EXTRACTS FROM HANSARD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2213, 30 August 1889, Page 2

EXTRACTS FROM HANSARD

rABLIAMBNTARY LABBIKINS.

Sir H. Atkinson. — Wei), what oan we think of the diaolpllne of t^e party when, on an Important question like this, an odd member of the party, without the. approval of hla leader, is permitted to get up and rain a debate wnloh the loader of the party had agreed with the head of the Government should be conducted upon a particular basin ? Sir, I ask the ilouso to omslder what hopo there oan ba for a country when snob discipline aa that exists. So far aa I oan understand, tho gieat dlffioulty we have to contend with Is that honorable gentleman opposite have no aensa of responsibility,— if I may aae the fforda without offence, — no "aonse of responsibility whatever. Ido not know whother It Is parliamentary to say that there is a strong vein of larrlkln'sm m the ranks of tho Opposition, bnt, if It is parliamentary to say It, that la tho position I should doborlbo those honorable gentleman to ocoapy. "Let as have some fun," — that la tho Idoa tbat to appermoat m the minds of some honorable gontlo- , men. They a»y: (> Lot as bavo some fan, and if we oan aunoy the Government Id our fan* so much tho better ; if we oan tb.rn.Bt plna Into the Government, what do we care about the oountcy ! The oountry la nothing to as. Tb? question of tbu finance of tha qo'o y tvhloh we h»vo undertaken to dub • - tha^ worthy of consideration If w« " ■•-• > ily carry anoh a motion aa this afctit/'i i c Government, and atlU better if we c v at the same time periaftde. tho Gavaaai«at to iggejit, th«

resolution as ro&sonahl- 1 Tien we shall get (hioa fnto a d-'ffijalty." Is that reasonable ? THE OPPOSITION" VINDICATED. Mr Waiker — Yea, s'r; tbe charge that tho Premier is bringing upon ths Opposition Ht the present moment is not only ground!; s*, but it is absolutely ahame'ess. Be tipoke as if he had the right to criticise the policy of the Opposition and what it chooses to do on the present occasion. I admit that 1 c Is perfeotly competent to poa«as a judge, and alßo to condemn his own example. Does the honorable gentleman imagine that evsr? on^ has as (short a memory as he has himself ? Does he hope that we on this uido of the House have forgotton how he bohaved when he was m • opposition ? Certainly, sir, I remember this : that he was not as generous as my honorable friend the leader of lhe Opposition. He never did venture to proposo anything to the House or the country, but I remember this— and T think the House and the country will remember it as well — that, though he opposed from tha Opposition benches m 1887 schemes which the !a*e Government thought were neceißary for the good of tbe country, m less than twelve months afterwards he was bringing th m down when upon those seats opposite, and persuading the House to accept them from bis hands j TRUST JPHDS. Mr Walker— We do not deny for • moment that behind these accounts is the credit of the colony ; but we say this :It is Dot conducive to good government, It is not conducive to honest government, and it is not conducive to the good of the community that these trust funds should be treated as a a many pawns on tha Ministerial obess-board. We wish to h »ye these funds treated m snob, a way that no Ministry ever sitting on those benches can be oharged with manipulating them at their own pleasure and for tho benefit of their supporters. THE MODERATION OF THE PRBHZBB, Mr Walker— Then, the honorable gen - tleman — I do not know whether he was In earnest or cot— eadeavored| 0 olalm before the Hooae that he was In favor of moderate borrowing— that he had always been a moderate borrower. Why Sir, at tha at the very moment he made that astonish* 'n? statemont I saw the faoos of his ooileagues behind him twinkling with amusemment. THK PROMSRTV TAX, Mr Wrd.— The honorable gentleman says "No;" but I tell the honorable member that it is a large proportion of farmers that are doing so ; they are absolutely paying » land tax under ft system of property taxation, and are contributing more to the property tax than aay other olbbb In tbe colony, Daes the honorable gentleman aooept this as oorreot 1 Mr T. Mackocs'e,— No. Mr Ward.— Then, sir, I shall plaoe it on reoord, and. if the honorable gentlemen wants to know what my authority li, I got it from the returns of the Fiopertytax O)mmiss!ouer. I quote from • classification of taxpayers by occupation, showing designation and number— graziers, sheep-farmers, Farmers, settlers, dairymen, and others, 9,747. That Is the number, out of 27,826— tbe total number of taxpayers who contribute to tha property-tax— about a third of the total number. So that I venture to say the honorable gentleman must admit tbat the farmers of this country are the oh ef oon« tributors to this t»x.