PARLIAMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 397, 20 September 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. BUDGET DEBATE. [ in' Ti:j.!"<;r>.\rn. n; ess as- nei mw\ J Wellington, Last Night. The Mouse met :H '.1.D0 p.m. I Sir Joseph Ward stated he bad been in cmmmnnir.ai mn '-villi (he Racing Commission with a view to (heir silting again to re-eensnh r the cpiesi tion of country club permns. The ' Commission were agreeable to si( : again and tbo nenssary work i'od- . nectei! with it was now being none ! and a report would be benirht dew n j ns soon as possible. | On the motion o' Sir Joseph Ward jit was decided that Covernmenf | business take precedence on Vfednesj day. ITo pointed out that, a great, deal [of important work most, be done between now and (lie first ami second 1 week's of November, when all vanitd , to be away to their eoe.r-lilnoncio:-. ', Mr Myers resumed the debate on ; the Budget, which he declared <>;- i hibited a very happy state of affairs. ; Humanitarian affairs would appeal ;to the country generally. Me spoke |at length of the satisfactory eondi- : tion of t!i2 finances, upon which he i heartily congratulated the Minister jof Finance. While taxation had increased from £o ISs '.Ui in 3if 11! to I£s Ss 7d in i'Jll, the increase bar! i been placed upon those best able to i bear it, being on the land tax, the j income tax and death duties. Were jhe not convinced that, the Governj ment policy was proper and. honest i he would immediately walk over to J the other side of the House, lie urged i greater expedition in the settlement ; I of native lands, j i Sir Wm, Steward considered the ! Budget an excellent one. and one I which could commend itself to the country. It was a record of pros- j perity. such as had never been submitted in any other part of the Empire. He disagreed with the proposal to reduce long distance railway fares, by a farthing a mile at a cost, of £60,000. It would have been better to have reduced short distance fares, i as benefiting more people. If the dc- i partment wanted to spend ,"To,o\Ui it. i Could better be done on the erection j of loading sheds in country districts, j granting cheap market tickets for j farmers, and giving a reduction of j freight en fruit. He expressed regret [ there was no reference in the Budget ; to the land question. He advocated a | tax sufficiently disruptive to make i; j impossible to bold lane, in large cm an- ' tities.

Mr Luke rarefied (lie absence of any reference to education in the Budget. He hoped the Government would do all in its power in connection with higher education. ]!<-■ regretted the Govenimnt had not done more in the Acquisition of surplus lanes, lie looked upon the farmer.-' co-operative bank proposal as a pood one, and if placed in flood shape he would support the measure, lie advocated the development of the iron ore of the Dominion. The Mouse rose at b.ed p.m. EVENING SITTING. Upon the House resuming in the evenin/r, Mr Hollard eomn'amed of the unsatisfactory condition of land matters in the Dominion. It was the duty of the Government tosoitlo the people on the land, and educate fhem how to work it. He complained that the Government: had not aviated .farmers in. the matter of scientific education. Mr Isitt uttered a word of warnim: in respect, to military trainim;, in regard to the absence ofa conscience clause, and in fixim; fraininp; tip t.vi 2fi years of n<re. There would he trouble unless these mistakes were rectified. The training ape should he -educed to 21 years. He deprecated the charges of corruption and maladministration levelled apainsf the Government.

Sir Joseph Wan), in reply, referred to the fact that every on<- who had spoken on the Bud pet had supported all the measures forecasted ther<\ lie condemned the action of the Oppesition in casting rolled ions on the financial position of the country to its deriment. He charged Mr Allen with gross misrepresentation vofrardine; 'he matter of Treasury Bills. Members of the Opposition were .iufrplini; with figures and saw, in order to pot on the Treasury Benches. Keferrinfr to Mr Allen's statement as io a discrepancy of four millions in the public debt, Sir Joseph Ward said the table quoted by Mr Allen dealt with borrowed money only, and not revenue. He averred there was not a mistake in the Budget figures. .Me then pro eeeded to another criticism of jus finance generally, but had net concluded when time was called. The House then went into committee on the Estimates.

AN ELECTIVE COUNCIL

Mr Masse v moved a reduction of .£5 as an indication that the Council should bo elective.

After midnight Messrs Rang and Anderson supported the proportional representation system in the Coune;!. Mr Wilford said if if were passible to wipe out the Council altogether, be would vote for if. Representatives of the people should be sufficient, for legislative purposes. The country could bo run very well with one Mouse and less members. Mr McLaren advocated the abolition of the Council rather than make it elective.

The Hon. D. Buridosaid t.tiry needed some more democratic proposal that had been put before them, before moving in the matter. The Hon. J. Millar intended voting against the amendment. The ttoma was asked to alter the constitution c( the Upper House without bavin;: anything definite before if. An elective chamber would boa duplication of the representative machinery.

Mr Buxton moved to report progress, which was carried on the voices, and the House rose at Roh' a.m.