PARLIAMENTARY.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1894, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

♦ ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. FINANCIAL DEBATE. Wellington, August 3. The House met at 2.30. In reply to Sir R. Stout, Mr Seddon said the Licensing Bill would probably be circulated immediately the financial debate was over. He hoped it would be like the last year's Bill, and give satisfaction to everybody. Captain Russell resumed the financial debate, and claimed that since the present Government took office they had increased the public debt of the Colony by £2,234,430. He strongly condemned the conversion of half a million of the Imperial Guarantee 4 per cent. Loan, which, he contended, involved the Colony in an expenditure of £61,000 a- year for ever and ever. He expressed the opinion that it was the bad financing of the Treasurer that was responsible for the recent banking crisis. The Hon. J. McKenzie denied having threatened a dissolution the other evening, but assured the members that so long as he was in the House he would never be afraid to call a spade a spade, whether it was constitutional or not. If the colony was to progress roads and bridges must be provided, hence the necessity for the £250,000 mentioned in the budget, and w-bich was the only approach to borrowing it contained. He defended his land administration, and justified the position taken up by the Government in connection with the Bank of New Zealand crisis, and said it was untrue the Government were collecting the Land Tax earlier in the season, because the bank refused to finance for them. Mr Earnshaw strongly opposed the financial proposals of the Government. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. The Financial debate was coutinued throughout the evening, those who spoke being Messrs Collins, Macintosh, Buick Wilson aud Pinkerton. The debate was adjourned at 12.20 aud the House rose.