PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3016, 15 October 1878, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY.

(Pbb Pbess Agency.) • LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON. • Monday. LEAVE OF ABSENCE REFUSED. In the Council to-day an animated discussion took place on a motion for leave of absence to the Hon. Mr Reynolds. The previous question was carried by 17 to 16, and leave disallowed. THE BAY OF ISLANDS ELECTOBAL BILL. The Hon. Dr Pollen moved for the production of all correspondence relating to the Bay of Islands, Electoral Bill. After a long reply from the Hon. Colonel Whitmore, in the course of which he, at times spoke with great heat, the discussion was interrupted by the calling on of the first Order of the Day. THE LAND TAX BILL. The Hon. Mr Waterhouse announced his intention to vote for the se«ond reading on the ground, of expediency. He did not, however^ approve of the Bill, but contended that the property classes have already more than their fair share of taxation. He illustrated this position by analysing the revenue. The statement that property did not bear its fair share of taxation was disgraceful. It reminded him of Carlyle's words, " England 1 is inhabited by thirty millions of people, and the majority of them are fools.'' The nonsense talked about the unearned increment astonished him. He thought; it a mistake to single out any particular class for taxation. Speaking of the Beer Tax Bill .and its withdrawal in the other Chamber, he said it was not the first time that beer had triumphed over brains. He thought the action of the Government in withdrawing the bill had been a mistake In concluding, he justified his vote for the second reading on the ground that he would not give an opportunity to the disengaged clas&to incite th 6 passions of the people. The Hon. George Buckley opposed the bill, speaking at some length. The Coancil then adjourned for dinner. At the evening sitting of the Legislative ' Council Mr Buckley characterised the tax as class legislation. He was glad that .the/Beer Tax and Income Duties Jjills. had been thrown out. He was opposed to the exemptions under five handred pounds. He concluded by saying that with prudence in finance the tax might have been avoided, but it was too late now. He should not oppose the second reading. . ' " . Sir Dillon Bell, thotfght from'!;tho state of the Chamber but little interest was taken in the question,, He deprecated measures of the., least importance being' rushed through the Council in the last week of the session, turning that Chamber into a mere vehicle of registration, like the old Parliaments of France. He would support the second reading because he considered it necessary to resort to direct taxation to enable us to pay our way. He went on to criticise the revenue and expenditure. There was a total loss of £100,000 on the working of the'departments for the year. He quoted figures to prove that to meet an expenditure of two and a-half millions, they really only . had a revenue' of sone million. Speaking of the railways,-any surplus revenue ought to be strictly devoted to the extension of the system. Expenditure any one year should be confined to what could be raised m that ■ year, and this (he people had to learn by the presence of the tax gatherer. He did not care one straw for the rights of the runholders,' but the whole theory of this bill was that the owner of the land, and not the tenant, sheuld pay. Why. then treat the pastoral tenants different from any other? . . ,