HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1844, 18 May 1888, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 17. The House met at 2 30 p,m. qubstions " Replying ka quesrious it was 'stated that it was not inteacbd to introduce any measure fop encouraging distillation m the colony ; that Government were doing all • that waa possible to give effect to the Weat Ooaat Settlements Amendment Aqt, 1877, bat farther legislation might be neoeßsary this session ; that Government were not aware that the English footbailers were brought to the oolony on a commercial speculation when free railway paases were granted to them j that the Loan Bill oould not be postponed, bat was identical with that of last aeaslon except the 19th clause relating to the prohibition of borrowing for three years. GRANTS DUB XO LOOAL BODIES. Mr Wilaon moved th*t, m the opinion <f thla House, the thirds doe to various looal bodies and speoial settlements should be paid over at onoe to them. Mr Richardson said he did not think the House would pass this motion, whtoh waa at variance with (he existing law. After some discussion the Premier a&ld it waß through no fault of Government that the money waß not paid, Ib was simply through a discrepancy of accounts m the department. Government would endeavoar to see that moneys of .h ; a kind were paid when they beoame due. ' - TAXING USB TOT4HBATOE. Mr Tayior resumed the interrupted debate that, m the opinion of this House, it la desirable that Government should introduce a measure during the present session providing that a proportion of the earnings of totalisators should be by Aot appropriated for the purposes of hospitals and charitable aid, The motion was agread to by 50 to 13. THE LOAN AOT REPEAL BILL. The Premier moved the second reading of the Loan Act, 1887, Repeal Bill. A olause] had been inserted last session forbidding borrowing for three years. Whatever blunder had been committed had been committed by himself, and he was prepared to take the responsibility. It was, however, a'so the doty of the Opposition to see that a olause of . this kind was properly Inserted. Government had not thoughf it Boffioiently urgent to call the Houae together to rectify the matter, but had decided to summon the House at the earliest possible moment. They were advised to get the 81l passed before the Financial Statement was delivered m order that it might get Home at a favorable time for. fl )»tlog" the loan. In' the Bill no provision had been inserted limiting' borrowing, bub Goverar ment was prepared to give a guarantee to th»t efldUfc. In no other respect was the Bill different from that passed that session. '.: " Mr Downie Stewart said that after a large number of members had left last session, Government had re-inserted m the Loan Bill votes which had heen previously struck out by tbe House This was not a very honorable transaction. Through the Treasurer having hid to raise money m other quarters at a higher rate of interest, the colony had Buffered a considerable loas. £60,000 or £70,000 would not cover it. The Premier denied it absolutely, Mr Stewart said they had aUo broken faith. They were pledged to call the House together early m April to consider the tariff. The House had a right to hear from the Premier some explanation as to the state of the country* before they granted this loan Mr Hutchison bore testimony as to the acouracy of Mr Stewart's statements. In the matter of the Immigration vote alone, the Premier had been guilty of a ' breaoh of faith. His arrogancd last session was a great contrast to his penitent attitude now. Mr TurnbuU said that the House should insist on knowing how much had been lost by the blundering m the last Act. He waa not prepared to oppose the Bill as money was urgently required. It was not the public but the private debt whioh was killing the oolony. Mr Fish commended the Premier's present behaviour, but thought he had been guilty of a great breach of faith last session. Ho stronglj did he feel on the subject that had he made up his mind m future to remain till all the business was finished. He thought it would be wise, to reduce the amount to be raised for the Northern Trunk Railway LoaD, aa the present was no time for works of tint description. In answer to questions the Premier said Government proposed to pass the Bill exaotly ai it stood, and would not make any alterations In the sohedule. Mr O'Oallaghan wanted some explanation of what was going to be done with the £70,000 unallotted m tbe Bill. He had a strong suspicion that this amount had been lost through the loan not having been raised. Mr Steward wanted to ace.the £70,000 devoted to tha establishment of small agriculturists on suitable land. Mr Taylor expressed strong objections to any money being spent on immigration. It would only mean bringing people here for the benefit of other colonies, Mr flodgkinson,{aa a Government supporter, was m an awkward position over this matter, aa he had always been opposed to a borrowing policy. He saw no neoessity for borrowing £2,400,000, Tbe Premier, m replying, distinctly denied that he had been gulity of a breach of faith over the Loan Bill of last session; He was interrupted by the 530 p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Premier continued his justification, quoting " Hansard " to show that he hai announced his intention of replacing the votes on the schedule last session, and it had elicited no objection from those who were present. Since the afternoon Mr Taylor, Mr W. P. Reeves, and Mr Turnbull, had authorised him to say that they remembered his making suoh an announcement. He defied Mr Stewart to prove that there was a gross breach of faith as that gentleman had contended. He laughed at the idea of the colony having lost £60,000 or £70,000. It was quite possible they had made a considerable gain through the loan being postponed till after the reoent conversion of consols. As to the manner m which he had obtained the neoes^ary money m the interval he explained chat he had negotiated the £30Q,000 worth of debentures authorised by the Houae through the Colonial Bank on very favorable terms and the Ageul-General had obtained an extension of the currency of half a million of Northern Trunk debentures; till July. These would be paid of after the loan waa raised, were all the, financial transactions that bad taken place. The Bill was read a seoond time on the voioes. THE LOAN BILL. The Premier moved the second reading of the Loan Bill. Mr Seobie McKenzie proposed an amendment to the e&ect that a further loan is inexpedient till the Lfouae is satisfied by the Government that the r-.ilways can bo so far completed by the money thus provided that tho public works policy m^y bo laii aside un.il tha country hus recovered its pwitiou sufficiently to warrant its resumption. He criticised the lines m course Qf QonfltruQ<

tion, and nrged that they would take about £4,000,000 to complete them. Thus a! loan now would simply lead to another i one very Bhortly, and so on >. After a lengthy debate the amendment was lost. The Loan Bill, and Loan Ant Bepe«l Bill went through their remaining stages and were passed.