PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 145, 18 June 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellington, Thursday night. The House met at 2.30. Mr Eussell presented a petition from members of Working Men's Clubs as to hardships the imposed on these institutions by the proposed Licensing Bill. Replying to questions, Ministers stated that a petition from the natives resident at Kohekolie, Waikato, about bringing into operation the Native Licensing Act, 1878, was received last June, but was found to be informal as it did not comply with section 3 of the Act. The Government was in favor of bringing the Act iuto operation, but had to abide by the law on the subject.- It would cost £8000 per annum to confer on the North Island a system of University education of the same standard as that enjoyed by Otago and Canterbury, besides £25,000 for buildings, and the Government could not sanction this in the present financial state of the colony.— lt would have cost £50,000 (?) 'ant year for conveyance of mails by Suez if the San Francisco contract had not been in operation. The San Francisco service cost £7000 net, and the cost of the Suez service would have been £21,000. — The Government recognised the request of the Thames Borough Council to hand over the Grahams- ' town and Tararua tramway in accordance with arrangements entered into by a late Superintendent of Auckland, and steps would be taken this session to do so. — The Government proposed this session making provision for the more effective audit of the accounts of the local bodies.— Eroof had only been obtained a few days before the Parliament met of the conduct of the person who improperly obtained £1000 by means of fraudulent vouchers purporting to be signed by three natives interested in land at Waimate, for the purchase of which the Government was negotiating, such natives having no interest in the land as alleged, and not having received any of the money as reported by the Native Minister to the House on the 15th inst. The information was elicited through the West Coast Commission, and the matter was under the consideration of the Government wish the view of furnishing the way of punishing the offender, who was still in the service.— ln the present state of the finances the Government could not undertake to extend the telegraphic system from Christchurch to Summer.— The Civil Service Commission's report would i?e ready in the course of the week.— The system Cf obtaining blank vouchers from natives presumed to be interested in land for sale first came to the knowledge of the Government last Christmas. Previous to thatihey had no idea that such a thing could have existed. — The Government was not aware that a run of 60,000 acres had been let for the purpose of breeding rabbits. The law on the subject, however, would be strictly enforced.— ln Counties where Road Boards had been merged they would be empowered to levy a rate up to ten per cent on the annual value of the waste lands. Mr Sutton moved that, to ensure the most effective system of local Government at the least cost of management, it is desirable that the relative positions of the -Counties and R Boards should be put upon a more ictory footing, and (1) That thg Counct be amended, and all JRok&ißoard or Jay Provincial Acts be repealed, and ignway Districts, abolished $ ; (2) That bounty shall be sub-divided into Ridings, and each Riding reconstituted into a Road Board j (3) That the Road Board shall b@ tfae only rating body, a,n.d, $&(■ »tg duties*

shall be the construction of all small bridges and all other works of a local nature j (4) That the County Council Bhall consist of the Chairman of each Road Board by virtue of his position ; (5) That the revenue of the County shall be the rents, licenses, fees, &c, at present payable, and a right to levy pro rata upon all the Road Boards for such further amonnts as may be required ; (6) That the duties of the Council shall be the construction of large bridges ; assisting the Road Boards by providing engineering assistance when required j to provide for the local contribution to hospitals and charitable institutions, with power to alter the boundaries of Hidings, and to exercise a general supervision over the Road Boards ; (7) That the Government be requested to bring in a Bill during the session to give effect to these resolutions. Mr Hall said that, pending the discussion which would take place on the financial proposals, it would be unwise to press the motion at present. At the same time the Government recognised the importance of the question raised. -. The debate was adjourned for a week. The adjourned debate was resumed on the motion that a Select Committee be appointed to consider the best means for encouraging the settlement of the industrial classes on the waste lands. | Replying to Mr Ballance, Mr Rolleston | said his efforts in the direction of settlement on the lands had been grossly misrepresented. He denied having been guilty of evasion in the applications made by the Wanganui and Wellington Small Farms Association. These . bodies *not being incorporated, it was impossible for the Government to deal with them. Wanganui applied for a block of 2000 acres which was not in the hands of the Government at all, but every effort' had been made, as the correspondence produced showed, to provide for their requirements so far as the Government could, having due regard to the importance of the policy of settlement as a whole. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. Friday. The House resumed at 7.33 last night. Sir George Grey, on being called to move the second readiug of the Property Tax Repeal Bill, said that the Government had said they would treat the matter as a vote of want.of confidence. This was not fair, as he would be confined to the four corners of his Rill instead of traversing the whole policy of the Government. He, therefore, asked that the Bill might be discharged and that he might without notice be allowed to move " That the financial proposals of the Government are not, as a whole, calculated to promote the welfare of New Zealand." Mr Hall objected strongly to thi3 proceeding, which, be said, was an unfair surprise. Leave to discharge the Bill was refused and Sir George Grey then, without remark, moved the second readiug. Mr Beetham moved that it be read that day six months. The House divided and the amendment was carried by 41 to 29. Major Atkinson then moved that the House go into Committee of Supply. Sir G. Grey moved a want of confidence motion as an amendment. He said he knew the majority of the House and the wealthy classes were opposed to him, but he believed the great majority of the people were with him. He strongly condemned the property tax as in every respect unfair, declaring that even a tax on the necessaries of life would be preferable, as it would not be magnified by so many cumulative charges. He described the Government as a vampire, sucking the life blood of the colony. He revieved the Government financial proposals at length, and strongly condemned them, especially the proposal to tax Europeans to pay the rates on native lands, which was calculated to produce ill feeling between the races. If the Maori lands were rated in proportion to the benefit they derived from public works, the natives would not object to pay their own taxes. The proposed Board to keep the local bodies in leading strings was most nonsensical. Finally he challenged Ministers to appeal to the country on their proposals, as by proper retrenchment the necessity for further taxation could be obviated. Mr Hall replied, saying that Sir G. Grey's speech was just the old story. He defended the Government proposals, and contrasted the results of the Grey Administration with what had been accomplished by the present Government. He accused Sir G. Grey of insincerity and failure in every respect. He had not retrenched ; he had abandoned his Liberal reforms because he could not get them entirely his way ; and he had tried to burke the Liberal Land Law for some reason of his own. The question now at issue was whether the present Ministry should retain office or Sir G. Grey come back. The constituencies had practically expressed their opinion on that subject last year, and he was sure of the support of fhe House. Mr Seymour George strongly opposed the Government financial proposals. Mr George McLean denied that as a Chairman of the Union S.S. Company he had in any way induced the Government to exempt shipping from the property tnx. Mr Moss moved the adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at 12.5 a.m. — , . - r