HOUSE OV REPRESENTATIVES.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 98, 22 October 1897, Page 2

HOUSE OV REPRESENTATIVES.

(Per Press Asfiociation.i Wellington, Oct. 21. The House met at 2.30 p.m. MUNICIPAL FRANCHISE HILL. Mr Tanner moved the second reading of the Municipal Franchise Bill, which provides for conferriDg the municipal franchise on every adult male aud female living within a borouph, but reserves the right to prevent ratepayers to voto on the question of a loan. He contended that present municipal fran* chise was a disgrace to the colony. The Hou. Mr Seddon thought it would be admitted that t)ie existing franchise I should he enlarged, thoui'h it would be . a question how far the enlargement i should go. The law re municipal j franchise at present was seriously de | fective. aud, without wishing to cast any reflection on the present holders of municipal office, if t Lie frauchise were enlarged municipal bodies would be more representative, and better work would bo done. He believed in the principle of the measure, but considered that unless its provisions were modified the Upper House wonld reject it. Captain .Russell said the Bill was a very bad one, and while he admitted that it was absolutely nrcessary that w« must advance with 1 ho times in more or less popularising municipal government, ho considered the provisions of the present measuro were so manifestly un jnst that he would oppose it. He had been opposed to the one man one Tote principle when applied to elections tor the representatives to the House, and ba could not agree to its application to municipal franchise. Mr Carson conld not support the pro posata of the Bill. Mr Rolleston said he was not one of those who believed the present state of affairs in connection with municipal franchise was satisfactory. He was not prepared to snppor, the Bill, ns it ouly dealt with the matter in a fragmentary mauncr, Mr J. S. McKcoiic said he strongly advocated tljo oup man one vote in connectiou with tbo Parliamentary franchise, bat considered such a priuciplo was not applicablo to mucicipal fran chisc. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. FINANCIAL DKBATE. Mr Montgomery combatted the state ment that laud values had fallen on account of the Government's policy, aud paid that in his district they had gone up 25 per cent during the past five years, which he attributed to a certain extent to the cheapening of money by ' the Government Advances to Settlers Act. The surpluses of the Government were undoubtedly the strong point of its finauce. He referred to tin absence of mention of the Bank of New Zealand in the Budget, and said it was to be regretted that no opportunity was given to discuss an institution iv which the colony had so great a financial interest.