HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 186, 19 July 1873, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18. Tlio proposed alteration of the constitution of the Upper House, referred to in the Governor's speech, will probably bo to make it elective. It is a raodifku-jon of the Australian plan, each member of Council to represent a distrut, including a pi oup of districts returning members to the General Assembly. No t-pceial qualification beyond those required by members of the Lower Homii- will be required for members of the Legislative .UsiMiibly. The term of election will bo seven instead of fhe. The adoption of this s^tem ioto date from ne\t dissolution. In the Hou-e, this afternoon, m reply to Mr Williamson, tha Premu'r said tliat as several applications were expected on the subject of railways, he would make a statement on the subject simultaneously with the financial statement, which he hoped to make in about a fortnight. In reply to Mr AVilhamoon, the Premier said that, m the Provincial Council of Auckland was elected on the 18th of January, 1870, it would bo necessary to dissolvo it before the 18th of January, 1874. In the Houhc to-d.iy,Mr Vogel.in reply to Mr Williamson, whether the Go\ eminent would ask the Parliament to extend the Waiknto railway to a point oi the upper boundary of the confiscated line, and connect the mam line with the Thames district at Tararu, bhid many applications had been made for various railways and public work*, and if the Government were not misled, further applications to tho amount of millions would yet be made. The Government proposed to come down with a statement lcgartling their intentions at the same time as tho financial statement was brought down, which would probably bo in a fortnight's time. The Premier also promised to bring down a report on telegraph and mail services. The Native Minister promises to report on native affairs relating to tho East Coast, at an early date. The following bills were read a first time :—Joint: — Joint Stock Companies Amendment, and Municipal Corporations Waterworks. In reply to a question Mr Bathgate said tho latter bill would not interfere with the n«hts of third parties. The other bills aie District Court Amendment Act, Assaults on Constables, Gold Mining, Prisons, and Insolvency. Mr A. P. Seymour has been elected Chairman of Commit fees. The sessional committees have been appointed. In a debate regarding the Printing Committee, Murray and Thompson attacked the Composition Committee, and insinuated that tho printers unduly preponderated and supported the Government from selfish motives. Committee agrcsd to. Mr Gdlics moved for a return of cost and revenue under tho Public Trustee's Act. Mr Bathgate replied that the cost of such return would bo £150. Mr Gillies mo\ed for the return of the amount of gunpowder authorised by each ollicer of the native department to be supplied or sold to the nalncs. The return was agreed to. Mr O'Connor moved fora return of the annual importation of co.il into the colony, and the ■* .ilue of the --.ame. Also for ii return of the field-woik executed b\ each oflicer of the geological depaitnu'iit, d i mg tue mst year. Agreed to. Mr Reader Wood a->ked wh> » <<>py of the letter by Mr J. B. Ti.issell in reference to Mr JJi ckliam was not hud on the table. Mr Bathgate promw d i-omspondence should be laid on the table. The House adjourned till to-ninr on*.

Thursday; july 17. In the Hou^e of llepreseiuitives to-daj, a letter was read from the Chairman of the Haw kes Buy Lund Alienation Committee, staling I, l \ii they will not be able to pre&ent a report until a month iicnre. Tlie totnl complaints fire 202. A great number of these remain unsettled, the commissioner, i\\ i/t'i'-r hu-Dioss, being prevented from concluding the tJiqni '\ • Tin, isti.nate, as per report of the Engineer-in-Chief upon railway* n, for the Nelson and Foxlull railway, probable levenup eight thousand ; expenses, seven thousand pounds. He estimates that the traffic of the lino will mainly depend upon timber, u liile passengers will only return £2,000. The Kumpoi .mdEyreton railway ho considers quite hopeless to look to for its working expenses, which will not be less than from two or three thousand a-year. He estimates that tlie Oumaru imd Coleridge districts will yield a passenger revenue of £3,000, and freight £1,400, which is equal to the working expenses of the Ashburton and Timaru railway. It will also open a district containing 100,000 acres of cultivated land. It is estimated that the revenue will reach £43,000 a year, and the expenditure £28,000, leaving a nett revenue of £15,000 The Waitafci and Moeraki railway pas«c3 through ono of the best districts of the Middle Island, 60,000 acres of which are under cultivation. The engineer estimates the revcune at £17,000, and the working expenses at £14,000. The Tokomairiro and Lawrence railway he expects will yield an annual profit of £8,000 ; its working expenses will be £10,000, and its revenue £18,<H?0. The Winton to Kingston railway will yield a net profit 0f, £7.500, aid the estimated receiptt £26,500. The working expenses of the Brunner Coal Mine railway nre estimated at £1,000, and will require the production of 23,000 tons of cot 1 a year to pay this amount. Tho report of the North Island railways is to be published at an early date. Mr Gillies moved to-day for copies of correspondence between Messrs Butler, Fenton, and other persons relative to the conduct of the Resident Magistrate at Mongonui. Mr Gillies also gavo notice to ino>© for a return respecting the Thames wutcr supply, Mr Murray gave notice of motion, "That the Government ought to take immediato steps to prevent the further purchase of land from natives by Europeans until a measure is p i«sed to regulate suvh transactions in a manner more satisfactory to tho natives and more consistent with bona fide colonisation and the maintenance of the peace of the colony." The Speaker announced tho receipt of a telegram from Mr Ilnllenstein resigning his seat. He (tho Speaker) said he must await his formal resignation before issuing tue writ. In reply to Mr Johnston, the Premier said that two securities of £25,000 from Messrs Webb and Holliday were held by the Government. Mr Webb had refused to pay, but the bonds wore good. The Government would recover the money. £10,000 had already been stopped from moneys due to Mr Webb. The Volunteer Lanl Scrip Act was read a first timo. Tho Municipal Corporations, Waterworks, and Assaults on Constable Bills wero read a second time. A return showing tho practical result of the Industrial Committee of laM. session was agreed to. Mr Webb moved the address in reply He referred to tho prosperity of the colony a 9 due to tho Public Works and Immigration policy. The country should feel grateful to the Government. Ho trusted that tho samo good feeling would exist between the prcbcnt Government and the Ministry as had formerly existed with Governor Bowen. Mr Cuthberlsoi\Beconded tho adoption of the address. Mr Gillies said he would not move any amendment at present. He would not debute now: other opportunities would ariso. lie only spoke now lost it might be thought that he entirely approved of tho address. On the second reading of the Municipal Corporations Bill, Mr Gillies asked whether the debentures would be issued at p.ir, or whethor a price would be fixed upon them. Mr Buthgale referred to the twenty-second clauso of tho Municipal Corporations Act, and said they might exchange at pur or for value. Tho House rose at 4 30.

Tho death is announced of Mr Eyves, the husband of the lady who a few years ago laid claim to royal honours, as being the daughter of " Olive, Princess of Cumberland ami Duuhesa of Lancaster." Mr Ryves, who for the last thirty yeai'3 or so had been separated from his wife, came of an old county family in Dorsetshire — tho Ryvesses of Shioton and Ilayston — and by hid wifo, "the lloynj. Ohimant," he had five chiMreu, two sons and three daujjhteis. Mrs Ryvea died about a year ago.