HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Manawatu Herald, 30 July 1896, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday. The Electrical Motive Power Bill was read a first time.

Many questions were asked and answered.

Just as the House was on the point of adjourning for dinner the Leader of the Opposition gave notice to move the following motion : —

" That the administration, of the Government has been unsatisfactory; that while they have professed to have abstained trom borrowing, the public debt has been increased be* tween 81st March, 1891, and 81st March, 1896, by £4,928.581 ; that in seizing the sinking funds of the local bodies they have defeated the intention of the Loans to Local Bodies Act, and have used for the purposes of revenue the capital sums specially provided by the ratepayers for the purpose of paying off their loins, and are depleting the Land Transfer Assurance Fund for a similar purpose ; that the alterations in the Customs and Excise Duties Act, 1895, passed by the Government, have imposed further taxation upon the people and increased the charges upon the necessaries of life."

The Premier said if the Leader of the Opposition elected to discuss the matter the following day at 2.30, he would move the adjournment until then.

The Leader of the Opposition assented to this arrangement.

The Premier, in moving that the House adjourn until 2.80 on Wednesday, said his reason for doing so was that he regarded the notice of motion as being a straight-out motion of want of confidence. He could not take it in any other way.

The House then adjourned until 2 80 p.m.

Wednesday. The following new Bills were introduced and read a first time :— Lunatic Asylums Board of Enquiry ; Orchard and Garden Pests Bill ; Rabbit proof Wire netting Fences Bill ; City of Auckland Loans Cos* solidation Act, 1879, and the City of Auckland Additional Loan Act, 1888, Amendment Bill, Factories Act Amendment Bill ; Tobacco Act Amendment Bill ; and Eight Houra Bill.

The ltader of the Opposition moved the motion of which he had given notice, and said his first reason for moving it was that the public might have an opportunity of knowing the views of the Opposition on the errors, of administration of the Government, and, secondly, that the public might know which of the members had carried out their election pledges.

The Premier followed and said the debate was merely to give the Opposition an opportunity of deliver* ing their Budget speeches. In conconcluding he asserted they had made good progress in the last five year3 ; they were in the van of other colonies, and he was proud to say there had never been a backward movement. What they had done was in the interests of the country ; they had all the monopolists against them, and they would like to see the Liberal Party disintegrated, but they werrdoiDg their duty fearlessly and honestly, and though they might make mistakes they were doing that which they believed to be in the interests of the Colony.

Dr Newman, Mr Hogg, Sir Robert Stout, Messrs Morrison, Buchanan and Maslin also spoke and Q. W. Russell moved the adjournment of ' the debate.