HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2267, 23 June 1880, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. JJUTTr.E I.ICKXSKS. Messrs Macandrow, Stewart, Hick, Barron, McLean, and Fulton presented petitions from storekeepers in Otago, praying that tlie bottle license system be’retainod in llienew Licensing Bill, and suggesting that with a view iT

preventing the abuse of the system in-

creased fees be charged ; and fiom residents in Otago praying for its retention as a great public convenience. CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION REPORT. Mr Macandrcw gave notice that he would ask if; Government proposed laying on the table a copy of the evidence taken by the Civil Service Commission ; also, the number, character, and amounts of the contracts said to have been entered on with a mercantile Jinn with which the South Island Railway Commissioner is said to be connected ; also, if the Commissioner was afforded an opportunity of rebutting evidence on the subject. QUESTIONS. In reply to various members Mr Oliver said that he was not aware of any cement manufactory in New Zealand. Mr liollcstou considered the schoolhouse at Tokomairiro good enough fora court house. Mr Oliver said the Oxford-Shcffield railway was not being proceeded with. Mr flail said it was intended to ask that a sum of money be voted to Mr Jackson, late chief surveyor at Wellington as compensation for his loss of office, and that his dismissal would bo rescinded, and his resignation accepted. Major Atkinson said that the Mr 11. Houghton, who had been recently appointed Superintendent of the Government Insurance department at Dunedin, was the same person who was gazetted as a bankrupt in the “ 'rimes” on May 4, but his bankruptcy had been annulled a month before his appointment. .Mr Ilolleston said ho had only a general knowledge of the case Regina v. Manning, tried at Timam in December last, and when he received a report of the proceedings he would consider how far it was advisable that the law as applicable to forgery should be reconsidered with respect to that decision.

.Mr Oliver said t.l ic (iuvernmcnt did not intend In subsidise a serviee in connection willi the < lrcy-I>rnnnor coal liiu 1 . It was calculated that it would take ,0500 to extinguish the lire in the coal seam near Canoe Creek, Creymontli, and as the quality of the coal was indifferent, it was not deemed advisable to incur the expense. WANT OF CONFIDENCE DERATE. The no confidence debate was resumed by Dr Wallis. He strongly urged tbc admission of females to ])olitical privileges,ambprotested against the growth ot protection under the guise of encouraging native industries. They should insist on free trade and all other items of the Liberal programme, which Sir George Grey was the proper man to carry out. Mr Gisborne criticised the various political changes which characterised the career of the members. Mr Header Wood in crying up the credit of the Ministry cried clown the credit of the colony. His speech read on 1 lie Stock Exchange of London, would operate seriously against the colony. Whatever errors or accidents in its administration may have occurred, the Public Works policy of 1870 was a groat and statesmanlike policy, and had done much towards the advancement of the colony. The colon}', whatever its temporary depression might be, was sound at heart, and would yet rise superior to temporary difficulties. He criticised the estimates, contending that the savings for winch credit was claimed were not legitimate, that subsidies would have to bo paid, vnd that the real saving in departmental expenses did not exceed £7OOO or .TBOOO. He cmidcinned the course adopted regarding future loans as illegal, and the arrangements with the Agent-General as reprehensible. The whole fiscal policy of the Government was shadowy and not wind the colony demanded at a period in its liistorv like this.

Mr Murray defended the property tax, and supported the- proposals for local finance, Lint In; con-idered the inscription of stock was a most injurious procedure, and was another emanation from the fertile brain of Sir Julius Vogel. Ho suggested that the (iovernment railways should he sold.

Mr Montgomery said that one point at least was plain from the Financial Statement, viz., that there was a deficit of V2J0,000, which the Treasurer proposed to turn over till next year. He regretted that a question of such serious moment should he dealt with in a party spirit. Last year the (lovernment professed that it had not had lime to frame reduced estimates, promising to do so during the recess. Now they said that the thing would occupy them until next session. Considering the pressing importance of a reduction, the subject ought not to have been put olf in this way. All the Treasurer’s promises of financial reform made last session had been broken. lie very strongly condemned the manner in which the (iovernment proposed to treat local bodies, and especially the constitution and function of the Beard, which had boon defined as one to encourage briberv.

Mr Jlnrst took a very gloomy view of the linancial position of the colony. lie agreed with .Mr Montgomery that all party considerations should bo thrown aside in trying to find a remedy, lie attributed the depression under which the colon}' labored only to the two last harvests turning out badly,* and the low price of wool, together with an indiscriminate system of free immigration. 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 (lovernment. With the financial proposals brought forward he disagreed, and he hoped they would ho in many respects modified. It was necessary that a determined stand should bo made against the horde of civil servants by whom they wore surrounded. What he would advise was, that as a Farliainent, they should vote a moderate amount, and say to the Cnvernment, “ You must 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 as they had been doing. He was still of opinion that an income tax would be preferable to the property tax. The speeches made by members would alarm the outside creditors. He hoped the days of borrowing were over for ever. They must not tax (ho springs of industry, and they must be careful that they did not drive away their farmers, sheep-owners, and miners from their shores. Regarding what they could tax, he mentioned laud, so as to make it touch the improver as little as possible. Then again they might tax accumulated wealth, furniture, carriages Ac.; but when they attempted to tax machinery, the agency by which wealth was produced, they attempted a very dangerous experiment. Ife believed in taxing the professions. Wc should be all the better if there were fewer lawyers and fewer parsons.

Then there were the doctors. Tie thought the colony would be better oh; if there were none of them at all. Of course he did not refer to surgeons. He did not like the proposal to tav Crown lands. He hoped they would bring down no more grand schemes —they should bring down honest proposals for retrenchment, otherwise they would drive the wealth-producing classes from our shores, and the end would be repudiation and general disaster. It would be easy to drive half the people out of the colony, and the other half could not bear the burdens. Mr Iteid said that instead of seeing the property tax continued he would favor an income tax, an extension of the land tax, or even an extension of the Customs duties on luxuries. It would ho a great mistake to think of reducing Ministers’ salaries any change should be in the direction of reducing the number of Ministers. The constitution of the Legislative Council was a matter which would have to engage the attention of the country. It was absurd to say that in their present circumstances, last year, 424 guineas should have been paid to the members of that Chamber. In the case of the Assembly it was different. The Legislative Councillors were elected for life, whereas they had only a limited term of office. Then, again, the Legislative Council was a wealthy body. The property tax was condemned by all political writers as opposed to progress, and the general welfare of the colony. It was a tax on industry, and the agencies by which industrial pursuits were carried on, and was calculated to drive away capital. Those who suffered by the tax were men of enterprise and men of thrift. On Mr Maeandrcw’s motion the debate was adjourned. ■ The House rose at 11.15 p.m.