GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1430, 14 September 1878, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[run pbess AOENOir.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Esidav, Septembee 13. MISCELLANEOUS. In the Council to-day, after tho transaction of some formal business, leave of absence was granted to the Speaker for a week. The Hon. Mr Haut moved—“ That proprietors of land, dividing the same into townships, should be compelled to set apart a proportionate part for recreation and other public purposes.” The motion was agreed to. Capt. Euasee’s motion for a call of tho Council for Thursday, 25th inst., was carried on division by two. land dsainage bill. Mr Baillxb moved tho second reading of fchi* BUI snortly, and was followed by Mr WAißaaouaa, who opposed it strongly,

and concluded by moving that the Dill bo read that day six months.

Mr Wilson suggested the withdrawal of the measure.

Mr Waterhouse's amendment was carried, and the Dill was thrown out. brand’s registration bill.

The Council then went into committee on the Brands Registration Bill. The postpom d clauses 3 to 8, and 9 were discussed at length. Clause 8 was further postponed. After a long discussion clause 9 was struck out and a new clause substituted, the same course was taken with clause 15. COLONIAL SECRETARY. Colonel Whitmore continues unwell, and was not present during the afternoon. Mr Wilson represents the Government in the Chamber during the absence of the Colonial Secretary. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, September 13. The House met at 2,30. DEPUTY SPEAKER. On the motion of the Premier, it was ordered that for the remainder of the session Mr O’Rorke occupy the chair in the absence of the Speaker, without obtaining permission. BAGGAGE CHECKS. Mr Murray asked if arrangements would be made for introducing the American system of baggage checks on the New Zealand railways ; for the sale of railway tickets at other than railway stations; and also if arrangements would bo made with steamship companies to run at reduced rates between Wellington and Lyttelton, and whether there would be any objection to utilising the Hinomoa for that purpose. Mr Maoandhew said the Government desired to make all improvements possible, and with that view would consult the commissioners of both islands. As to the second question, arrangements were now being made for the sale of tickets at other places than railway stations. As to the other matters enquired about, he thought it would be better to defer them for the present. LICENSING BILL, Mr Richmond asked, in the event of the Government not proceeding with the general Licensing Bill this session, what steps they intended to take to place the various licensed victuallers’ associations in the colony upon an equal footing by equalising license fees P Mr Sheehan said they would not deal with the matter piecemeal, and, if the Government were unable to bring in a general measure this session, the question would have to stand over till next session. cemeteries management. Mr Sheehan moved the second reading of the Cemeteries Management Act Amendment Bill, the object of which was to enable public reserves to be proclaimed as cemeteries and managed by local bodies. The Bill was read a second time. SUPPLY. On the motion for going into committee of Supply, Mr Woolcock raised a question in connection with the finance of the colony, by pointing out that the disbursements being made as aid to countiers were not being expended for the common good of the country. Out of the fifty-two counties in the colony, and out of the sum of £113,485, ten connties received each of them, for the half year, £11,378, leaving the other forty-two counties something over £3OO each. This was the nest-egg he referred to some days bc"ore. As he held that the expenditure of this money did not benefit the colony as a whole, and as it was spent in counties that could do without it, lie thought the House ought to stop the expenditure and hand it over to the Treasurer. After giving other instances of how like savings might be effected, the hon. gentleman concluded by moving, “ That, in the opinion of this House, clause 6 of the Financial Arrangements Act, 1876, Amendment Act, 1877, should be repealed,” Mr Ballance pointed out that last year it had been decided that 20 per cent of the land revenue should bo handed over to localities, and when a compact was made with certain portions of the colony one year, it was not conducive to public confidence to upset such a compact the next. While admitting that there was much justice in the charges made, yet if the hon. gentleman who made the charges would only take an extended period, he would find that many of the wrongs complained of would be redressed. The Government were not prepared to accept tho amendment.

Mr McLean denied that there had been any compact ; an Act had been pissed. The working of the 20 per cent system was giving great dissatisfaction, and the Q-overnment ought to rectify it. Mr Bowen hoped the Government would stand firm and maintain the 20 per cent —the last rag by the colonisation of the land fund of a principle which had been in operation in the colony for many years. Mr Wakeeibld was positively astounded at what fell from the Treasurer now, and the way the Premier spoke of the 20 per cent, arrangement by saying that it was given reluctantly to those owners of property, and that somebody or other, he did not know who, had been robbed. This, he would point out, was diametrically opposed to what had been stated last year by the then Treasurer. He denied that the principle of localisation of land revenue worked unfairly, and no change ought to be made. Mr Whxtakeb said it was absurd to suppose that any arrangement entered into by the Treasurer and anyone else during one session could bind the House in another session. The land fund was m<de consolidated revenue, and the House could apply it os it chose from year to year. He read figures giving the amounts paid from land fund to different counties to show how unfairly the system worked, by some counties getting subsidies by thousands and tens of thousands, while a number of others received comparatively nothing. He objected to the principle upon which Government took away from Patea 15 per cent, for the construction of the railway. Why not take away from Ashley and Ashburton the cost of the roads they already had and were using. If the amendment of the member for the Grey Yalloy was carried, he would move as an addition the words : “ That the money thereby available should be appropriated towards the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges throughout the colony.” Why should one district bo allowed to starve while others rolled in wealth ?

The Pbemxee made a personal 'explanation to show that the member for Geraldine had n )t apprehended correctly his remarks of the previous day. What he wanted then to show was that by the plurality of voting, the money that was to be expended was thrown into the hands of the wealthy to disburse, and that by that means the people were robbed. Major Atkinson denied that there was that landed aristocracy pointed to by the Premier, who by the way never showed if what county these landed aristocrats lived. If the Premier had the House and country with him to the extent claimed for him, why did he not at once rectify the glaring abuse of the wealthy 'classes spending the money of the great body of the people improperly. If what the Premier said was true and the iniquity was still in existence, the Premier ought to remedy it. The Treasurer spoke of the sacredness of compacts and ho violated the compact (if there wore compacts) entered into when Pacea was created a county, and whore the Act had been worked very successfully. On what possible pretext did he take away 15 per cent, because any money spent on war in the county was not for the benefit of tho county, but of the colony? He regretted that the motion was brought forward, because lie wanted to ascertain iiom the Government what they intended to do respecting local bodies. Mr She hit AN thought if they cou.d see into tho secret thoughts of tho member for Egrnont it would be seen that be heartily rejoiced at tho action of the Government in regard to Patca. The County of Patca was very liberally treated, and deserved no sympathy. He strongly condemned this constant carping at the Ministry for not having done this or the other thing, and asked the member for Egmont why he and his friends during their 'dong term of cilice had not done a thousand things that were required. No! They preferred to allow tho country to elide,

and, unlike the present Government, when a difficulty was to be encountered, ho and his friends never faced them boldly. The hon. gentleman earnestly warned members on his side of the House to beware of the advice of the Opposition loader and his friend, and not to be beguiled into joining the Opposition in an attack upon some point of their policy, in order to bring about a complication or a change of Ministry. If they listened to the advice of the enemy they must tumble into pitfalls. If on his side of the House there were members who had a suggestion to make in regard to modifications of the Government policy, let them make them to the Government, but avoid hording with the Opposition. The debate was interrupted by 5.30-1 In the course of the afternoon Mr Ballance rend a telegram from Christchurch, conveying the information that the case of the Avon Road Board versus the Government was over, and that the verdict was against the Road Board, with costs. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. SUPPLY. In continuation of the debate on the motion for going into Committee of Supply. Mr Sheehan continued his remarks, saying that were it not fmr the present Government, the Waimate Plains would not bo now an asset of the colony. The late Government could never have achieved such a success. Mr Ormond slid the Opposition were in a very sickly condition, but to judge by the tone of the speeches of the Premier and Native Minister, it was the Government that was sickly. If the Government were strong, how was it they were in session two months without any portion of the public business being completed, and any opposition offered then came from their own supporters. The Opposition were willing to assist the Government in passing measures embodying the policy of the Premier, but the measures brought down did not bear out what the Premier promised. Why, there was not a vestige of the Premier’s charter of rights, which was manhood suffrage, re-adjustment of representation according to numbers, re-adjustment of the incidence of taxation on the working man, with one vote and one vote only. As for the readjustment of taxation, it was a difficult question to deal with, and the present Government were not able for it. He dared them to go to tbo country upon it. Then as to plural voting, a state of things under which the Premier said a free man should not lire, that very principle was retained by the Government. On that too he would invite the Government to go (o the country. He regretted not being in the House when the Native Minister referred to Mr Stafford and Sir J. Vogel, and the only reason why he and his friends had not the whole question publicly discussed was that they were waiting until they had the published statement of the Attorney-General on the matter. Still ho had heard and read enough to enable him to say that the allegations made against these gentlemen were perfectly scandalous and shameless. Neither of those gentlemen had done anything derogatory to his high character. Mr Delatour said the speech of the member for Clive was a most important one from that side of the House, inasmuch ns it gave them an insight into a policy of which the hon. member must be the accredited exponent (for he had no doubt the hon. gentleman was to be the future head of the Conservative party). And what were the sentiments ho uttered ? They showed ho was opposed to manhood suffrage, to redistribution of seats according to population, to one vote, to triennial parliaments, and in favor of contributions to the landed estate of the colony. He denied that his side of the House would shower contempt on the reputations of Sir J. Vogel and Mr Stafford, because it was an injury to the colony to detract from the reputations of her celebrated men. The only point made against the Government was that by Mr Hunter, who said that, as a large employer of labor, he benefited by the Government proposals. But he asked who wanted to tax large employers of labor? It was those who erected fencing for keeping sheep on unimproved land that they wanted to get at. Mr Wason replied to several of the statements of the member for Mount Ida, and denied that the Opposition bad in the least, degree obstructed. He thought Government were making the same mistake in asking for suggestions from their friends, as the member for Egraont made last year. The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer would know what he meant. Some of the Government party did not know what they wore supporting beyond that they believed in Sir George Grey. He deprecated the action of Mr Woolcock in raising a discussion that could lead to no good result.

Mr Sutton considered the Government more liberal in promises than anything else. They were inconsistent also. While they gloried in putting their foot down against harbor endowment, they had some hundreds of thousands on their estimates for local works. He held it was the duty of the Government to make some arrangement by which the poor half-starved local bodies would be enabled to carry on those works which were an absolute necessity, alike to these districts and the country. Dr Hodgkinsow considered the fact of the Government party so freely criticising Ministerial measures, was the very best proof to be had of their strength. It was just because the position of the Government was assured that such frank criticism wus offered. If the Premier had not fulfilled his promises so completely as the hon, gentleman himself would have desired, it was solely because the present Parliament was an Abolition one, and in regard to the reforms wanted, the people would not bo properly represented until a new Parliament was elected. But what he had achieved was perfectly marvellous in so short a time. The debate is continuing.