HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3729, 28 June 1883, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. LEA.YE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence for a fortnight was granted to Mr Levin on account of illhealth. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, Ministers stated that the Public Trustee lent money on freehold mortgage under will in many cases, and other money under the authority of the Revenues Act of last session; great care was taken as to the valuation of the properties on which money was lent; the interest ranged from 7to 8 per cent; failing the Trustee, the colony was liable for any loss. Nothing material had been done towards purchasing native rights on the northern ■goldfields ; a few shares had been purchased, and evory opportunity of acquiring more would bo taken; the proposed lease of Cable and Drmnmond's prospecting area at Ngako-wau wus under consideration. A road from Blackwater creek, Buller-road, to Archer's Point, Reef ton-road, had been made. It was not intended to amend the

Lunatics Act this session. The particulars of the sale of the Otara reserve would receive the fullest publicity. No money had been advanced to the Oamaru Harbor Board since August, the Board being enabled to borrow in the open market, as its credit was so good, on "more favorable terms than the Government could lend it. It would not be convenient to hold all local elections on the same day. NEW BILLS. The following new bills were introduced and read a first time: —Repeal of Compulsory Vaccination (Dobson), Greymouth High School (Petrio), School Inspection (Smith), Religious, Charitable, and Educational Trusts Board Incorporation (Dargaville). TEACniNO TRADES IX GAOLS. Mr Hutchison moved, "That the teaching of trades and the employment of skilled labor in gaols aro regarded by this House as inimical to an enlightened system of prison discipline and perjudical to the interests of free skilled labor in the country, and that it is desirable that such teaching trades and employment of skilled labor should be discontinued as soon as possible." Messrs Bracken and Joyce supported the motion, and Messrs Fish and Shephard opposed it. Mr Connolly at some length supported fh<? of teaching- trade* hi tho and said that the working men were used as a stalking-horse for political poses in relation to the subject. They not really affected, nor did they Those who objected to the system were years behind the age. Messrs Swanson and FitzGerald the motion.

Mr Montgomery considered it altogefch too sweeping, and could not therefore su] portit, although he objected to men beir taught trades in gaol to compete with m( who had served an apprenticeship. Mr Tolo opposed the motion as beir founded on wrong- social principles. 1 moved as an amendment that a return the number and classification of priaonc employed in trades in gaols be laid on tl table. Mr Turnbull opposed tho motion. The debate was interrupted by the o.i adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. COMMITTEE OX' SUPPLY. The Houso having gone into Committ of Supply, Major Atkinson delivered t following FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Mr Hamlin, —It will be within the rece lection of the committee that one of t objects which Parliament had in viow 1879 in making , the financial year terminn on the 31st March, instead of 30th June, last year, was to enable the Financ Statement and the estimates for the year be prepared and placed beforo Parh'ame as soon after its meeting as the conreuien of the members would permit. In a cordance, therefore, with the spirit of th arrangement I have selected this evening most convenient for delivering the annu budget, and placing in the hands of ho members the estimates for the year. '.

submitting; the budget thus early, I ventu to reiterate the hope that the House w consent to the appointment of an early d; for the discussion of the important questi of finance, tho Government being me desirous that the subject should receive t early attention of tho House, in order th it may bo fully and exhaustively discuss while hon. members are fresh and vigoroi Last year I had tho pleasure of announcii a very substantial surplus upon thcfiiianc transactions of the year, and although I i not in a position this year to show so lai a surplus, for reasons which I will preson explain, the financial results of the yi have been satisfactory,' the surplus, althou small, fully justifying , the action of House in reducing the taxation for financial year which ended on the 3 March last. It -will not bo necessary, I happy to say, to trouble hon. members the present occasion at any great length, the form of our public accounts now porn a clear statement of our monetary trans tions and position to be made within a v reasonable compass, but I must ask for kind indulgence of the Committee wl submitting some details of past transneti and proposals of the Government for present year. I follow the usual and m convenient course in considering, first expenditure of EXPENDITURE OP THE YEAK 1882-83. The expenditure for the yom , under j manent Acts of Parliament was estinu at £1,627,51-2, including ■■■£1.284-fUB^

mated. The total amount received in excess of that estimated frem the other classes of revenue was £82,237. Of this sum £23,700 came from registration and other

feea. This large increase is attributable to an under-estimate of the probable receipts of duty on leases and conveyances of native lands.

LAND FUND 1882-83. The total amount expended during , the year out of moneys derived from sales of land was £197,101, of which £41,758 was expended under permanent Acts of the General Assembly, and £155,343 out of votes for the services of the year. The amount estimated to bo expended was

£41,600 under permanent Acts, and £195,.337 tinder the Appropriation. Act, making together £236,837. The actual expenditure was therefore £39,736 less than the estimated amount. This result is mainly duo to the absence of expenditure out of

vote of £30,000 for rates under the Crown arid Natire Lands Rating- Act of last year. PUBLIC WORKS FUND. Tho appropriation granted out of tho Public Works Fund for the year ended 31st March last amounted to £1,727,729, exclusive of the vote for land purchases, £82,455. The actual expenditure was, however, only £5G7,191, cxclusivo of £29,843 for land purchases. The principal I items of this expenditure were:—Railways, £430,529; roads, £210,605; public buildings, £153,071 ; and other services, , £67,999. THE PUBLIC DEBT. On tho 31st March, 1882, the gross public debt of the colony amounted to £'29,9-10,711, subject to a deduction of £2,261,118 for accrued sinking fund. On the 31st March, 18S3, the debt was £30,357,111, and the sinking fund had increased to £2,571,829, the net debt being thus £29,785,271, or £104,989 more than it was in the previous year. SAVINGS BANK AND GOVERNMENT INSUKANCE DEPARTMENT. In the savings banks of the colony, on the 31st December, 1881, tho amount held in deposit was £1,549,515, at credit of C 1 ,054 accounts, or an average of £25 7s 7d for each account. On the 31st December, 1842, the amount was £1,832,047 at tho credit of G8,385 accounts, the average amount being £26 16 ; there was thus an increase of £282,533 in deposits at the close of the year 1382, and of 7.'i()4 in the number of accounts open. Of the larrrc amount of £6,832,047 accumulated in the savings banks of the colony £1,470,550 was deposited in the Post Office Savings Bank. Considerable attention has been bestowed on the work of the Insurance Department in the direction of extending its usefulness, and especially in bringing its benefits more readily within the reach of those who may desire to insure for small amounts. The results have been very satisfactory as regards both branches of the department, the now business of which exceeds a million sterling per annum, being double the , average amount hitherto annually attained. The ordinary branch assurances in force number over 17,000 policies, insuring up- ' wards of £5,500,000. The accumulated I funds of the department now amount ' to more than three quarters of a million. l - LOCAL FINANCE. Tho amonnt available for the construe- ( tian of main roads was estimated at £200,000, but applications to the extent of '' £640,358 were received, tho result being l , that the applicants were alloted only throe- , fourts of the amount of their applications, the Act providing that should a larger * amount be applied for than was available the grants should be reduced pro rata. The J applications for district roads only amounted to £61,705 so that the whole of those ap- ? plications which wore in proper form and , received the approval of the ratepayers were granted. a STATE OF TEADE. S ' The value of the imports for the period n ending 1872 was £23,823,033; for the Si period ending 1877, £36,494,260 ; and for p the period ending 1882, £39,358,573 ; giving a grand total for fifteen years of •, £99,674,867. Of this total probably about ■ £35,500,000 represents in round numbers capitpl for which we have to pay interest to \ji persons not resident in the colony. TheJH value of exports for the jieriod ending was £23,949,563 ; for the period 1877, £28,691,204 ; and for the period ing 18S2, £30,830,394; making a £83,471,159. Deducting this sum value of the imports just given, we the value of our imports during years under consideration is more than tho value of our expr^^^^^^^^^|

PEOPOSALS FOE TUB V I have said that theege til re for the without invth^^^^^^^^^U

followers always voted according to their consciences, but if a land tax was to be imposed the hon. member would have to do it, not the present Government.

Sir George Grey declined to commit the great interests of the future of Nor Zealand to a party discussion. He would take his own time to endeavor to carry his point.

Major Atkinson paid he was greatly disappointed. Ho at least had the courage of his convictions. Sir George Grey said that Major Atkinson had not the courage of his convictions, or, as a patriot, if he had that courage, let him go to the country and allow it to decide.

Mr Montgomery said that Major Atkinson might be satisfied that Sir George Grey in no way lacked courage. He (Mr Montgomery) believed tho country would send a majority ere long to the House to irnposo a just and fair land tax.

Mr Fish said that Major Atkinson had endeavored to escape criticism by using- a mass of words and figures. Increased taxation was a deplorable fact, and spoke little for the financial ability of the Government. Mr Turnbull said the country was standing , on the brink ;of ruin, and the Government were not the men to save it. They dare not impose a land tax. Mr Hursthouse would prefer a progressive property tax without exemptions to a land tax. Sir George Grey again challenged the Government to go to the country. Captain M'Kenzie considered a land tax would be equal to confiscation. Money should be spont in opening up the country instead of in the towns. A resolution moved by Major Atkinson providing for an imprest supply was carried. The House resumed, progress was reported, and the resolution agreed to. EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY. The report of the East and. West Coast Railway Conrnission was received b} r message from the Governor. The House rose at 10.25 p.m.