HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3772, 17 August 1883, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday

The House mot at 2.30 p.m. THE DIRECT STEAM SKRVICK. A report was brought up from the Direct Steam Service Committee. It recommended - that no contract be made till after nextsession; that, in the meantime, the Government .should from time to time make the cheapest arrangements possible consistent ■with efficiency; that, in doing so, tlio Government should pay due regard to the claims of the New Zealand Shipping Company on the colony, owing to its enterprise; that unsinkablo ships should have preference ; and that the Bluff should bo included amongst the optional ports of call. Mr Turnbull, Mr Fish, and others thought this loft the matter very much where it was before. They and others ridiculed the idea of unsinkablc ships. Mr Maoandrcw said this referred to a plan invented by a Port Chalmers shipwright. Mr Rolloston said the Government would loyally accept and carry out the committee' a report, and would direct the Agent-General's attention to the unsinkablo ship invention. After further discussion the report was ordered to lie on the table. EXTENSION OF TIIIK. Ten days extension of time was granted to the Roads and Bridges Construction Committee. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, Ministers said the Government would renew the offer of a bonus for the manufacture of Portland cement ; the Government would print and circulate United States Consul Griffin's report on New Zealand; tho Government would not sanction tho establishment of distilleries in the colony; the Government would give facilities for ascertaining the value of gold by assay; the Government -would not give tho Auckland College the sum of £1600 first voted, as a subsequent vote of £4000 covered it; the Government would not increase the allowance to Mrs Adams from £310 to £500; a light for Kaipara Heads had been ordered; there wore no complaints about the designs of tho cattle trucks on tho railways; Mr Bowron would visit Wanganui and surround ing districts to give information as to the working of dairy factories. NEW BILLS. The following new bills were introduced and read a first time: —Governors of Canterbury College Appointment (J. J3. Brown) and Counties Act Amendment (Atkinson). A LAND TAX. On tho motion to go into Committee of Supply, Mr Smith, by permission of Sir George Grey, who had given notice on tho subject, moved that a land tax should be imposed on all land in the colony. He supported this at considerable length, pointing out the evils of land monopoly in Hawke's Bay, where absentee proprietors wero drawing £150,000 a year from vast estates which wero acquiring enormous value from tho progress of the colony and tho expenditure on public works. The property tax scarcely touched them. Sir George Grey, in a very long speech, J supported the amendment, pointing out the vast evils resulting all over the world from fcind monopoly, and tho enormous and dangerous social and poltical power that such monopoly gave, and tho injustice done l»y it to the great mass of tho people, who all had a national right to a share of the land in tliis colony. The poor _ were oppressed and unfairly taxed, while a dangerous governing class was growing up. The only remedy, he contended, was a land tax.

Mr Lovestani was in favor of a land tax, but thought tho present an inopportune time to discuss the matter.

Mr Steward admitted it could not now bo discussed on its merits as against a property tax, but ho strongly supported the amendment. After considerable discussion, in -which Messrs Moss, J. AY. Thompson, Ivess, Fish, imdMrAV. Green took part, the latter expressing- approval of the tax although ho could not vote for the present amendment, and tho others all supporting it, the House divided on the motion to go into Committee of Supply, which was carried by 42 to '28. COMMITTEE OF SUITLY. In Committco of Supply tho Public Works Estimates were taken. Class Xl.—Vote Harbor AVorks, £12.960. Considerable discussion took place over the Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika harbor votes. Mr Fish moved to reduce tho vote by £15,000, but this was lost by 3G to 17, and the vote passed. . . Class Xll.—Vote Expenses oi Raising Loans, £'28,500.—Passed. Class V., Roads.—Vote Roads, Bridges, &c, North of Auckland, £05,800.— Tho vote passed after considerable discussion. Tho following votes in this class were also passed:—Unexpended balances of previous "•rants, £11*3,603; roads to open up lands before stile, Auckland £67,5-57, Tammiki

£10,078, Hawkc's Bay .£12,120, Wellmgtoii.C3l.l43, Nelson .£23,382, Marlborough C.rM.'}, ' Westland £22,302, Canterbury Otago £11,301; Southland VIV sundry"roads £10,383. Tho total vote £207,-11.0.'0f which £08,0-32 were required for the current year, was passed. The vote, roads through lands recently purchased £981, was also passed. This iinished the Public Works Estimates, and the ordinary estimates were then taken. Class VI.. Commissioner of Trade and Customs.—Vote Customs £12,373, passed.— Vote, Marine and Harbors £3u,127, passed. — Vote, Miscellaneous Hinemoa £8000. 'Mr J. Mclvenide and Mr Watt objected, and uryed that she should be sold. Major Atkinson said the steamer was only used when really necessary, but he consented to reduce the vote by £2000. Mr McKenzic moved to strike it out altogether, but the motion was lost on the voices, and the vote as reduced was passed. Class VII., Commissioner of Stamps.— Stamp Department £0291, Land and Deeds Registry £IB,Bo'o, and Miscellaneous £707, were passed. Progress was then reported, and the House rose at 2.35.