PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4251, 11 October 1876, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

[By Telegraph.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. . October 10. The principal business to-day was the rejection, in Committee, of the Forests Act Repeal Bill, on the Government undertaking to terminate Captain Walker’s engagement at the end of the year, and to incur no further expenditvre under the Act, and the adoption of Colonel Whitmore’s motion affirming the desirability of two Ministers having seats in the Council.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE FINANCIAL DEBATE. On going into Committee of Supply, Mr Montgomery pointed out that owing to the way in which the accounts were laid before them, it was difficult to understand them. He denied the correctness of the Treasurer’s assertion that there would he a credit of 1.50,000 with which to begin the year, and held there was an actual deficit. There was a falling off in the Customs of nearly L 100.000; on stamps of over L 10,000; railways, over L 13,000 ; and railways constructed by Provinces of L 48,000; in fact the Colony was L 300,000 to the bad. The Treasurer was repeating his error of last year in making an excessive estimate, and in calculating upon an increase in the Customs revenue and the return from railways. He ventured to predict that the Treasurer would find he had exceeded the amount by L 45,000. Victoria, with a population twice that of New Zealand, calculated upon LIB,OOO less revenue for the incoming year than for the preceding one, on account of the fall in wool and unfavorable weather. He maintained, therefore, that the fall in wool must injuriously affect New Zealand in the same way as Victoria. There was no fear of the people of the Colony.not surviving their difficulties if they faced themf and were true to themselves, but they must not stave them oft by issuing Treasury bills. They were notin the same position with regard to their private indebtedness in England, inasmuch as the Colony had to send Home about a million a year, which, added to the million they had o send Home as interest upon loans, was about equal to the whole wool revenue. It was time they set to work to put their house in order. If they did that, all would yet be well. They must make reductions, but not in any cheese-paring way. They must raise taxation where it could be best borne, and where in fairness it ought to be placed. They must—any Government must —tax property. The late Treasurer said it was unpopular, and therefore inexpedient, but it appeared to him that it was inevitable, no matter who was at the head of affairs. He was sorry he could not take a more cheerful view of the state of the finances of the Colony, and he would move —“ That it be an instruction to the Committee that the financial necessities of the country required an immediate reduction in all the departments of public service.” Sir G. Grey ask£d that progress be reported. They ought not to go on further until they had a reply from the Treasurer to Mr Montgomery. The Premier objected. He was not going to answer every speech made. Let the debate go on. He held that the hon. gentleman, had not shaken one of his facts or figures, and at the proper time he would undertake to prove it, Mr Stout thought it was almost useless to discuss finance, because when that came on the majority of the members left the House, and that was especially the case with regard to the Government members. When a division was called for, the Government had only to say “Abolition is threatened,” and they voted at once, without further enquiry, as the Government wanted.

The greater portion of the evening sitting was taken up discussing the finances. Mr Stout argued thatjthe Ministry were utterly unable to cope with the finance of the Colony, and generally criticised their administration adversely. Mr 6. M‘Lean replied to him from a compilation of figures, based on the Otago Provincial Estimates, to show that the Province would not lose by the impending change in administration when it took place. Mr IvEES treated the matter in a jocular speech. Mr Bowen said Mr Montgomery took too gloomy a view of the position of the Colony, and pointed out that the hon. member for Akaroa bad not distinguished between the issue of Treasury bills for the purpose of balancing and as a permanent arrangement. Mr Stevens reviewed the finance at some length. He dealt with the banking account, and alluded to the promise given to the bank last year as to legislation during the present session. He hoped the present Government would not again put themselves in such a position. There was no doubt there was financial difficulty. It had arisen owing to the expenditure of public money with too great haste. The proposals of the Government as to the Land Fund would not bear criticism, and the Treasurer candidly admitted it. In his opinion, however, no other course was open, and as a first -tep towards retrenchment they should all go home as scon as possible a. d leave the Government to make the necessary arrangements. If they Were to carry on the business of the country they must recast the present system. After some further discussion, Sir George Grey wanted progress reported, as he wished to move a resolution, and he and many others thought the estimates could be reduced by LIOO.OOO. The Premier said the Government were not prepared to make such a reduction #t one sweep, it would not be prudent to do so. He would give way to no man in his desire to make reductions. The House then went into Committee and passed a number of items j several- proposed uicreMM aader the bead of Legislative were

struck out, but two large reductions attempted to be made by Mr Burns and Sir George Grey were lost. Progress was reported at 2,30 a. m. ABOUT THE LOBBIES. {From our own Correspondent.) October 11, Sir George Grey has proposed a lump reduction in the Estimates of LIOO,OOO, and Mr Sharp a general resolution in favor of economy and reductions. In the House on Monday Mr Rees challenged Mr Macfarlane to resign and test the feeling of the constituency, and that if the latter did so he would do the same. Mr Macfarlane accepted the challenge, and has placed his resignation for Waitemata in the hands of Mr ■''wanaon ; but Mr Rees now refuses to do likewise, being afraid of losing his seat. Mr Manders last night likened the Government measures to casting pearls before unappreciative animals. Mr Reynolds is getting more obstructive than ever, and last night ne kept the House on trivial points for hours. Captain Fairchild gives a good account of the Hinemoa. Be says she can steam three knots faster than the Luna with half the latter’s consumption of coal, while her carrying capacity is much greater. The Commissioner of Customs made a good speech on finance last night.