Later.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2981, 4 September 1878, Page 2

Later.

This day. After ten last night the debate on the Land Tax Bill was continued by Mr Stout, in a speech of considerable length. The present Government were accused fay that hon. member of having some siriste? designs to bring about the sepaiE.4on of the colony, and the rea-on give'j for tais.was fiat some members of

the Government weve separationials. the only reason, given, or that could'-be''giyen for this charge. Mtijor Atblicsoh : I gave a reason. The only other reason giv#n> was that public works h^d been placed on a proper looting, and that some deductions were niadq in the exliaordinary ttiisexpendiiure of public; mpney that had gone on previously.., Wps the Government which appuipled a special minister for the Middle Island some years ago aecusi d of being in iavor of separation ? If the present Gdveranient had made any such appointment as that there might have been some foundation for making the charge against them -that h> d been made by the bon. membe^ for Ne^ Plymouth," but because -the Government had reduced the expenditure and-got rid .of, a s debt .tbajt w-as,useless,^tbejrrW.ere accused' of havirig a Minister desii'^ to separate the colony; [He wpuld tell the House why/this cry of separation hid been raised. The hon. member -was al?<tid to come down ,with a, vote of no, c6rifidencc, and lie- iold the House'ih'eie was , HO,Ufe, sinister, design,on the .part bf the Government. If trie hon. member w?s desivous of kee'p'mg' them away ; fr.om separation he would at once cease crying* oav '" Separation," The hon, member was the assumed jeader of the Qp^osjiticc, and,,le!, : c,an6,,'sf'F'V and, afieri.,tnakjrig a two fours' speech,f..hesitated whether he .would vote: ,for; or against a bill ; . which he condemned wifen the present Government were irti They came down with! a definite, vote* and did not g^t up in the House ( anci' say they did npt know.,. ; how., they\' should, vote. when, -they deeU^^iny bill Mh'i *^am- .sir, tu>s niattei; under' consideration niayfte Dpqke'd to'sfy■■t-hk^tbje 1 G-Sverifaenifc w^ttltf ysltand. .by their policy.; If the 1190. member f^r ISTew Piyiiiouth J tftou'g'nl 'tnis policy was a sham, it was his duty to table a direct vote of- ,no confidence. Leir thfitn?, if defepitod* -gowto.ithe ; country .iandij see whethei* the <Jounfcry.-/would'«sti^portt -tl c Government!oi^nbtl * .This 1 would'!be<tie ! ptbper tricder df condtiotrog Patliamentaj y goterr-mentjin'stfekd^iof crlticisifffpall tlfe small items conne'&te'd' With the"deparjfc- ; mental estimate^ and tariff. ■ fie"'Wfis'n^t a little' scirpriised id* 1 liear so triuaH.saul about the Agent ; GeDieVal.:by *'i\x<k 'cty6 non. m^mTjers" dpn'6'sfte,?; was at 'oiie lTme;nd;mpre T bitter'!;'6p^6rie^t of tae , AgbHt'-Gexifirali, an'd,tlie' 'hbn..: member foi ! New; w^as'' nrP.C'^TP a3 ticuli,l 'friend, of; thej 4sen*"^if^r^ oie period,)., hi': itne I .been a,,conTeH fcQ i.? lr f^V.Mft*, 5^ a^qdi the House! knew 7^|j^t r i',jßfinT^r;s uguftUy were.;>Wii<|h^egar(3,-(tp,,thp $mtijk of.loans he wa^ nocigQing.i;»,Oi^eny that tie colony #&S'grfeally|findebled too Sir J,alh,« Yogel, bttt fsft thd same ifeime.-.the cxedii tbaf'ivaa dn&r/C6 bthecs ought!<nQtito^l€ 1 denied 1 ihem.' •' He !would deelftfi- tfrat !biil ; for Mr the last loan would nol hare been'takeri!up r by4he''Bank ;of-Enjr lfea or its sufcc6s I8f;hiltie%een 1 so^reat j s ifc'liad'bfeen afte^'Wift^ 'btf )jth L6n.iWa'aia*k*fi| I'gKePyffi^ ftb'fHe re'fiiaih of Mem %smi(foW' calling 1 IW'^i ■ eartied-'in'i'rfeh^ I:'' V'figm'efft/ ne'!Mec shpw, ,tnere,,^as. ( ,a^ o wn,ear^q (^cj eniei.1 which' ought to be t&i^.^pll^h ..vep^d-.^nr, jlandS;f^3.r'i>rßiio'la "(!&fc'isaa t gpsition atacapjtaLMJft^stfidi m pepsoni property, as was leffis lation of the^^c^y fn^ all countries ik reference to' tKe pr'qp'ert'y viand tJ Lanc ;should: tie 1 taxetf I'b'ecauie I'of,llhe^enefli derived Jfrdm pumic expeiiditure., Ht quoted figures to _show jLhat;' at' tht present time "ten shillFngs iv" thjf pound on all property in the colon; was being paid out of i life consolidate: reTenu&ifoiOfihfe!ibenefJf\)tl lan - IQ nc country har? land beeO)Ww|ell treated ss in New>^ealand;::?Why ih this Colon f £3 3s per head was contribuied—lo-thE co'b«olldlte;P*e'via¥€t-!&yl 1 all the peoph as again|^J2 17s, ; apcMmg excise an 1 everything else) itf Jingland, aa4 t ,thE .cbmjidriSon'^wasJ^esa [Javqrablejn ©aJas c "oT ~oTEir~courTjTeT and "Wew" Zealanc, The ]and-tax~proposeq by the Gove/r ■ njent was far preferable to a tax on peisour I pry^erlY, because of the tendency (0 prevent the aggregation of large eitates, and ir^tfM <|<J\| exception proposed, instead 01 being too large, was to: small, lie did-rrot intend to take uj much morf time in dealing with the lanl tali^^M^OQ'Mer^^to"y"n|e hor. members who proposed a tax oirajl pre ■ peW7, aM fatf'ibco'me Jm JlwW ials;o proposed. He could understand an incom) tairis'msociMmrfWlM'iax, an.l a%m fflmd<«mm%*Mjte™m > tax had always proved to be a failure wherever it was proposed. "Whajjijvas io be d( ac with those who had large block 1 of land f-om which they derived bo in come ? Hon. members, suppose a pro income tax and a property fax) ther persons deriving an income frorr property wouFd hare to pay double taxa tion. (!i Jf i ,jsn fj incjopie,isjc f H«reampo|ed he believed that the result would be tq change ttheKAnqid^nqewofrit&xaUoHfifdr the! worse instead of the better, so far ad equalising*the.'.;buuden!. of taxation was; concerned. He^defended the beer tax] as fair. With regard _ to the tariff 1, l^ej admit;ted> f_tbe^ •i/cttstdms'/tariff i c6uld noti be revised iri one session. if fault at all was fouM Witß th^GliiVernment it was. that they were attempting too much. The Hon. member thfen fip'roceeded to de-1 "fend the policy of the Government with] regard to counties, and said if any mem- ] ber objected it was his duty to comei down I with)la distinot imotion; itet -their;mea- ' sures be considered on their merits, and i he felt sure that when they went to the country, the. members ; 0f,,, the present Government would get credit for bringing forward measures of reform that were calculated to do good to the,country. No other Government had eve/ proposed so many measures of reform- as -the present Government had proposed. They knew some of their measures would be distasteful to a great many bon. members, but that did not deter them from the performance of what they considered to l)e their duty. The Government had made up their mind on those measures, and by those measures they would stand or fall. . *

After some remarks against a proposal by Mr Gibbs and Mr Hursthouse, Mr Ballance moved that the House adjourn till eleven vex,t morn'ng, but as the Speaker thought it a'i exceptional proceeding'the motion was 1 withdrawn, and the House adjourned at 1.15.