PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 6 August 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE 01" EE?RESENTATIVES, '' MONDAY,- AUGUST 8. The House met at 2.80 p.m. The House met to consider resolu* tions dealing with the subjeot of Australasian Federation. ; Sir Geo. Grey, who was reoeived with applause, moved the resolutiqn as follows :— " That a form of federation shall be adopted which will enable adjacent British colonies to federate for their common ' welfare,' such federation to be validated if necessary by an Act of the, British! Parliament. That a system of feller-' ation should also be adopted to en-' nable all parts of the British Empire! to join in common federation,' Whils t! each retained its Pwn automoiiy. That treaties should be febiicludedbe- j 'tween English spe&king n f atibhs ; f6r ; a defensive' alliaric6, and for 1 -reniit- , tingttir' differences and matters oT! cpmmon interest to a : General 'XJpiv-: ference composed of delagates ' i rbni; each of the contracting parties, who each agree to take within , its pwji jurisdiction all, m,e.^s.vir,eß,. ne^es* sary to give Effect to tHe ; decision of thfuGeneral Conference. ■ j.r ( . ,(jJaptain Bussell followed, ,an^ tnen the Premier spoke,.".aftey which l^he House adjournedfor supper and on re-assembling' the sitting lapsed foriwant-of a quriim.' • ■"• ; TUESDAYrAuWsT 4. The Speaker took the chair at 2. QO p.m. .■'••■''■ •■••' '■■■: "'.' ! The adjourned debate on the rei port of 'the Committee on- th r 6 • "Wfellington Electric Lighting ■ Bill was resumed by Mr W: Hutchinson, who moved the further adjournment of the question to enable a compromise to be arrived at in the true interests of the • City of Wellington, l Mr Smith opposed;' the adjournjment; The.Premier favoured it ; Mr 'Bryce opposed and on a division the (motion was lost by 86 to 22. | Mr Fis.ber then moved : that the re- T ; port of the;^Jommitteei be not:agrsed to, and the Selection .Committee be (appointed to set up a new committee jto consider the Hill and insert several' !new. clauses, making it unlawful for |the Corporation to part with their Irights,. and enacting that : the Bill 'should not become law without.a disjtinct majority of the burgesses had recorded their votes in favour of !itr. "... ... -. ■ . - , Mr Fish seconded the amendment ; •Captain Bussell opposed it. Mr jHogg supported it, as so did Mr T. JK.:]tfacdonti.ld: • j The amendment was negatived by* '83t024. . I The motion that the report of the ■Select Committee l>e agreed to was khea put,, and carried on the voices

and the Bill was read a third time and passed. The Premier said the f ederatipn , proposals could not be brought forward again unless notice was given in the usual way, but as there was an evident desire on the part of hon. members that the discussion .should be resumed, the Government had no objection to placing a day. &t their disposal. ■'■•''. The Premier informed Mr Buokland that provision, would be made for the payment of those members who had served on the 1 Royal Commissions during the receßS. The Premier in moving the second reading of the Land and Income Assessment Bill, said the principle of the ft'c'oine -Tax' Bill was to ensure complete secrecy>afssras done in the similar English Aci*; but the same precautions were not taken in .regard to land on mortgage. Regulations for the efficient working of the Act at the outset had also been inserted, which would be before the Legislature, although they had not depended on regulations to-fthe same extent ap they were depended* on* in South Australia^ Precauj;ipn,s,had . also been taken againsipeople. : .being - made to pay twice; over; iftndcialflo ,for; : the payments by trustees o{; the: tax. . . leviable on absentees.- There « was .■•..; no periodical assgsstiaent, bui-a. new assessment could he _Jaken>:as: iocca* sipn, They;: re.taineilv.the Boards of Review-, despite the objections: to their working' under the . property -tax, and 'nieasures were taken to keep; 'interested persttnir off them. Instead of providing I ' special machinery, for raising the tax the ordinary law wak relied upon. The Hon, Mr Bryce said he had no very great fault.to.find with the machinery of the" Bill, although it might be rather -vague- in some-par-ticulars. In regard to secrecy things were ' -different in- ; Anierijja .{V the Americans relying on.the fullest publicity as a means of preventing fraud. That might be' repugnant tpjthe feelings of the people of ■..•New' Zealand, but at any rate iirwas considered to wor|£ iadmirably in the Unjted states. Spine ,of the- x'egulatiqns , in; foe j Bill j were, 1 he though", r unnecessaßy i , > a v nd he thpught/topjnauch;^^^ S^ been conferred,dn.%".CJbmn^s,s)9ners by the cjause giving them,, 50^,/?*° make retunds. It w;ou)^ !( ;e^pQse them to suspicion,, which _wou|d be injuriquß to the, carrying ro,ni 6t rthgir functions* . , -;,,; n.;A Mr Scobie Mackenzie . characterised the Bill aa.the, worst drawiuand most tininteHigvble.i6a,t>^ad ever* been presented, tp; the /House, and said that every ghnmjer he had bad ,of its meaning, was ; Jost after th,e premies explanation,^of it, r, r .^ )i:i ' Messrs Bees, Newman,, Thompson and Taylor also spoke. Mt Harjjnesa^nwyed;;the..^djwirnof the debate; whipi)Wifts>/kgreea to, and the House rose at U.55^ v A .- .'!■■■; ■ "