GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

Temuka Leader, Issue 2227, 14 July 1891, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

Wellington, July 10. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. THE FINANCIAL DEBATE. Some unimportant questions were answered, and Mr Smith having spoken on the Financial Statement. Captain Russell said if the Premier would reply then no other member of the Opposition would speak and the business could go. The Premier said he gladly accepted the challenge and spoke two hours and a quarter, in the course of which lie replied to all objections raised in the Financial Statement. After some remarks he said that it had been said that the present surplus was due to the late Government, and that had been said by the freetraders of the House, He asserted that the productive energies of the people of the Colony were responsible for the surplus, and not the machinations of the late Colonial Treasurer. It was not the duty of the Treasurer to provide a large surplus, although, of conrse, he was always applauded for a surplus of any kind. With respect to Mr Macarthur’s speech, lie asserted that jt was full of inaccuracies as far as the figures in the Financial Statement were concerned. That lion, gentleman had stated that subsidies to local bodies were paid before they vere demanded, in order to reduce the surplus. That statement was not ;orrect, and Mr Macarthur should | mow it was not. On every point on *

which he had challenged the Government finance he had broken down. They were told that they might not get the sinking fund, but unless the ' Bank of England broke or repudiated its engagement they -would get it. He referred in detail to several statements made by Mr Macarthur with respect to the figures in the Budget, and said that he was entirely wrong in his criticisms from beginning to end. Let him pose as a great financial authority if he fiked, but the hon.' gentleman must do so correctly" Mr Rolleston had also twitted him with making incorrect calculations when Treasurer in 1878, but he asserted that in nearly every important item of revenue his estimate had been realised, except land revenue, which showed a serious falling off in that year. With respect to the charge made by Dr. Newman about the large amount of deficiency bills issued by the present Government, he explained that it was due to a little trick performed by the late Treasurer, namely, that on March 31, 1890, £200,000 of deficiency bills were paid off, and on April 1, 1890 (the next day) they were reissued. How could the present Government be blamed for that ? Coming to the postage question, hon. members had made this a kind of stalking horse. The Government had stated in the proposals that it was believed this reduction could be made, but it was twitted with the remark that this reduction would only affect the merchants of the Colony. Was there no other class but merchants to be benefitted? Was there no small traders to receive any benefit ? Why, the whole community would profit by the reduction, including the working men, whom the Opposition seemed so anxious about. Then, as to a reduction on the necessaries of life, of which so much had been heard, he asked, had they ever heard the hon. gentlemen opposite express any solicitude before on that point ? His opinion was that the Grey Ministry was the only Government that had reduced taxation on the necessaries of life, as it had made no less than £IOO,OOO reduction on tea and sugar. He claimed that the Liberal side of the House was at any rate just as anxious to reduce the necessaries of life as the Opposition, but the £40,000 proposed to be taken off postage would not afford much relief in the reduction of taxation. He said the Government policy had found with its party as a whole, and he was confident the Government would be able to give effect to it.. Referring to the totalisator tax, he said that tax would tend to kill gambling, and also to kill racing, and he cited the fact that the increased duty on spirits at Home had decreased the consumption of liquor. As regards Judge Edwards’ case, the Government believed that the appointment was unconstitutional, and was determined to have the opinion of the highest tribunal it could get to decide the matter. It was also fully aware that the Chief Justice of the Colony had stated that another Judge was not required. He denied that the Government had done anything to degrade the Supreme Court Bench, but it had done its utmost to uphold the dignity of the Court. With respect to retrenchment, it had been held that it had made no reduction, but he asserted that the Government had retrenched altogether a hundren and fifteen hands. To his mind it was repulsive to have to inflict suffering on those people, but it was imperative that some, proper system should be initiated, which he.shouhl explain fully when the Civil Sex-vice Bill was brought down. In referring to the reductions made, he claimed the Government had effected a saving this year of £41,000. Hon. members had said some increase of salaries had been made in the Estimates, but that was on account of the amalgamation of offices, which, he asserted, showed a

saving by giving men more work to do, and thus dispensing with other officers. Referring to the exodus, he said no policy could be carried out in a few months, ' and it was unreasonable to expect the Government to stop the

exodus in so short a time. He; had

always expressed the opinion that the principal cause of the exodus was owing to people not being able to obtain land for settlement. For the last few years there had not been any sympathy with the mass of the people. They were all aware that dummyism had been rampant for the last few years, and the late Minister for Lands was spoken of as the high priest of dummyism. They were told that three

million acres of Crown lands were available, and that this should stop the exodus ; but how would land that was not opened up and roaded do that V If lion, gentlemen opposite were sincere in their desire to put small settlers on the lands, why did they not advocate that some of the enormous estates in Canterbury, which were admirably adapted for small farms, should be acquired by the Government for settlement purposes ? The policy of the Government and of the Liberal Party was to provide land for the people, and that was the only true policy to establish. Referring, to the Property tax, he said that tax discouraged enterprise in every direction, whereas the tax they proposed would assist enterprise. He quoted from speeches made by Sir John Hall in 1878 in favour of a tax such as was now proposed by tne. Government, and said if that lion gentleman were consistent he should support tl\e_.present proposals. With respect to borrowing

Mr Bryce said he was a borrower not a non-borrower, that he was a borrower with one condition, namely, that it should receive publicity. [Mr Bryce : There was another condition ; that was, that the borrowing should be good and worthy objects .]They all ageeed in that, and he might tell the House that the Government was only carrying out the arrangements made by its peedecessors for .the conversion

of those loans. The Government was of opinion that borrowing in the English market would be most dangerous and risky for the next few years, . and believed that .it was studying the interests of the country in that decision, aS;?it preserve the good name of the Colony, especially after the examples they had of Queensland and other ,He referred as some length to the evils of large estates, and said all the charges made against the maladministration of the late Minister for Lands were proved by the returns furnished . of areas of land parted within the past year or two. It was said that the Government wanted to burst up those large estates, but what it wanted to do was to make them pay their proper share of taxation and so aid the revenue of the country in a legitimate way. He asserted that the Government was taking the proper course in dealing with the land question before anything eles. Reduction •in the of life would be taken up quite soon enough for the hon gentlemen opposite, but they must take one ' great question at a time 4 and deal with it. The effect of the policy might probably, be to restrict the -flow of capital to large estates, ; but it would also surely tend in the direction of assisting small estates. With respect to the speech of the member £ for Mount Ida, he admitted that it was amusing, and was capitally acted; but when the hon gentleman came to discuss large questions how poor he , was.; Why, a member on the Government side of the House had declared that he could not extract a single new idea from the speech. Notwithstanding what Mr Mackenzie had said, the Government policy was meant, to atti-act a flow of capital to the great mass of industries and who were the mainstay of the country. Coming to the Land Tax, the policy of the Libel party was to have a land tax pure and simple, but they were bound to have revenue. He .thought the improver, whether he had a large or small estate; should be-‘treated more lightly than a non-improver, ‘and that seemed perfectly reasonable. The Government was convinced that it would be able to obtain the revenue x-oquired, but it had one reservation, and that was that befox-e it was called upon To impose the rate it would have the dpta ascertained by the triennial property assessment, so that it would be* able to say exactly" what amount, yyould be realised It would be for' the House to decide what the rate should be, As to the absentee question, lie had always held that those people), be taxed, but he thought as they were absentees and nonriraprovers,; they might be reached, and by a graduated scale. However, the question mighty very 1 well be left in the' meantime, in r conclusion, he said ! it was their duty to legislate for the good of the eburitry, and to remedy the enormous differences which obtained in England between x-ich' and poor. The Government would keep that object steadily in view, and would strive to act like those who had sympathy with their fellow men., .• ,:; > > , m.;

The motion that the Speaker leave the chair \vas then; agi;eed;t6, and the House went into Committee of Supply, blit progress was reported immedieitely.

KAXGEIt CAMI’IiEMi. The Hon. J. Ballance read ; a telegram from Inspector Hickson, of Dunedin, to the effect that there'were v no records in the office of Ranger T Campbel! having served in the Police Force. He had known him from 1863 to 1860, and lie had always borne a very good character. Campbell himself had also telegraphed to him' (Mr Ballance) stating that there was no truth in the statement .that he had ill- ‘ treated a prisoner, in his cell; and that no charge of that nature had. ever been made against him, ]S T o inquiry into his conduct had ever ’ been Uield

while he was in the force, or id any other position. He challenged inquiry on all points., The Premier

then said that, after making the House acquainted.with the contents.of these telegrams, no further charges should be made against Campbell by the Opposition unless proofs of those

charges* were also brought forward. Mr Bryce did not wish, to raise a discussion on the matter; he only wanted to say that the Inspector did not appear to have any knowledge of Campbell having ever served in the police force at all. > .'r

AMES’S ACT AMENDMENT. The House went into Committee on the Aliens Act Amendment, .Bill, which was passed with slight amendments that were ordered to be considered on Tuesday.

BILLS PASSED. ... The Official and Colonial Defencer Secrets Bill and Imbecile Passengers Act Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed. The House rose at iO.dO'p.m.