Parliamentary.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2058, 9 August 1875, Page 2

Parliamentary.

HOUSE OF EEPKESENTATIVm

WELLINGTON.

Friday, 8.30 p.m.. The Immigration Expenditure Indemnity Bill, interim report of Select Committee (Finance), was read. ■ .

Mr Bunny moved that the report be withdrawn. The passing of the bill was postponed till the final report was received. . ■ ■''.".

Mr Kolleston said the bill, if it passed committee, would appear.as if the Government could order the Board of Audit to break the law. W,hat was. the use of such a Board ? Better sweep it away at the same time as the provinces. Surely some other expedient might have been found to tide over the difficulty rather than do an illegal act. Mr E eid recommended withdrawal of Mr Bunny's amendment. ' He thought that year by year the House was losing control over the expenditure. Mr Pearce supported the Government, and thought they (the Government) had, under impressive- and • critical circumstances, been taking the usual course Three counes were open to them. First, to stop immigration; the sesond, to call the House together for an inconvenient period; and the third, to break.the law, and this the Government fairly' told the House they had done, and now came for a vote condemning their act. Sir F. D. Bell asked the committee to withhold their judgment until the. final report of the Firance Committee was before them.

Mr McGlashan thought this was just Hie time to discuss the state of the public accounts. The present lax system of audit and control was a delusion, and 1 porfectly inoperative as regards payments I made in London. i Mr Shepherd (Nelson) considered the i Government were justified in the course , they had taken. Mr Bowen, in referring. to Mr Rolleston's reirarks, said the Government were obliged to take the responsiblity in certain urgent cases. Surely it was more proper to go the Audit Board, and tell them of the steps they were obliged to take in the emergency. This, he thought, was better than making private arrangement with the bank, as he understood Mr Rolleston had suggested. Major Atkinson said tbat he alone was responsible for this Act. The circumstances of the case were theso : The Board of Audit sat, and the Treasurer said the money was not available, whereupon he (the Treasurer) wrote and told them he was going to break the law and instructed hit subordinates in tho Treasury to carry this but. The Board of Audit informed him they must report his acts to Parliament. They have done so, and he had done the same. The Government courted the fullest inquiry, but asked the House to wait till the information and report of Public Accounts' Committee were before them.

Mr Sheehan said the rerdict of the House and the country would be:— " Government guilty; but under extenuating circumstances." The bill was reported to the House without amendments, and read a third time and passed. The second reading of the Registration of Mining Companies Valuation Bill is to be committed onTuesdayv, Mir Wood asked if the Government, on Tuesday, intended to go into Committee of Supply before the debate on the Abolition Bill, as the Opposition (although anxious to go into finance) wished to hare a full report of the Finance Committee, and other information, before debating the subject? The finaFpositition of the Government might be likened to some beautiful image which they were called upon to--, worship; : but they objected to have first, pefhapsj the charming grace of the head to admire; then the exquisite symmetry of an arm, then the fair pro* portions of the bust, the gilding and ornamentation of the dress, ere they would admire and criticise it—perchance as one captivating harmonious whole. He hoped, therefore, th« Government would not go on with the Committee of Supply until the Abolition debate was finished.

Major Atkinson, on the part of the Government, had no objection to state that the Gorernment would propose to go on with the debate on the Abolition Bill; but it must be understood that after Tuesday the Gorernment must go on with the regular business of the House. In reply to Mr Beeves, the Native Minister said he would make his statoment on native affairs on Wednesday next, Major Atkinson would make.his on Immigration on Tuesday or Wednesday, and Mr Keynolds his on the Marine Department ok Tuesday. The House adjourned at 1.23 a.m.