PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3921, 23 July 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(Peu PfiEsa Association.)

Wellington, Friday. NO-CONFIDENCE DEBA.TE GOB'JINUED. Mr Gibbs resumed the debate on the nononfideuce raoiion. He considered Koad Boards had done good service, and that the Counties system should be placed on an improved footing. He intimated his intention of supporting the Governmenfc. Mr .Reid admitted the present system was fairly good, and he concurred gene , rally in the proposals of Government to improve it, but contended that the Government as constituted, had not the confidence of the country. He complained agaiust Government for having neglected thn goldfields' interest, more especially the west coast of the Middle Island. What they wanted was assistance in making fresh discoveries, constructing water races, reducing fees for miners' rights from 20s to 10&, and in various other ways to promote their interests and their industrial pursuits. He complained that they had been charged too high a fee for the use of the Government diamond drill. He blso complained tbat the recommendations of the Industries Commission had not been given effect to. He would vote against Government as be had no confidence in their carrying out tbeir proposals. Mr Shriunski spoke on the same side. He charged Governmeut with having neglected his district. He was opposed < to the proposals brought down, and he charged the Government with dangling the Public Works portfolio for the purpose of securing support. The constitution of the proposed local works board was vicious, and was framed with the view of securing increased support to Government. Even although the noconfidence motion were not earned, the redistribution as proposed would not be carried It was planned with the view of suiting the purposes of the Government party, for example, a disaffected portion of Waitikaiti electorate, which was represented by a friend of the Government, had been cut off" and tacked on to his constituency. He also complained of partiality in carrying out retrenchment. Mr Hursthouse criticised the remarks made by the previous speakers, lieferring to Mr Reader Wood, he admitted his brilliant taleuts, but said that by mistaken conduct he had dragged a Constitutional Government through the mire. Instead of the fall in wages being an indication of stagnation, he thought they would have to fall lower before many industries could be profitably carried on and real prosperity established. He strongly supported the Government proposals, as supplying a concrete form of local government; at the same time, there was, perhaps, too much government. He did not think both counties and road boards were required, and of the two he preferred the road boards. If any simple scheme for opening up the country were proposed lie would support it, but in the meantime he would vote with the Govern ment. What was really wanted was the maximum of funds with the minimum of official expenditure. He advocated repealing the Triennial Parliaments Bill. Mr Gisborae reviewed the history of local government in New Zealand since its settlement. The provinces should have been improved*, not~abolished. With the proposal to rate Crown lands he sgreed and to some extent also with that of rating native lands ; but he totally disagreed with the proposed method of distributing the funds by means of a paid board exempt from the Disqualification Act. Such a proposal was demoralising to the House. He defended Mr Ormond's action in moving tha amendment. It was no satisfaction to districts like the West Coast, languishing for local self-government to be told that the general administration of Government had been satisfactory. Were the amendment to be rejected, they would see the humiliating spectacle of another session passing without anything being done, for even some of those who would vote against the amendment would also vote against their measures. The Government might long ago have introduced the Redistribution Bill, without waiting for the census returns to secure mathematical precision. They could even last session have remedied the gross inequalities existing. He regretted that the late Government had not left a Local Governmeut Bill in their pigeon holes, when they went out, so that the present Government might have appropriated it, as they had all the other measures they had passed. He would like to see districts larger than the counties, but smaller than the old provinces, with power to the inhabitants of each to elect a governing body, having full and exclusive power to deal with all local questious by legislation or otherwise. Such bodies should also have defined revenues to appropriate, and each district should settle for itself the nature of its subordinate bodies, whether Road Boards or otherwise. Mr White agreed that the Government proposals were uot perfect, but he objected to turning the Ministry out, having a dissolution, and then another session, although he would not at all object to a second honorarium. At the same time he did not see much chance of an improvement on the nrosent occupants of the Go■yammeiH benches, and he should therefore vote against the amendment.

LATER.

Wellington, This day. Mr Moss hailed the amendment with pleasure, and denied that the Colony now possessed Local Government at all, or had ever done so since that House began to interfere with and absorb the functions of the Provinces. He traced' the whole history of the New Zealand Constitution, to ?how how mischievous had been that interference, Tho present Ministry was composed of men who had always opposed Local Government, and until it was got rid of there was no hope for the country. He hoped to see a reversion to a system of Independent Provinces, with a Federal Government such as had really at first existed under our constitution, each local body having power to regulate its local affairs without outside interference. The Local Body should have exclusive power in this respect, and the subjects for that House to deal with should bo deliued and restricted. The number of members of that House should then be reduced, and to guard against Parliament undermining th» Local Bodies as it had undermined the Provinces, the Upper House should be made elective, and be elected by the Local bodies. Under this system the management of Native Affairs might be relegated to the Local Bodies, and the expenses of the General Government so reduced as to leave ample funds for the local bodies to administer.

Mr Harris moved the adjournment of debate till Tuesday, aud the House rose at midtiight.