GENERAL ASSEMBLLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1361, 4 July 1885, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m, on Wednesday. The Hon, the Colonial Secretary referred to the no-confidence motion in the Lower House, and pointed out it was usual to suspend operations in the Council while such a motion was pending. He therefore moved the adjournment of the Council.

Mr Reynolds thought this would result in a waste of time seeing that it was well known that the vote would end in smoke. (Criesof “ No,” and laughter,) The motion was agreed to on the voices, and the Council then adjourned. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary introduced the Whitmore Enabling Bill, which was read a first time.

On the motion of Captain Baillie, a Select Committee was appointed to enquire into the working of the Codlin Moth Act.

Mr Stevens moved for a return of the amount paid under the Stamp Act on the average issue of notes for the year ended 31st March last by the Banks carrying on business in New Zealand.—Agreed to. The Council then adjourned till Tuesday,

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. Replying to questions Ministers said ; That the Government considered the Central Board of Management of the Government Life Association had been very beneficial to the Institution, and therefore it would not be advisable to take steps to obtain a poll of the policyholders on the matter ; that next session the Government would bring down a Bill placing the civil police force under the control of the*-Justice Department; that the total cost of compiling the return showing receipts from the carriage of goods, etc., by rail for the year ending 31st March, 1883, asked for by Mr Wright, the late Member for Ashburton, was £6OO 1 2s.

Replying (o Mr Rolleston whether (lie Government will take steps to. acquire land fpr the location of a Deaf and Dumb Institution in such a position as will afford facilities for the learning of trades, the Hon. Mr Stout said the Government did not consider it advisable to acquire laud at present, but it might be advisable to establish separate schools if the number of inmates of the institutions increased. Mr Macundrew moved that a return be laid before the House, showing under distinct headings, the respective amounts contributed by each Provincial District to the Colonial Revenue from Customs, stamps, land tax, property tax, beer tax, and territorial revenue for the financial year ended March 31st, 1853 ; also a return showing the actual amount of revenue from all sources received by the Colonial Treasurer from each of the old Provincial Districts since the Constitution Act came into force ; likewise the annual amount paid out of the Colonial Treasury and expended within each Provincial District for the same period in respect of public works, native and defence purposes, and all other Departments of the Colonial Government. —Agreed to.

The debate on the want of confidence motion was resumed by Mr M, J. S. Mackenzie, who condemned the Financial

Statement. However, he would not be a party to turning them out as he did not know who would take their place. Messrs Hurst and Fisher, also condemned the Government policy, but the latter said he did not wish to turn the Ministry out, and should vote against the amendment.

Mr Pyke had confidence in the Government collectively and individually and should vote against the amendment. However, he hoped the Government would take back the measures which were obnoxious to the House.

Mr Moss said he should support the amendment as a protest against the policy of the Hon. Treasurer, a policy which he ceuld not support. Dr Newman appealed to the House to stop the reckless expenditure proposed. It was time to put a stop to reckless borrowing.

Mr W. F. Buckland would vote against the present Ministry as he had no confidence in the combination or in their proposals. Messrs J. C. Buckland andß. Turnbull also condemned the Government proposals but declared that the should vote against the amendment.

A 112.30 a.m. the debate was adjourned and the House rose.

In the House of Representatives on Thursday. Replying (o questions Ministers said : That the Government bad decided to appoint a Royal Commission to enquire into the condition of the settlers on Native Re’ serves on the West Coast of the Middle Island ; that after the publishing of the tariff Government had issued instructions to Customs officers in accordance with the Act, but the Government would return all duties not assented to by the House ; that the Government proposed with the moneys accrued from fines on the employes in the Railway Department to form the neucleus of a superanuation fund ; that during a part of last year the inspection of mines had not been so frequent as ought to have been the case owing to the the unavoidable absence of Mr Gordon, Inspector of Mines, in Australia—but this year inspection would be more frequent, and, if necessary, another Inspector would be appointed. Several new Bills were introduced and a number of returns asked for were agreed to

Mr O’Connor then resumed the debate on the- no-confidence motion. He considered the no-confidence motion had been brought forward simply through a series of misrepresentations in the newspapers, and after generally upholding the policy of the Ministry said he should vote against the amendment.

Mr Montgomery said he could not vote for the amendment, but would reserve to himself the right to vote on the Government Bills as he thought proper. He then generally condemned the Ministerial proposals, asserting that the cause of the need of the extra taxation was because the Government omitted last year to take up £50,000 of Deficiency Bills, and remitted the Property Tax instead.

Mr Menteith condemned the policy of the Government, and Mr Holmes defended it. The latter said the Government was a most economical one. The present Government since they took office last year spent only £1,300,000, whereas the late Government spent about £1,400,000 per year for the last three, years, the extravagant proposals of the Government really were that they were to spend on public works £1,600,000, and that they should borrow £1,000,000. He contended that (ho present Government saved £72,000 this year. Messrs Bruce and Beetham spoke against the Ministerial policy, and at 11.30 the debate was adjourned and the House rose.