HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 182, 31 August 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wellington, Fridav. In the House of Representatives, replying to a question, the Government said, they did not intend to introduce a Bill this session for abolishing grand juries. Mr Fox pointed out an error in the Land Tax Bill, which puts a halfpenny per £100 instead of a halfpenny per £. Mr Ballance said it was an obvious printers error, Mr Sheehan will make his statement on Native matters on Tuesday. Mr Ballance said the complete census returns will not be ready before next session but the agricultural returns would be ready in a few days. Nine more Bills for endowing harbors were read a first time, j Mr Ballance informed the House that on Monday next ho would ask for another Imprest Supply. I In reply to a question it was said the Agent-General was informed of the proposed reduction of the duty on sugar, and i that the bonus offered regarding beet sugar j was cot withdrawn. Some discussion ensued over the Disqualification Bill, No. 2. MiMcLean said the Attoruey-General ought to have taken the House into his Confidence, ai.d that the Bill was really for the indemnification of Members of the Executive, who held their seats illegally. Mr Stout said he had no objection to strike out that clause altogether. Mr Barton made a vehement speech against the Bill. It did not disqualify wool growers who came to the House and voted in a block for the retention of lands of the Crown, which they fattened on, and prevented poor men getting into the House by voting against payment of members. The Bill was read a second time, Mr Barff alone protesting, and as it was a matter of urgency the House went; into committee, but was interrupted in getting the Bill through by 5.30. b 3 Mr Reeves asked if the Government intended to call for tenders for a pack-horse mail service, between Fox Hill and Hampden, once weekly. Mr Fisher said that when the road was passable, the Government intended to call for tenders again. Saturday. On the House resuming last night, Mr Ballance, in moving the second reading of the Land Tax Bill, delivered a long and argumentative speech, justifying all the Government proposals and adducing a quantity of statistics in support of his arguments. He did not confine his remarks to the Land Tax Bill, but touched upon all matters connected with the general scheme of Government finance, and invited a free debate on the whole question. He spoke for over an hour and a quarter, and sat down amidst applause. He was followed by Mr Wooleock, who replied in detail to many of the arguments of the Treasurer, whose proposals he held to be merely tinkering with the tariff. He especially combatted the imposition of the tax on Joint Stock Companies and Loan Societies as unjust and repressive of the industry and enterprise of the colony. Mr Saunders heartily supported the principle of tbe Bill, but took strong objections j to many of the details, and to some of the : taxes imposed in the other Government I Bill. Mr De Lautour strongly supported all I the Government measures in a very long speech. I Mr Sutton said he calculated that all that j the remission of taxes in the tariff on neces- ' sities of life amounted to was 2s 9d per head. | The debate and House adjourned at 12.20