THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3288, 3 September 1873, Page 3

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Electric Telegraph.] Wellington, September 2. In the House of Representatives, the Speaker said he had looked op the authorities and found that although the Gold Mining Bill had been thrown out in Committee it was competent for a member to move its re-committal. The Bill is to be re-com-mitted on Friday. The Education Bill was read a third time. The debate on the Provincial Loans Bill was resumed by Mr Reynolds, who defended the Bill on the ground of the necessity of opening the door to Provinces requiring loans. He agreed with Mr Bunny that the state of Auckland was due to maladministration, and referred to Wellington and Hawke’s Bay as instances of the eflects of good administration. The Bill was the best that could be done to prevent the Provinces from bringing pressure to bear on the Government.—Mr Collins had been surprised that no one spoke in favor of the Bill, but if what Mr Keynolds had said was the best that could be said for it he was no longer surprised. —Mr Reid said Mr Bathgate’s reference to the Park Ages was unfortunate. In 1869, when Mr Stafford was in power, Mr Bathgate was waging a holy war in Otago agitating for separation, and Mr Fox was hoping for the time when New Zealand would not be able to borrow sixpence. In those times any attempt to borrow largely, or enter upon large works, would have been impossible. The peace of the country was the main object. But the consolidation of the loans effected by the then Government raised the value of the Colonial securities, and enabled the Colony to enter upon the public works policy. Referring to the present Bill, he argued on the difficulty of drawing a line between Colonial and Provincial railways, and said any attempt to do so would be unfair. Branch lines might be as much Colonial works as trunk lines. If the Bill were altered, substituting shires and municipalities for the Provino -s, he would support it, but the Provinces must borrow through the General Government. The money lenders would be more satisfied if there was only one power authorised to borrow. The proposed system would affect the Colonial securities injuriously. The Government should construct all works, taking security from the Provinces, for those decided to be merely local. Mr Andrew spoke wittily, but was interrupted by the dinner hour. In reply to Mr Murray, the Government promised to produce papers regarding the extension of the Otago Southern Trunk RailWay to the Kaitangata coalfields, but considered that the line was a Provincial work. Last night, on the second reading of the Provincial Loans Bill, Mr Andrew said “the equilibrium sought by Ministers” reminded him of top spuming, for all their ideas respecting Provinces seemed in a whirl. The peace of the Colony was necessary for the completion of the public works scheme, and peace might be rendered more likely by Blftki"g Kawhia a port of entry and collect-’

ing duty on arras and ammunition imported there. He advocated the construction of a railway from Taranaki to Wellington, and che payment of the line in land. He supported the Bill because aa he saw there was no chance of destroying Provinces by a direct blow, he would try to do so by a side wind. Ho agreed with the member who said Ministers had no back-bone. He doubted if they belonged to the vertebras from the difficulty of drawing them out of their shell. They must be crustaceous. But if the Government had no vertebra the Opposition had no head. — The Minister of Works said the loans asked by the Provinces, if allowed, would prevent tbe Government raising sufficient money to complete the railways. The Bill would not prevent the Provinces borrowing. He defended himself from the imputation of being merely Mr Vogel’s clerk, and gave a flat contradiction to tbe statements made by Mr Murray respecting the Clutha Railway.—Mr Murray said he would substantiate them on an early opportunity. Mr Steward supported the Bill, which he hoped would be altered in Committee,—Mr T. L. Shepherd hoped the Government would introduce a clause limiting the interest Provinces should pay on loans to six per cent, —Mr Johnston said it had been argued that the interest on the loans would absorb the Customs revenue. The Financial Statement was deceiving on the subject of contingent guarantee. The Provinces could not provide interest on the loam. There were Provincial works of great importance, and if the Colony would not construct them, the Provinces must do so by direct taxation. It was evident that rigid economy was required ; yet he heard that two Ministers had conferred on themselves lucrative permanent appointments. He would support the Bill, but hoped that certain clauses would be erased. Mr Holieston said the House had been gagged by a threat and by the introduction into the debate of extraneous matter. The tariff was the first warning note that increased revenue was required. The abandonment of the railway reserves had shaken the confidence of the House. The Natives should be allowed to sell lands in open market. The Bill before the House was not what it professed to be. Its object was to cast on Provinces the odium of imposing direct taxation. It was evident that the Premier’s policy had broken down. The powers of the General and Provincial Governments required defining ; then the House would attend to its proper duties Securing the Provinces their land was necessary to their harmonious working together. The money of the Colony could be better spent on roads and bridges than on purchasing land for tbe Northern Provinces. —Mr Pox defended the Bill, and described Mr T. B. Gillies and Mr Reader Wood as night birds apparently seeking recreation in debtors’ prisons. Mr Webster was the “funny man,” attempting painfully to be witty. Mr Donald Reid no one could ever vccuse of wit. He mimicked Mr Stafford’s attention when speaking.—Mr Fitzherbert said he regretted to Mr Fox admistering rebukes all round, couched in personalities. His remarks respecting Mr Gillies were contradicted by the fact that the people of Auckland desired him to accept office for another term. Mr Fox’s statement respecting there being no limit to the borrowing power of the Colony was the boldest assertion of policy he had ever favored the House with. But it differed from that enunciated on his return from Jericho, when he hoped the Colony would some day be unable to oorrow a sixpence. He was inconsistent, and nconsistency detracted the value of Mr Fox’s opinions. The point at issue before the House was complicated by its treatment as a Ministerial one. But for that, useful measures might have resulted. If the Government had, when proposing the 15 per cent, duties, said boldly “We want money,” the louse would have supported them ; but the Government changed the tariff, then came down with a reversal of their policy, and proposed to buy Native land for the North. If the Government were a responsible Government, the change would have made them lose their seats ; but the House was demoralised, and Ministers were kept in by a majority of votes. The argument in favor of the Bill reminded him of the brimstone and treacle doses at Dotheboys Hall. He bad frequently attempted to get tbe principle of the Provinces only borrowing in the Australian market recognised, and was glad to see it and the provision that the Provincial Councils should decide the amount of Provincial loans introduced, Still, he objected to the Bill, because, under pretence of giving the Provinces borrowing powers, it impeded them. It might suit the Middle Island, but not the North. He objected to the attempt to remove the Colonial liability. The rating clauses were specially inapplicable to parts of the Colony where works through unoccupied land were required—Mr White had read the draft of the Bill. He wished it might be introduced, and entitled “The Provincial Borrowing Mania Extinction Bill.” —The Premier, in replying, said the objections to the Bill were so various that he could not reply to them all. The Bill appeared not to meet the extreme views of any. He devoted one hour to a refutation of the attack by Mr T. B. Gillies, and to the adverse remarks on his administration of Auckland affairs. He was the only Superintendent that the Colonial Government could not work with. All the other Provinces in rich or in fair circumstances, except Auckland, the Government could work harmoniously with. Thereturns of therailwaysunder construction showed the Government had no predelictions for any particular Province. Ho considered the Bill would remqve the Colonial liability for loans mentioned in it. Ho would introduce in Committee a clause prohibiting loans being floated at a higher rate of interest than 6 per cent. For a Tong time he had wondered how Mr Gillies and Mr Wood always went together. At length he discovered that Mr Wood, when he spoke, looked on Mr Gillies aa a frightful example, much as Mr Fox would view a drunkard when lecturing on teetotalism. Mr Webster was to bo considered as a fearful case of self-deception.— Mr Stafford's views on Provincial borrowing had changed. It was the construction of the trunk railways that was to be abandoned to make branches. Mr Stafford’s objection merely meant that the Government were nnable to do everything at once. The charge of shifting a policy came with a bad grace from Mr Stafford, who had rarely carried through a budget as he introduced it. He admitted that Mr Stafford was no office-seeker ; but he never could initiate a policy himself, and ho always took it from others. He always on state occasions talked of the people of New Zea land, while others thought of them. Some members appeared to forget the proposed difference between Colonial and Provincial borrowing: the latter would be in Australia at short dates ; the former in England at long. The rumor of the appointment of Ministers to permanent offices he denied. Not one member who voted with the Government last year had changed sides ; but many of the Opposition had done so, without any pledge, promise, or invitation. Some members had used the debate to run down the credit of the Colony. By so doing they had attacked the Colony, nob the Government. Their statements were unfounded. He dwelt at length on the value of his colleagues, ancf said the Minister of Justice was engaged over the reform of the law of the Colony, Not a dozen members of the House had been elected as Opposition members, and he believed the opinion was general throughout the

Colony that* the Ministry having initiated the policy, should carry it through even to the hitter cud. The second reading was carried at 2.20 am., on a thin house, there being no dissentient voices.

(from our special correspondent.) The Goldfields Bill was ordered on the motion of the Premier to be recommitted on Friday, on a division of thirty-two to twentysix. The member for Duustan strongly supported the recommittal.