HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3002, 28 September 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON. • Friday. HOSPITAL AKD CHABITABLE INSTITUTIONS. In the House this afternoon, in reply to Mr Wakefield, the Government said that £50,000 was deducted from subsidies to local bodies for hospital and charitable aid, under the authority of the Financial Arrangements Act, 1876. The basis'of the division was shown in the return laid on the table. , • Mr Swanson proposed that the' debate on clause .4 of the Land Tax Bill be reported in Hansard, but the proposal was negatived. : ELECTOBAL BILL. !■ The Electoral Bill was read a third time, and passed without opposition.

THE LAND TAX BILL. The House went into committee oa the Land Tax Bill. On clause 3Mr Whitaker proposed that the proceeds of the land tax and the land sales be created to a separated fund to be applied to meet interest on loans and public works; the,new loan charges to be met by an increase of the land tax, and alao t^at the general principle of valuation be laid down by.the House, and general system of valuation undertaken by the Government. '"" Mr Bowen did not wish to see improvements or small holdings exempted. In America a general property tax worked satisractoriry. '•.

Mr Saunders said that all lands in the colony should be subject to the land tax without exemptions. Mr Gisborne proposed that the land tax should be a peony, other reduction! to be mide in proportion. Dr Hodgkinßon said small holders were better able to pay the land tax than the class next above. ' Mr Woolcook proposed, as an amend' ment, a sliding scale, thus:—£soo a farthing, £500 to £1000 a halfpenny, £1000 to £2000 three-farthinga, above £2000 a penny land tax. •, .... ' Mr Carrington supported the amendment. The Hon; Mr Ballanoe opposed the amendment, because below' a certain 'sura it would not pay the cost of collection. Major Atkinson approved of Mr Whi- - taker s proposal. . : #i , r Mr Bastings objected to the amendment. ' -„-..' • Mr Wakefield said the Premier was bound to support the amendment, apd quoted from his speech of last year that no classes should be exempt. < Th*; House desired last year that a general property and ino6me tax should be imposed, and if Government had done so, four-fifths of llhe House would have supported,: inI eluding himself. This was the first in- , troduction of class legislation., . : -