GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2071, 12 July 1890, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. On Wednesday, THIBD BEADING!. The Church Property Trustee! (Canterbury) Indemnity Bill w»s read a thirds time and passed. On Thursday, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL. Sir George Whitmore moved the second reading of the Legislative Council Bill, which provides * that members shall retain their seats for only ten years, and shall elect their own’ 'Speaker:" 1 Sir Frederick Whitaker supported the bill.' ‘ ' .o-VXr, '' "" Mr Pbarazyn opposed the motion. Dr Pollen moved that the debate be adjourned till Wednesday ’next. ■ The Council adjourned at 5.30 p.m. HOD3E OF REPRESENTATIVES. On Wednesday, SEDUCTION OF THE ESTIMATES. In reply to Mr Soddon, Mr Mitcfaelson said that he did hot.think that the Government were justified-in stating to the House any; negotiations, between them and members of their own party regarding a rednciion of their estimates. Mr Ballance asked whether it was true that . Government agreed to the motion of which" notice had been given by Mr Monk. Mr Mitchelson said that the; Government had not agreed to anything at the present time. Mr Seddon gave notice to more in Committee of Supply that the first item on the estimates ■ be; reduced by £—, as au indication to the Government that supplies should not. be granted beyond the end of September. THE FINANCIAL DEBATE. Dr Fitchett twitted Captain Bussell with charging 1 Mr Ballance with inconsistency, Two years ago Captain Bussell denounced the Government'bf which he was now a member. The House was now in a disorganised state, and the only remedy for it was an immediate appeal to the country. Mr Goldie complained of the Government having neglected the. promised classification of the Civil Service. He referred specially to appointments given to the sons of Mr G. S. Cooper, and of Lieutenant-Colonel Hume. The latter gentleman had himself a large salary, but it seemed that his son had also to be provided'for: -A feeling of indignation existed amongst officers of the Civil Service, and he thought it was not to be wondered at. The statement made by the Premier in the Financial statement that he was unable to effect further economies was, he thought, perfectly consistent with the professions of the 1 Premier, but not with his practise. He quoted several of those professions, and laid that the increase in departmental expenditure this year was something like £90,000. It was very. evident tu bis mind that they were going back to tbe old state of extravagance, notwithstanding all the professions of the Government. A' saving might easily be effected in several directions, especially in industrial schools and the boarding out system, the cost of maintaining prisons, and native schools. He suggested that all increases made to officers this year, who are receiving over £l5O, be disallowed. He bad no faith in either side of tne House, and he hoped that a speedy dissolution would be obtained.

Mr Fisher spoke of the utter helplessness of the Government to grapple with the difficulties of the colony, and said that some radical change was necessary. He characterised the Financial Statement as a very unscientific Budget, and the whole scheme in it was a borrowing* one. He differed altogether from Captain Russell when he asserted that population was not leaving the country, and pointed out that in five v? years the colony had lost no less than 18,500 people; whilst at the present moment 400 people were on board steamers in Wellington harbor leaving the colony for ever.

Mr Scobie ' McKenzie referring t to Mr Hutchison’s remarks as to the indebtedness of Ministers to the Bank of New Zealand he considered That if it could be shown that Ministers had prostituted their public position to advance their own private interest they shmld be swept off the benches at once. He could not help thinkiogi however, that Mr Hutchison had spoken in heat of debate, and that there was no foundation for. such charges. As to Mr Ballance’s statement that further retrenchment was necessary. The Government of which be was a member retrenched to the extent of £BO,OOO. Xet, after the present Government had actually reduced by £290,000 Mr Ballance now declared by his resolution that further retrenchment was necessary and possible. The Opposition were in a dilemma over the Property Tax Bill. If they wanted to abolish the tax they must substitute something else for it, but they had not done so when they had the opportunity. The “grand problem that would be brought before the electors shortly would be how beat they could keep the present Opposition* who had so largely contributed to the present condition of the colony, out of office. A second session was altogether unnecessary. Mr M'Kenzie (Waihemo) said if he wished to show the records of the last speaker in the past, political audacity would not characterise his action. He bad come to the House to support Sir J. Yogel, and moved the Address-in-Reply in favour of the Stout-Yogel

Government. Next session lie was found in a cave of Abdullam, whereas the following year he was in full--fledged rebellion against a gentleman whomhehad been returned to support, ; No doubt there were some things which - the Government did in land matters which he (Mr S. M'Kenzie) approved * of, but he felt certain the member for Mount Ida would not be prepared to endorse; the, administration before bis constituents He had on more than 1 one occasion pointed out for the Minister for Lands defects in his .policy, and,all he had said in 1887, -when the present Ministry took office, ' had come to pass. 'I he land laws had , been frequently altered since 1887, land they were.told even this year that : .anotheramendment was required to prevent dummyismi The -Minister’s ’as to the number of people ' who had transferred their land could not, possibly show that dummy ism had not taken place. Facts would speak * for themselves more ; than all arguments, and when they heard so much about settlement people asked where the settlers were. That would convince them more than any amount of argument as to the seccess of the land policy.-’. No doubt that Mr Bryce with Mr Scobie Mackeulie and others intended at ' no distant date to occupy the. Opposition benches. He pointed out that ihe present Government party when ' in. f Opposition constantly endeavoured to depricate the position of sthe colonyi - regardless altogether of the effect -of their utterances on the country, generally. He maintained that the Government retained their seats > bn false pretences, and their policies or policy had utterly broken .doyen,;; in. fact . they did hot posses a lihredi;of policy. It was impossible - for the Government to carry on any business in the House,,as their party would not allow them them to do so. The sooner, therefore, the Government dissolved the House and asked for six months supplies the better it would be for all parties. Mr Withy regretted be should be noabld, for some years at any rate to come 4 back to the House and help to govern' the country, so that any remarks', of his need not be regarded as a manifesto. He did hot think the Financial Statement submitted to the Honse was a fair statement of the position of the colony, and after going into. several details of that Statement lie said he had come to the conclusion that the J amount of retrenchment effected by the present Government Bince they came into office was only £174,500, and not £290,000 as claimed by the Government. He was, however, greatly disappointed at the retrenchment of the present Govern .merit, and had been very undecided as to whether ornot he should vote against Mr,Balance’s amendment. -• Mr Thompson (Marsden) moved the Bdjburojment of the debate until 2.30 day.—Agreed to. [ The House rose at 11.50 p.m. Oh Thursday, CHAEGEB AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. Mr' Mitchelsoh desired to moye without notice for the appointment of Select Committee to enquire into the charges made..,by the, member for ■Waitotara against the Government. — . Leave was refused. Mr Mitchelson gave notice to move ihe motion next day. Mr Ballance said that the reason why objection was made to the motion being moVed without notice was- that some difference of opinion existed as to the constitution ot the Committee, v TUE FINANCIAL DEBATE. Bruce resumed the debate on the Financial Statement, and it was kept up by Messrs Buxton* Duncan, Menteath, Sir John Hall, Dr Newman and Sir George Grey, until the adjournment was moved by Mr O’Connor at 11.25 p.m.