HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3863, 2 October 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Afternoon Sitting.

Wellington, Last night. The House met at 2.30 .p.m. Several bills were introduced and notices of motion tabled. Iteplying to Mr George the Premier said the Government would take into their consideration some method of encouraging the manufacture of wine in Kew Zealand. Mr Macandrew, in replying to Mr Adams, said that a survey had been directed to bo made to ascertain the cost and means of improving the entrance to Nelson harbor by the removal of the sunken rocks. . 1?CBLIC LIBRARIES. The Premier said a sum of i'3oo would be placed oil the estimates to carry out the resolution of the member for Motueka, announced by him last session, namely, " That in the opiuion of this House all libraries in the colony receiving Government aid should be supplied with & copy of the Government Gazette, Hansard, Statutes and all Parliamentary Papers free of cost." THE- LICENSING LAW. The Premier said the Government did not in the meantime intend to introduce a Bill to amend the existing Licensing Acts so as to equalise the license fees throughout the colony, as these fees were the revenue of the local bodies. THE BANK AND THE GOVERNMENT. In reply to Mr Ballance the Premier said there was no objection to lay before the House the letter from the Bank of New Zealand giving notice of the termination of the agreement affecting the Public Account. THE QUESTION 01? JUBIES To Mr Hutcbinson the Premier said it was under consideration to introduce a further reform in the Jury laws, more especially—l. By the abolition of the Grand Jury system. 2. By an improve- j ment of the Coroner's inquest by jury. 3. By an increase of payment to common jurors. THE LANiJ TAX. j Mr Wakefield asked, the Treasurer whether he was aware that the Land Tax Commissioner was demanding payment of a whole year's laud tax on ihe ■3at■ of | October, though the eighth clause of " The Land Tax Act, 1878,'" provides

that tlie ins ■• shall bo payable by cqua* halt-yeady payments." 2. Whether the { Government in!end to insist on the payment; of the tax for the wliolo year in one payment, and it' so under what provision ! of tho law they propose to take that step. The Treasurer said it was found impossible to collect the first half-year due in April last in consequence of the work requiring to bo done. There was no reason why ifc should not be collected now, as tho next half-year's tax was due on the Ist October, and it was competent to collect both half-year's together under clauses 8 and 9 of the Act. HAMILTON BAILWAY BKIDGE. Replying to Mr Whyto Mr Macandrew said no contract had yet been let for the construction of the railway bridge at Hamilton, but bo soon as they got the necessary appropriation it would be gone on with. BILLS BBAD A FIHST TIME. ! The following Bills were introduced and read a first time:—To regulate the issue of licenses for the sale of intoxicating drinks, to be called the Local Option (in committee—Saunders); Auckland College and Grammar School (Wood); to amend the Canterbury Hirers Act, J 870 (Kolleston); Bluff Harbour Foreshore Endowment (in committee); JSew Hirer Pilot Station reserves (Bain); authorising Government to secure a road to the land of Thomas Kirk of East Taieri (Fulton); to amend " The Joint Stock Companies Act, 1860," (Stewart). DEBATE ON THE ADDEES9 IN BEPLT. . Mr .Speight resumed the debate on the want of confidence amendment. He iiad ! watched the proceedings in connection with a similar Tote of last session, and he congratulated the Bouse on the I improved tone of the debate. He. was disappointed with the speech made by the leader of the Opposition. He believed he could frame a better Bill of indictment against the Government even than he did, and yet not think it would justify the amendment proposed. The grounds taken were mere assertions on the part of the leader of the Opposition. The reason for the course taken ought to have been shown as a reason satisfactory to the country, and one which would bring conviction to the electors as a body. He thought the Premier had completely exonerated himself in regard to the charges made about the financial statement of last session. The next complaint was that the promised re-forms had not been carried out. The abolition of the provinces had caused a great deal of extra work to the Central Legislature, and in consequence it was difficult to give effect to much that might have been desirable. The abolition of the provinces had been a fruitful source of expenditure, and to that cause he attributed the extra expenditure, for which the Government had been blamed. Referring to negotiations with the natives, it was a well-known fact there were those who followed in Mr_ 4 Sheehan's track, using their best endeavors to render all negotiations futile,, and so [long as that was the .case great trouble and difficulty must of necessity be experienced. The course pursued in regard to the Thames outrage was in his opinion the right one, to have apprehended the two offenders would have cost the lives of at least 13 or 14 Europeans. Regarding the Government advertisements he thought it was a poor compliment to the Colonial Press to say or even insinuate that a paltry advertising fee would be deemed sufficient to influence the tone of the Press. Jioad Boards and Municipalities gave a great deal more to the Press in the way of advertising than Government. He would •uggest that no paper be paid for advertising Government advertisements, for, in that case the public would, learn to patronise only those papers who saw it to their interest to insert all advertisements. The fact was that the Opposition desired nothing more than to take possession of these benches. There were ministers on these benches who would be acceptable to the Opposition, but he hoped the Ministry as a whole would give it to be understood that they had no intention whatever of deserting each other. The Opposition did not say they were prepared to pass the measures put forward by the Government, all they professed to be desirous of doing was to give effect to the Liberal measures desired by the country. That meant that they were to be exponents of what measures the country wanted, and these would be the measures they were prepared to pass. He apprehended that when these measures were passed another dissolution would take place. The country was honestly anxious that the Government as constituted should have the opportunity for carrying out the measures put forward. (Applause). Col. Trimble said he disputed the statement made that the Opposition desired to establish an aristocracy. Such a taunt, did not apply to him, and he believed it did not apply to any material section of that side of the House; and more than that, he would maintain that in these colonies it was impossible to establish an aristocracy. An aristocracy was established by right of conquest, but that principle could not possibly be made to apply to a colony like this. There were two points in which he differed with the Government, and upon which he felt he was justified in giving the vote he intended to give: the first was immigration. The nominated system was the one which was most advantageous to the qolony, and yet one of the very first conditions imposed by that system was that a sum of £5 should be paid. Then again the head of the Government had told them last session that they intended to put a stop altogether to immigration, and so far as he knew it had not been put a stop to. Under a proper system immigration tended to increase rather than diminish the wages of the working classes. Altogether he imagined that the immigration schemes of the colony had been mismanaged, and such being the case he could have no confidence in a Government that'would mismanage such an important department. Native affairs, despite all that had been said to the contrary, was in a most unsatisfactory state, and such was not the case when the Government took office. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.