GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Kumara Times, Issue 1155, 11 June 1880, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

* HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; FINANCIAL STATEMENT; [concluded]. Wellington, June 8. Major Atkinson continued—lt is clear that all who benefit by the expenditure of rates should contribute towards them, and carrying out this principle td its legitimate conclusion, we purpose that all Government property including the Waste Lands of the Crown and (subject to an important qualification) native lands, shall be liable to rating with the exception of the Government Houses in Wellington aiid Auckland ; the Parliament House and grounds, the General Government Buildings in Wellington (by which I mean the large building upon reclaimed land), and the railways and wharves. Whatever may be thought of this proposition at first sight, it will, I am sure, on mature reflection, and when it comes to be discussed in all bearings, commend itself to hon. members as fair as reasonable. In any satisfactory scheme of local finance means must be found to construct our main roads throughout the Colony, so provision must be made to repair damage by floods and tempest to our roads and bridges, and some help must be extended if possible -to our district roads. This, then, brings me to the second bill to which I referred as necessary to give effect to our proposals. The title of the' Bill will be, “The Local Public Works Bill.” It provides for the constitution of an unpaid board, consisting of the Minister bf Public Works, the Engineer-in-chief, the Surveyor-General, and the Public Trustee/ The duties of the board -will be to pay the rates on all the waste lands of the Crown ; to pay rates on Maori Country lands ; to make grants in aid of the construction of main roads ; and to advanee money to construct district roads. This will be done from funds* the constitution of which I will now describe. As I have before said, we shall ask Parliament to set ■ apart the proceeds of laud sales for special purposes, nut permitting it to be used for the ordinary expenses of Government, charging against it only the cost of its administration, including survey. Now it is, I think, that after this year we may fairly

estimate the annual receipts from. land voiles for some years to come at not less £300,000: I believe honorable will agree with me that this is a .moderate estimate, looking at the fact that our unsold lands are estimated at a low average as worth £12,500,000. I think we may, therefore, reasonably expect to realise not less than £300,000 a year for some time to come. The charges on the l£md revenue should not exceed £140,000 a ye£V&|«e that should wo only 'get from Avill be a balance to credit of at least £160,000. The Bill with which lam now dealing provides that out of the balance of the land sales, after paying the expenses of administration there shall bo paid to the board each year the sum of £150,000; if, hoAvever, the land sales should not in any year produce a surplus of £150,000, then such a less amount only as the sales may produce Avill be paid to The Board. I have estimated the land sales this year at only £200,000. It is fossible that they may produce more, but have not, after careful consultation with the department, thought it prudent to estimate it at more than that amount. The cost of administration and charges is set down at about £150,000. The balance, Therefore, available this year, should my estimates not be exceeded, Avould only be ,£50,000. It is proposed to ask the Bouse to make a grant to the Board of £150,000 out of the loan, so as to place it in funds for the work of next spring and summer. The funds thus created to be applied to ,the following purposes :—lst. The payment of the rates on the waste lands of the Crown and Maori country lands ; 2nd. Grants in aid for constructing main roads and repairing damage done by floods ortempest. The main roads, I should have said, will be defined by proclamation. I have had sketch maps prepared for the information of hon. members, showing the roads it is proposed to declare at once, power being given in the Bill to proclaim others from time.to time as circumstances may require. Boroughs, so far, Sir, I have not yet directly mentioned—an important branch of my subject. I refer to Boroughs. Ido not desire to make light of the present loss to these bodies of the subsidies. My prospects will, no doubt, necsssitate for a time a reduced expenditure ; but there will accure to the Boroughs the permanent right to tax Government and native property of not much less than one million in value. I say permanent, for I think no one can doubt that if once the principle of taxing Government property is admitted by this House, it will never be possible to retract the step. The rates on all Government property it is proposed to charge to the consolidated fund, as being properly included in the ordinary expenses of government. I trust, Sir, that the proposals which I have thus briefly sketched will commend themselves to hon. members as, ht any rate, the basis upon which this important question of local finance may be ultimately settled. We are all of opinion I think, that the subsidies should cease if Means to a reasonable extent for carrying on the necessary works can be provided in a better way, and I submit that our proposals are better in every respect. Major Atkinson then proceeded to bring before the House the proposals for the estimated expenditure on the consolidated fund 1880-81, and the saving on which he estimated at £341,000. The proposed Votes for the year exclusive of liabilities is £3,576,709, but they could not bring in mote than £3,248,709. The Government were paying £1,000,000 per annum in salaries;, and £18,700 for pensions. The Minister of Public Works had reduced the expenditure of his department by £36,000; The Native Department had been reduced 50 per cent ; the salaries of Ministers they proposed to reduce 2(3 per cant, for the current year. They also proposed to strike off £50,000 or five per cent, off the votes for salaries according to a percentage to be prepared. He did not take a hopeful view of the Customs, but he put it down at £1,250,000. After reviewing the falling off in the laud fund the Treasurer stated that it Avas intended to exempt personal effects, furniture, and books, from Assessment under the Property Assessment Act. By this concession the revenue would loose £40,000 a year. To make this deficiency up there were only two courses open, to reimpose the tea and sugar duties or to tax Colonial beer Od per gallon and imported beer 6d per gallon. The Government proposed to levy the tax on beer. He hoped to obtain from this source for the current £BO,OOO, or at the rate of £IOO,OOO per annum. He also proposed to increase the succession duties to the amount of £IO,OOO, thereby allowing for the deficit of £40,000 in the Property Tax, and a further sum of £8709. This would leave ft credit balance of £41,291. After summarising the position of the Colony. The Treasurer concluded by moving that towards raising the supply to bo granted to her Majesty, there shall be levied and charged on and after the 9th day of June 1880, an excise duty of 6d per gallon on ail ale, beer, porter, or other malt liquor browed or made in Now Zealand, before removal from any brewery Cellar or other place in which the same may be stored, such duty to be levied collected and paid in such manner as the Commissioner of Custom may direct, that in lien of the duties ofCustomsnow charged on undermentioned articles. The following duties of Customs shall on and after the 9th day of June, 1880, bo charged thereon on importation into New Zealand, or on being cleared from any warehouse for Home consumption, viz., ale, porter, beer, of all soils cider and perry in bottle’ Is 9d ; ale, porter, beer, of all sorts cider and perry in bulk, the gallon Is Gd. . The resolution was agreed to after a long discussion. Tire xiousc adjourned ao midnight.