HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 41, 22 September 1892, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington. September 20. The Hon. Mr Ballance gave notice of tbe introduction pf the Payment of Members Bill. The Hon. Mr Ballance gave notice to move that the House sit on Mondays at 2.30 p.m. for Government business, and tbat the standing orders be suspended to allow fresh business to be taken after 12.30 a.m. Mr Fergus complained of the delay in bringing down the Fublic Works Statement. The Hon. Mr Ballance said the Statement was now in course of preparation and would be brought down early next week. The Hon Mr Ballance inoyed the second reading of the Public Revenues Bill. He said the object of the Bill was set out in the Financial Statement. The Hon. Mr Ballance moved the second reading of the Land and Income Assessment Act Amendment BiU. With respect to Sir George Grey's proposed amendment for the exemption of improvements, he estimated that such a concession would result in a loss of from £47,000 to £50,000, and as that would mean a serious disarrangement of the finances of the Government, they could not accept the amendment. Sir George Grey strongly defended his proposal to exempt improvements, and said the Premier had a great chance, with his large surplus, to relieve the poorer classes in the removal of the taxation from the necessaries of life. Sir John Hall congratulated the Government and the House on the extent to which the Government had seen the error of then- ways in respect to the tax on debentures, a tax which could not fail to do great injury to the colony. After a long debate the second reading was agreed to on (he voices. September 21. The House met at 2.30. The Payment of Members Bill was introduced by the Premier. ._ It was agreed that for the remainder of the session the House should meet, ooi Mondays, at 2.30 p.m., for Government business only. The Hon Mr McKenzie moved the second reading of the < Selectors Lands Revaluation Continuances aud Amendment Bill. The secon d reading was agreed to on the voices. The Local Bodies Loans Act Amendment Bill passed through committee with only one slight verbal amendment, and was then put through its final stages. The House rose at 1.55 a.m.