GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1366, 16 July 1885, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m, on Tuesday. The Sf. Mary’s Convent Property Leases Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr Taiaroa moved for the production and copies of accounts showing the amounts of rents collected for the native reserves at Greymouth, Arahura, Hokitika and Nelson.— Agreed to. The Council went into Committee on the Administration Bill, on which progress was reported. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of the Postal Notes Bill.—Agreed to. The Council adjourned at 3.55 p.m.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. Mr Ivess, Member for Wakanui, took the oath and his seat. Mr Fulton moved that the amendments of the Committee on the Congregational Union Incorporation Bill be adopted, which was agreed to. Mr Fyke gave notice that on going into Committee of Supply he would move that it is desirable and necessary that the nominated system of immigration be resumed without delay. Replying to questions, Ministers said : That Government proposed to ask the House to grant a sufficient sum to inaugurate the system of employing stenographers in Supreme Courts ; that Government did not intend to complete the new railway station in Dunedin this year ; that Government intended to pheo a small sum on the Estimates for the pmchase of copies of Mr Kerry Nicholls’ Book on the King Country, for general circulation ; that ammunition would be supplied to Rifle Clubs at cost price ; that the Government would place a sum on the Estimates for the placing of leading lights at the Manukau Heads ; that steps will be at once taken to include in section 3 of the Poisons Act 1871 a compound known as “Rough on Rats.’ 1 Replying to Mr Holmes if tha Government will exempt the property of Benefit Societies from taxation under the Property Assessment Aei, the Hon. Mr Stout said the Act was not supposed to interfere with the existing law, A number of new Bills were introduced. The Hon. Sir Julius Yogel gave notice to move on Wednesday that the House go into Committee to consider the following resolution—“ That the Government be requested to arrange a fresh service between San Francisco and Auckland, for five years, at a cost not exceeding£3o,ooo a year.” The debate on the Local Bodies and Finance Bill was then resumed by Major Atkinson, who said on looking carefully through the Bill to ascertain its principles, the only principle he could see was that the whole of the roads of Iho country were to be made out of the Consolidated Fund, and he would be prepared to show the House that this could not possibly be done. He thought it would be generally admitted that they had an assured finance in the manner in which they at present provided for the raaintainence of roads. He contended that the Property Tax could not fairly be used for the purpose of tbe construction of these roads. The question then arose, how were the roads to be made*] He held that the chief charge for their construction should fall upon the landed property of the country, and they should not be made out of the Consolidated Fund. All those who were connected with Road Boards were aware that they experienced a difficulty in raising sufficient revenue to construct their roads, and they knew that the larger the rate the more subsidy would be granted. He said they must abandon the idea of making the roads by granting subsidies. The only way to make them would be by capitalising special rates. In other words, they should borrow upon the rates in order to make the roads. It seemed to him reasonable that the colony should contribute a small smr- towards the construction of roads, but tho proportyowners should bear the chief burden. The Hod. Mr Stout contended that the hon. member by his speech had practically given up the principle of the Roads and Bridges Construction Act which he had formerly advocated. He would ask how the money was to be allocated under the system proposed by the Member of Egmont. They would have applications for several hundreds of thousands of pounds, and they could not possibly be dealt with satisfactorily. The system proposed would be thoroughly unworkable. The Government were making no proposals for constructing the roads out of the Consolidated Fund. They merely told the people that they tax themselves before the Government could assist them. \ He objected altogether to the way in which gentleman explained those proposals, the statement that tbe Government freed property from taxation, since exactly opposite was tho case. He held that it was an entirely false assumption that the outlying districts would require large assistance, and the more settled districts a smaller amount. He disagreed with the Member for Egmont, that (lie colony should go into the money market for construe ion of roads. He admitted that the schedule of the Bill would require adjustment in several nspecls, Imt he would ask the House whether the past 'administration of the Raids and B idg-s C-m-truclion Act was satisfactory ] If not, they should agree to devise some better scheme. He

thought the time would come when there ,• would he a readjustment of local finance, but if they adopted the system sketched out by the Member for Egraont, they would be a much worse position than before. Ho did not think they would have any satisfactory system till they had large Boards of Works to deal with each road and allocate the money for it. He hoped the Government supporters and the Opposition would consider the question apart from party feeling, and do their utmost to make the Bill a good one. The debate lasted till 1.15 a.m., when the second reading was carried on the voices, and the House rose.