PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 987, 5 August 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Wednesday’s Sitting.

After a good deal of business of no great importance had been attended to, Mr Montgomery, on the motion for going into Committe of Supply said he would make a few remarks on the general condition of the financial position of the colony. The public debt of the colony on the 31st March, deducting the laccrued sinking fund, was £27,687,000. We started this year with £2u3,000 to the ordinary credit. There could be no doubt tbe increased revenue of last year was somewhat cheering, as showing the increased prosperity of the country. The Customs had increased to £l3 ),000 but, during the year, honorable members would not forget that this large increase in the revenue was due to very largely increased taxation. The increased duty as far as he could make out, that the public had to pay, was £269,835. Tire increase in the revenue is due to the fact that we had very largely increas'd the taxation upon the people for the current ■ year. The Treasurer proposed that there should be taxation upon |be ‘ people of £1,900,000, £6,600 winch the Maoris would pay. This would jbo at the rate of £3 9s for every woman and child in the colony* • Jhe . division made by Major Atkinson of the people in bis financial statement was a fanciful one. In making out his calculations as to what each class paid be left out wines, spirits, and tobacco, etc.,

and he would now ask lion members did not the laboring classes consume as much, if not more of these articles than any other class. He calculated that the people paid a$

the rate of £3 per bead independent of the property tax, and the property tax men paid £3 per bead extra or about £6 in all. The tax was not £2 per head in Great Britain, Victoria, nor New South Wales. The people of this colony paid a higher tax than people in any other British Colony, and should insist on taxation being reduced. The finances of the colony were unsound. Money was borrowed to pay interest on borrowed money. Such a thing neve* was done except in Turkey and Spain. England never did it. This colony had to pay 25 per cent more than New South Wales for money. Now they proposed going with their hat in their hand once more to borrow money. He would ask hon members to consider whether ic was just that more money should be borrowed which would be spent on increasing the value of land, and let the working man pay the interest on it ? The burden should be p’aced on the shoulders of those whose properties had enormously increased owing to the expenditure of the money, Mr Johnston said railways paid fourfifths of the interest on the cost of their construction. Viewing the average in come £3 per head was not more than £2 per head in New South Wales. The rates of wages had increased since public works started, and by this the working class had been benefit ted. Mr Levestam said the beer tax was unfair. He would be in favor ot a tax being imposed on landed property, Mr Holmes argued that taxation in New Zealand was ten times as much ns in England. Mr Hursthouse condemned the proposal to borrow more money. Mr Fish condemned the proposal to contract a loan and reduce taxation at the same time. Mr Hurst thought Government deserved the thanks of the colony for placing finances on a sound basis. Mr Turnbull twitted Mr Montgomery with having entered upon a criticism which might have been done at any time during the last seven weeks, or sine© the financial statement was made. He quoted from late files of Home papers to show that the credit of New Zealand stood, higher than that of any other colonies.

Major Atkinson replied to Mr Montgomery at great length, arguing that he had completely failed to prove his assertions. Supposing they were to take off the Customs duties on tea and sugar, and a deficit occurred next year, what were they to do ? They should not, by reducing taxation this year, put themselves into a position next year of disturing the trade ot the country by having to impose Customs duties again. They would want all our Customs duties which articles like tea and sugar gave us, and would also want a considerable rise in the property tax. He looked upon the property tax as a tax upon which they must come and go. It was a tax by means of which they must make up deficiencies, and therefore a tax which should rise and fall as our requirements might vary. If they meddled with the Customs to any large extent, excepting in respect to such articles as tea and sugar, they would to a considerable degree paralyse the trade of the country. For instance, if they took a penny or twopence off jam, they would shut up the jam factories. If they were to take five per cent off woollen goods, they would close such institutions as the Kaiapoi tmd Dunedin factories. By suddenly making large reductions in the Customs they would throw out of employment im- ; portant sections of the working classes, and interfere with young industries, flis examination of the matter showed that a reduction of the Customs would tend more to relieve the rich than the poor. The motion to go into Committee of Supply was put and carried, and the House rose at 2 o’clock. Thursday’s Sitting. Replying to Mr Ivcss, the Hon Mr Johnston said Government would during the recess consider proposals for a reduction of railway freights on grain, coal, timber and stone over the colonial railways, as recommended by the Hew Zealand Farmers’ Society, He was anxious to make the rates as low as possible. Replying to Mr Wynn Williams, the Hon Air Dick detailed the action which had been taken for arranging an extradition treaty with the neighboring colonies, so as to remedy the evil arising from a want of power to arrest absconding debtors, as shown in the case of Harges, arrested at Adelaide and released again by the Magistrates. No effort would be spared to bring the negotiations to a successful issue.

The Timaru Harbor Board Bill passed its third reading as well as a large number of other private Bills.

The School Committee Election Bill passed.

A long debate took place on the Gaming and Lotteries Act, which has for its object to allow sweepstakes, etc., at races and other places. After a long debate the motion for the second reading was carried by 43 to 17.

The Native Committees Empowering Bill was discussed. Mr Bryce moved that it be read that day six months, and on it being put to the vote there were 29 for, and 29 against it. The Speaker gave his casting vote in favor of the Noes. The House then adjourned.