PARLIAMENTARY.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 28, 2 August 1894, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ] FINANCIAL DEBATE. Wellington, August 1. : The House met at 2.30 ' Replying to questions it was stated \ Government were endeavoring to | purchase the thermal springs in the j < Rotorua district from the Natives ; ; that Government had decided to abolish the system of franking in all branches of the Public Service through both post and telegraph offices, and substitute a stamp system for each depart ment ; that if the House adopted the Budget proposals the life and vigor infused into the colony would be so great as to warrant the introduction of a penny postage forthwith ; that the Hon. McKenzie was preparing a Libel Bill which, he thought, would completely prevent any libel being perpetrated in future ; that the reason why the salary of £250 appeared on the Estimates for the Sergeant-at-Arms was owing to a mistake of the Premier's, as he was under the impression the salary of the previous Sergean tat- Arms was £250, instead of £200. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr Ward, in moving that tbe House go into Committee of Supply, opened a debate on the Financial Statement. He referred to the interviews that had taken place between Sir R. Stout and representatives of the press, and said it was remarkable Mr Russell had expressed a similar opinion to press representatives* He denied the cheap money scheme was borrowing, and asked how the sum to be appropriated for the purchase of land could be called borrowing. It had been found out during the last twelve months that some private savings banks in the colony were not in as good a condition as they ought to be, and hn instanced the case of the foolish run on an Auckland savings bank last year. The people had made representations to the Government that some of these institutions should be absorbed. The policy of the Opposition was to put town against country, but the. policy of the Government was prepared .in the best interests of the colony, and they were prepared to face the country on it. Mr Mitchellson said the budget of the Minister of L*nds could show a better record in this respect during tie Atkinson regime. There were actually 9579 more people put on land then than during the last three years of the present Government. He considered the position of the Bank of New Zealand Assets Company was largely due to the legislation of the present Government which prevented the Company from selling its land. He disagreed with the proposed financial aid to settlers and the cheap money scheme, and he said that many Minister's proposals were for borrowing and nothing more. Mr Tanner spoke in support of the Government policy. Sir R. Stout twitted the Government with being unable to put up a Minister to reply to tbe Hon. Mr Mitchelson. He asserted there was no surplus at all this year without borrowing., and there was an increase in interest and sinking fund of £80,000. There was nothing on the face of the budget but borrowing, and annual borrowing at that. Borrowing altogether this year amounted to nearly three millions. Ministers were placing this fair colony under the heel of debentureholders in London. He asserted before the late railway commissioners were appointed, the Railway Union in Christchurch met members of the Ministry and dictated to them who were to be appointed. Tbe House should save them from themselves, and save them from what he believed would be the greatest blunder the colony had ever committed. The Hon R, J. Seddon condemned the attitude of Sir Robert Stout towards the Government, and said he had considered the difficulty of following the cold-blooded speech of that hon gentleman. He twitted Sir R. Stout with the failure of the StoutYogel administration, and said when that Government to m«et the payments due in London, Sir Harry Atkinson was compelled to borrow £700,000 from the Colonial Bank in order to prevent the colony making a default. He defended the polioy of the Government at great length and resented Sir R. Stout's insinuation that the colony was being placed under the heel of foreign money lenders. At the close of tbe Hon. Mr Seddon's speech Sir. Robert Stqut named, the Hops. Seddan and Reeves as the two Ministers who saw the Railway Union in Christchurch respecting the appointment of the new Railway Commissioners. The Hon. Mr Seddon denied lie had seen the men on the subject at nil. Mr Reeves admitted he nad talked with the men on matters, but the Premier had not approached the men on the subject. The debate was adjourned at one o'clock, on Mr Smith's motion. The House roae at 1.20.