HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1928, 25 August 1888, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, August 24. pdblio wouk* statement. la the House at the evening Bitting Ml Walker resumed the debate on the Public Works Statement. He said that the Statement did not bold out oncouragement to tbe ooloiiy at tbe present time, aod thought It was prejudicial to the Government of the country that the finan* oial proposals (f the Government were not considered at the proper Binge of the, session ; that the finance was simply one>f expediency, and one whloh both Bides of the House desired to see no longer practised m the ooiony. TheFinanolal State* ment of the Oolonial Treasurer opntained not one new expedient to pat the fiqinoes on a better footing, but the present Government had not given credit to tho late Ministry for their honest attempts to restore those fiaanoes to a satisfactory condition. The present Government had poaed aa an economical Administration, but a return which he had caked for, showing the half-yearly amount of the cost of governing the country was largely m favor of the late. Government. Ha complained that a return which had been asked for, showing the retrenchment effeoted by the Government, was refused by Mloißters, whioh proved to him that they were afraid of the Home examining the retrenchment they claimed to have effeoted m the publlo expenditure. The colony had been living for many years In a fool's paradise. They had spent out of thirty millions no leas than fifteen millions on unprodnotlve works, but Govern* ment last year raised another loan against the wish of the Honae, but the manner m which the loan was raised had cost the colony a large amount of money. They had now to consider how that loan had to be expended. He felt sure that the amount on those Public Works Estimates did not oomeup to tho expectations of the country. He observed with satisfaction that the ooiony of Queensland ha) received a significant hint from the B ink of England not to borrow again for some time, and be should not be sorry to Bee .a -similar hnt given to the Government of this colony, not because he waa opposed to borrowing for reproductive works, but he did object to the manner m which loam were spent at present-. As to the policy/ of tbe presont Government, he regretted its purely negative character, and refused to accept the retrenchment olaimod by the Government until he saw the details. They had had the tariff passed this session which the good dense of both sides of the House recognised would be for the good of the ooiony, and' he shared that opinion. Referring to the mining industry, the present Government had dropped all that the late Government had done m that direction, and he was exceedingly disappointed that the present Minister for Mines had not token more interest m that indngiry. He also condemned the administration off the Stock Department under the charge of the nania Minister, and he sincerely trusted the Minister would take some Bteps to pa*. It on a better footing. He urged on Government the desirability of creating a Portfolio of Agriculture, whloh would develop and foster that industry m many ways. The dairy Industry also required encouragement, and if the Ministry reoognlsed those Industries more than had been the case hitherto it wonld tend to a better condition of things than at present existed. It was not for him (Mr Walker) to suggest a remedy for the present difficulties, but he thought they would never make a^bhangVfof tnt better till they had got •Government that would fairly face the position of the oountry. After some diaousslon, Sir H. Atkinson aaid the House muak be weary of the debate, and he should not trouble tbe House with many remarks. As to Mr.Walker'a speeoh It .was, like a leotureto little boys on good behavior. The bon. gentleman, was endeavoring to assume the leadership of tho Opposition. He was surprised at a pretended friend like that hon. gentleman taking the oouroa he bad done that night. Mr Walker asked what .thfl Premier meant by pretended friend. Sir H. Atkinson replied that- Mr Walker waa ambitious to succeed the late Government, bat he did not blame him for that. Mr Walker said Sir H. Atkinson had previously tannted him with Intriguing for office, but he wished to say that he had never done bo, and he had no desire' whatever to sit on the benches with the Premier, Heaven save him from that position, or from associating with the Premier and bis present colleagues. Sir H. Atkinson said that was exactly the point. He was to get rid of some of his colleagues foe the purpose of taking m tbe hon. gentleman. He would give Mr Walker a little advice, as h« had aspired- that night to the leadership of the Opposition, although Itwas a ; very miserable attempt. He refererd to the several charges made by Mr Walker, and asserted that the Government had made genuine reductions In the expenditure, »■ the House voted £233,000 on oertaln services lees than the late Government-, Referring to the remarks made by Dr Newman, he said, from the financial knowledge whioh that hon gentleman assumed he (the Premier) felt that the Government had made a groat mistake m not sending Dr Newman Home as Agent-General, as he would have been able to cave the credit of the ooiony. Aa to the speeoh of the member for Te Aro, it was the speeoh of a man possessed of some knowledge, but . put In a vary misleading way. He (the Premier) denied that he had represented that they could do without additional taxation. . The great fault he found with the late Government wan that they refused to make reductions In the expenditure before Imposing taxation, and he submitted that differed Rreatly from the aotlon of the present Government. He referred at som* length to tbe remarks of the member for Kumara, and said the West Coast had received ft very good share of the publlo expenditure. He would simply say that the Publlo Works Statement waa exaotly on the lines of the Flnanoial Statement, and was m aooord with the policy of last year, with the exception that looking at the probable returns of some of the lines, Government had thought It better to postpone the votes for them for another year. His hon oolleague, the Minister for Public Works, he> thought, would be able m Committee to explain satisfactorily the position of the ! various workj w,hloh Government proposed to proceed with. .. KJM.IC WORKS ESTIMATIS. The Home then went Into Committee of Supply for the consideration of the Publlo Worka Estimates whloh were not finished when the telegraph offioe dosed.