LAST NIGHT'S SITTING.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1433, 8 September 1881, Page 3

LAST NIGHT'S SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30. Bills Passed. The Post-office Bill and Timaru Harbor Board Act Amendment Bill were passed through Committee, and were read a third time and passed. Taranaki Harbor. On the order for the second reading of the Taranaki I-larbor Board Commission Bill, Mr Kelly raised a number of objections to the bill on points of order, all of which were overruled. Mr Hall then moved the second reading of the bill, which he said was framed strictly in accordance with the previous decision of the House, although he himself would have liked to have it left entirely to the Committee to decide whether the work should be proceeded with or stopped. He proposed Mr E. C. J. Stevens and Captain Russell as two of the commissioners. The third would be a professional gentlemen not yet decided upon, but whose name would be announced when the bill went into Committee on Friday. Mr Wakefield felt great repugnance to interfering with the local bodies, such as the New Plymouth Harbor Board. The only thing to justify the House in doing so was the fact of this Board possessing an exceptional endowment of 30 per cent, of the land fund, otherwise there would be no right to do so. In Committee he would endeavour to alter the bill so as to preveut, the works being summarily ' stopped. Mr Hurst thought the bill would form a most dangerous precedent. Mr Stewart thought the Commission should have power to continue the work if the decision was in its favor. Major Atkinson said if the works were stopped the colony must lose heavily, and the district still more. He would not oppose the second reading, but would endeavor to get the Commissioners' report made final. Sir G. Grey said Sir John Coode had expressed to him a very high opinion of Mr Blackett's professional capabilities. He had always maintained and been convinced of the feasibility of constructing a harbor at Ne\v Plymouth, aud his opinion was fortified even in 1848 by the highest professional opinion. He urged that the report of the Commissioners should be made final. (Left sitting).