LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 87, 6 October 1894, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

ADVANCES TO SETTLERS BILL CARRIED BY ONE VOTE. | Per Press Association ] Wellington, October 5. The Council met at 7.30. Hon. Stewart continued speaking against the Government Advances to Settlers Bill. He said what the country wanted was restoration of public conn* donee and means to induce capitalists to immigrate with a view to enter upon agricultural pursuits Hon. Kerr pointed out that manufacturers by reason of the protective tariff and timber industry and by being granted railway facilities, were being assisted by the State, and he failed to Bee why objection should be raised to farmers also being assisted by State. He denied that borrowers under the Bill would become the slaves of the State, but even supposing this proved to be true, it would certainly be better that farmers should be slaves to the State than slaves .of money lenders. The Hon. "Whyte regarded the Bill as ( a measure for wholesale buying and selling of money by the State, and believing this, would vote against the second reading. The Bill was not required because money on anything like good security could be obtained at 4.} per cent from private lend era in Sydney, and in New Zealand at 5£ per cent The Hon. McGregor spoke strongly against the Bill which would create a class of ehufllers, and a class of persons who would seek either repudiation or reduction of their interest. It was the purest sophistry to say that this Bill followed the example of the Public Trust, and Government Life offices Thero wns no snying where this scheme would end, for the lending of three millions would be like the sprinkling of water upon thirsty ground. The Hon. McCnllough, in supporting the Bill, said he considered the borrowing scheme of Government would not add to the indebtedness of the State. The Hon. Bolt strongly supported the scheme, which he regarded as much as a social necessity to be undertaken by the State as the Government Railways, Government Life Insurance Department, and Public Trust office. It was better for workers to serve Government than to be in the clutches of lending syndicates. Hon. Bonar thought the Bill should have a fair trial, and he would support it at any rate as far as the third reading stage [n the conrso of his reply, Sir Patrick Buckley repeated that one of the principal reasons Government brought in the Bill waß in consequence of the almost insup portable burden in the shape of interest private institutions had charged small farmers The Council then went to a division, with the result that Mr Stevens' amend inent was rejected by 14 to 18 and the second reading agreed to. Division list -For the amendment (18) — Reynolds, Stewart, Williams, Barnicoat, Swanson, Pharnzyn, MacGregor, Aeland, Stevens, Ormond, Bo wen, Whyte and Peacock. Against the amendment (14) — Baillie, Whitmore, Bonar, McCullough, Kerr, Kelly, Jenkinson, Tairoa, Feldwick, Rigg, Dignan, McLean, * Montgomery and Buckley. At 10 p.m. the Council adjourned till Monday at 1.30 p.m.