PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 215, 17 September 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

PKtt FBESS ABBOCUTIW, _+ ■ . HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. FttIDAY, 13TH bBPIBMBBB. Mr Seddon, continuing his reply on the financial debate, admitted the expenditure this year had been abnormally high, but that was doe to circumstances boyond their control. The> Government ought to be congratulated for having met this without adding to taxation. He believed next year them would be a surplus of over £IOO,OOO. As to the utidue increase, in the ten year) before 1900 .£11,638,000 had baen added to the debt of the oolony t and oDly £9,206,502 during the last ten years. Of the latter amount £7,000,000 did not involve payment of a single ptnny of taxation in interest, ind yielded an absolute profit of £60,926. The Government had only increased the non-interest paying debt by 11 per cent, against an increase of population of 19 per cent. Interest had only to be paid on the non-interest producing debt, and on that basi», the debt per head of population was only £54 es compared with £6l in 1891. The increase in taxation was only 6s 3d per head. Interest payable per head was £2 18s 4d in 1891, and in 1901 it was only £2 7s 3d. No country in the British Empire, in toe security it had to offer, stood better than New Zealand. He deprecated the town veisus country cry. As showing how the farmers' interests had been considered he pointed to the railway concessions. Replying to Oaptain Russell, he said members urged the Government to spend money in their distriots, aod then when it was given they accused the Premier of bribery. Oaptain Russell had alto said then must be no more railway concessions. The Opposition appeared to want to avoid further taxation to save them* selves. The Gove nment policy was to give to the people everything the railways earned above 3 per cent - . For public works, on 31st March, tbtre was available £1,032,238, and adding the £500,000 from the Consolidated Fund surplus, and even taking liavbilities into consideration, that* mi available £260,000. He denied too statement that hid bein cabled bom* to tbe London Timet that the colony would bavfi to borrow three millions, and eaid th»t the Government could go on with the million to be borrewtd for publio works. He deprecated statements of that kind being made to the detriment of the oolon/s oredit. After replying to tbe three M «"*»«id friends" of the Government (Messrs G. W. Ruesell, Meredith, and Graham) Mr Seddon concluded by stating .that the colony would do justice to the Midland Railway debenture holders, and Govei nment would consider the matter. Quoting from the Coal Mines Commission's report as to the dangerous sta'e of a certain mine through alleg-d imperfect ventilation, he said tbe owner of that mine was a member of the Hoc so. They -.anted Comm'saioner* whtn ver tbe lives of their fellows were at stake. Mr Jas. Allen made a personal 'Xplanation in regard to bis contention about this year's expenditure. Ha also said the Premier had made some remarks regarding a mine which ha (Mr Allen) was interested, in. He had ap« proaohed the Minister of Mines several times this session regarding the matter. The Minister made light of the Corn* mission's report, aud said that the Inspector's report had been reoeived. He (Mr Allen) would move later on that the Inspector's report be laid on the table. The Premier said that he could have gone further in regard to the condition of the mine. The fact remained that tbe Commission bad made such a re-

port and the honourable member had

taken no ac'ion. He defended the members of the Commission ai upright and expert men, and said be would not hear their report made light of, even by his own colleagues.

The House then went into Com-

mittee of Supply, and on tbe first item of the Estimates Mr. James Alien said be had a statement Co make which ha would hare made in bis speeoh oa the Financial Debate, but the Premier wee absent and be wished to make the stai/ement to the Premier's fice. He said the Premier had ordered the) Tagus to go from Albany to Du&edio, and the men to Invercargill against the advice of the medical offioer that the men should not be brought to New Zealand by a ciH route, as the condition of the men made the journey by the cold route dangerous. But the Premier, because for political reasons he would not offend the people of Jo* vercargill, gave instructions that the contingents must go there, and he mutt take the responsibility that sinoe the arrival of the contingents several nnt had died, and he asked who was re* sponsible for that. The Premier explained that iue Admiralty had d»cided the Tagus should not go to the Bluff harbour on account of alleged dangers. Every, man who hid gone to Invercargill had done so with the sanction of the doctor and offioer commanding, Had (be medical men said one word about it being unwise to go to Invercargill he (tbe Premier) would haye been the last man to say they should go. Sir Joseph Ward characterised Mr. I Allen's statement as one of tbe most outrageous he had ever heard in the House. The Premier did not want to disappoint the people of Invercargill after the greit prfpwations they bad made to receive the contingents, but | not onn of the men bad landed without is. certificate tint bo «a« fis to land. Had fhuro been any loumhtionfor Mr. Allen's charge it would have been heard of before. He bad praotically charged tbe Premier with being responsible for the deaths of four or five men.

The Premier rerd correspondence from too Agent-GmerU showing that the Admiralty declined to permit the Tagus >o go to the Bluff, as thU port was not safe. There was a desire tbat the contingents should be sent to the southern poit and he had therefor* consonted to their being sent there from Dunedin.

Mr. Jume? Allen read extracts from \ Hansard showing he had rcpeat'dly referred to a question, connected with the uee of contingents for political purposes, which he intendrd to make, but would not make until the Premier was present. He said a telegram bad been received from the medical officer at Albany advising tbat the ttospe/* should i.ot go to New Zealand by n c?ld rcute.

The Premier said no such message Imcl !ie«p r^csivel.

Mr. Al'an asked for a fair inquiry in'.o the whole matter.

The Premier said the member for Bruce had founded a chargo of the gravest possible kind on a telegram ha had never seen and asked for a fair in-

4nriry into the matter. Standing upon 4aeh a foundation he (Mr. Seddon) -denied that he had ever sought to make political capital oat of the contingents and claimed he had tried to act in the best way for the colony and to the troopers themselves. Mr. Massey suggested that a Committee of Inquiry be S9t up to inquire into the matter and report to Parliament.

Mr. McNab, referring to troopsre who had dieJ, eiid he did not think there w» one instance in which there wrfs any reason for supposing that the r suit would bave been any different if the men had landed in the North.

Messrs. Carncroes, Barclay, and Hanan strongly deprecated charges of ■uch a serious nature being made on hearsay evidence.

Mr. A. L. D. Fras' r referred to the Premier's kindness to returned troopers and advited Mr. Allen to withdraw his atetement. Mr. Allen subsequently withdrew a portion of his speech in which he complained of the action of the Premier in bringing the Tagus by the southern note and thus endangering the lives of the men. A long discussion then ensued on the fi> at item of the, estimates. A proposal to reduce the item was

A long discussion then ensued on tbe fi> at item of the, estimates. A proposal to reduce the item was negatived by a large majority and eventually the item was passed unaltered.

Progress wis then reported and the House rote at 7.46 a.m.