THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3891, 13 August 1875, Page 2

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By eleoraph ]

Wellington, August 12. Li the House of Repr-senmives to-day, Sir Gdbrge Gey g .ve notice that he would move hit all Orders in the liou icil under the Cohli'O; ted Land Regulations wu ch have been, or m-y be, issued since 20th July last, shall be null and void.

The report of the Goldfields Committee was nr ought up an I read, hut Messrs O’Conor and Mervyn pointed out th t sufficient evi lenort ha 1 riot been taken, and that the report w.n theiefore woithless.

Mr Murray moved-" fh'd. as the change in he mode of taxation from measurement to twt valorem duties has resulted m a very large ncroase of revenue, that, an increase of revenue was neither intended or required; therefore, unless the increasing neces ities of Government equire this increased taxation, this House is ot opinion that the duties uow levied upon unrefined sugar and other articles of common necessity be reduced.” The hon. gentleman proceeded to show the great difference between the burden of taxation in this Colony and other ountries. He hopeu the Government would see its way clear to remit the duties now levied upon unrefined sugar.

Mr Reynolds said the Government were not prepared to make any change yet, until such time as our pnblic works were completed and our railways in working order It would be impolitic to make auy change in the taxation of the country. <ur liabilities were still too great. He hoped the hou. member would withdraw the motion. Mr G» o. M'Lean: It is very little consequence whether the motion is withdrawn or not, as no unrefined sugar comes to the Colony. Mr Macsndrew agreed with the spirit of the motion When ad valorem duties were imposed the Government disclaimed any intention of increasing taxation, though the change brought a considerable increase of leveuue. Ho th»u ;ht some stop.* should be taken to reduce taxation. Mir George Grey thought the hon. gentleman deserved the thanks of the House for brimanv the matter forward. 118 iVlr O’Conor hope?) the motion would be withdrawn, and that someone would bring down a motion for the reduction of taxation but to specify the particular articles. The present duty upon flour was a disgrace to the country, Mr M'Glashan reminded the House that ad valorem duties were chiefly upon silks and other luxuries.

Mr Luckie contended that the price of food in the Colon , as compared with Home prices was not unreasonable. It was house rent which pressed so heavily upon poor people. In <>ur present circumstances it would be suicidal to commence decreasing our revenue. The ceun'rj would want every penny it could raise for some years. Mr T. L. shepherd said the object of the motion appeared to be more to embarrass the Government than to ben fit ihe , oor man Mr Reid supported the motion Atk '? s,,n h( !P e, i the hon member would withdraw the motion. The experience of the House had already shown the danger of encouragmg industries by the n missi m of duties Not long sine'* the House had to pay a good round sum to remedy a false step made in that dir ction. He was not prepared to saythit he necessities of the ' .ov‘rnment 3uired these dunes, because, if they chose, make many sma 1 1 eductions in to.vmul without imparmg the efficiencies of Government • but he hell that, in the incomplete state of their public works, it would be exceSdinLlv * unwise to jet begin decreasing their n-veauf i -et them complete what they had in hand and then consider the whole question (of reduction

of taxation, and Government would be prepared to deal with the matter in a thorough spirit. He therefore hoped the hon. member would withdraw the motion.

Mr Reeves thought the hon. Treasurer might have told the member for Bruce that we would soon have to pay a million a year on our public debt—(Mr Atkinson : More)— in addition to the Ll5O 000 we were already liable for. The Treasurer ought also to have told the hon. member there would have to be L 70.000 or LBO,OOO added to that, because they would for some time be unable to obtain any revenue from railways. Besides, the revenue of the country had been largely due to the influx of borrowed money, and must therefore decrease very materially as that supply failed. He really felt sympathy for the Government, for he saw the difficulties which were overtaking them. He had reason to know it would require a million and a-faalf more than the esti mates to complete the rai' ways now on hand, He could not support the motion. Mr Richardson said the hon. member was in error regarding the million and a half to complete lines now in hand. He could assure the non. member that the estimates found in the Public Works Statement would be found sufficiently correct, and unless something vety unexpected happened the Estimates would be more apt to be in excess than otherwise. As to our railways not paying, take the line from Dunedin to Clutha. A company was prepared to offer the Government eight per cent, on the line if they were granted a lease of it for twenty-one yearn. Did the hon member suppose tie line between Christchurch andTimo.ru would not pay ? He had no hesitation in saying that as soon as open it would pay working expenses, and he would be very much surprised if it did not next year pay interest on the cost of construction as well. There might be small sections that won’t pay working expenses, but that won’t effect the whole system, and he was very sorry to see such despondency in the hon. member. There was no occasion tor it.

Mr Kelly said the real object of the motion appeared to be to give a back-hander to the Government, more than from any desire to reduce taxation. A proper question, he thought, wrnld be to ask the people at the next general election, whether they would prefer giving specific bonuses out of consoldiated revenue, or whether they would have reduction in taxation on articles of necessity and consumption. Mr M'Gillivray thought, if the revenue admitted < f it, the New Zealand Government would confer a boon upon the country by reducing the duty on tea and sugar. Mr Bunny said no doubt the Government would require all revenue they could get, probably more, and the question of most immediate concern would soon be to alter the incidence of taxation so as to make those contribute to the maintenance of order and good government whose properties had been increased in value double and threefold. At present all their revenue was derived from the middle and working classes. Mr Murray, in replying, said the New Zealand people were taxed twice as much as any other people in the world, and no wonder, therefore, we bad difficulty in inducing immigrants to come to the Colony, unless by giving free passages. It was a wretched commentary upon the success of our policy, that year after year the necessities of Government became greater, and the taxation was correspondingly increased. If increased taxation was not necessary, he would prefer seeing every pound fructify in the pockets of ratepayers, than be returned to them in the shape of an eleemosynary dole of ss. The motion was then withdrawn. * In reply to Mr Murray, Mr Richardson promised to Lay all correspondence on the table relating to the injury done to the roads in Glendora district by railway works, Mr Kelly moved for reports of the survey exploring, party sent out by the Provincial Government of Taranaki to find a suitable route for a line of railway to the Waikato district. The result was that a large tract of fine country was founcl to the north-east of Mount Egmont, and not occupied by the Natives. In a short time this beautiful tract of land must necessarily coa ie into the possession of the Government, and he was therefore desirous all should be known about it that was possible. Sir Donald iM'Lean said it was of great importance this road should be explored. The Governrn ent had already sent surveyors from the other side well down the Mokau River, only twenty .five miles now remained unexplored between the two explorations, and they would tat :e an early opportunity of making it. He-would lay all the papers on the table, and move they be printed. MrWiood moved fora return showing the estimated amount of land fund to be received ■within each Provincial district for the period from November Ist, 1875, to June 30th, 1876, together with the estimated amount to be raise I in add by issue of Treasury Bills under the provisions of section 17 of the'“ Abolition of Provinces Act; also the estimated amount for each Irovi racial district chargeable against the land fund iby sub-sections 1 2, and 3, of section 16 of the said Act, togethei with the estimated amount foir departmental services for local public works and education proposed to be changed agadnst the land fund. Major Atkinson said the Government had no obj action to lay all possible information on the table.

The motio o was agreed to. The i oloufual Treasurer would take the opportunity of making a statement regarding the position of tire land fund, as it was reported the Government were going to tike the land fund away from local Boards. If the Ho. •so contin oed under the present arrangement the IVovinces would receive from the comolidat e fund about L 227,000. They would also receive from their own local revenue a sum of 1.71,000, making a total of L 348.000. Under the arrangement proposed by the Government they will receive for Provincial services taken over bv the General Government L:E15,000, and for grants for Road Boards to municipalities, L 105,000. They would also receive for local public works L 60,000. that is to say, the Provinces would receive from consolidated revenue a total sum of 1.510.000. Che result of the change will be that under the proposed arrangement the Provinces will receive L91,0C0 mure than if the present arrangements continue, and the whole of the land fund they had to dispose of would be available to be spent in localities possessed of any. Mr Reid : Where does that L 91,000 come from ?

Major Atkinson would refer the hon gentleman for full details to page 19 of the Financial Statement.

Mr Wood explained that he made the motion solely with the object of having all the financial information obtainable before any debate took place on finance. He could not help calling tlie attention of the House tc> the fact teat the Treasurer told them they were to pay the Provinces L 348,000 for Provincial services. If this was the way Provincialism wan to be abolished, this way of doing it was not a boon »ufc a curse to the Colony. The House rose at 5.3D p.m. mi rr AugUSt 13. 1 he House met at 2.30 to-day. The Auckland Improvement Act “Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Rrissendea-M Donnell correspondence was laid on the table. Mr Reeves asked the Colonial Treasurer whether, under the Act for the abolition of the Provinces, the Titnaru and Gladstone Board of Works will continue in possession of its present privileges, whereby twenty-five per cen 1 . of the gross amount of the land revenue raised within the district is secured to it by an Act of the ieneml Assembly ; if go whether the Road Boards included in the Tiraaru and Gladstone Eo ird of Works will receive the same grants in aid of rates out of the general land fund of the Provincial district as are promised to_ other Road Boar Is? The Colonial Treasurer said he could answer both questions in the altirmative. If the railways paid, the whole of the land fund would be available for public works, as provided in the Bill, As to districts having a larger share than others, that would be rectified by a special vote The whole of the Road Boards would be in a better position, and none would suffer at all. Mr Swanson asked when they might expect the Representation Bill Sir Donald M‘Lean said they intended to go oh at,present with the measures nrepared, but he would take an early opportunity of bringing d >wn the representation measure, as it did not depend in any way upon the fate of the Abolition Bill.

In reply to Mu Sheehan, regarding the construction of the Auckland and Riverhead railway, Mr Richardson said the Government had not yet decided, but the lion, member need not be alarmed : the railway would bo constructed, and there -was plenty of money for it.