PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1314, 23 June 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Wellington, June 22.

In the Legislative Council to-day, Mr. Waterhouse gave notice to ask if the Government have authorised any further inscription of stock, and Sir F. D. Bell to ask if Sir J. Yogel is entitled to any commission on the conversion of the last loans; . "

Mr. Mantell moved the second reading of the Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Bill. •

On a division, 16 voted for the Bill and 12 against. The result was received with cheers for the Bill.

' The Dog Registration Bill, Brands and Branding Bill, and Wellington Racing Club Bill "were passed through Committee.

Mr. Peters gave notice to introduce the Deceased Husband's Brother's Marriage Bill, (Laughter.)

In the House of Representatives today, Messrs. Macandrew, Stewart, Barron, Dick, M'Lean, and Fulton presented a petition from storekeepers in Otago praying that the bottle license be renewed in the new Licensing Bill, and suggested that, with the view of preventing the abuse of the system, increased fees be charged; and from residents in Otago praying for its retention as a great public convenience.

Replying to Mr. Murray as to what the Public "Works Department had done to carry out the recommendation of the Colonial Industries Committee, Mr. Oliver said that the department should endeavor to use in the public works cement made from materials known to exist in many parts of the Colony; that cement had been made from stone got at Taranaki, and found to be valueless. There were no manufactories of cement in New Zealand.

Mr. George asked if the Mr. H. Houghton, who had been recently appointed the Superintendent of the Government Insurance Department at Dunedin is the same person who was gazetted as a bankrupt in the Otago Daily Times on the 4th May, and if he is the same person whether he has received his discharge from the Court. Major Atkinson replied that the person referred to was one and the same. Mr. Houghton had been recommended by three Dunedin Commissioners. His bankruptcy had been annulled a month before the appointment. Mr. Fox asked if it is intended to take any, and what steps to recover the sum of L3OO paid to Mr. Rees under the arrangements made by the late Government on which the Controller and Auditor-General has reported that it was paid without proper authority, and that the officer paying the same cannot be legally discharged thereof. Mr. Hall replied that the expense had been incurred prior to the last session, when the Public Account Committee dealt with the matter. The auditors had reported the course then reoommended to be impracticable, and the Government had now taken steps to refer the matter back to the Public Account Committee.

Replying to Mr. Reeves, Mr. Oliver said it was calculated that it would take L3OO to extinguish fire in a coal seam at Canoe Creek, at Greymouth- And as the quality of the coal was indifferent, it was not deemed advisable to incurr the expenge, The no-confidence debate was resumed by Dr. Wallis. He protested against the growth of protection under the guise of encouraging native industries.

Mr. Gisborne criticised the various political changes which characterised the career of the member far Waitemata(Mr. Reader Wood.) In orying up the credit of the Ministry he oried down the credit of the colony. His speech read on the Stock Exchange of London would operate seriously against the colony. Because the railways and other public works undertaken did not return a certain percentage, they were to be put down, The natural result of such a process of reasoning would be that every system,-social or political, would be put down, the education schemes, etc., and, in fact, the lion. • member would end in putting down humanity itself, simply beoause it did not return-eont, per oent. Whatever error or accidents in its administration may have occurred, the public works policy of 1870 was a great, statesmanlike policy, and had done much towards the advancement of the Colony. The Colony, whatever might be its temporary depression, was sound at heart, and would yet rise superior to temporary difficulties. A saving meant a reduction in the permanent cost of. Government, and not a refusal to spend this or that vote authorised by Parliament. He criticised the items set down in the estimates to show that the saving for which Government took credit was chiefly of this class. It meant that certain subsidies had not been paid, but that these subsidies would have to be paid. Que might Just as well grant a promissory note for his debt, and then claim that he had eQboted a moneysaving, Tlie real saving did not exceed some LfQQQ or LBOQQ in departmental expenses, This was all. The whole fiscal policy of the Government was shadowry, and not what the Colony demanded at a period like this in its history. Mr. Murray defended the property tax, as being even less inquisitorial than an income tax, in favor of which the other side spoke so strongly. He supported the proposals for local finance on economic principles. Localities if left to their own resources in that way would good care not to tax higher than absolutely necessary, and expend it to the very best [ advantage. He approved of native lands being taxed, but did not approve of the tax proposed to be levied on Crown lands. He threw out as a suggestion that the Government should be empowered to receive proposals for the purchase of railways and stations of railways, and suggested a number of proposals by which he thought the financial position of the Colony might be imprpye^. Mr, Montgomery sai4 that one point at least was plain from the Financial Statement, viz., that there was a deficit of L 25,000, which the Treasurer proposed to turn over till next year. He regretted that a. question of such serious moment should be dealt with in a party spirit. Last year the Government professed that it had not hacj time to frame reduced estimates, promising to c(o. so during the recess. Now they faid that-the thing would occupy then* untU nes;t session. Considering tne pressing importance of a reduotion being made the subject ought not to have been put off from time to time in this way. All the Treasurer's promises of finanoial reform made last session' had been broken. He very strongly condemned the manner in which the Government proposed to treat local I bodies, and especially to the constitution and functions of the Board which had been defined as one to encourage bribery. -He differed from many of his party in ■thinking that all real property, including .Improvements, be taxed. Such a |ax Tyould be preferable to either the land tax or the property tax as at present, but if the law was enforced, then certainly the incomes of those whom it did not reach should be taxed also. Referring to the beer tax, he said he had voted against it two years ago as an attempt to introduce an excise, ana he would vote against jt again. The amount proposed to be levied was excessive, and he would not vote for it, or any other tax, unlees he saw very considerable reductions made in the departmental expenditure. Not LSO,QOQ, but near L 200,000 would have to be struck oflj' irrespective of. personal or party feeling.- ~ He counselled • members to lay aside party spirit, and do ail they possibly cowld to asaiat the Colony out of

its present difficulties. In the past*they had been intoxicated with its prosperity, but'those days had gone by, and the most rigid economy wauld be necessary to keep things straight. If the House was true to itself in carrying out that principle they would yet be able to pull through their difficulty, and make things come out right. He regretted that such a false issue as the present motion had been raised, but at the same time, when the motion came to the vote he would feel bound to vote for it.

Mr. Hurst took a very gloomy view of the financial position of the Colony. He agreed with Mr. Montgomery that all party considerations should be thrown aside in trying to find a remedjr. He attributed the depression under which the Colony labored only to the last two harvests, which turned out bad, the low price of wool, together with an indiscriminate system of free education. He had been taunted with having deserted his party. On that occasion his conduct was dictated by a deep sense of duty, and he said now as he said then, that he was deeply impressed with the position of affairs. He would always be found ready and willing to assist this or any other party to whom he might be attached in an honest endeavor to carry out retrenchment—not a panic retrenchment, but a settled determination to do their work effectually. Mr. Saunders said he sympathised with the amendment, and would espouse it, if he could divest his mind of the idea that its real object was to bring about a change of Government. With the financial proposals brought down he disagreed, and he hoped they would be in many respeota modified. What he desired to see was an honest and earnest desire' to remedy the evils brought on by past extravagance. It was ; really necessary that a very determined stand should be made against the horde of civil servants by whom they were surrounded. What he would advise was that as a Parliament they should vote' a moderate amount, and say to the Government you make that suffice for departmental purposes. As far as possible they should aim at utilising the taxing machinery they had at their command, instead of introducing new machinery aa they had been doing. Mr. Reid said that instead of seeing the property tax continued, he would be in favor of an income tax, and extension of the land tax, or even an extension of Customs duties on luxuries. He did not agree with those who held that those sources were already taxed to their utmost limits.

On Mr. Macandrew's motion, the debate was adjourned till to-morrow, and the House rose at 11.15 p.m.