PARLIAMENTARY

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1602, 18 September 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

Wellington, September 13. \ On the item Main^Tmuk line, Te Awamuto, L 178.000, Mr G. F. Richardson moved that it be reduced l>yl»48, 000. Mr Holmes wanted to kuow why the vote was not amick ont altogether, and Mr Hursthonse al?o eondemm'd the vote. Mr Biyce said tbut the House had expressed a strong opinion against the line being continued at present, but in spite of this the Minister for public Works had entered into further contracts. Mr Joyce supported the line, which he said wonld open up valuable country. Sir Julius Voxel said the railway was of infinite important* to the colony, and the No: th Island, and it would he a sad thing to delay it ; and if it was of importance to the Nor h Island he looked upon the East and West Coast railway as of no less importance to the Middle Island, and also to the colony. This was not the time when we should reduce the expenditure on the railways of the colony, they betn^ the roost profitable of any public works. It would a great tiling if the votes for both lines could be passed together, as it would he a great advautage to the colony. The Chairman called Sir J. Yogel to order, and asked him to confine himself to the vote nnder discussion (main trunk line). (Mr Seddon here rose and objected to the Chairman " gauging " the speaker). The Chairman demanded the instan) withdraw! of the expression, and Mr Seddon at Once wi hdrew it Sir Julius \ ogel said that hon members might treat the matter lightly, but they were inflicting a large amount of misery on the colony, and it wonid necessitate the Government cn*ting down work at a time when it would be most urgently required. Mr Sutter said the House had decided to reduce the estimates, and the Treasurer was trying to burk that decision. He ought to old his tongue. Mr Sutter having said this held bis own. Mr Mr Joyce made some remark which caused the gentleman to deprecate the tendency to make a joke of the business. Mi' Fisher hoped the Treasurer would no more afflict the House with reference to the misery that wonld be inflicted on the people, bemuse it was the purest " padding." leather and prunella. The vote did not effect the laboring clasps to any extent, and that had been affirmed by the Public Work* Minister over and over again. Mr Bruce des> cril>ed the discussion as the most bfltrnn he bad ever listened to. He would vote for the reduction because there would still Im* sufficient left to carry out the necessary conueotions. In the meautime he wonld, he bt<li<*ved, be able to explain his action to bis cons stituents. If the; were not satisfied they could send somebody else to the House in his place. The vote was nltimatfly reduced, the division showing 55 for the reduction and 46 against. On the item East and West Coast railway (1 50,000), Mr Recce moved a reduction of £50,000. Mr Sutter moved a reduction of £149,000. Mr Holm«a explained that Mr Beese had separated himself from the rail way party in order to make some capital ont of it He (Mr Holmes), however, wonld take take care that although Mr Reese played a " lons hand "he would " euchre him " in the House and on the bastings Mr Holmes notfied to the Committee that although the Canterbury members were "clodhoppers" and' ' bunkums" (he really meant bntnpkins) they were not born yesterday. He said that the member for Stanmore(Mr Be»»e) " had been influenced" in his conduct by Sir George Grey. Bir George replied that the statement was entirely and absolutely incorrect, aud the idea had originated in the " own bad heart" of the hon. member for Christchnrch South. Some 20 minutes were next taken up in a defence of Mr Beese by Mr Fisher, and an explanation by Mr Beese himself, which whs loudly cheered Jill round the House. A division was taken on the motion to strike ont the £149,000, which was carried by 70 to 12. On the item Greymonlh Hokitika, 1150,000, Mr J. B. Whyte moved a reduction "f 4*8.000. which was carried »>y t!ie casting vote at" tb« Chairman, the votes having i

been 85 e*ch way. The item PietOQsouthw*rds, £25,000. Wat reduced" by £8,000, and the votes for Huroneinorthward, Hurmmi-Waipara, Upper - Ashbnrtoo branch, Lincoln Little Kiver, AlKury branch extension, Oxfi>-d to Sheffield, were p*s«ed without alteration £8,000 w M struck off t!i« Livingstone lirauch vote. The amours for th-Riiwerston Waihemo, Cathn Rirer branch, Wai pain Her iotWn, and Erfenrtale-Toitoi were passed unaltered, and then Mr Sntter moved that £25,000 he strnck off the vo^e of £151,600 far the Otipo Ot.tral .me. Mr J)..»a!d n^i«l op,**.^ the .notion, and Mr Sioai pointed ont <h« great importance of the railway, which would open up some of the very finest land in the country. If the line wat not pushed »n at all events to the Taieri, great inconvenience would ariae, as rbp aettlers would be deprived of a means of getting their productions to ronrkei Mr Fergus, as an arjr" u*>»it in favor of the con--Btrncfion of the line, mentioned that he could produce ft 'u<hel of wheat grown in the centre of. Otago hetter than coul.l be produced in any other part of the colony. The itwn was reduced as proposed by 42 to 26. Th* W.\impn Bwitaers • rote reduced bj c 10.000. The vote £172.000 fbr a^ditt? 9 to open lines wasredveed by £150,000, and the total Tote as winced was passed. The House adjourned at 4.45 *.m* WuLniOTOit, 15. In the Eonse this afternoon the Government said they coold not pledge themselves to appoint a Royal Commission to enquire into thecMsesof the depression in agriculture and commerce in the colony. They would consider during the recess the advise-' bility of appointing New Zealand residents in Samoa and Tonga.. Major Atkinson intimated titsiatention of moving, on the motion to go into Supply, ait address to the Government praying that a sem he placed on the estimates forn**£nition ef the services of Sir Win. Fox as West Coast Commiftsioner. The Colonial Trmsorer moved tk* second reading of the District Railways Purchasing Bill, and a debate ensued. Eventually the second reading watt carried by 87 26. An amendment by Mr Fisher to read it a second time that dav six months being lost, a question was then raised as to whether members interested could vote, and the Speaker saM that any member so> doing would be liable to have bis votedisallowed. A second division, wat thereupon taken, the figures being— lyei, 37; noes, 27. The Bill wat then ordered to be committed on the following dav. The Minister of Justice moved the second reading of the Supreme Court | Reporting Bill. This brought aH the I gentlemen in the House to their fret, and they were worrying the qnestae* when, the 5.80 adjourn men! was taMen. It is confidently stated that the protogation will take place on Friday, j but I do not think- we shall see the I ceremony this . week. „ A great deal hinge* upon the.- report* on- .Vogel'a petitionV in Vtrioh the Public Ptetifcens Committee are still taking evidence.