HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3407, 22 November 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Last night. The House met at 2 30. G. B. "WORGAN.

Mr Hanilin gave notice that he would introduce a bill to indemnifj 6. B. Worgan from the consequences of any evidence he may give before tho Native Affairs Commit toe. PROPERTY TAX BILL. Replying to a question, Major Atkinson said he oxpected the Property Tax Bill would bo on the table at an early date. All questions were postponed till next sitting day.

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. Mr Macandrew asked when the Public Works Statement would be delivered. Until it was brought down, the House was not in a position to discuss the finan> eial policy. He also suggested that it might be as well to defer going into Committee of Supply until tho policy was discussed. Major Atkinson said the Public Works Statement would be brought down in a day or two. He had already informed them that the Government hud committed the colony to an expenditure 1-| millions of money, and that it would be absolutely necessary to provide for the expenditure of £750,000. The financial policy of the Government; was now before the House. The details of these proposals were of but secondary importance. It would be for the House to say whether it wished to discuss tbnfc policy to-night or at any other time. The details of the policy ! could be discussed as each measure was brought down. They wore in a condition deal with the financial proposals, and the Government was prepared to hear anything members had to say on the subject. If tiny were not prepared to do that, the Government would ask the Housa to proceed with the consideration of the_ estimates at once. THAMES lU.BBOUB BOA.BD. On the motion of Sir George Grey, 8 bill to amend tho Thames Harbour Board Act was introduced. BEGISTBATION OV ELECTORS. The Registration of Electors Bill was reported, read a third time and passed. STOPPAGE OF SUBSIDIES, 1.E." BEI'UDIATION. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr Pyke moved that the House do not assent to the motion until an assurance was given that tho Government would make provision for the carrying on of public works in counties before the subsidies to local bodies were discussed. In the county of Vincent, arrangements had been made for extending tho expenditure ovar a iflttiflA-

!of three years. At present the County was committed (o contracts amounting to £30,000. The proposal for.discontinuance was equiralent to a proposal of repudiation on tlie part of the Government. Con--1 sidering the pavt taken by the Treasurer ' in bringing the Counties Act into force, he " ought to have been tho last for making such a proposal as th» one for the discontinuance. The virtue of the Counties Act was that it left the district works to be dealt with by the localities and not trouble Parliament with such matters, but this proposal was practically stullifying that virtue. Subsidies wore not the best way for providing for the wants of the Counties. A bettor mode would be the relegation of the land fund for that purpose. Be that as it might some provision would have to be made, and he urged the House to insist upon a definite assurance being Riven on the point. He blamed the Treasurer for his attempt to discontinue these subsidies without giving the .country the slightest notice of that intention. The counties should have had at least 12 months notice of the proposal. He denied the rißht of Government to take the Land" Fund and appropriate it -as Consolidated .Revenue. The fund should be applied for tho improvements of the country and no other purpose. " ' Hon Mr Hall said that between the proposal of the previous speaker, and those of the Treasurer thero was in reality very little difference. The Financial Statement , distinctly that ttie whole scheme fof local finances would, during the recess, bb placed on a satisfactory footing. The present state of things could not go on. If subsidies were to be retained on there present footing, further and heavier taxation would have to be resorted to.' The subsidies system was most unfair. Borne places were rich and wealthy, whereas others poor and struggling. Such being the case, it was necessary to carefully devise a scheme to equalise that iieongruity. They quite agreed that the land fund should not be treated as consolidated revenue for defraying current expenses. That was a state of things the Govern« ment meant to set its face against; He would not be expected to say on the spur of the moment what the Government would do for the adjustment of local finance, but this one thing he would pro--1 mi.oe: that the matter would be eon* sidcred with carefulness and liberality, having due regurd always to the financial stite of the colony. v' ' Mr Shepherd urged the necessity for a temporary provision being made for the period between tho date of the suspension of subsidies and the maturing of the new scheme of local finances. ■ - *[ ), Mr Gisborne argued that the Wwt' Coast mining districts were exceptionally situated with regard to these subsidies. In devising a new scheme of local finances he hoped these exceptional circumstances would be kept in view. Sir George Grey defended the lati ' Government in having appropriated lanit funds for purposes of revenue. . ' 1 The amendment was then put and carried.

EEDISTBIBPTION OF SEATS. : Mr Stewart moved as a Further amend* ment to the effect that this House, considering the circumstances under which GoTernment took office, refutes to grant supplies until the Government gives a distinct .pledge that the/ will, during the present session, bring down the Redistribution of Seats Bill. He argued that the Regulation of Elections Bill passed by the House without the redistribution measures placed the colony in a more illiberal condition than it had previously been. He bad already attempted to extract information from the Premier on the point, but the effort had been a failure. .--.', The amendment was put and lost on the roices. The motion for going into Committee of Supply was then put and carried. THE ESTIMATES. The Estimates were brought on for eonside ration by the Postmaster General and Commissioner of Telegraphs. On the first item being put, Mr Montgomery moved that progress be reported. It was inexpendient to pass the Estimates just now. With the meagre information they had, it would, he thought, show when the Public Works and other Statements came down that it would be necessary that these Estimates would hare to be very considerably cut down. They had other important business to go on with, so that the time would not be thrown away. Mr Shepherd pointed out that the - salaries proposed in the Postal Department were in excess of that paid last year. In the present state of their finances, he thought it was a mistake. Mr Hall replied, and in doing so pointed out that the work had increased very considerably, and it was only fair that an increased remuneration should be paid. - * - Mr J. F. Fisher said the increase had been proposed by the late Government, and it was one which, considering the importance of the department, was both fair and reasonable. Mr Ballance denied that these were the Estimates prepnred by the late Govern* raenfc. If ho was rightly informed, the •Estimates now submitted, had -not been carefully considered in the Cabinet, They were only departmental, and no attempt had been made to ascertain how far they fitted in with the general finance of the colony. The increase proposed in this one department was £36,000. In the , face of that proposal they found that thv^~: was only an increase of revenue of £400Ck A proposal of that kind could only be justified by the most exceptional circumstances, and no such circumstances had been shown. In that case, he would support the views of Mr Montgomery, that the consideration of the Estimates should be postponed until they had the detailed . particulars of the financial proposals before them; He had been told that the Land and Property Tax Bill was prepared. Why was it kept back? It was absolutely necessary that they should hare that measure before them before taking up the Estimates. He moved that progress be reported, nnd leave asked to sit again.

Mr Tnrnbull said that he would feel it his duty to propose a reduction on the salary proposals before them. He found that there was paid, or proposed to bt paid, in salaries over £200 per annum, a sam of £400,000 (sic.)- The time had now arrived when it would be necessary to out down all departmental salaries from the highest down to the very lowest. In the meantime it would be much more advisable to adopt the motion- for postponement until the financial proposals were before them. The Educational Department wao another department that would hare to be cut down. It wai impossible the colony could go on paying

Mr Speight spoke in support of the amendment for postponing the consideration of,the Estimates. There- was a disposition to pile up appointment upon appointment. Not only were those a burden to tho financial resources of the colony, but their effect was to obstruct tho service. In tho present state of finances all were required to boar their sharo of tho burden. Ho thought that a reduction of the proposed amounts was only a fair share to be borno by the civil service.

Mr Swanson thought the Estimates might rery well be reduced by £50,C30. Ho was on a committee that day at which an expose of the rotten state of the public service took place. It was shown that a number of highly paid civil servants was not only useless but absolutely mischevioua. He warned new members from past experience that there was not the slightest possibility of making any material reduction unless tho Estimates were sent back for reconstruction by tho Government.

Hon. Mr Hnll said that it was the extravagant demands of the public which necessitated the large civil service complained of. A post office was demanded here, a telegraph office there, and so that was tho way the service had become so Tery large. It was not the doing of Ministers. It was a Ihing for which the extravagant domands of the public was solely responsible. Mr Adams was inclined to support the proposal that Government should take back the Estimates and make very considerable reductions. He thought the Government was inclined to follow that course, and he thought it was a very proper one indeed. The trade of the colony at the present moment was in a most depressed state, and it was wrong nt such a- moment to increase the salaries of tivil servants.

Mr Hislop supported the proposal for the postponement of the Estimates. Mr Hutchison submitted that they .might fairly increase the salaries paid, and reduce the number of employees. There were a whole host of B.Ms. for example Now a great deal of the work done by them might be undertaken by the J.P's. There was a Government official for every 190 inhabitants of the colony—man, woman, and child. They ought to set their faces against the appointment of an official over here and there. He supported the amendment that it was wrong to discuss the Estimates until they had the whole financial schemes before them.

The debate had not ended when our message had left at 1 o'clock a m.

(P.eb Pbess Agency.)