HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2988, 12 September 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON.

Tuesday. The House met at 7.30 this evening. Before proceeding with the business, Major Atkinson suggested that, as the business was a good deal behind, the Government should ask that the House sit on Monday, and that Wednesday or Thursday be devoted-1 to Government business. He took this liberty' with a view of getting'the business expedited, as he was aware a great many members were anxious to see the business advance more rapidly. • The Premier said the Government would consider the matter, and let the ! House know to-morrow. LAND TAX BILL.

The debate on the Land Tax Bill was resumed. f " Mr Pyke deprecated-the action of so many members cavilling at the small details of the measure instead v of criticising the principles. While, he would have preferred a wider measure of reform he, WoUld not cavil at what he considered a measure of that reform for which the country was so anxious.' He heartily concurred ia the three main principles of the Bill—the taxing of land, the exemption of small holders, and the taxing of the unimproved value. The hon. member took exception to the argument of the member for Geraldjne when he said that unimproved land had no value so long as it remained unimproved. While he would go the length of admitting that such land possessed no value for the State, it possessed 1 great value for the owner, especially when his neighbours, by improving around it, gave it an increased value. * He would also support the second reading of the Joint Stock Companies Bill. The principle was sound, still, he would like to see gold mining companies exempted, because they were taxed already by gold duty. Small shareholders should also be exempted. He thoroughly approved of the beer tax. Beer was a luxury, and should therefore be taxed. He, however, would prefer the English mode of levying the duty, and was sorry the Treasurer had not adopted that plan. As to the principles of the Customs tariff, he agreed on most points, though he would have preferred to see the tax taken off sugar altogether. As to the Australian wine tax, he thought an attempt should have been made to obtain reciprocity. The ad valorem duty he considered'a great incentive to fraud, and it ought to ;be abolished. By the returns' it appeared' that ' the duty on wearing apparel for the last two years had fallen sixty thousand pounds." He feared that there must have been some extensive frauds somewhere—in no other way was it explainable, especially when it was considered that the population!had' been steadily increasing*. If the duty was removed off grain, it ought also to be removed off timber; but he thought the Government ought to be cautious how Ihey took the duty off grain.' If it were possible he would prefer to see all duties .abolished, so that our harbours might become thronged wich vessels bearing jproduce from all climes and countries, and he believed that such a grand impetus to commerce as that was only a question'l of time. He did not "Consider the proposals of the Government as an attempt to increase taxation. It jwas. merely, adjusted so.as, tq lighten j the shoulders of the poor class,' ana place 1, the burden upon those better able to bear it. The Government had been advised to withdraw their measures, arid brjng them down next session. He.hopedl theywould do nothing of the kind, but would starioV by them, and compel the large dividend drawer and those with cattle on a thousand hills to contribute to the cost of Government, and so relieve the too heavily taxed working man. . I <!

Mr Wason deprecated the imputations by implication cast by Government upon the importing class. It would hare been more manly if Government had boldly said that the importing class had defrauded the Customs by cooked invoices.. As to the free trade principle, he yielded to no one; but he thought the tinkering with the traffic by the Treasurer was an insult to free trade. •He deprecated the idea of putting a tax on our wholesome beer, and taking it off wines of a notoriously intoxicating character, and a headache from which was infinitely worse than one caused by beer or whisky. This was placing intoxication at a cheap rate within reach of poor people, besides, it was not fair, considering liow Victoria taxed all our products. If Gorernment wished to, increase temperance they should follow the English precedent, and adopt a sliding scale; not tax light French and reduce.the tax on heavy Australian wines. He disapproved of the land tas as something sneaking and insidious. If the Treasurer wanted to burst'up the landed estates of the colony he should say so at once. It appeared to him that^tfie tax looked very like confiscation. The tax was essentially a class one. Last session' it was understood that they were to expect a property tax, but?, under this tax, property went free, and large capitalists escaped. It was well known that the holders of land for pastoral purposes were not the wealthy class. It would be a different thing if the land was very fertile, or if it was excessively scarce. He was at a loss to see why property should be exempted, but if they were to exempt up to five hundred pounds of porperty why not have a sliding scale, and tax the owner of five thousands pounds' worth more than him with only £1000, and so on in proportion to the amount of property held. He agreed with the member for Geraldine that unimproved land was valueless until it was improved. What was the good of the best land in the colony if it "was out of the way of roads, and the theory of unearned increment he considered mere bosh.. Much of the land in Canterbury lay un- I sold, even after the railways were made. He believed the American invention of reaping and binding machines would aid more to sell the land in Canterbury than the Public Works policy. Mr Curtis would vote against a second reading of the bill, chiefly because the statement of the Minister for Public Works, coupled with that of the Treasurer, showed that it was a marked departure from the broad lines of the Public Works policy—viz., the construction of main trunk lines had been understood ever since the inception of that policy. The proposals now showed that a very large proportion of the North Island^ and the whole of the north part of the South Island, were to be heavily taxed in order to promote the construction of railways in more favored districts of the colony.

For these Teasons he must oppose the bill, though he approved its principles. 'Mr Braudou- opposed the proposals. ;• On the motion of Mr Hunter, the debate was adjourned till 7.30 to-morrow; n ho House then adjourned.

Wednesday. * In the House to-day, Mr, Reeves gave notice to move for the imposition of a' duty of 2s 6d per too on all coals imported" into the colony. LICENSING BILL. Mr Wak efield will ask , when the Licensing Bill will be introduced, or whether the Government intend doing so at all. ■". THE BUSINESS OF THB THOTTBE. '* • ' The Premier,, in reference to Major Atkinson'ssuggestionyesterday, said the Government had no objection to sj;t on Monday, and make Thursday, a-Govern-ment day,^ and he gaye /ta'otic9 to move that it be an order of the House. '' ' NATIVE LAINDS BILL. ' The Hpn. J. Sheehan .promised that the Native Land,s,Bill would be"/in the ' hands of members on' Tuesday next.

BE-ADJUSTMENT- 0? BBEBESEItTATION. A'lbng debate ensued upon "the motion by Dr. Hodgkinson, that ■ the House considers it desirable a jneasure for the re-adjustment of representation should be introduced this 'session,' and if that was not possible that the Government be requested to prepare one during the recess.

The Premier said the, government, concurring .with the resolution, no opposition would be offered. -\ , j . _y Several numbers expressed their regret that the Qoveiament did .not see their way to bring down auclva measure the present or gi?«< more information on.the matter than has been afforded.' - ' ' I • .''.', Mr Pyke opposed the' introduction of such 'a measure, when bo much business wan yet to be done. '" '' ' ' The Hon. J. Sheehan agreed with the member for Dunstan, and said the Wy other new measure of importance Jthey proposed to introduce this session was the Native t^nds.Bill, and therefore the- session might be over in four weeks. \ At last, on the, motion jof Mr Feldwick, the debate,was adjourned for a.fortnight by 48 against 11. < ' ! , < THE WAIAPtT MUBDEB. ' I The Hon. J. Sheehan informed j the i House that the Waiapu murderers j and one of the thieves on the Wesl'Cda4t|h»d been attested. I,' ■ !1< \ t - 11""' ', j . REGULATION OF' 'MINES'BILL WITHDBAWK. On the motion for going' into.Committee on the Regulation of Mine's (Bill, the.Hon. J. SEeehan pointed out {that with the amount Of work'at present before them it; was^scacely 1 possible so important,a measure could be carried through, and as the Government wbuld undertake to bring down the next session a general measure^ providings for all requirements, he would ask that the bill be withdrawn; .After an'lexpressson of re* giet from Mr W/Oolcook that the Government could not deal with, the matter 'this session, and hoping that at .least ihey wou'd see their way to appoint mining inspectors, Mr Wason withdrew the jbill, and il was discharged from the Order Paper.

A boy at school, ph being asked to describe a kitten, said, " A kit ten ig remarkable for, rushing like mad at nothing-what-ever, and stopping befdre^t gets theri."*