PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 350, 25 November 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

In the House of Representatives on Wednesday, after the business already reported, the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Bill was shelved in Committee by 25 to 22. The motion for reporting progress was carried without asking leave to sit again.

On Thursday,in the Council, on the Hon G. M. Waterhouse's motion for better facilities to appeal against the over valuaation of taxed property, there was a long debate, during which many alleged acts of injustice under the.Land Tax Act were mentioned.

The Hon. F. A. Whitaker accepted the motion, and mentioned that the Government would do its utmost to make the taxes be felt as easily as possible.

The motion was carried. The great part of the sitting was occupied in Committee on a number of small Bills, and the Council adjourned at 5 pm. In the House of Representatives, after a considerable amount of formal business, Sir G. Grey moved the second reading of the Prevention of Corruption Bill.

The Hon. J. Hall said that, while he would not oppose the motion, he did not think the Bill, was required. In Committee he would move an amendment.

The motion was put, and carried on the voices.

The question, that in the opinion of the House, His Excellency should be moved to issue a Commission to take evidence at the principal commercial centres of New Zealand, and to report on the operation of the present tariff, with a view to such a rd-adjustment of the Customs duties as may be considered best calculated to foster the various branches of industry now in the Colony, was put to the vote, and negatived on the voices. -■

A lengthened discussion arose on the motion for going into Committee on the Wanganui Endowments Schools. Bill, during which the whole question of Trusts for educational and other purposes was opened up. The progress of the Bill was opposed step by step in Committee 1 , a division being taken on every clause, 'jhe House sat till 5.30 the next morning in Committee on this and another Bill, and then adjourned till Friday evening, at 7.30. -- :\

On Friday evening, on the'motion/to go into Committee of Supply, Mr Pykeinoved as an amendment—-"That the proposal of the Colonial Treasurer be not , assented to re the removal of subsidies to local bodies until the assurance has been given that provision will bq made for an equivalent to the subsidies proposed to be taken away."

Sir G. Grey defended the late • Government for having appropriated the Land Fund for purposes of revenue. Government did not sell land in the proper sense of the word. In parting with the land, they did not sell it according- to the usual acceptance of the word; they only settled population upon it.

The amendment was then carried,

Mr Stewart moved a further amendment, to the effect that the House, considering the circumstances under which Government took office, refuses to grant supplies uniil Government gave a distinct pledge that they would, during the present session, bring down the Redistribution of Seats Bill. He argued that the Eegulation of Electors Bill passed by the House without a redistribution measure, placed the Colony a more illiberal condition than it had previously been. The amendment was lost on the voices.

The motion for going into Committee of Supply was then put and carried, and the Estimates were brought on for consideration.

Postmaster-General and Commissioner of Telegraphs Department. On the first item being put,

Mr Montgomery moved-—"That progress be reported." It was absurd to pass the Estimates just now with the meagre information they had. It would, he thought, be shown when thePublio Works and other statements came down, that it would be necessary for these Estimates to be very considerably cut down. They had other important business to go on with, so the time would be thrown away. The Premier said the hon. member for Akaroa was really seeking to reject one of the best opportunities he had ever had of maintaining something like control over expenditure, because in former sessions the estimates had been left till the last moment, when little or no attention was ever paid to them. They had not revised the estimates of their predecessors item for item. The department under consideration really required an increase.

Mr Ballance condemned the course pursued by the Government in asking the House to take these figures in consideration in the absence of the Land and Property Tax Bill, which was. promised, and which was necessary to /give .them an insight to the polipy arid'- finances of the "Government. " The department under consideration really-showed an increase on th.o estimate of £36»0QD expenditure over jthe-previous year's figures, and there was , not sufficient tp 'warrant such an increase. .Several members opposed any increase in salaries over £200 a year, except where special circumstaricea were shown. Mr Swanson thought 'the Opposition shonld hare made a feature of those re-ductions,-because; there would have been no difficulty ! in getting £50;000 off tihetJß, but he assured young members that when the items got into Committee they would not be able to accomplish this, because they would be sure to put their finger on the wrong item.

The Premier said it was impossible for Ministers to go through the estimates, and make deductions with justice, whil st they were in session. The Government would be quite willing to take the sense of the committee as to the suggestion to allow no increase on salaries above £200 a year, and to abfdeby the result.? He would reduce the extravagant accommodation which 1 been made in many; cases, but would not starve the public servants. : & longjdiscusuion ensued on the question of reporting progress, which was continued until the hour for closing the telegraph office. ' ,

The House sat till 4 a.m. and only passed two items. - ' ' ;