PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 155, 30 June 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellington, Tuesday night. The House met at 2.30. Replying to questions, ifc was stated that the Commissioner of Railways for the South Island had sent in a statement in reply to the charges made in the Civil Service Beport, and that it would be printed and produced. — The Native Commission's report would ba ready along with the evidence in about ten days. — The Waikari Gorge railway line had been reserved for the unemployed, but until the other sections of the line were filled up the work could not be gone on with. — Firewood for locomotives would be more expensive than coal. Further investigations, however, would be made with tbe view of ascertaining if firewood could not be judiciously employed under certain circumstances. — The report was untrue that the plaintiff's solicitors in the Waka Maori libel case bad been paid £800 in excess of the taxed costs, or, in fact, anything in excess of the taxed amount.— ln the present Btate of the colonial finance, the Government could not undertake to place a light on Kaipara Heads. — The first section of the Tapanui railway would be opened in a week. — The total amount credited to the railway department for special trains for Ministers from the lst July, 1878, to the Ist July, 1879, was £455. — Suggestions would be got from the Education Boards with the view of providing a uniform series of examination papers, so aB to have questions given in accordance with the standards issued by the Education Department, and under which children attending the public schools of the colony are classified and taught. — The amount paid to the solicitors in the Waka Maori case was £3160. Major Atkinson gave notice that he would, on Thursday, ask for an imprest supply for public purposes. The Representation Bill was introduced and read the first time, and the second reading made an order of the day for Thursday. The eight days debate on fche no-confidence motion was resumed by Mr Speight. He contended that attempts had been made to mislead them re the operations of the property tax. They were told that it would not fall on a third of the population. Thafc might be true as a direct levy, but as an indirect levy the tax would have to he borne by every member of the community, as enterprise would be restricted. What he mainly complained of was that retrenchment had not preceded taxation. That had not been done, and although the Government saw and acknowledged the necessity for retrenchment, they professed that it could not be carried out until next session. It could .be given effect to at once, and until it was done no taxation should be imposed. The debate was adjourned at 5.30. Wednesday. Mr Fulton continued the debate, defending the Property Tax, hut regretting the exemptions. Major Te. Wheoro objected to taxation which would drive people out of the colony. Too muoh money was spent by every Government in rewarding their supporters. The West Coast defence expenditure was unnecessary, and so was the cost of keeping the Maori prisoners in Dunedin. - Mr Gibbs supported the Property and Beer Taxes] and approved jof / the proposed scheme for dealing with the local bodies. Mr Tainui objected altogether to Maor lands being taxed, and condemned the Native Lands Bills. . . ' - '- Mr Andrews strongly objected to the propertyji'tax, and urged an income tax. / He dwelt at length on the necessity for stern retrenchments beginning with themselves end their officers, whose salaries should be reduced" to the former scale. \ / Mr Allwright supported the Government policy, asserting .'that the Ministexal side of jthe House^wer& the 'true -Liberals,- and ; stating-that L he had found the Grey party, to belinsincefe in their professions of Liberalism. Mr G. McLean': attacked . the policy and ■ administration of the late Government, and ■■■ ' -

supported most of the present one. He supported the JProperty Tax as the fairest that could be imposed, and ridiculed the idea of its driving capital and people from the colony. He denied thafc the Customs duties pressed with undue severity on the poor men only. He approved of the Beer Tax because it was unavoidable in the circumstances of the colony. He advocated severe retrenchment, beginning with themselves by the reduction of the honorarium by one-half. The Volunteer expenditure should also be reduced, but the defence expenditure on the West Coast, he thought, was necessary for the present, and the colony Bhould be proud of the force assembled then. He appro ;ed of the Dative land proposals of the Government. He was speaking when the House rose at 12 30.