Parliamentary

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 44, 25 September 1884, Page 2

Parliamentary

FINANCIAL STATEMENT D KB. ITE. (PKR UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Wellington. Sept. 23. Mr Holmes resumed the debate on the motion for going into Committee of Supply and the amendment moved by Mr Moss. He supported the Government, and criticised at great length the speech and conduct of tho previous speaker (Mr Wakefield.)

Mr W. F. Buckland characterised the xpeech of the last speaker as simply an attack on both the late Premier and the member for Selwyn.

Mr Bcvan (member for Hokitika) said the Financial Statement delivered by the Treasurer was one of the most intelligent and intelligible delivered in the House for the last five years. The bonds of £20,000 referred to by tho lato Premier were, in his opinion, a dishonor pure and simple.

Mr Bryce defended the late Ministry respecting the Civil Service Bill. He himself had had a bill in course of preparation, and he thought it altogether unreasonable that he should be asked to leave this behind him when leaving office. He took exception to tho reference in the Statement about reducing the Armed Constabulary as being unwise. It was only the other day that the Premier had said that the Maoris from the Bluff to the Dt'orth Cape were discontented, and were only kept down by means of an armed force ; yet we now heard of the Government proposing the reduction of the Armed Constabulary.

Mr Ballance said that, despite Mr | Bryce's aversion as to borrowing, he was a member of a Government that only a short time ago had gone largely in for borrowing schemes. The bonds for the £20,000 were not met and discharged uutil after a request had been received from the Public Trustee for an immediate payment. In his opiuion, the reduction of the Constabulary was a just one, as the Natives wore not likely to go to war again. Ihe theories put forward regarding the Sinking Fund were most extraordinary. The relieving of the fund was a saving, and its effect, as had been proposed, was to reduce taxation. The acceptance of tenders by the Atkinson Government after a vote of no confidence was carried was far more sorious than many of them would imagine. Mr Montgomery denied that the finances were in bad condition when the Atkinson Government took office. Touching the Statement, he said a great deal had been expected from it, and he felt there had been very little disappointment. He did not, however, agree with a reduction of the education capitation, and he would like to see the amount replaced on the Supplementary Estimates. Mr Hursthouite thought a bill might be passed by the House which wonld meet requirements of the country as regards local government.

This Day. Mr Pyke thought if the Government were able to reduce the property tax they could have easily abolished the gold duty. The number of local bodies in tiie colony was enormous and local government was reduced to an absurdity.

Mr Grigg hoped the present Government would remain in office.

Dr Newman thought the Atkinson Government had suffered from the low price of wool and failure of the wheat harvest. He agreed with the sinking fund proposals. Mr Beet ham defended the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, which he said had done a great deal of good.

Major Atkinson denied that the bonds were dishonored. The Public Trustee was absent from Wellington when they fell due, and there was no necessity for immediate payment. With reference to contractors deposits, he stated the deposits were paid in to the revenue account, and were, to all intents and purposes, public revenues. By clause seven of the Pablic Revenue Act, it would be found that all moneys deposited with any public officer should become pnblic property. Therefore the action he had taken was legal. Having to deal with other charges, he said every Government was bound to carry on the work until tbey actually left office. Such being the case he had a perfect right to let two contracts: Mr Stout said the late Government had announced, if they remained in office, they would have reduced the education vote. They were spending £390,000 per annum on education, and he was glad to hear the vote was so popular. Atkinson would have reduced it ss, while they only proposed to reduce it a few pence. He believed Wakefield had damaged his usefulness by his shiftiness. He denied there was an agreement between the late Treasurer and the Auditor re bonds, consequently nothing was done in the matter by this Government. Clause seven of the Revenue Act showed Atkinson had no right to pay contractors' deposits into the consolidated fund. The late Administration were not justified in letting contracts after being defeated. He called it gross jobbery and he regretted that any Ministry should have placed itself in such an unenviable position.

The debate on the Financial Statement concluded at 3 this morning when the motion for going into Supply was carried by 51 to 4.