PARLIAMENTARY

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1585, 10 August 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

♦ Wellington, August 4. In the House to day, The Minister of Mines said, iv answer to Mr Seddon, that the Government would take into consideration the advisability of sending some competent person to America to report upon-saving appliances, machinery, &c. Tlie Colonial Treasurer continued the railway qnwtio;i. Tiiore would l>e on the East and West Coast line an enormous amount of coal carried over from one coast to the other. In conclusion, he said it would be ii great injustice to the colony if the House refused to allow this work to go to a committee. The House pledged itself to this work last session. Since then members on all sides of the House said it was desirable, but when a plan was Wrought down to put these opinions into practice it was refused. The Government simply asked the. House to consider i. They Wrought no hard and fast proposals down. Sooner or later the matter must be submitted to the House, and he held that to refer it to a committee was the best way of eliciting an opinion. Some years ago a Royal Commission had reported that the work would be necessary in a few years, and surely now, after the lap*; of year*, it wis fair to urge th« work !o » the v idt*rstandin^ that districts which wanted it should contribute to tile. COSt. The Hon. Mr Richardson read a printed statement showing the estimated cost of the line from Springfield to Brnnnerton, at £1,767,500; Nelson to Brauuertoii, £1,1362,500 ; total cost of East and West ('oast and Nelson Railway, £3.130,000. The estimated traffic from Springfield to Bruunerton. £8tf,375 ; less working expenses, say 66 per cent of traffic, £58,327 net profit on 95 miles of railway, £30, 043. Estimated t radio from Brunnetton to Belgrove, £37,500, less estimated working expenses, £38,750 ; n«*t propt on 150 miles of railway, £8750. The total net profit, direct and indirect nrisinp out of the construction of the whole line from Nelson to Springfield via Brunnertou would not l>e less limn £595,000. It was estimated that the traffic from Springfield to Brnnnerton would he 75,000 tons of coal at 10s, £'375,')00 ; 600,000 ft timber at 3s, 4750U ; 70.000 tons of merchandise at 80s, 410,500 ; 7000 tons of agricultural produce at 12s 6.1, £4375; parcels, £8000 ; sheep and cattle, £2000 ; passengers, £23,500 ; total, £88,875 Brunnerton to Belgrove, goods and pissengerg of all classes, £37,500. After Sir Julius Yogel had concluded, Messrs Dargaville, Fisher, Pyke, Stewart, and others, spoke against the proposal, Sir George Grey, who spoke against it, was to have made the following amendment, "That all the words after the word ' that ' be struck out in order that the following words may be inserted ; — ln the opinion of the House the Government of New Zealand, with us little delay as practicable, com me n co the construction of the East, and West Coast railway iv the Middle Island, and that as its construction proceeds, the settlement of people along the line at all advantageous points

should he facilitated by the grant of farms upon a perpetual tenure. August 5. In the House this afternoon, Mr Guinness presented a petition praying that the East and West Coast Railway should he carried out under the present proposals. The debate, which was adjourned from the previous evening on the motion of Major Atkinson, was resumed. Major Atkinson did not speak, and the running was taken up by W. F. Buckland, of Franklyn North, who vigorously opposed the proposal to refer the matter to a committee, arguing that whatsoever was done ought to be done on the floor of the House. Mr Tnrnbull spoke in favor of the proposal, as also did Mr Be van, who followed from this to the end of the debate at a little after fonr. At about hilf-past four the question was put amidst much excitement, the whips frantically harrying hither and thither, while the Ministers looked anxious. The debate on the committee appoint merit to consider the East and West Coast Railway proposals was resumed by W. Buckland, who spoke strongly against the proposals. He was followed by Messrs Turubnll, Be van, and Menteath. The latter gentleman's speech was the most powerful of any speech made in favor of the proposals to appoint a committee. There was a deal of finessing as to who was to have the galleries at haif past seven, and some persons are evil enough to say that the sudden collapse of the debate on the Moig;j3 proposals was due to an siterapt to cafch a division. Just after Mr Mtmteath had concluded there was a pause when the speaker ask^d if any member wished to speak. Mr Walker nodded to Mr Harper, and Huper nodded to Mr LevesUm, and Mr Levettim nodded back to Mr Harper. The apparent purport of these nods being " you had better speak. Mr Harper, the last nodded to. was in the very act of rising when he seemed to catch Mr Walkers eye. That expressive eye evidently said " Don't," for Mr Harper sank dowi again into bis seat. Nobody else rose. Sir Julius Yogel, the mover, was not present to reply, and so the question was put and the division taken forthwith. As a matter i of fact the members present wonld 1 have given a majority of two or three for the motion, but several entered when the bell rang and turned the scale by seven votes.