PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1310, 18 June 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Wellington, June 17,

In the Legislative Council to-day,

After some minor and routine business had been disposed of Mr. Wilson moved. That it is the duty of' the Government to purge the Commission of the Peace of all insolvents and other unsuitable people. A. discussion ensued in which several members blamed all Governments for not purging the Commission through fear of unpopularity, and also said that men of honor, and character would not sit or accept the Commission on account of the bad state of the roll. ' Colonel Brett said a man was on the roll who had been convicted of sly grogselling in Hawke's Bay.

Mr. Whitaker said it would be unfair to make ex parte facts law, but the rule to compel all insolvents to resign in future would be adhered to. The motion was eventuallv carried.

Mr. Scotland moved that for the credit of the Colony, and for the advantage of both races, it is expedient that steps be taken to satisfy all recognised native claims to any portion of confiscated land on the West Coast, in accordance with the advice offered the Governor by the Royal Commission. Mr. Sootland said the people of Taranaki kept up the Maori scare, and made the most of" it to get the Government money to live on, instead of raising exports. Mr. Whitaker moved the previous question, and said it would be injudicious to discuss the matter then. , Sir F. D. Bell bore witness to the assistance given the Commission by settlers ion the West Coast..

The previous question was carried. ' The Moorhouse Services Recognition Bill was read a first time. The Gaming Bill was recommitted, and an amendment made that on being applied to for permits for totalisators and art unions, the Colonial Secretary should refer to the local Resident Magistrates before deciding.

In the House of Representatives today, ; Capt. Russell presented a petition from 145 persons,' members of the Working Men's Clubs, pointing out the hardships imposed on these institutions by the proposed Licensing Bill. Mr. Lundon moved that further" leave of absence be granted for a week to Mr, Sheehan.

• he application was granted. Replying to Mr. Stevens, Mr. Hall said it would have cost the Colony last year L 59,000 gross for the conveyance of mails via Suez if the San Francisco contract had not been in force, or L 21,000 nett. The San Francisco service cost L7OOO nett. :

Replying to Mr. Gisborne, Major Atkinson said the Government had under consideration, and he hoped this session to be able to introduce a Bill that would deal with the whole question of the more effective audit of the accounts of local bodies.

Mr. Barron asked what, steps the Government have taken to punish the person who improperly obtained from the Treasury LIOOO by means of a fraudulent voucher purporting to be signed by three natives interested in land at Waimate for the purchase of which Government was negotiating, such natives having no interest in the land as alleged, and not having received any of the money, as proved by the Hon. the Native Minister, and reported by that hon. gentleman to the House on the 15th inst., and whether such person is still in the service of the Government.

Mr. Bryce replied that the party referred to was still in the Government service, and no steps had been taken for his punishment. The proof of the act was not before him until about eight days before the session commenced, and he did not think he would have heard of the transaction at all but for the labors of the West Coast Commission. The matter was now under the consideration of the Government.

Replying to Mr. Barron, Mr. Bryce said he would furnish a statement of the amounts charged against Patrea, and the dates of the vouchers for each item, as referred to by him in this House on the 15th inst.

Mr. George asked when the system of obtaining blank vouchers from natives, who were presumed to have interests in lands for sale was first practised by Government officials, and if they had authority from the Government of the day for so doing. Mr; Bryce replied. The first time he heard of the system was about Ohristma,s last. Previous to that time he had no conception that such a state of things existed.

Replying to Mr. Hurst, Mr. Rolleston said he. had not been able to get information relative to the allegation that the Waste Lands Board of Otago had leased a run of 6000 acres for the sole purpose of breeding rabbits. He saw that some large runs lately in the occupation of the Hon. R. Campbell had been leased, but for what purpose he could not say. The law ou the subject of the rabbit nuisance would, however, be rigidly enforced. Replying to Mr. Seddon, Major Atkinson said that in counties -where Road Boards had been merged, they would' be empowered to levy a rate up to ten per cent, on annual value.

Mr. Sutton moved that, in order to insure the mosfc effective system of local government at the least cost of management, it is desirable that the relative positions of Counties and Road Boards should be put upon a more satisfactory footing—(l) That the Counties Act be amended, and all Road Board, or Highway Provincial Acts repealed and highway districts abolished. (2) That each County shall be subdivided into Ridings, and each Riding reconstituted into Road Boards. (3). That the Road Board shall be. the only rating body, and that its duties shall be the construction and repair of all roads and drains within its borders, the construction of ail small bridges, and all other works ,of a local nature. (4) That County Councils shall consist of the Chairman of each Road Board by virtue of his position. (5) That the revenue of the County shall be the rents, license fees, &c., at present pay? able, and the right to levy pro rata upon all Road Boards for. such further amounts as may be required. (6) That the duties of the Council shall be the construction of large bridges, assisting Road Boards by providing engineering assistance when required, to provide for local contributions to hospitals and charitable institutions, with power to alter boundaries of Ridings, and exercise general supervision over the Road Boards. (7) .That the Government be requested to bring in a Bill during this session to give effect to these resolutions.

Mr. Hall recognised the importance of the subject, and had a Bill in type on the subject of these Boards. He was afraid he would not be able to make a definite suggestion on the point this session. He did not think it 'would work well to confine those local roads to Road Boards. He did not think it would be wise to abolish Road Boards altogether, as had been sug--gested by some speakers. Captain Russell disagreed with the proposal to make Road Boards the only rating bodies. Each of the bodies should have power to strike its own rate, but only one valuation should be made. Instead of advertising as at present for valuators, the work should be entrusted to responsible persons at high rates of. salary. This was the most important part of the ; work devolving, on these bodies, and he . was. afraid its importance was not always recognised. . The question that the debate be adjourned for a week was then put and carried. ... .

On the motion of Mr. Hamlin, it was agreed that a return be laid on the table

of the House showing how the sum of L 50,000 voted last session for roads and works in the North Island, has been expended, such return to name each County aud Road Board to which money has been paid. The adjourned debate on the question that a Select Committee be appointed to consider the best means of encouraging the settlement of the industrial classes upon the waste lands of the Colony ; and further, what help and encouragement may be properly extended by Government to those who desire to take up small sections of land, was resumed by Mr. Andrews, who spoke at considerable length. Mr. Holies ton said that the most unfair accusations had been made against him by the rtiember for Wanganui (Mr. Baliance). The fact was that Since he (Mr. Rolleston) had come into office. 174,000 acres of land had been brought under the operation of the deferred payment system, lie denied that he had ever been guilty of evasion in negotiations opened up by the Wanganui Working Men's Club. It was impossible for him to deal with a body who had no corporate existence. They asked for a concession it was impossible for Government to comply with. Government had given facilities to these parties, both by steamboat and rail, to take upland. Then as regards the Wellington Association; he had given them the best advice he could for getting on' it under better conditions than those provided by the special settlement claims. They were advised that these offers were more advantageous, and many of them had taken advantage of these offers. . The Wanganui Association applied for a block of 2000 acres, which was not in the hands of Government at all. That body was also told that Government could not deal with it until it became an associated body. The debate was'interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. On the House resuming, Mr. Hall moved that all the orders of the day be postponed so as to enable Sir George Grey to move the second reading of the Bill to repeal the Property Assessment and Property Tax Acts. Dr. Wallis opposed the motion, which was carried on the voices. . .

Sir George Grey then moved that the Bill be discharged. The Government having taken this as a vote of want of confidence, he proposed to move such a vote on a much broader basis. He would ask leave to move instead, that the financial proposals Of the Government are not as a whole adapted to promote the welfare of New Zealand. Mr. Hall said the House had reason to complain of the course adopted. They had come there to discuss that Bill, which affected the welfare of the country, and without any explanation whether the member in whose name it stood proposed to withdraw it. He felt bound to oppose the motion for discharge.

Sir George Grey asked that Government would consent to accept the-no-confidence motion, and allow it to be discussed tomorrow. After a little discussion,

Mr. Hall said that if they would go to a division on the Bill, and get it disposed of, he would then be prepared to go into Committee of Supply, in order that the no-confidence motion might be brought on with as little delay as possible. Sir G. Grey said he had no objection that the vote be taken on the motion for discharge, provided the Government would at once go into Committee of Supply to the no-confidence motion. After some further discussion, Sir G. Grey, without remark, moved the second reading of the Bill. Mr. G. Beetham moved that it be read that day six months. This was carried on a division by 41 to 29 and the Bill was therefore shelved.

Major Atkinson moved that the House go into Committee of Supply. Sir G. Grey moved as an amendment that the.financial proposals of the Government as a whole are not adapted to promote the welfare of New Zealand. His position was one of extraordinary difficulty. Government had just shown its strength, and his task was almost hopeless. The wealth of the country was arrayed against him, but beyond the walls of the House a vast majority were in favor of the proposal he made. The Premier of this country was, to his mind, a vampire sucking the blood of his victims while fanning them to rest with his wings. Members knew this tax fell upon the consumers. Take wool: The wool is first taxed on the sheep's back, it is then taxed in the hands of the merchant, and consequently it is doubly taxed. When it goes into the hands of the manufacturer, then, again, the machinery of the manufacturer was taxed ; and lastly, when they went to the retail dealer, the clothes were again taxed. Then the poor deluded bumpkins of Leeston would buy them, and would find out how much they had been deluded. It was a tax that would fall on the man who invested his own capital in the country, but the man who did not invest his own money but some one else's beyond the Colony would escape. That was a tax that had never been introduced into any British Colony. Better a tax paid on the necessaries of life than thi3 tax. In that case the duty, thus paid would not bear cumulative interest. The tax was 'unequal, and.it was a premium for dishonesty.. The Treasurer told them that it was necessary on account of the repeal of the land tax, and the deficiency in the Treasury. Whence came that deficiency? He attributed this depression to want of foresight in the day of their prosperity. If they had years ago done what they were now doing—reduce their own salaries, impose a beer tax, reduce the civil service, &c.—some of the difficulties in which they were now placed would not have arisen. Then the Treasurer spread abroad a report prejudicial to the Colony. More than the truth was told, and the credit of the Colony was destroyed purely for party purposes. He then reviewed the financial proposals in detail. The subsidies were to be swept away, and the Government proposed in lieu thereof that a law should be passed enabling local bodies to tax native and waste lands, and to put their hands into their pockets and tax themselves to the extent of 2s per £. Then again it was proposed to restrict their borrowing powers. They were not restricted in the same way in other colonies. Then again it was proposed to rate Europeans for the purpose of paying rates for the . natives. He said, let it be understood that the .native lands receiving benefits from taxation shall be fairly rated, and the native would cheerfully pay it. He sympathised with the people in the south called upon ta provide for such an unfair tax. He could not understand the proposed tax on the Crown lands. Why not pay the direct subsidy instead of resorting to this roundabout method. " Then again a Works Board was to be constituted, with a certain number of paid officials. Why establish another great department ? He saw no reason for interfering with their local bodies. He ridiculed the idea of ,local bodies being placed in leading strings as was proposed, to be done by the establishment of .this Central Board. In the arrangement for District Boards they had another extraordinary provision. It was designed to promote a perfect scramble by their local bodies. So non* sensical a scheme never before entered the head of any sane body of men. He next reviewed the charitable aids proposals. A pamper system, was to be established throughout the Colony. A poorla,w was unnecessary in New Zealand, and it would tend to ruin the population ; it was calculated" to lower the character of the population. He contrasted the state of matters in this respect in France and England, the former being- a charitably :§ystem.iij the true sense of the '

while the latter was a pauper system. The reason of this difference was that France had not less than 5,500,000 landowners, whereas the other was held by a few persons. He went on to denounco the Government as to their impropriety in allowing Chinese immigration at a time when the labor market was literally glutted. Unless these and tho otlior abuses to which New Zealand was subjected were at once checked, things would go from bad to worse, and the burden would be rendered utterlv unbearable.

Before imposing a tax of this kind, the voice of .the country ought to have been heard. He challenged them to go to tho country, stating that if they did so tho Government would be forgiven. Tho time would come when they must of necessity lament in bitterness and woe what they had done. He could imagine them crying out in bitterness. " Woe is me that ever I gridironed, that ever I was instrumental in destroying the prospects of this fair land." Let them bring down amended financial proposals; let them do away with the Agent-General's, department, the Legislative Council, tho Governor's salary, and not attack tho Civil Service 'alone. Let them do thesa things, and they would yet gain tho confidence and respect of the land. But no ; they would not do that. Then ho would tell. them that there were a few in their midst who would never cease in their efforts to secure their objects, no. matter what abuse might be heaped on them ; no matter what adverse newspaper, criticism was hurled at them, still they would fight the good, the noble fight. Everything he had seen convinced him they were not intending to do justice to the people at large. When the appoal came to be made to the people they were determined to get such a Parliament returned as would respect the true rights of: the people. Mr. Hall characterised the speech as. weak and transparently in error. They had not had a single word about what tho> speech professed, viz, the finances of the colony. The speech commenced with . a studied insult to tho majority in that House. It was lamentable to see an elderly gentleman, who had arrived at a time of life when his passions were cooled, come down and use tho language he had done, simply because tho House would not consent to satisfy hia lust for power or office. He had been de-' nounced as a vampire and a juggler. That did not hurt him, but he objected to'tho abuse heaped on his constituents whom he had called a deluded people and. country bumpkins. He would only retort by saying that the Thames constituencywere very worthy people, but they had a. very happy lcnacic of coming to that House, for rather more than their fair share of the public expenditure. That was more than could be said of tho muoh maligned Leeston constituency. They had very little of the public expenditure and very little was heard of them in that Houbo. They had had labored explanations of the opera--tions of this tax. Now he would like to. know what difference it made whether tho money was taken in the name of a property or an income-tax. They were challenged to go to the country. Now, ho would ask, does the hon, member think they have no memory at all. Within the last nine months they had been to the country, and the property tax was discussed as against the land tax then. Again, about the,reduction of Ministers* salaries. Did the hon. gentleman, when he was in office, reduce his own salary 1 He believed it would bo found that tho hon. member had drawn from the public funds more than he (the Premier) did. If that did not satisfy the country of tho utter insinoerity of the hon. member nothing would. They had been challenged to reduce the Civil Service, but what had the hon. member done when he was in office 1 Why, he had increased that service and otherwise augmented tho burden he now complains of. What they profess to do in the matter of taxing native lands, was to pavo the way towards teaching the native mind that theirproperties must eventually bear their fair share of the responsibility of the State. On former ocoasions the Government had been charged with living upon bribes, and now that they delegated the control of local affairs to a local board outside Government influence alto-* gether, his complaints were equally bitter. It was not true that they had taken off the laud tax as asserted. The faot was that they had doubled the land tax. They were charged with having spent largo sums of money to benefit large landed estates. What did the hon. member do when he was in office ? He borrowed all he could, and when he oould borrow no more, he actually spent money before it was borrowed. They were told that they should have stopped immigration. Tho faot was that when they got into office they found engagements for tho despatch of immigrants months doep, and they sent Home by telegram within a week after, getting into office to send no more immigrants. Then, again, the hon. member sent Home for 6000 pauper immigrants. That showed the reckless state of things they had to face when they came into office. The simple question was, should they go o.yt of office and let the hon. gentleman go in, What had tho hon. gentleman done when he was in office. He was to emancipate the 600Q serfs, and do ever so many great things j they were to get electoral reforms, a liberal land law, and yet nothing at all had come out of all these specious promises. That was tho use they had mado of their lease of political power, and they were now asked to renew that lease. Tho present Government had saved tho country from the brink of political ruin. Mr. George announced hia intention of voting against the Government, as ho thought that the proposals were utterly unsatisfactory, and that the savings were entirely delusive and not real. Mr. Moss moved the adjournmet of the debate, stating that the Opposition was not in a position to conduot the debate as it should be.

Mr. Hall accepted the proposal for adjournment, and suggested that the Houso should sit on Saturday and Monday to finish the debate.