PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 195, 18 August 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Friday. The House met at 2.30 this afternoon. Replying to questions, Ministers stated— (1) that Southern railway extension north of Amberley hild not been settled; (2) that no memorial complaining of the misconduct of Mr Bird, Resident Magistrate at Okarito, had been received; (3) that it was not intended to introduce any Bill affecting the rabbit nusiance; (4) that the Government would enquire into the coast of completing a direct telegraph line from Invercargill to Queenstown; (5) that it was not intended to introduce a Government, Bill to amend the Chiistchurch drainage. The City of Auckland Loans Consolidation and the City of Auckland Endowments and Reserves Bills were introduced. On the resumed debated on Mr Woolcock's motion upon the incidence of taxation, Mr Bowen said the Government fully concurred in the propriety of throwing a fair share of the burdens of the country on property ; but it was impossible to make any change this year. lie moved as an amendment — " That, in the opinion of this House, the incidence of taxation should be adjusted so as to impose on property a fair share of the burdens entailed on the colony by the expenditure on public WjOi-ks, thereby affording means for the reducion of taxation on necessaries ; and that the fiiiaucial proposals of the Government next session should embody this principle." The Speaker ruled that the amendment was out of order. Mr Manders supported Mr Woolcock's potion. Mr Reynolds warmly supported a tax on all descriptions of property above a certain value, but he feared even this would notenable any great remissions in other directions, as the revenue was not equal to the expenditure, Mr Bunny strongly supported a property tax — one on all descriptions of property; but while one province was rolling in wealth { t'fopi rhe land fund, others would not submit U> be Ja^ed, Having now one colony and one ( lovemm&Lt P gne purse must and would \ be insisted oti - Mr Trovers c'nected to fncre.aspd taxafion until all other sources °^ revenue jvjjrp exhausted. The colony niib t uIIV(J possession of the whole revenue, and no * <ur tl»er compromise on the subject was possible Til «re must be one purse for the whole colony" ( Mr button supported the motion. Property anisSttS 011317 *™°I&*Z Mr Lumsden objected to taxing industry and enterprise, and therefore opposed the motion?

Mr Fisher thought the time had now come to face the question of taxation. Subsidies to local bodies out of loan could not be continued. He objected to a common purse op the North sharing the Southern land fund Mr Woolcock's amendment being carried on the voices, Sir George Grey moved a further amendment —"That an income and property tax be at once imposed to relieve the people of the colony from customs duties on the necessaries of life." He maintained tnat duties to the extent of £359,000 a year could be immediately remitted if an acreage land tax were imposed; expenditure could be reduced, and the land fund made colonial revenue after a due proportion had been apportioned to local purposes. The debate was interrupted by 5 30. m -it Saturday. lno House resumed at 7.40, when Sir G. Grey continued his speech. He would create a colonial laud fund by taking 25 per cent of all land revenue, including native land, care being taken, however, that the Natives obtained by auction and in a similar way to the Government the full value, without the int3rveution of speculators. This would with new taxes add" a million a year to the revenue, against £3,590,000 (?) taken off the Customs, and yet render the taxation far easier to the majority of the taxpayers. If the Government did not do this he saw many men around him whom he would be glad to follow in doing it. Mr Macandrew urged the immediate adoption of such a beneficial policy. He would prefer an acreage contribution of say 2s 6d, going into the colonial chest to a per centaee on the land fund. Major Atkinson defended the accuracy of his figures in the Finaecial Statement He was glad that Sir G. Grey had adranced a definite policy, as the House could judge between that policy and his own. If the House preferred Sir G. Grey'a he could immediately take office and ace if he could change the whole policy of the colony in a few hours. Property already contributed largely to the taxation of the country A property tax of Is Jn the £ for the whole colony would only yield £130,000. • Sir G. Grey's figures were eutirely fallacious. Th 6 operation of the Inscription of Stock Act would relieve the colony from the sinking fund. He had fulfilled every pledge given two years ago, and by a prudent far-seeing policy had got the country into a position to do without further present taxation. The I Government would stand on their policy as against Sir G. Grey's. Mr Montgomery criticised the Financial Statement, asserting its figures to be in mauy respects delusive. The necessities of the colony would soon force the land fund into the colonial chest. Sir George Grey' 3 proposals were sound in principle, as a fair share of the public burthen should be placed on the proper shoulders immediately. Mr Stout accused the Ministry of shuffling on this question as well as on the Native Land one. They would agree to do anything next year if left in office for tbis one. Mr Bowen's proposal was a complete reversal of the Government policy, and every word Major Atkinson had said was an argument against it. He strongly condemned the whole past policy of the Ministry, and supported the imposition of a property tax this session. Mr Harper opposed taxing property, as the country had not been consulted It : would drive capital away. Until the' land was sold property should not be taxed. Property already bore its fair share of the public burthens. Mr Pyke condemned the Customs duties and supported a property and income tax. Mr Rees thought the couutry was ripe for a change in its fiscal policy. If the Government doubtedit let them appeal to the country. Mr Hunter maintained that the Financial Statement gave a fair account of the position of the colony, if a property tax was imposed owners would have either to employ less labor or to reduce wages. Property should only be taxed by local bodies for local Durposes. He would prefer an income to a land tax. Mr Hodgkinson supported Sir George Grey's proposals. Mr Murray moved the adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at 12 20 a.m.