PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 17, 20 July 1893, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

— «■ ■■»•■■ y p /■, va V House of Representatives. \ (JPRB PRESS ASSOCIATION.)S ; - ■ Wellington, July 19. ! Mr Richardson referred to the | Hansnrd reports of members' speeches during the present session. Some of these reports he said were very good, but others were simply execrable. The Speaker said he should bring the matter before the reporting debates committee without delay. Mr Seddon said he desired to inform the House that the Hon. William Montgomery had accepted a seat in the Executive Council, and had been sworn in that morning. As to the other two portfolios, those of Jnstice •> and Native affairs, he might say that Mr Reeves would take charge of the Justice Department. As to the Native Department, Government were still of opinion that that Department should be abolished, but they had cdme to nO definite conclusion on the subject as yet. Mr Carroll, however, would look after Native legislation in the meantime. Mr Fish asked whether that meant that Mr Carroll was how a full Minister. Mr Seddon said the whole trend of Government policy was that no distinction should be made between the two races. Mr Rolleston asked whether Mr Carroll now held a portfolio. Mr Seddon replied in the negative. Mr Duthie resumed the debate on the Financial Statement. He said it was impossible to understand the condition of the colony and no assistance was given to members in the statement, to enable them to master the accounts. The surplus had been overstated and an exaggerated amount had been sent to England, there being already an attempt to deceive the London market. Government also claims to be a non-borrowing and selfreliant Ministry, but that was one of those fairy tales which the present occupants, of the Treasury Benches were in the habit of telling for the purpose of misleading the country. The fact was they were spending a large amount of borrowed money and were largely increasing the public debt. He condemned the co-operative system of labor, and said it was the height of folly for Government to continue their present rate of expenditure. l Sir Robert Stout said that in the course of this debate reference had been made to the past and he was proud of it. It had' been sneeringly said that when ft Liberal Government was in office its finances was always weak, but he repndated that assertion. He defended the administration of the Grey Government, of which he was a member, and said no Government had ever been in office that was more saving in ordinary expenditure than that Government. Notwithstanding the tremendous drop in the land fund in 1879, the deficit of the Grey Government was actually only £81,000. Sir Robert showed the position of the finances of the Stout-Vogel and Atkinson Governments, reminding the House that in 1888 taxation was imposed by the Atkinson Ministry to the extent of nearly £200,000 and 8} millions of money were borrowed, although they posed as a non-borrowing Government. Coming to the present Financial Statement he disagreed with the exemption of improvements, as it was tbe duty of the Ministry to make their finance as strong as possible, and they could not afford to make these exemptions. Sneers had been cast at Government with regard to the increase of the public debt, but as a matter of fact they had paid .£200,000 off our public debt and had paid £230,000 into the Public Work's fund from con. solidated revenue, which practically meant that £430,000 had been paid off in two years. Referring to the necessity I of strengthening local finance, be con* sidered tbe time had come when a million acres of land be set apart as a permanent endowment for hospitals and charitable aid. The land to be held on real perpetual lease, with no right of purchase whatever. Sir Robert Stout concluded with a fine peroration in which he expressed his opinion that the colony had a great future before it. Captain Russell followed, speaking chiefly on the taxation question, and giving at great length his reasons for opposing the removal of taxation from improvements. Mr Meredith spoke in support of the Government. The debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 1.20 a.m.