PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2577, 24 June 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Juno 23. OAMARU HARBOR BOARD BILL, Mr Shrimski moved tho second reading of the Oamaru Harbor Board Bill. Mr McLean opposed the Bill. The land might be required for other purposes. It might prove to be auriferous, and if dealt with under this Bill great loss would be sustained by the colony. All he desired to do was to warn the House as regards the danger of the step proposed to be taken, Mr Mncandrew supported the Bill. Mr Rolleston said that although notin favor of the Bill, he had deferred to the opinions of the Waste Lands Board. The motion was carried. LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Mr Murray moved-That in the opinion of this House local government is conducted nnder great disadvantage : (I) from defects in the system ; (2) from the local funds for the payment of rates to effect local improvement being absorbed by General Government taxation ; (3) from the Counties having been deprived of the 20 per cent of land fund (except in the case of New Plymouth), and that the Government be requested to bring in a Bill this session to remedy the above causes of complaint. and others which may he established during the debate upon this resolution. What he suggested was the present Parliament should prepare a scheme of local government which might be laid before the various constituencies for their consideration and approval. What was wanted was a system which for the minimum of official expenditure will do the largest amount of useful work. We wanted thrift inculcated by the wholesome rule, that those who spend the money must provide it. We wanted extraneous aid on a definite and equitable principle, not determined by a Parliamentary scramble for public money, degrading public morality and destructive of economy and independence. The prudent and thrifty should not hare to pay for the extravagant and improvident. Mr Ormond said that he had agreed to second the motion, hut after the statement made by the Treasurer he felt somewhat embarrassed. He was one of those who regretted that the subject was not dealt with in the Governor’s Speech There were three large questions before the public at present. The first was local government ; the second, public works; and the third, division of taxation. Their first step at improvement must be decentralisation. They would also have to make permanent provision for local bodies. It was only the Government that could do that. He had an idea, however, what would be the best finance. He would not as a private member go further than say that direct taxation was the proper method. There could be no doubt but that the management of waste lands should devolute on the districts. He would proposes that the powers of the Waste Lands Boards should be vested in their District Boards and the Wase Land Boards themselves abolished. The complaint was that the people had no voice in the administration of these Waste Lands Boards. The transfer of these powers as indicted would be of immense advantage to all concerned. He next referred to educa tion. The powers of Education Boards might very probably be vested in the local boards. There wore other functions, such as charitable aids, which might probably be relegated to the local bodies. He next alluded to railway management, and would give them that function also. Ho would give them all powers in acts referring to local matters. He meant by that all that referred to the affairs of daily life in country districts, such matters as the readjusting of Road Board’s boundaries, &c. At present such a subject had to be dealt with by Government as a subject in which they had no local knowledge whatever. Under the old provincial system the people had a ready means for obtaining redress of grievances. He would ask if the House was at all likely to deal satisfactorily with the matter, but he contended they had no right to attempt it. It should be relegated to the people. In that case the business of the session should be done as soon as possible, the Redistribution of Seats Bill framed, and then they should go to the country in connection with this subject. Mr Hall said it was impossible for him to speak on the subject until Government bad put their views on the point before the House, as promised bv the Treasurer. He wouldtbereforo ask them to adjourn the do bate until they had an opportunity of placing their proposals before the House. Mr Moss felt that the conclusions come to by Mr Ormond were lame ami impotent. He scouted the idea of leaving the whole question to the next general election, lie asked them to consider the question carefully, with the view of elaborating a complete senemo. The proposal for Government to take over the main roads bad been laughed at by Government. His opinion was that thev were bound to take over these roads’, "if the motion was put he would ask that the following addition be made

to it —“That no Bill will be satisfactory which floes not provide the system of local government which will relieve the General Assembly of the necessity of local legislation, thereby reducing the number of members of both Hou9es,and effecting a corresponding reduction in the enormous expenditure of central government.” Mr Sutton said that the County system in the North Island had worked moderately well. In Hawke’s Bay the Council had spent more in the construction of roads and bridges than the Provincial Council during a corresponding period. At present the Road Board and County system were in antagonism, and what he wanted to see was the fusion of these bodies into one.

Mr Reader Wood agreed in the opinion that the motion should be adjourned until Government had brought down their proposals. The whole question resolved itself into one of finance, and finance only. At present they had got a machine, but no motive power. It was a constitution that could not be got to go. The revenue of local bodies was insufficient for their purposes. Unless they conld find them money, they could do them no good. This might be made an electioneering cry, but it could do : no real good. Where the money was to come from he did not know. What the settlers wanted was money. That was what they asked for, and instead of giving them money the House gave them institutions. Dr Wallis was speaking at the 5.30 adjournment. LICENSING BILL. In the evening sitting the House went into Committee on the Licensing Bill. No important amendments were made when the adjournment took place at half-past one.