Parliamentary

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 42, 20 September 1884, Page 2

Parliamentary

FINANCIAL DEBATE.

[Owing to a blander on the part of the Press Association, we are unable to publish the first portion of the debate on Sir Julius Vogel's Financial Statement, including Major Atkinson's speech. The following is all that came to hand up to the hour of going to press] : — < [PBB UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, This Daj. Sir Julius Vogel continued: The reason why the exposures had not been made in the Statement was because that docu* «,> ment would be lead in England and other places. He said, in dealing with the L20.000 referred to by Major Atkinson, it did not reflect credit on that gentleman. He defended his action in the reduction of the Property Tax, and there wa« rejoicing from one end of the eolony to the other. The whole of the arguments of the late Treasurer had been such as to confirm the statement that if the late Treasurer had not forced. Sir George Grey some time back to take a two and s half millions instead of a four million loan, the colony would be is a batter , position at the present time. The member for Egmont had brought the finances into such entanglement that the House was unable to understand them, and if the hon. gentleman thought he would frighten him (Vogel) he was very much mistaken. There was, he said, evidence from all parts of the eolony that the proposals 0 of the Government were favorably received. He characterised Major Atkinson as a baby in connection with finance.

Mr Wakefield said the Colonial Treasurer, instead of using arguments, had called names, and the whole speech was ungenerous. Mr Wakefield continued with reference to the bonds for\L2o,ooo, which Sir J. Yogel had said had been dishonored. He said if the Treasurer had never done anything more illegal with bonds and debentures be would not have erred to any great extent. The wholeprinciple of the Statement .was borrowing. The hon. gentleman had something for everybody, but he (Wakefieldj thought it a most unsatisfactory State, ment. Sir Julius Yogel eaihe'to- the colony as a sort of " Paul Pry : Hope I don't intrude. Just looked in ; off again to-morrow." Mr Wakefieli ridiculed the exportation of frozen meat to the Indian Ocean, and also the intention to hold an industrial exhibition. There was, however, one thing they heard in the itatement, and that was blocks of laujl were to be seeured along the line of the route of the North Island Trunk Railway. He hoped the treasurer would give a guarantee to that effect, because speculators were already in the field-. .-". v. ■■?/. The House adjourned at 1 a.m.