GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2254, 15 September 1891, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, September 11. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council mat at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. MIKING BILL. The Mining Bill was read a third time and passed. PROPERTY TAX BILL. The seoond reading of the Property Tax Bill was agreed to. WORKMEN'S LIEN BILL. • Mr Buckley moved the committal of the Workmen's Lien Bill. Mr Pharatfyn moved an amendment that the Bill be read that day six months. After a short debate the amendment was put, and carried by 16 to 12. FACTORIES BILL. The Council : decided to insist on its amendments in the Factories Bill, and a Committee was appointed to confer with the' House of Representatives. THE LAND BILL. The Council went into Committee on the Land Bill. Clause 82, which dißquali4ed married women from selecting land, was struck out by 20 to 5. Clause 165, block of rural land to be set apart for occupation on the cooperative system, was also struck out. In clause 192 " leases to be cancelled subject to 12 months notice," the time •was extended to two years. Consideration of the vital clauses of the measure relating to Acta repealed, was postponed till Monday. The Council rose at 10.30 p.m. HOUSE OF BEPKESENTATIVES. [The following is the conclusion of Thursday's sitting.] Mr Duncan's amendment to fix the honorarium at £2lO, was rejected by 30 to 24. .Clause 1, which provided that payments should not be anticipated, pledged, nor • seized in execution, was struck out on the voices. A provision was inserted to the effect that any Legislative Councillors absent the whole'of the session should receive no payment from the date of the proclamation convening Parliament until the issue of the Proclamation convening the next ensuing session. On the motion for third reading Mr McGuire moved an amendment that the Bill be read a third time that day six months, which after a long debate was lost by 30 to 14. The third reading was then agreed to, and the bill was passed. BILLS PASSED. The Public Trust Office Bill, Small Birds Nuisance Bill, and Stamps Act Amendment were put through the final stages, and the House rose at 3.30 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. I)R POLLEN'S PENSION ARREARS. The Public Accounts Committee reported on the Hon. Dr Pollen's claim for arrears of retiring allowance, to the effect that they saw no reason for altering the report which they had formerly furnished on the question, namely, that the sum of £1389 15s be paid to the petitioner in satisfaction of %i» claim, and that the report should be referred to the Government for consideration. After a long debate a motion referring the report to the Government was carried by 27 to 21. SELECTORS LAND REVALUATION BILL. It was decided to disagree with the whole of the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Selectors Land Revaluation Bill. Managers were appointed to confer with the Council. PRIVATE TRAMWAYS BILL. The Private Tramway* Act Amendment Bill, empowering local bodies to construct private tramway lines along parts of streets or roads, was committed ■without'amendment, and read a third time and passed. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT BILL. The LaJid for Settlement Bill was committed. •.'■"-' All reference in the Bril to native land was struck out. The other amendments made were not of a consequential or verbal character. . The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. V RABBIT NUISANCE, * The Rabbit Nuisance Act Amendment Bill was committed, read a third time, and passed. > The House rose at 5.30 p.m., and xesumed at 7.30 p.m. . COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. On the motion to go into Committee of Supply, Mr Mitchelson criticised the Public Works Statement. He sympathised with Mr Seddon in the difficult task he had had to perform, especially as he had such a limited amount of money at his disposal

and so many demands made on him. In allocating the money available the Minister had evidently tried to please everybody, but he (Mr Mitchelson) thought a wiser plan would have been for the Minister to have acted as his predecessor had done—merely endeavoured to complete the lines that were already well advanced. The present Government had laid down a policy of non-borrowing, but it was clearly indicated in the Statement that if the Government remained in office they intended to borrow in the London market, and that at no distant date, for it was clear that much of the £653,196 which it was proposed to expend this year would have to come out of loan. He referred to several paragraphs of the statement in detail, and condemned as useless several of the works for which money was to be diverted from other unexpended votes. As to the North Island Main Trunk Railway, he thought the prosecution of this work at the Wellington end would be of immense value to the colony, but he regretted that the Minister could not see his way to spend a larger sum on the Otago Central Railway, and carry the line as far as Taieri Lake. Mr George Hutchison said that as a matter of fact the Government were borrowing at present, and borrowing surreptitiously, by the conversion operations going on at Home. Dr Newman said that it was very evident that the money was to be expended where the Government supporters were thickest. Mr Hogg looked upon the statement as a very able effort to meet the position of affairs. Mr Fergus thought that the Rotorua line should be completed as soon as possible, and he regretted that the Statement provided for the construction of only four miles of that really useful line; this in face of the fact that £32,000 was to be spent on that miserable Te Aroha line. In his opinion the colony was paying dearly for having Mr Seddon in office, as his whole aim was to spend public money in the districts represented by Ministerial supporters. Mr Fraser said that Mr Fergus had never seen the proposed route of the Thames-Te Aroha line and he could not know anything about it. Mr Richardson declared that Mr Seddon had actually £984,000 at his command, which he did not think agreed with his complaint of scarcity of money. It was evident to him that the Government were not very secure in their position, and they were determined that if their life was to be short it would be a merry one. Mr Rolleston said that the statement appeared to him to be altogether wanting in principle, and in that respect it resembled many of the Government measures. It also savored of indirect borrowing and was therefore opposed altogether to the professions of Ministers. The worst feature of the proposals was that they involved a large expenditure in the future. The Government were proceeding on a wrong principle altogether. They were, going on with works many of which of which did not come within the category of railways which should be carried on. They also intended to erect their school buildings out of loan, which he had hoped he had heard the last of. Was it not a monstrous thing that they should remit taxation to the wealthy classes as they had done by a reduction of postage and yet fail to provide funds for necessary works ? Mr Taylor moved an amendment that next session of Parliament be held in Christchurch. Lost by 25 to 19. Mr McKenzie (Clutha) said that the Public Works Statement did not at all meet with his approval. Mr Seddon, in replying, observed that he couM. not please everybody by his Statement, but he had gone in,for the greatest good for the greatest number. With respect to the assertion of the Opposition that the Statement contained a borrowing policy, he repudiated that altogether, saying there was not the slightest indication in it of borrowing, and that the charge had only been made for party purposes. In allocating the money at his disposal he had not taken into account at all the fact whether the votes were given to political supporters, but according to the requirements of the country. He defended the vote for the Te Aroha-Thames and the Kamo-Kurangi lines. With respect to the Statement as a whole, he contended that the Government had done their best in the interest of the colony. The House then went into Committee of Supply. Working railways—£699,ooo. Mr Fish moved that this vote be reduced by £1 as an indication that there should be no increase of salaries over £2OO. Mr Fish's motion was lost by 20 to 50, Ministers voting against it. The total vote for railways passed unaltered. Publia and School Buildings Department £52,950 was agreed to without alteration. The House rose at 3 a.m.