PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1853, 6 September 1906, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

PRESS ASSOCIATION Wellington, last night.

The House met at 2 30 p.m

The Ohrißtoburoh District Drainage Aot 1875 Amendment Bill (No. 2) was read a first time.

On the motion of Mr R. MoKenzie, Chairman of Committees, three sessional ooajmiitees were appointed—Local Bills and Eleotion and Standing Order (joint),

FINANOIAL DEBATE

Mr Hogg opened tho debate for the day. He reviewed tho Budget favorably. Ho highly oomplimenled tho four previous speakers. He oritioised part of the new land polioy unfavorably, rogretting parti' oularly the proposal to abolish tho 999 years’ lease, and denouncing emphatically tho new lease of 66 years as virtually freehold with all its evils and nono of its advantages. He expressed oonfidenoo in I the present administration of the land, eulogising the Crown rangers in particular. Tho freehold tenure ho denounced as the oauso of untillod solitude, and he read lists of owners who, by sub-dividing their properties and continuing to work them to* getber. were oheating the revenue of large urns annually. THE PREMIER'S REPLY.

[ Tbo Premier rose to reply at 3 40, Ho said as to the wishes of too other side for the introduction of the Canadian post audit system, that they would find a delay of at least a year in the m iking up of the aeoounts, end they would discover that there would bo no check whatever on the expenditure. As to the suggestion of the other side that the publio accounts arc not properly kept, that ho obaractori.-ed not only as wrong, but as a refaction on the officers, who all had a large discretion in these ma'ters. Coming to tho oritioism of me determiuaiion of the Government to avoid the London money market, he wes surprised tho leader of the Opposi lion was not aware of tho spseial ciroumstaooes which, without any reflection on our credit, made that cause advisable. He detailed these circumstances, amoDg them the aotion of the Midland Co., and tho blook caused by other operations of the railway debenture holders. He maintained that the raising of half a million in Viotoria afier that was a very suooeseful operation, and he said the same on tho flotation oftheseoond half-million in Australia. Tho one had yielded 2d over pa", and the other 2s, as against tbe Victorian flotation at a discount of £4 2s sd. In these matters be contended there ought to be no each tbiDg as party considerations. In teplyiDg in regard to the surplus, he I said the Leader cf tbe Opposition had mistaken an entry in the Estimates for a payment. The sum (far Publio Trust new building) was on the Estimates two years running. Tho money had Dever been spent, and had nevor been paid into the consolidated fund for the purpose of tbe publio trustee. The £17,000 for the superannuation fund which the actuaries advised to be paid over was not paid over, for the reason that the Government did not see the financial necessity. Much bad been m sde of the alleged un soundness of the superannuation fund of the British railway companies. He would - guote from tbe proposals of a powe.ful company, tbe Lancashire and Yorkshire Bailway Company, the directors of which, after 38 years of experience, ware now a-k ing for legislation for a more advmced system than anything in this oolony. In criticising the conversion operations tbe leader of the Opposition had failed to ob

serve that Ibe same asset 3 , namely the wealth of the whole colony, were just as much behind the converted loans as behind the original issnep. In the matter of loans he wonld like to know what the hon. member wanted. Did he want to diminish the million annually reired ? Mr Massey : No. The Premier said then he oould conolnde that the hon. gentleman must bs in favor of reduoiog the land for settlement polioy ? Mr Ma=sey: No. The Premier said then he would want to know what the Leader of the Opposition would like to see reduced ?—roads,

bridges, telephones, what? The hon. gentleman he knew, would not reduce any of these. The fact was that if the hon. gentleman were on the treasury benches he would be also a squanderer and a waster. He thought the hon. gentleman ought not to attempt to deceive the publie in that way. As to the manner of repaying treasury bills at due dates the Government proposed to pay them off

gradually out of consolidated revenue without creating special funds. Speaking of the debate generally, he expressed the pleasure he had experienced in hearing the speeches of last night, and particularly that of his colleague, the Minister for Lands. He went on to de-

clare emphatically in connection with the land policy that the Government would have the crucial questions settled at once, and if any one imagined the Government intended to shelter themselves under generalities and postponement they made a great mistake. They proposed to take the full responsibility of their policy, and they would do so immediately, and if necessary would be ready to take the sense of the country on it. The land for settlement policy was in an impossible position. It was impossible to go on borrowing three-* quarters of a million a year for the purpose. Four and a half millions of borrowed money had been spent on these lands, and nothing clone to stop the increase of that debt at the rate of three-quarters of a million a year. The continuance of such a state of things was not to be thought of. Notmg an interjection, tha Premier said that he knew that his late chief, were he present that day at the head of affairs, would be acting precisely in the same way as the Government. Hon. gentlemen opposite, for all their talkiog, had never done anything. They had taken oerj to evolve no scheme. Voices interjected : •' Wason’s soherne.” The Premier deolared that they did not themselves believe in the Wason scheme, or they would have made use of it. He went on to point out the advantages of the land proposals, and stated that the Glasgow system was growing in popularity all over the country under the influence of some of the most intelligent and practical men in the oountry. More freehold lands were under these proposals to be offered in one year than all the land left available in the hands of the Crown. There was the security of a gcod leaso in the proposals as well as the freedom to remain with the present leases, and there was the opportunity of escaping under proper safeguards from rents and restric* tions. There would be in addition large endowments growing in value annually for the providing for geat department of the public servioe. Thero was here a practicable policy fit to oope with and aett'e the problem of the land question. The other side could not get any higher than the useless proposals to change one tenure for another. The progress and prosperity and wellbeiog of this country required the really liberal and useful of these two propositions. He recommended the clearly detailed, well thought out scheme which the Government had the courage to place before the country to the statesmanlike consideration of the House. , . , , , Mr Massey complained by way of personal explanation that he had been misrepresented in the mafc l er of the £2O 000 for the Public Trust Office. The Premier sustained bis view by reading from the public account. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

The Houb9 went in(o Committee of Supply, discussed the first item for half an boor, and adjourned at 5,80. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr Massey raised the question of loans to looal bodies. He said there ought to be subsidies also, and as a right iD all cases of need. , The Premier said the Government would be glad to always help to any extent within its power, but the question of finance must be considered, qs there was a limit beyond which subsides were im possible. The Committee discussed variom questions arising out of the estimates, and adjourned at 9.30 for supper, VARIOUS SUBJECTS. The House resumed at 10, £be Minister of Justice, replyiog to

oomplaints, dofondod tho law dealing with tho cffouoo of short weight. Ho doolinod to dismiss any cases of tho samo in tho House, and insisted that it was a matter

for tho particular authorities to attend to. Tho Premier denied that any suoh instruction had been givon to valuers suoh as wore suspooted ov named iu tho matter of workmen's homos; that his co'loagucs had reported that tho houses at l’otono wore being let at a rout of 9s to 11s 8d a week.

Mr Allen raised the quostion of superannuation, asking lor sho report ol the London and North-western Railway Company, The Premier said ho had tried but bad failed to got that report, but had reason to beliovo tho sohomo of the company w«s oorroot. There woro good reasons why tho report of tho aotuarios in tho oaso of the eduoatiou superannuation sohomo of tb ; s oountry was not given etl’eot to. Ho declined to dismiss the quostion at that 8t ft go.

Tho first item was passed, and tho roso lutiou reported to tho Houso. Tho Premier gave notice to move next day tho abolition of tho 9.80 adjournments, and tho Houso adjournod at 11.80.