HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 4 July 1890, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

TUESDAY, JULY 1. Mr liallance gave notice of the' amend* ment lit; intended moving an the motion for going into supply. Ministers said it was a direct challenge and no other business would be taken till settled. The House adjourned to 7.H0. THE DEBATE. When the House resumed at 7.30 all the galleries were packed, and the House wai also well tilled. The order for Committee i of Supply was called on at onoe. i Mr Uallance, who rose amidst cheers to move his amendment, began by saying that if it should b» carried no one need have the slightest apprehension that the present Government would call the Opposition to fake their places —they would appeal to the country and tight it out. In that he thought their inclination coincided with their duty, because it was unquestionable that in the last session of a Parliament the country should [have a voice in any new policy. The Ministry were in au unfortunate position of their own choosing, having come to a decision which Rave them a nominal Premier and a nominal leadej. He suggested that the Premier had made a surplus for the benefit of the people at Home, and after going into figures he {showed that to his mind there was a net deficiency of £15,C39 instead of a surplus. He twitted the GoTernment with stating they were not prepared to recommend " ordinary borrowing" but were prepared to recommend "extraordinary borrowing. He objected to the Edwards appointment, also to further payments for defence He approved of a land tax in lieu of the property tax, and censured the Government foi not indicating their policy with regard to the last named tax. He concluded by asking :—Did the Government hold oflice constitutionally or in such a way an to inspire confidence? ("No.") The remedy was a dissolution. (Cheevi.) The Government would [then have to for mulatr a policy, and we should have a Parliament properly constituted and ne: a moribund one. Twenty one members vat there who had no right to do so ; and he repeated that there was but one remedy, and that a dissolution. The following resolutions were then foratsvly moved. That in theoponinn of this House, the continuance of tho primage duty is unneeoSßitry, and is a distinct breach of the understanding arrived at when it was first implied.

That further retrertcTiment is imperatively d&mtinded, and can be effected without impairing the efficiency or the public ffirvice. That the retention of the property-tax in its present form, and the land policy pursued by the (ioverunieut, alike impede the progress of the Colony. Mrßallance was heartly cheerecd at the i onclusion of his speech, which occupied an hour and a half. The Minister of Lands said the amendment was rather of p {lisingeniourf diameter. At the conclusion of a speech which consisted chiefly [ n showing that the opposition wh'jfl in power had done, no better, he challf^jrjej t] ie mover to show how re-trencl-,.(Yient could be effected, or how the la' 1 ..! administration could be improved, I'Jhters.) Mr W. 1\ Reeves wished to know how itwaay heads there were to the Ministry — wm it a three-headed Cerbenw they saw before them, or had it ncl $ol a head at all ? He entered fully into tin- land policy of the Government, and stated that down South the principal purchasers of laild w^'e all people adverse to small scUtei I^. He tauuted the GoveranieM with borrowing every sixpence tjev <"3W. A, and only stopping when t!.« vi'edit of the Colony would not allow ttoem to go on. Even now their j»ropo?»l!» for borrowing — not ordinary borrowing, but extraordinary borrowing — a pbvase which would live afttr the Gov.Vnment, as the Minister of Lands' "legitimate dumnvyitm "' would. He denied that the Government had carried out their undertaking to restore a financial equilibrium ; they had to ask for fresh taxation now to carry on their policy. With respect to the population, he pointed out that during many months last year the Colony was steadily losing people, and the Government's only steps to prevent it were the Inclusion of Captain Russe 1 and Mr Hislop in the Ministry. In conclusion he expressed an opinion that the country would ■consider that an appeal should be made to it before the policy of the Government was adopted, and that other steps* should be taken to endeavoup to restore prosperity to what was undoubtedly a great country. (Cheers.) The debate was adjouniod ;it 11.4'», on Mr Kerr's motion, and the House rose, |