PARLIAMENTARY.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 133, 19 July 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[PER PRESS AGENCY.] HOUSE OF' REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, July 15; At -7.30 last bight,' the House resumed in committee on the Rating Bill, and con- - siderable discussion ensued on the question of rating land, there being great diversity of opinion ; Mr Button objecting to improvements being taxed. But the clauses generally were- carried without any very material alteration. The debate was continued until 1.30 this morning, by which time the committee had reached to,the tenth clause, which was passed with some slight amendments. The Speaker then announced by message from the Governor the Provincial Abolition Financial Arrangements Bill. The Premier explained two points in the Bill, saying that abolition would come into force on the 29th September, instead of on the Ist October, in consequence of the Ist of October falling on a Sunday. The other point was that provision would be made for the Superintendents out of the revenues of the provinces. The Bill was read a first time, and the House then (1.45 a.m.) adjourned till 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. THE PROVINCIAL ABOLITION FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS BILL. Provides that it shall come into force on the 29t(i September. Land revenue within each district to be charged with expenses of surveys and general administration of waste lands within such district. If any waste lands be sold (not being town lands) at a price above 40s per acre, the amount realised in excess is to be expended in the construction of roads and bridges. If the amount available be not sufficient to carry out such works, the Governor may cause

the same to be retained ,until other moneys have been derived from a like source. Taranaki land revenue to be only subject to the Act after deducting percentage provided by the Harbor Board Act, 1874 Land revenue of each district to be fmther charged as follows ;—With payment to the then Superintendent of two years’ salary ; with charges imposed hereafter for education ; with subsidies to counties and road boards, one pound to one pound ; with subsidies to liver district boards, one pound to one pound, received from rates ; with expenses of construction of railways, viz., for the first three years after the coming into operation of the Act, 2 per cent, on sums expended ; next three years, If per cent. ; next three years, 1J per cent.; balance to be divided as follows: —Three-fifths in proportion that the area of each county bears to the whole district, the other two-fifths in proportion that the general rates received by any county or road board bear to general rates raised in the district from the whole of the counties and road boards therein. If the land revenue in any district should be insufficient to meet the above charges, advances are to be made out of the consolidated fund, such advances to be re-paid to the consolidated fund as land revenue accrues. Treasury Bills may be issued to meet such advances. One pound to be paid annually for five years to every road district and borough for every pound of general rates received during the year. No subsidy is to be paid on any rate in excess of the scale provided by the Act, namely, one shilling in the pound. The Colonial Treasurer may make advances to boroughs and road districts. Licensing fees are to be paid to the county or board within which the licensed premises are situate. Bent from powder magazines to be paid to the public account. Fines and penalties to bo paid to the county within which same are incurred. Cost and charges of administering the enactment are borne by the county. Fines for breaches of the bye-laws to be paid to that public body whose bye-laws have been infringed. Goldfields revenue to belong to the county within which it lias arisen. The Colonial Treasurer to apportion the revenue, where the same lias arisen in more than one county, acccording to the proportion of miners’ rights and business licenses in the respective counties. Charitable institutions to be maintained at the cost, of the county or borough, but if the governing body fail to provide for the same the Governor may withhold the payment of the subsidy. Charitable institutions are not to include lunatic asylums. Out of the consolidated revenue a subsidy of five shillings for every pound raised by private subscription is to be paid for the maintenance of cbaiitable institutions. Costs and charges of providing primary public education within counties and boroughs, after deducting the fees and other revenues received by the Board of Education, and consolidated revenue, shall be borne as follows :—Two-thirds charged to land revenue received within each provincial district, one-third on consolidated revenue ; all charges for inspection of schools, provided by the Education Board

Act, to . be borne by the consolidated revenue. All railways are to be the property of the colon}', and provincial districts are to be relieved of all liabilities in respect thereof. The provincial railways in Otago and Canterbury to be taken over by the General Government at a valuation. The unexpended portion of the Middle Island Railway Fund is to be credited to the district—water races and such like to be vested in ■ the governing bodies of the county. In the case of neglect the Governor may withhold subsidies. The Governor may agree to pay £IO,OOO towards the completion of the Mokohinui water race, in addition to existing applications, but on condition that the governing- body of the colony complete the same race. Sections 14 to 16, 18 to 22, and 24 of the Abolition of Provinces Act are repealed.

July 18. Shortly after the meeting of the House to day, the following important notices of motion were given : Mr Whitaker to move, when in committee on Provincial Abolition Financial Arrangements Bill: That clauses 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 be omitted, and in lieu thereof that the following clauses, to come into operation on the 29th September next, be inserted— All revenue arising from the Waste Lands of the Grown is part of Her Majesty’s consolidated revenue of the Colony, All sums of money and expenditure heretofore charged on revenue arising from Waste Lands of the Crown, is hereby charged on

and made payable out of Her Majesty’s consolidated revenue. All assets and liabilities of the several Provinces are assets and liabilities of the Colony., Provided that cash in hand on the' 29th day of September, 1876,received from Waste Lands of the Crown, shall be expended in the Provinces in which it has been received, on Such public works (not otherwise provided for) as the’ General Assembly shall determine. Mr Wakefield to. move,,on the motion for going into Committee of Supply — '.That.this House do resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to consider the following resolutions,:—■: The gross proceeds of all land sales or leases, either for pastoral or mineral purposes (except with respect to goldfields), to be chargeable with expenses of Land and Survey Departments.After such deduction, one half of the nett revenue from these sources to. he . colonial revenue.; the other half to bo' paid to local governing bodies of districts within which such revenue is raised. The cost and expenses of the following services to be defrayed from the colonial revenue, viz,—' 1. All existing Legislative and Executive Departments of. Government, including the Civil list. 2. Interest and sinking fund of all loans, whether colonial of , provincial. jPL 3. Primary Education. 4. Her Majesty’s gapls throughout the Coloiry. 6. Police. ' 6. Lunatic Asylums. 7. All public railways, whether constructed by Colony or provinces. 8. Arterial roads and bridges. 9. Subsidies to Road Districts and Municipalities, in proportion of £1 to £1 raised by rates or tolls. All annual surplus of colonial revenue, over appropriations, to be applied to the reduction of any unfunded debt of the Colony, or if there be no such debt, then towards extinction of funded debt. j Cost and expenses of the following services to be defrayed by. local governing bodies, viz.- , " 1. Roads, bridges, and other local public works ; other than arterial. 2. Hospitals and charitable institutions. 3. Penitentiaries and reformatories, not being gaols. 6. The ordinary revenue from goldfields, including the Export dirty, to be paid to local governing bodies of the district within which . such revenue arises, and to be expended on local public Avorks therein, 7. Harbours to be administered by local Boards, who shall receive and expend all moneys levied on account of, or appropriated to, purposes of such harbours..

The Premier read a telegram from. Dr, Hector, stating that arrangements bad been made in America to. send t r o -New Zealand .in September, 500,p00 Salmon ova, and 250,000 white< fpf the lakes. ■ TKe cost” would be T. 4-00., and success was certain. . He .recommended a vote to supplement subscriptions. A message was received from his Excellency, recommending a vote of £3,000 for the late Dr.'Featherstonesfamily. The Premier spoke in eulogistic terms of the late Agent-General’. Sir G. Grey seconded in feeling'words.

The Speaker was also affected, and .said be lost a friend, and the Colony’ a great man. ,

Mr Stafford, who,was almost overcome with emotion, suggested that the message bo scut back, with a view of increasing the anionnt.

Mr Bobs also strongly’ supported .the vote, which was agreed to. . Some talk took place, with' regard to Whitaker’s and Wakefield’s motion's. Mr Whitaker stated'lie believed.it was the wish of the, House that the, discussion on the Government Bills should be 'postponed until the House ’was in possession of all papers and information possible. The Premier said it must necessarily be some time before all the' infoniiafion required could be laid before them in a printed form, and it was uiifair to Government to go on with the ordinary business while these resolutions were hanging over their heads. • Ultimately it was decided to ’postpone the principal Government ’ measures till Friday. Several Bills were read a second time, without scarcely'any'discussion/ . The House rore at 5.30 p.m. In reply to Mr Wakefield, Mr Bowen said the Government knew nothing as to Sullivan’s whereabouts or intentions.