GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1422, 5 September 1878, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[PER PRESS AGENCY.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Wednesday, September 4. OTAGO IHOn SCHOOL. In the Council to-day, Mr Menzies moved for correspondence, &c, in connection with the Otago High School Act. Agreed to. •juries act amendment. The Juries Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. UILL3 ADVANCED. The Wellington City Reserves Bill was read a second tuna. The Council then went into committee, when the Rabbit Bill, Dangerous Goods Bill, and the Civil Service Bill were considered. The first two wore reported with amendments, and tho third reading fixed for Wedneeduy next. Tho Civil Service Bill was reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. The committee then proceeded with the unopposed clauses of the Harbor Bill, and the 95th clause had been reached at the adjournment at 5 p.m. Tho Council adjourned to Wednesday, 11th instant.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, September 3 land tax bill.

xVfter ten last night the debate on the Land Tax Bill wag continued.

Mr Stout, in a speech of considerable length, sail the present Government were accused of haviug soma sinister desire to bring about the reparation of the colour, and the reason given for this was that some members of the Government were separaiionists That was the only reason given, or that could be given, for this charge. [Major Atkinson gave a reason.] The only other reason given was that public works had been placed on a proper footing, and that gome reductions were made iu the extraordinary misoxpenditure of public money that had gone on previously. Was the Government which appointed a special Minister for the Middle Island some years ago accused of being in favor of separation ?. If the present Government had made any such appointment as this, there might have been some foundation for making the charge against them that had been made by the hon. member for New Plymouth ; but because the Government had reduced the expenditure and got rid of a department that was useless, thoy were accused of having a sinister design to separate the colony. He would tell the Houfo why this cry of separation had been raised. The hon. member was afraid to come down with a vole of no confidence, and lie told the Mouse the c wan some sinister design on the part of the Government. If the hon. member was dcsirou3 of keeping them away from ecparation, he would at once cease crying out " separation." The lion. member was the assumed leader of the Opposition, and lie came down, and after making a two hours' speech, Lad not stated whether he would vote for or against a Bill which ho condemned. When the present Government were in opposition they came down with a deftnite vote, and did not g.-t up in the Hou?e and say they did not know how they should vote, when they declared any Eill to be a sham. In this matter under consideration, ho beeged to say that the Government would nUud by their policy. If the hon. member for New Plymouth thought tins policy was a sham, it was hs duly to table n direct vote of no confidence. Let them if defeated go to the couutry and see whether the country would support the Government or not. Ibis would be the proper mode of

I conducting parliamentary Government, instead of criticising a few small items connected with tho departmental estimates and tariff. He was not a little surprised to hoar so much said about the Agent-G-eneral by (ho hon. members opposite. There wag at one time no bitterer opponent of the Agent-Gen-eral. Tho member for Now Plymouth was not a particular friond of the Agent General at one period, but that hon. member had been a convert to Sir J. Vogel, and the House knew what converts usually were. With regard to tho floating of loans he was not gov g (o deny that the colony was greatly indebted to Sir J. Vogel. But at tho same credit what wai due to others ought not to bo denied them. He would declare that, but for Mr Larnach, the last loan would not have been takon up by tho Bank of England, or its success have been bo great as it had been after being iloated on the London market. Replying to tho remark of Major Atkinson in calling the " unearned increment" a figment, he quoted from Professor Cairns, Mill, and others to show there was unearned increment, which ought to be taxed. Capital invested in land was not in tho same position as capital investod in personal property, as was evidenced by the legislation of this colony and of all colonies in roference to the property in land. Land should be taxed because of the benefit it derived from public expenditure. Ho quoted figures to show that at the present time 10* in the £ on all the property in the colony was being paid out of tho consolidated revenue for the benefit of land. In no country had land been so well treated as in Now Zealand. Why, in this colony £3 3s per head was,contributed to the consolidated revenuo by all the people, as against £2 17s (including excise and everything else) in England, and the comparison ( was less favorable in the case of other countries than New Zealand. The land tax proposed by the Government was far preferable to a tax on personal property, because of the tendency of tho former, not to burst up estate*, but to prevent the aggregation of large estates, and in that view the exemption proposed, instead of being too large, was too small. He did not intend to take up much more time in dealing with the land tax question. There were some hon. members who proposed a tax on all property; and an income tax was also proposed. He could understand an income tax disassociated from a land tax, and a tax on personal property. An income tax had always proved to be a failure wherever it was imposed. What was to be d»no with those who had large blocks of land from which they derived no income. [Hon. member—" Suppose a property tax."] If there was to be an income tax and a property tax, then persons deriving an income from property would have to pay doublo taxation. If an income tax wero imposed, he believed that the result would be to change the incidence of taxation for the worse instead of the better, so far as equalising the burdersof taxation was concerned. He defended the beer tax as a fair one. With regard to the tariff, the Government admit ted Customs tariff could not be revised in one session. If fault at all was found with the Government, it was that they were attempting too much. The hon. member then proceeded to defend the policy of Government with regard to counties, and said that if any member objected, it was his duty to come down with a distinct motion. Let their measures be considered on their merits, and he felt suro that, when they went to the country, the members of the present Government would get credit for bringing forward measures of reform. As at present proposed, they knew some of their measures would be distasteful to a great many lion, members, but that did not deter thsm from the performance of what they considered to be i heir duty. The Government had made up their minds. On these measures they would stand or fall.

After Borne remarks against the proposals by Messrs Gibbs and Hursthouse, The House adjourned at 1,25. -*- Wednesday, September 4. The House met at 2.30. PETITION FROM CATHOLICS. Mr Bakff prefented a petition from 150 Catholics of Hokitika, praying that they may bo placed in a position to avail themselves of the provisions of the Education Act. MIDDLE ISLAND POLICE COURTS. Mr PtkE gave notice that he would ask if the Government intended to take into consideration tha present unsatisfactory state of the Police Courts in the Middle Island, and il: so, ;whether they will state what action they propose to take. O'CONNOR'S CABE. All tho papers in connection with O'Connor's poisoning caso were laid on the table. EOAD BOARD CREDITS. Replying to Mr Pyke, Mr Ballance said tho Government had no objection to furnish a return showing in detail tho amounts, if any, standing to the credit of Road Boards in the Middle Island on 31st March last. NATIVE GRANTS. In Jfeply to Mr Taiaroa, Mr Siieehan said an officer had been appointed to make arrangements for the issue of Crown grants to certain half-caste natives in tho district of Otago and Southland. COUNTY OFFICERS' SALARIES. In reply to Mr Feldwick, Mr Ballance said a return was in course of preparation giving particulars as to salaries, &c, of County Officers. CANTERBURY PROVINCIAL EXPENDITUEE. Mr Pyke moved that a return bo laid before tho House, showing the amount expended by the Provincial Government of Canterbury from tho date of settlement of that province to tho date of abolition and inauguration of tho coui.ty system on roads, bridges and other public works within that portion of the said province which is now comprised within tho counties of Waitaki, Vincent, and Lake ; also the amount of land revenue received by tho Provincial Government of Canterbury during tho same period. The lion, gentleman went on to show how much the above counties had spent and were upending in these districts in bringing ttietn into communication with the rest of the world, and far more for the benefit of Canbury district than that of Otago. As some sneers had been thrown out concerning the money these counties received from the Canterbury land fund (only a portion of what had been spent as indicated) ho called for this return in order to slio»s T what Canterbury did io¥ these districts, when tho land was within her own boundaries. Mr.BALLA.NOE said the Government would endeavor to provide as complete a return as was possible under the circumstances. COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL ENDOWMENTS. The debate, on the motion of Mr Stevens, " That it is expedient tho House should be informed whether the Government will introduce a measure this session dealing with the subject of endowments of Crown lands for counties and municipalities as promised last session," was resumed. After an expression of regret by Mr Stevens that the promise had not been kept, the motion was agreed to. CROWN LANDS ALIENATED. Mr Woolcock moved for a return of the total area of land alienated from the Crown during the past yoar, for which the sum of £1,410,8-24 4j 5d had been paid, as sot forth in table F of the- financial statement ; ail of tho area thus disposed of that had been purchased by persons m quantiiies exceeding 3GO acres ; also of the number of purchases up to 3(50 acres, inclusive, together with tho number of purchasers above that quantity and the provincial district in which tiie land was sold. The motion was agreed to. A MAORI MUKDU3. Mr Shexhan stated that List night he received a telegram from. Waiupu, slating that a Maoii woman iiad beea mufdered. To-day ha learned that the woman had been murdered by two Maori men, that it was an ordinary murder, and had no political significance whatever, and that he had given instructions to have the murderers arretted and brought to trial. NEW RIVER lIARTJOH. The New River Hurbur Endowment Bill was read n second lime, and referred to the w.isto lands committee to be dealt with in whatever w;:y it wus decided to deal with all tho Harbor Bills by that committee.

The r»muining business on the order rjapey. being Government business, the iiXpuae ad= journed. • •'