PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2616, 9 August 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES., Wellington, August 8. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr Pyke gave notice of motion in favor of establishing a Legislature for each Island. Mr Wakefield gave notice that he would ask leave to introduce a Bill to amend the Divorce Law. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr Thompson said last session a 10 per cent reduction was agreed to on all salaries. He could not see why the reduction once made should not be continued, and he objected to the proposal for the restoration of the amount. He moved as an amendment that there should be a reduction of 10 per cent on the aggregate or total amendment of salaries of £2OO, and that ruch reduction should be apportioned by the Government. Mr Rolleston said if a reduction was insisted on certain officers who coaid not well be replaced, would retire on the pensions they were entitled to, nearly equal to their salaries, and the colony would in a double sense lose.

Mr Pyke said the highly paid officers wore better off with the 10 per cent reduction, as things were cheaper than they had been under previous regime. It was the poor man upon whom the reduction bore heavily. He should support the amendment. Mr De Lnutour said, to his mind, the Estimates were, upon the whole, reasonable, and it would be mere precedent to leave them with Government.

Mr Gisborne said the wisest course would be to say that a specified reduction must be made, and leave it with. Government to effect in the way he had indicated.

Mr Montgomery could not agree in the principle of an all round 10 per cent reduction. He would support an aggregate reduction, leaving Government to give effect to it as they might see best. He would support the amendment on that understanding, believing that it was only carrying out the policy inaugurated last year. Mr Stewart agreed in the opinion that the reduction of last year was gone about in a clumsy and unfair manner. In their retrenchment proceedings Government had shown equally little judgment and discrimination. It was absolute!}' necessary that the independence of the Judical Bench should be secured, but this Government had not taken the right way to do it.

Mr Eolieston said that he held himself individually responsible- for every act done in connection with the department under him.

Mr Bryce said the Government had given such an idea of their determination to make reductions as justified the House in leaving the whole matter to be further dealt with by them. Mr Weston hoped the Government would not press the proposals made to reduce the police force unless the interests of the force were protected.

Mr Shrimski blamed the Government for reinstating the 10 per cent. In the district he hailed from they were taxed Cs 3d in the £ for local taxes, and a penny for property tax. Mr Saunders supported the amendm:nt, although he Ind to slate that it did not go ho far as he wished. Having initiated the principle it was most improper for the Government to down a restoration of the 10 per .cent. It had not been shown that one good servant had been lost by the reductions. It was admitted that the service was never in a better state than at present. Mr Turnbull adopted a similar view. They bad others beside the Civil servants to consider. They had a heavily burdened community to look to, and it was but right they should do so. As he thought the responsibility, however, should rest with the Government, he could not vote for the amendment, although all his sympathies were with it, The amendment was negatived by 27 to 22.

The House then went into Committee of Supply on the Post Office Estimates. Conveyance of mails by sea, £56,915. Passed.

Conveyance of inland mails, £24,095 Passed

Carriage of mails by railway, £SOO, Passed.

Class 2—Colonial Secretary’s vote — Premier’s office, £438 15s. Passed. After several members had drawn attention to discrepancies between individual salaries progress was reported, and the House rose at 1.30 a.m.