would have to be. provided for out of loans arid he now,-as he always had, disagreed with the opinion held by some hon. members that roads wero more important than He believed that in two or three years the Colony would have to stop borrowing, and whenever he had proposed that the amount for school buildings should not come out of the loan hon. members never roso to the occasion. When he had proposed economy in the Civil Service he had never been backed upland the House was not sincere in its policy of non borrowing. If hon. members who supported the amendment were sincere in economy why did they not propose to knock L 175.000 off the schedule, and say we will not borrow this amount. No] They would not do this, but would divide the .amount mentioned among their own districts. What the Government intended to do this yea (with the lines proposed to be struck off wii only to h»v* a survey made, and if

the midland line wns not gone oil with, theße linei .would, be abandoned,3e asked the House not to agree' - to the ' inendinents, aud he reminded members hat the time was not far distant when his colony would not havo to go into tho jondon market. The Government Were loing all in their power to promote conomy, and ho hoped tho House 'ould assist them. He again asked ho House to reject the amendment s it was not moved in friendly spirit. Major referring to the 'renrier's speech said the latter could not n any one instance put his fingor on any ' tand which he had taken to bring uto effect tho statement in. his speech. File Premier hud come into parliament yifch the intention of introducim; economy ,nd a better system of local government, rat he denied that this object had been xScoroplished. The reason of it* failure 16 had stated was that mombers had not upported him, but he (Major Atkinson) leard this statement for the first time. Ie denied! that the Premier had ever Misted tho House to go in the direction nentionsd in his speech. ■ It had always )eenhis firm conviction that the Govirnmenfc would have to purchase the tfellington-Manawalu railway company's iue, and he did not believe that the iompletion of the Gorge line would affect he price to be paid. He believed the eason that the amendment of the memier for Matiura was brought down was )ecauße the opinion of a section of the House was that the railways now under lonstruction shu/.ild bo completed to a forking point before any new lines'were mdertaken, and he quite agreed with hat course. Referring to the purchase if Native lands he objected to the amount >eing taken from the North Island Trunk | ine. The House had never refused chool building expenditure being dealt nth looally, hut they refuted to deal with he subject piece meal, and asked the rovernmentto disclose their,policy on he question. He ventured to think the louse wanted a reduction of the loan, le asked if the Premier was sincere in us desire for economy, if he was let him ome down and cut from L 50.000 o LIOO.OOO off the estimates. This, m the true criterion. A hearty upporfc from his (Major Atkinson's) ide of the House would be friven ti this respect. The opposition would heerfully agree to any reduction suggeßed by the Premier. If the Premier was incere, the schedules in the Bill under moderation would have to be reduced,

Sir Julius Vogel desired that hia return to the colony was to introduce a new system of borrowing. His reason foragaiu entering into politic* was to endeavor to lift the colony from the position it had been placed in by the late administration. ■ He criticised at length the speech of Major Atkinpun, and defended the Government from the accusations levied against'them. As to the amendment ho thought its terms too obvious for niamh'ers to fall into the trap, Such a resolntion was utterly inconsistent, with the. spirit of. their. Parliamentary institutions. Mr Mesfcon followed Sir J. Yogel and attacked the Government. In reforonce to the' speech' of the Treasurer he characterired it as petulant and offensive. Several attempt* were made to get the Premier to agree to an adjournment, but without avail at 5.10 a.m.,, however, a motion for adjournment was carried ami the House rose