GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2073, 17 July 1890, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOU3E OF REPRESENTATIVES. On Tuesday, second beadhtos. The Church Property Trustees (Canterbury) Indemnity Bill, and the Roman Catholic Lands Act Extension Bill were read a second time. THE WNANCIAL DEBATE was continned by Messrs McArthur, Brown, Kelly, Ross, Taiwhanga, and wound up by Hr Mitchelson, who complimented Mr Ballance on the conciliatory tone of his remarks, and only wished that other members on that,side of the House had followed that lead. The Government now possessed the largest majority of any Government for years past, and they intended to ask for full supplies with tbe intention of calling Parliament together again in the first or second week in April next. They were also prepared to go on with the business of the country this session, and if the Opposition met them by obstruction the.responsibility would rest with them and not with the Government. With .regard to the primage duty the Government had received letters from some of the largest importers in the colony to tbe effect that it was the fairest tax that could be imposed. Ho might say that when the advance was made to the New Plymouth Board, the Premier was under the impression that the Public Accounts ;'Committee had sanctioned it. It had s been stated with respect to the , Rotorua purchase that the Government had done it in the interest of the Bank of New Zealand. He had been ten years a member of the House, and had never during that time been approached by the Bank of New Zealand one way or the other. The Government were quite prepared to go to the country and ask for a continuance of its confidence. The question that the House go into Commitltee of Supply was then carried without a division. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLT. On the vote of £1755 for the Colonial Secretary’s Office being put, Mr Monk moved that the first item he reduced by £l, as an instruction to the Government that the Committee is of opinion that a further reduction in the Estimates, of at least £50,000, can be made without being injurious to the interests of the colony. Mr Mitchelson said that the Government had determined not to make the amendment one of no confidence. He wculd ask the House to pass the Estimates as they now stood, but they 4 would undertake to make the reductions, if carried, which would have to come off tbe services. Mr Ballance said that the position taken up by the Government was a mest unsatisfactory and unconstitutional one. Further retrenchment was absolutely necessary, hut if the Government intended to make a reduction the House had a right to know; what those services were that were to be reduced. He moved that the estimates be reduced by £5 as an instruction to the Government to reduce the Estimates by the amount of the primage duty. > Mr.Mitchelson asked whether the amendment meant that the Government should take back their estimates. Mr Ballance replied in the affirmative. Mr i Mitchelson said in that case the Government would accept Mr Ballance’s amendment as one of no confidence, as so Government could consent to a proposition of that kind. .. A lengthy debate followed, during which a large number of members spoke, hut the ground covered was very similar to that traversed during the financial debate. Mr Ballance’s amendment was lost by 34 to 23. The following is the division list;—Against Mr Balance's amendment (84), Alien, Anderson, Arthur, Beetham, Bruce, Cowan, Fergus, Goldie, Harkness, Hislop, Hobbs, Humphreys, Izard, Lawry, McArthur, McKenzie, M. J. S. Merchant, McGregor, Mitchelson, , Monkj Moat, Newman, Peacock, Richardson, G. F. Bussell, Samuel, Saunders, Seymour, Stuart} Menteath, Tanner, Thompson, R. Thompson, and T, Withy. For Mr Ballance’s amendment— Ballance, Blake, Buxton, Cadman, : Datocan, Feld wick, Fisher, Fish, • Grimmond, Hutchison, Joyce, Kelly. Mackenzie J., Moss, Perceval, Beeves ft J. H. (Inangahua), Reeves W. P (St. Alban’s), Seddon, Steward W. J. (Waimate), Taylor, Yerall, and Walker. Pairs—For Mr Ballance’s amend- • ment Taiwhanga, Guinness, Jones, Turnbull, Fitzherbert, Ward Grey, Larnach, Lougbrey, B. Richardson, Lance, Brown, Kerr, Parata, apd Fftphett, For the Government Fulton, Dodson, Atkinson, O’Connor, Pyke, Downie Stewart, Rhodes, Ross, Bryce, Hodgkinson, Wilson, White, Taipua Buchanan, Ormond, Carroll, and T. McKenzie. A remarkable result pf Russian ’inflnenga is recorded by the authorities of the Massachusetts insane asylum. In seven cases the patients, through haring la grippe, were restored to reason, and in each ease the details are thoroughly vouched for by the medical attendants.