WELLINGTON NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1915, Page 7

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(Special to Daily News). Wellington, Sept. 3. THE FINANCIAL DEBATE.

The financial debate, up to its present stage, has been more interesting than the >.are report of tho proceedings might have led a reader to believe. The speeches delivered during the last four or Ave days have forced on t'he attention of the House and the Ministry the point mentioned already in these notes, that a National Government cannot command any unquestioning following. Members 'have not all been as bluntly outspoken as Mr. Hornsby, who said last night that the formation of the National Government had broken party ties and left each member free to speak and vote according to his own opinions. But they have made it clear enough in their speeches that they felt an entirely new sense of freedom in debate. The Budget has been discussed not in a party spirit, which would have constrained one side to praise and the other side to condemn, but in a frankly critical spirit. If the tone of the debates can be regarded as furnishing a fair indication of what is going to 'happen when the actual Bills are before the House, then the Minister for Finance and the Government generally are going to have some troublesome days. GOVERNMENT WORKING AMICABLY. It should not be imagined that the new spirit of freedom abroad in the House' implies in any sense the failure of the National Ministry. Tho new Government, indeed, has proved a brilliant success, so far as Parliament can see. A report was published the .other day in a southern newspaper to the effect that a serious difference of opinion had occurred in the Cabinet, and that the Liberal Ministers, headed by Sir Joseph Ward, had retired to their own quarters before a basis of agreement was found. This suggestion of friction seems to have had no better foundation than a friendly discussion of one of the compromises that are inevitable in a two-party Cabinet, and all the indications go to show that the Ministers are working together in a thoroughly good spirit. The National Ministry is doing all that it was ever expected to do along that line. But when all that is admitted we come back to the fact that the Government has got to match its procedure to new conditions. It cannot command a majority in the House by cracking a party whip. DUTY ON OILS. The kerosene duty is going to test the situation. The intention of a majority of the members of the House is to vote for the removal of that duty from the new taxation proposals. A Government constituted in the normal way would crack the party whip when such an interference with its powers was threatened, and its followers would have to come to heel in order to save the Ministry from "defeat." But the National Ministry does not appear to possess any coercive power beyond the ability of Ministers themselves to carry the House with them by argument or pleading. That, at any rate, is the view held by members at the present time. The situation rejoices the hearts of those Radicals who have long been lamenting the concentration of political power in the hands of the Ministry of the day, and the subordination of principles to party exigencies. In the meantime, the Minister fo» Finance (Sir Joseph Ward) has no reason to be dissatisfied with the manner in which his Budget has been reecived either inside or outside the House. He may have to accept modification in details, but the broad features of his statement are going to stand and provide the basis of the Dominion's 'financial structure for the war period. One hears on both sides of the Chamber regrets that this bold attempt to place the finances on a "war footing" was not initiated a year ago. WORK FOR THE WEEK. Wellington, Last Night. The debate upon the Financial Statement will be Fesumed on Tuesday, but it is not expected to continue beyond Wednesday at latest. Some half dozen members are known to be waiting their opportunity to say something about the new taxation, and the financial position generally, and there may be others. The taxation Bills are ready for the attention of the House, and they will be introduced as soon as the debate is completed. The Prime Minister has promised to give a day for t'he discussion of the report of the Trentham Oamp Commission, but the Tariff Bill, at any rate, will be given precedence as the new flckle of duties is already in operation, and every day increases the work that would be involved by any amendment of the schedule. The Railways Statement, which deals in detail with the altered charges for passengers and freights, will be brought down when the Budget debate is ended. No legislation is required to amend the scale of railway rates.

Ministers naturally decline to make any statement at this stage concerning their attitude towards the criticism levelled at Rie new taxation in the course of last week's debate, but the impression prevails in the lobbies that the Government is going to meet the views of members to a certain extent. There seems to be no doubt that the House is prepared to carry the motion, o.f which Mr, Witty (Riccarton) has given notice, removing the duty from kerosene and motor spirit, but the Minister for Finance and his colleagues will be quite firm as far as the Rggre^ r fite of the war taxation is concerned. They require the full £2,000,000 of additional revenue, so that any reduction at one point' wift necessitate an increase at another. Critics of the Budget taxes have recognised this fatT in the course of the debate by suggesting vaiioua sources of additional revenue.