PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 14 July 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

— ♦ HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES.

FRIDAY, JULY 10. The Hon the Speaker took fojfi' chair at 2.80 p.m. % '..:.* THE FINANCIAL DEBATO The Premier, who was loudly applauded on rising, said — The member for Hawkes Bay had mentioned the snbjeot •of Bills, They had not received their final revision, and lie agteed with the idea of able writer that tho wisdom of the House was greater than that of a single member. He an* swered the objections to the financial proposals brought forward by Mr . Macarthur, and said that in every case the hon. member had been in the wrong. The leader of the op» position had especially objeoted to the totalisator, but when the totalisator Bill was in committee and a vote was taken the hon. gentleman was not in his seat in the House. A tax on the totalisator was nolj jlikely to inorease gambling, just as :a tax on beer and spirits did not inorease drunkeness ; it would tend rather to kill the- totalisator; They had retrenched altogether 115 hands. It was to him repulsive work, , to turn men out of employment ; he had no pleasure in it. It was a work, which was one of necessity, but should not be necessitated by the fault of their system,. < They had- this year effected a saving of £41,000, including nonrecurrent services. f lf the : large estates .were burst up there were plenty' of young men, sons of farmers who would take up the land ; and while those, large estates continued the exodus would continue. \Vhile they remained, New Zealand 'could never be prosperous. The intention of their policy, was to lead capital in that directidn^ and jko the great 'Jajass . of industry, ' and yeomian , ifeifrnprs, who were the|Dackb^e of mepcojantry. They^^^^orro^\exempt improyem^ife~of~the]; House s w6uld make the 'g^de: higher. If ;:Jhey would dotbaiit wias in the direction the Government policy was tending ; their object was to halve a land tax pure and simple ; but it was a question of means. Let -the House consent to a higher grade, and they would made the ohange at once. (Hear, hear.) He was of opinion that a person who improved his land whether to a largo or small extent, should be dealt with more leniently than one who d$ not improve his land. In conclusion he said it was their duty to legislate for the good :, of the country,' and to remedy the ;enormou3 differences which detained in England between the Troir and poor ; they would keep that object steadily Tin friew, aud act like those who had sympaty with » their fellowx meh "and wei'e' determined to legislate for the good«of the country as a whole. The motion that the Speaker do now leave the chair and . the House go into Committee of Supply was then put and carried on the, voices. — Progress was immediately reported.