NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 947, 11 June 1880, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT.

(Condensed from Dunedin Papers.)

Replying to Mr Pyke,

The Hon. Major Atkinson said there was no objection to lay upon tbe table of the House copies of the several Royal Commissions issued during the recess which have not been gazetted.

Mr Johnston asked the Colonial Treasurer whether a larger public debt than L 5.000,000 has resulted from the Loan Act of last year, and if so, what is the amount of the public debt thence resulting, and when it is repayable. The Hon. Major Atkinson said that the five million loan had been issued at five per cent., but the holders had the option to covert the debentures to 4 per cent., Ll2O being given for the LIOO debentures. At the latest date LI, 160,000 had been converted. When all’was converted the loan would represent a debt of L 6,000,000. Mr Bain gave notice that he would ask the Colonial Secretary on what basis of calculation building societies were expected to pay the property tax provided for by the Act of last year. Replying to Mr Pyke, as to whether the Government will bring down a bill this session to prevent religious and party public processions.

Mr Dick stated that the Government relied upon the good feeling of the public in matters of this kind.

The first division of the session took place in the House of Representatives this afternoon in Committee, on the Regulation of Elections Bill, the question being whether the candidate, to be eligible, must ho a registered elector or only 11 a person. ” Mr Hall moved the former, and Sir George Grey the latter. The divisnn resulted in 35 votes for the former against 22 for the latter. Messrs Allright, Hamlin, J. B. Fisher, and Wallis voted with the Government. The Opposition now say they will do nothing until the Financial Statement is before the House, when, if there is no opening on the financial policy of the Government they will probably make no combined attempt to oust Ministers this session.

An impression gains ground that the Government will modify the property tax by relieving personal effects and furniture, but ns that would moau a loss of L 40.000, it will probably be made up by reducing the exemption to L3OO Nothing is yet definitely known. The Lodgers’ Protection Bill, introduced by the same member, protects lodgers against the superior or ground landlord distraining on their goods for rent on their paying all money in arrear for lodging due by them to the immediate landlord or landlord.

Replying to Mr Hutchison as to whether the Government intended this session to bring in a bill prohibiting Chinese immigration.

The Hon. Mr Hall said their attention had been directed to the subject. He was atraid they would not be able to deal with it this session, but they would do so at all events next. Replying to Mr Reid.

The Hon. Mr Oliver said no report had been received from the Commission on Railways, and that the only expenditure on railways at present was carrying on contracts already entered into and the providing of work for the unemployed. Replying to Mr Pyke.

The Hon. Mr Oliver said LSI,OOO had been expended on the Otago Central Railway, and it was a mistake to say L 175,000 had been appropriated for the work. Replying to Mr M‘Donald.

The Hon. Mr Hall said it was the intention of the Government to discontinue subsidies to local bodies. The Hon. Mr Hall moved the second reading of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill. He said the effect of legislation had been to create a variety of systems for the working of these institutions since the abolition of the provinces. Despite their endeavours to the contrary, very great diversity of modes of working still prevailed. After detailing the various proposals of the bill, he went on to say that a measure of this kind must necessarily be open to a great deal of difference of opinion, and that the Government would go into Committee on the bill quite prepared to consider every reasonable proposal. Mr Pyke described the Act as a good one, and one to which he would be prepared in committee to move such amendments as he thought necessary to make it perfect.

Mr Shepherd s poke of the bill as a good attempt at legislation on a very difficult subject. The proviso limiting the contibu-

tions of tho persons maintained in the hospitals to a sum not exceeding 20s was, in his opinion, a mistake. Many persons who would avail themselves of the institutions, such as travellers and others, would gladly pay a larger sum. It was consistent with his experience that single men overtaken by sickness preferred going to a hospital, and such persons would have no objection to pay a much larger sum. He suggested that the amount should be increased to L2 2s. 2

Mr Stevens concurred in the opinion that the general principles of it were good. The system of population was, in his opinion, the best to adopt in the fixing of contributions.

Mr De Lautour could not agree with the bill. It would bear particularly hard on the province from which he came. Outside Dunedin all the hospitals reared by the hands of the people would fall. They had not been in the habit of looking upon their hospitals as semi-workhouses, but as institutions provided by their forethought and into which they could go without sacrificing their independence of character. As an administration bill it was bad. They were raising up new bodies responsible to nobody. It was to local bodies they bad to look for checking the tendency to pauperism. Again, unnecessary expenses and extravagance would be the order of the day, as it had been in connection with theneducational system. The Government ought to know that making grants without the exercise of direct control by the Government was a very great blunder—one which had led to most serious abuses. In Scotland it was found that the outdoor relief system had been the means of aggravating the evil of pauperism, and yet with that fact before this bill proposed to confer that power ef giving outdoor relief. Ho deprecated the combination of charitable relief with the relief to accident and disease contemplated by the establishment of hospitals. This was au attempt to forego a system which had been established in his province, viz, the province of Otago, and place them on a footing with the Canterbury system. Tho bill was calculated to create pauperism of the worst kind, and was fatal to our institutions as they existed. For these reasons he would oppose tho motion. Other speakers had given the Government credit for good intentions in framing the measure. Ho 'would like to see good Acts, and not good intentions.