PARLIAMENT.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 94, 31 January 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Thttksdat, Januaby 29v The House met at 2.30 p.m. \_ Tn answer to a question, the Premier promised Mr Joyce that he would obtain from the Agent-General all the information available as to the "est method of securing better markets in Europe for New Zealand frozen meat. The Minister of Public Works in* formed Dr Newman that he believed the opening of the Mannwatu Gorge railway would talie place on or about Tuesday,the 10th of February. In reply to Mr Valentine, the Premier stated that it was the intention of the Government, during the recess, to proceed with the work of classifying tbe Civil Srrvice, and endeavour ne^t session to introduce a Bill to give effect to it. The Premier, in reply to MrT. Thompson, said the whole question of the mci* '* d nee of taxation would be considered by the Government, bub he could not now promise definitely that the Property Tar would be abolished. Mr T. Kl * Macdonald asked the Premier .whether the Government would place on the'Estimatea a sum for extend* ing the Government railway to Te Aro r and- if not would the Government sap* port a Bill giving the necessary powers to a private company to proceed trith the extension of the line- The Minister for Public Works, in reply, said it would not be very convenient for any private com* puny to have control of the terminus' of the Government railway, ' (Hear, hear > As regarded the experience of the colony with regard to private companies, especially with legard to district railways, he thought it would show that it was not desirable to grant any- more concessions to private companies. As -to the' entension of the line to Te Aro, it would cost about L 13.000 to carry out the work, and there were no funds available for it. There was no doubt that it was a very important work and would be of great value, to the Te ;Aro end of the town. During the recess the Government would consider the matter, and he hoped to eive a definite answer as ;to whe:ner the work could be carried out when the Souse again met. - The Premier assured Mr Fish that there was no record of any cablegramshaving passed between the late Govern* raent and the Agent-General relative tothe retirement of the latter. Mr AlilcheU son said there were none: The Address,/in Befly. ■ Mr Duncan congratulated the Govern^ raent upon their reference in the Speech to capital and labor. He was glad to see they intended to encourage the -mining industry which the late Government bad done their best to retard. He also congratulated the Government for adding the portfolio of Agriculture to the Cabinet. Mr Moore thought the Government had. done right in calling Parliament together at the earliest possible .opportunity after the election. - \ , Mr Kelly, as. a labor candidate, had. great pleasure in seeing-. by the Speech, that some amendment was proposed inland taxation. He began to "use language" when . The Speaker pointed out that the honmember must not use language of that kind. ' Mr Dawson thought the Government had taken office at a most auspicious time,, and the eyes of Great Britain and Australia were upon them. Mr Bolleston said he listened to the debate with mixed feelings of- pleasure and amusement. -'-Pleasure at the speech of member for Dunedin, and amusement at the speech of the' Minister for Education, i^. The present Government had shown no?^"" steadiness of purpose in relation to questions of public policy. They had shown a determination to find but what happened. to be the popular cry, and' to float on thetop ot it. Mr Saunders "would not say that the* present Government would carry out the land policy better than their predecessors, but he thought they should have a proper chance of doing it. The Premier said the hon. member had made a serious mistake in proposing his. amendment, as it applied to. that party which brought members from their hoinea at this season of the year when, it wa* quite uncalled for, but his sense of propriety did not regard his amendment in that light. The object of Mr Bolleston was to place the Government in the position of sordid men anxious to get two honorariums. The hon gentleman had said that his (the Premier's) - reply about the Property Tax. The Government werenot going to divulge their policy piecemeal in answer to questions. He urged that in the interests of the country the Government should: have the time they had asked for" to prepare thejr policy.. The motion was meant as a want of confidence(Opposition cheers.). Mr Bryce said 'it seemed to him absurd to make it a question of confidence or no confidence whether members should have . the £150 in their pockets after the tea. • ■* days' work. They, called their supporters upon their allegiance to. vote for a double honorarium. The Premier should take a constitutional course, and adjourn instead of proroguing. He was willing to give the Government the four months' grace they wanted, but he hoped the Premier would make it adjournment for four months instead of a prorogation. The Minister- of -Education "spoke a piece." Mr Fergus contended the Government were holding out a bribe in the shape of a. double honorarium. ' Mr B. Thompson was willing to give the Ministry time to bring down a policy. Mr W. L. Bees considered the amendment was a trap to catch the unwary. Mr J. W. Thompson thought there should be an adjournment and not a prorogation. Mr Duthie said he considered the Government were adopting a very ignoble course by securing four months* tenure of oflice without bringing down a policy. Mr T. McKenzie didnot agree with the. amendment* " s ' Sir John Hall said ihe question of the honorarium was being treated oa very narrow grounds.! ' Mr Buick and Mr Swan havmg-spoken, Mr D. H. Macarthur commented upon the fact that there was nothing about Sduoation or Protection in the Speech. There was nothing said about borrowing The feeling throughout the country at the time of the election was against further borrowing, and the feeling still existed all over the Colony. He said it was possible by conyersion operations to save about i-500,000 within the next few months, and if they were carried out the money should be used for the reductiou . of the public debt, and not for the purchase of political support. He should vote for the amend, ment.The dehate was brought to a close at 10 minutes past 12. The division resulted as follows: — Ayes, 24 ; Noes, 35. The amendment was declared lost amidst applause.

Friday, January 30. The House met at 2.30; . . > > The Hon. Mr Ballance made a Minis-' " ~> terial statement as to. the .progress -of ' business. 'He said he believed it watf the.

j^i .**_ — — ' desire of both sides of 'the House that an immediate prorogation* of Parliament should take place. There was no busi- . ness -of any importance on the Order Paper, and the Government proposed to adjourn at half-past five that afternoon, and the prorogation, would take place next day, , i Eeplying to Mr Sannders, the Premier | , said the Government intended to consider : ~ the question of amending the Standing - Orders with a view to better regulation of debates in the House." Replying to Mr G. F. Richardson, the Hon. Mr MeKenzie said that owing to the short time the Government had been in office he had not been able to, bring - down any am'endmeut in the Land Act, but it would be his endeavor to minimise . the evils .that had sprung up in the shape of dummyism, and he should never allow any applicant,- to evade the law. He should also hold an inquiry into the transactions of the past two years, and if he "found people in possession of lands ilJtegally. he should have their J eases can- ■ ' celled." * i ' In reply to Mr Mills (Port Chalmers), . ." -the.H6h.*Mr Ballarice promised to intro- . duce a Bill next session providing that the general body of electors receive' 'the same privilege as" seamen of voting between the nomination day and the polling day. < In answer to other questions, it was • stated that the Government did not intend <to abolish the Stock Tax' oh sheep ; that next session the question 6f the reform of .the Legislative Council would Ke taken into consideration. . , The House adjourned at 6 o'clock.