GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 722, 12 October 1876, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

{Per Press Agency.')

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday. October 11. The House met at 2 30. THE NEWSPAPERS AND THE TELEGRAPH. Hon P. Whitaker gave notice to move for the appointment of a committee to inquire into what facilities are being or have been given to newspapers for the use of the telegraph, consistent with its use by tne public. LEAVE OP ABSENCE. Leave of absence for the remainder of the session was granted to Hon W, Fox, member for Wangnnui. classification op prisoners. In reply to Mr Burns, Hon C. C. Bowen said in pursuance of the action of the House last year, .the Government had sent home instructions to the Agent-General, who, in conjunction with Judge Richmoud, was to select a person well acquainted with the modern system of classification of prisoners, and they were in daily expectation of receiving a reply. Mr Burns suggested that they should telegraph Home and stop such an appointment, and gave notice to that effect. THE HINEMOA. Mr MURRAY asked for a statement of the cost of bringing out the Hiuemoa, and he was told it was impossible to produce such a statement until they received the accounts from London. THE CROWN AGENTS. Mr Murray asked the Government, as the Grown Agents declined to have further dealings with Sir J. Vogel, what provision they proposed to make to secure the interests of the colony. The Premier said the Crown agents had never refused to be associated with Sir J. Vogel. The letter in which that appeared was not correct, and they had a telegram from the Grown agents to that effect. It was as ordinary loan agents, not as Crown agents, those gentlemen refused to act with Sir J. Vogel. He apprehended no difficulty ; but should any difficulty arise, it would be the duty of the Government to take Bteps to protect the interests of the colony. bills introduced. The following Bills were introduced:— Auckland Public Buildings Bill, Kakanui Harbor Board Bill, which were lead a first time,

THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. Hon F. Whitaker gave notice that on Friday he would move that the San Francisco mail service be direct between San Francisco •nd Sydney via Auckland, calling at Honolalu, that the coastal service be performed by ten knot boats, approved by the Governraent, and that New Zealand's share of the Riibndy be reduced by seven thousand pounds annually. SUPPLY. On the motion for going into committee of supply, Mr Sharp moved as an amendment, resolutions to the effect that the unproductive expenditure should be kept .vithin the ordinary income, and that the Civil Service requires re-organising; and that as the House felt some difficulty in dealing with the present estimates, they felt that the reorganisation would best be effected by the Government during the recess, and that the House would pledge itself to support the Government in carrying out those resolutions.

The Premier considered it only reasonable that the Government should assent to the resolutions, as they were in the same direction as the wishes of the Government, besides greatly strengthening their hands. He might say that during the recess Government would do all they possibly could, not only in regard to the cost of their departmental machinery, but in every other direction. It was deemed safe to economise, but he hoped the House were in earnest. If that were the case, the work would be easy ; but they ought to be aware that not a single application made to the House was refußed this session, and it was invariably the rule that when the pruning knife was to be applied, members were the first to prevent any economy.

Sir G. Grey thought that under these resolutions a political design lay hid. There was neither nerve nor fibre in them. They meant nothing but to intercept the resolution he yesterday intimated he would give notice of. The hon gentleman then said he would move as a further amendment—" That the financial position of the colony requires the utmost economy in the administration of the public business, and to effect this, large reductions should be made in the estimates without delay." The hon gentleman went on to argue that the Government could make the reductions at once if they chose. Let them reduce the salaries of Governor and Ministers, sweep away ministerial residences and gardeners and the offic 5 of Agent-General, and save the country £IB,OOO a year, besides setting a good example. He did not believe there was any real intention to make reductions.

Hon W. H. Reynolds pointed out how difficult it was for the Government t o economise when the House was constantly forcing them into what was unnecessary expenditure. He knew how largely this was done in the Customs department by making open ports of entry where they were not required and would not pay their maintenance. These ought to be swept away; if not, he would apply for the opening of two or three more. He thought several of the coastal at earn services ought to be swept away. Then there were far too many Resident Magistrates. The volunteers could be dispensed with entirely, at any rate in the South Island. Let them teach the children in the public schools the use of arms, dispense with prizes for firing, and passages for riflemen. Mr Stafford said he wished he could share in the opinion of the hon member for the Thames. He had some experience in these matters, and knew the difficulty of reducing the estimates, especially to do so at once. The fact was this country was most luxurious in its demands, and enjoyed conveniences in the postal and telegraph arrangements quite unknown at home. Let three or four people settle at the head of a valley, and they at once demanded a separate post-office. He knew places at home where the population was numerous, and the owners of the estate had to send nine miles for the letters for the place. Once when he tried to reduce, and dispensed with four resident magistrates three of them were next year reinstated by vhe House —and one of them had neither a criminal or civil case for six months! yet the whole district petitioned for his retention.

Mr Rees considered the resolutions of Mr Sharp were milk and water, and intended only to prevent the committee cutting down particular items. The hon gentleman spoke at considerable length against accepting such an amendment, and concluded by saying that if the Government brought down an T.come and property tax, three fourths of the House and the whole country would support them.

Mr Rolleston thought the Government should not have accepted the resolutions, fhero were two courses open, either make the Government take back their estimates, or let the House make reductions themselves. There was no doubt the House would be against the former, and he thought under the circumstances the latter would be the better course. Mr Montgomery considered the resolution qnite unnecessary, at least the latter part of it, which pledged the House, and he moved as an amendment, that the last clause be struck out.

Mr Hunter replied to the remarks of Mr Rees as regards property and income tax, saying he feared that, at present, such an experiment would be dangerous and injurious to New Zealand, which, at this particular time, ought to encourage the introduction of capital. A property tax was not the way to do that, as it would deter people with capital from coming into the colony if they were constan ly crying out, tax property. There was no doubt property would have to bear its share of taxation. Mr "Wason said it was clear that the House was not in the humpr to make any sweeping reductions this year, because no one was readier than the member for Akaroa and the member for Avon to oppose reductions when they were proposed. The hon gentleman went on to show that from his analysis of the statement the finances of the colony presented a more roseate hue than that taken by the member for Akaroa. Be considered the statement was direct, ana clear, and intelligible to outsiders. The hon member went to show >hat the deductions of the member for Akaroa were, wrong, and the calculations quite extravagant. In drawing comparisons between Spain, Turkey, and Egypt and New Zealand, he saw nothing in the affairs of the colony to cause despondency. Mr Thomson thought the Government should take back the estimates and re consider them, and bring them clown in a greatly reduced form.

The debate was interrupted by the 6.30 adjournment,