GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 736, 28 October 1876, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

( Per Press Agency .) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, October 27. PROROGATION, Hon P. Whitaker, in reply to a question, said the prorogation would probably take place on Monday, or at any rate as soon after Saturday as the officers of the House could get through the work necessary to be done before prorogation. CANTERBURY runs. Mr Sheehan asked the Government what was intended to be done with the Canterbury clauses in the Waste Lands Administration Bill, because he heard it was the intention to reintroduce those clauses again, and he might inform the Premier that there were thirty members pledged to remain to prevent anything of the kind being done. Hon W. H. Reynolds said if the Government lent themselves to anything of the kind, he would not only oppose them by every means in his power, and even late as the session was, he would be prepared to support a vote of want of confidence in them. Mr Eolleston said the clauses were certainly thrown out, but by a very narrow majority, and was something in the nature of a Surprise. Whether they were aware of it or not, a great wrong had been done to the people of Canterbury, and he for one believed that the majority of the House would not endorse it. The Premier said he was as yet unaware whether the Legislative Council would reintroduce these clauses. If they did, he would ask the House to agree to them, but there would be no advantage taken of the House in any way. He would inform the House of any amendments made in the Bill at the earliest possible moment. So far as Government was concerned, it would take no step towards reintroducing the clauses struck out, but if they did come down, it would be the duty of the Government to support them. If they did not come down the question would not arise at all. Mr Delatour said that was a clear invitation to the Legislative Council to reverse the decision of a majority of that House The Government ought to be held to the promise they gave to thejHouse. Mr Bees was vehement in his|denunciation of the Government for making a compact with the House and then endeavouring to repudiate their engagements. He said these clauses lay at the bottom of the consistent adhesion of the Canterbury members throughout the session, Hon 0. 0. Bowen denied that the Canterbury members were unvarying supporters of the Government, except in regard to abolition. He said the language used by Mr Bees towards the Government and the Canterbury members was most unjustifiable, and it was only the respect he had for the House and himself that prevented him characterising it as it deserved. The adjournment of debate was moved and adjourned till 7.80. leave of absence. Leave of abesence for the remainder of the session was granted to Mr Bichmond. THE KATIKATI SETTLEMENT. Mr O’Borke asked the Government whether, with a view of strengthening the Katikati settlement, they will reserve another block of 10,000 acres in that neighbourhood for small capitalists of the class introduced by Mr Yesey Stewart; the land to be paid for either under special agreement or by the immigrants themselves, under the deferred payments system sanctioned by the House. The Premier said Mr Stewart had been informed that the Government hoped to set aside some land to increase the settlement, the land not to be given away, but to be sold at a fair price. SCABBY SHEEP. Three thousand pounds, the Premier said, would be put on the supplementary estimates for boiling down scabby sheep on the East Coast. THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. Hon F. Whitaker placed the position of the San Francisco service before the House in order to obtain a decision as to what would or would not be done in the matter. Owing to the urgency of the matter, the House being so near prorogation, he proposed sending a telegram to Sydney to the following effect; ment has been consulted, aud we can only agree to forego the present contract on the following conditions, namely—Thirteen services; the route from San Francisco to Sydney, calling at Auckland and omitting Honolulu at same time as you desire. That is giving you the entire benefit, the subsidy to be £70,000; the two colonies to provide coastal service for New Zealand for £SOOO, We can’t consent to the Bay of Islands unless the company takes £75,000 and provides a satisfactory coastal service, your estimates of the expense being altogether erroneous. Communicate decision at once, as we must make arrangements in case of the discontinuance of the service.” He moved that the House agree with the telegram. Mr Stafford thought that the Sydney Government were not acting fairly by New Zealand, and had all the best of the service. He would oppose agreeing with the telegram. What the contractors ought to do in this case was to send down some responsible person to our Government to discuss the matter, and this ought to be insisted upon. There was no occasion for hurry; let the temporary service go on until some satisfactory arrangement was made. Hon W. H, Beynolds also opposed the terms of the telegram. New South Wales was too selfish in the matter altogether. Mr Burns said the House should pass a resolution that the company should adhere to their contract or give it up altogether. Mr Stevens said it was time they made up their minds not to have any more modifications. He moved that a telegram be sent stating that the House is not prepared to make any modifications except those in the telegram sent to Sydney on the 14th of October, saving as regards calling at Honolulu. Mr Ormond thought the colony ought to adhere to the proposals made the other day, as Sydney had shown no spirit of conciliation whatever. Hon W. H. Beynolds would oppose any resolution that threw the control of the coastal service upon the Government. Instead of £SOOO a year, it would be more likely to cost £15,000, Mr Whitaker’s motion was then put and lost by 34 against 29. Mr Lusk then moved the adjournment of the debate in order to consider the question afresh at 7.30. as he felt certain the House would regret what it had done. Another division was taken—Ayes, 40 j does, 26 .—The debate was adjourned.

- COUNTIES BILL. The House went into committee to consider the amendments made in the Counties Bill by the Legislative Council. Hon F. Whitakee said there were about twenty-eight; half he agreed with, the other half he would ask the House to disagree with. LAST NIGHT’S SITTING. On the consideration of the amendments made in the Counties Bill by the Legislative Council, some were agreed to and others were not, and managers appointed to confer with the other House. The amendments made in the Public Works Bill by the Council were agreed to. The adjourned debate ©n the San Francisco service was resumed. Mr Sheehan' moved to add the following to Mr Stevens’s motion—And in the event of the contractors electing to call at AuckInnd, and desiring to discontinue the coastal service, that they be permitted to do so on making a further reduction of £SOOO off from the subsidy payable to them, the two colonies, in such case, undertaking to provide for that service at their own expense. A sharp discussion took place, Mr Reynolds insisting that the company should be bound to distribute mails, they used smaller boats. Mr Staffoed argued that the resolution, as amended, was in effect the same as the telegram proposed by Mr Whitaker. Mr McLean pointed out that the convenience of passengers should be considered, and that the New Zealand Government were entitled to say to New South Wales “ You must come to Auckland,” Mr WHITAKEE spoke at considerable length, defending the amendment, and denying that the amended resolution was the same as his telegram. The hon gentleman then went on to show the inconvenience, and the unfortunate position passengers would be placed in if they were landed at the Bay of Islands; that, in itself, was one of the best arguments in favor of calling at Auckland, and leaving it for the Government to make their own arrangements for distributing the mails. He had been told that £SOOO would not be enough to covet the cost of distributing the mails, but he had the word of the manager for the Union Company that the mails could be distributed along the West Coast for £SOOO a year, while he said they could not be distributed along the East Coast way for less than £l2,oQft a year, because there would be insufficienftmployment for the steamers on that line W traffic. His own private opinion was, that unless they made some concession, the service would be abandoned. Mr Burns said the hon gentleman was treating the question like a special pleader, not like a Postmaster-General. If the contractors were to be allowed to depart from their contract, the colony ought to be compensated. The question was then put “ that the words proposed to be added” to Mr Sheehan’s amendment be so added, A division was then taken, with the following result:— Ayes • 42 Noes The amendment was carried, and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to. The Disqualification Act No 2 was brought down from the Council with the 6th section amended, so that no member of either House or the Executive would be able to take an office under the Government. After a good deal of objection a division was taken, and the amendment added by 41 against 26. The amendments made in the Eating Bill by the Council were agreed to. The remainder of the sitting was occupied in discussing the supplementary estimates. A great many reductions were made. All the charges on the consolidated fund and the Auckland services were passed ; law and justice was reduced from £19,470 to £17,970; compensation to the inspector of lunatic asylums was reduced by £1510; the bonus to the colonial architect, £SOO, was struck out by 26 to 24. A long and animated discussion ensued upon the allowances to Sir Julius Vogel for his services in England ; £275 was struck out by 29 against 21. A similar discussion ensued on the bonus to Mr Fitz Gerald for drafting bills for £250. Mr Sheehan said it looked much like bribery. A motion to strike it out was negatived. Mr Montgomery wanted it reduced pet cent to show the sense of the House. This was also negatived. The House sat till 6,30 and met again at eleven this morning. POLITICAL NEWS. (From a cerresvondent of the Press.) Sanguine and simple members, after the Premier’s promise last night to detain the steamers, expected to leave on Saturday night after ending the session in peace, but since then circumstances have occurred to considerably disturb the atmosphere. When the Premier wished the House to adjourn at its rising till eleven on Saturday, Mr Sheehan was curious as to the course contemplated on the question of the Canterbury runs, and when the reply was given that if the clauses or others similar were inserted by the Legislative Council, they would be supported by the Government when the Bill returned to the House, there was a lively scene, the end of which is not yet known. Mr Reynolds became at a moment’s notice a red hot opponent of the Government, and threatened to support an immediate vote of want of confidence if they persisted. There was a general hubbub in the House, during which Mr Bolleston got sufficient oppor tunity to give his impressions of the proceedings on the previous night, when the clauses were negatived. He and others, he said, had been taken by surprise. When the clauses came on there was a considerable number of members absent who would have made a majority for the clauses. Instead of its oeing an attempt on the part of himself and others to snatch a victory the majority would have been on the side on which h voted. Having got a victory, it was, however, quite possible for a majority at this stage of the session to keep it, He ventured to think that when Mr Sheehan asked the Government to take a decision on the first clause, a mistake was committed, and an advantage taken. He believed the House had done |a very considerable wrong. For himself, he would consider himself perfectly entitled to take what steps he thought fit on behalf of the people, who would'suffer very considerable injustice. He repeated that a a wrong had been done, and he was sorry to bear such views as Mr Reynolds had expressed. Mr Rees followed in a sword and flame speech, stating that Mr Bolleston had consented to the division being taken hoping he had a majority , andhad induced one Maori to vote who promised to vote on the other side,

He was ready for a month or three months’ opposition, |He asserted that the Govern* ment had distinctly arranged to take the rote as final. The Premier amidst cries of “ Yes” and “ No” denied that he had made any arrangement such as Mr Bees stated Mr Bowen after handling Mr Rees effectually, said all acquainted with the circumstances believed the proposition to be fair and exceedingly necessary, but the greater number, of members who voted against the clauses knew nothing about the matter whatever. He was most surprised at the Otago members, who had been especially anxious that the land revenue should be dealt with by the province to which it belonged. Ho denied that the Canterbury members had as a rule supported the Government except on the abolition question. The clauses were put in the Bill as affecting the whole province of Canterbury, and Government were not now interfering in the matter. They simply adhered to their position, and that was all they could do. Mr Hamlin, who moved the adjournment of the debate on adjourning till eleven to-morrow, excelled Mr Bees by threatening to remain six months to oppose the clauses. Mr Reynolds was less extravagant. He would sit a fortnight. As the debate drifted from the question of adjournment, Mr Sheehan interposed, and the debate was adjourned till the evening. The Waste Lands Committee is now sitting on the Lands Administration Bill, This Bill was not on the Council’s order paper for tonight, and it must be late to morrow before it reaches the Lower House. The Native Reserves Act has passed the Council; it Earticnlarly interests Greymouth, where uilding leases for sixty years may be granted. The House is now considering the Council’s amendments on the Counties Bill on Mr Wagon’s motion. A new clause, fixing the limits of the county population, was disagreed with. The amendments, making the chairman elected by the Council, and ineligible for a seat in the House, was also disagreed with. A warm discussion on the supplementary estimates is expected tonight.