HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4273, 11 September 1882, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Saturday. , The House met at 2 p.m. : On the motion of Mr iiolleston, a committee was appointed to frame reasons of dissent to the amendments proposed by the Legislative Council on the Land Bill. The following bills were reported, read a third time and passed :—Registration of Births and Deaths Amendment, Tauranga East Coast and Hot Lakes District Bail* way. Public Beyenues, Banks and-Bankers Act Amendment Bill. The following were reported from the

Legislative Council with amendments, which were agreed to :—The Jioad Board .Billjj without amendments, the Amnesty and Iforth Island Loan Bills.

Major Atkinson said it would be remembered, that two years ago they had cansented to reduce their own salaries 30 per cent. This was at the time of the general reduction. They did so, not because they thought they were overpaid, but because they thought the action on their part would leave them free to deal with the salaries of others, They now proposed to draw the full salaries, and before doing so they desired to get an expression from that House. He asked the House to express its candid opinion on the point, and to do so apart altogether from party considerations, and with that view would take the opportunity afforded them on the motion for going into Committee of Supply on the Supplementary Estimates. Mr Montgomery/Vasked that 'the Treasurer would explain where the extra amount proposed to be charged to the Consolidated Revenue was to come from?

Major Atkinson said that Government did not intend, as at one time proposed, to reduce the Property Tax to a half-penny. Government did not* anticipate any difficulty, but if there was it was better there should be than that any extra money should be taken out of the pockets of the taxpayers. Item Bellamy's, £133,—question that it j be omitted.—Mr Dick said it was an old account put on the Estimates last year by mistake.—Mr Shepherd said it was disgraceful such a vote should appear. If members in their hilarity broke the glasses, the country should not be expected to pay for the fun. Sir John Hall called attention to an item under miscellaneous, cutlery and electroplate for Bellamy's, £98 8s Bd.—Capt. McKenzie thought it would be better if the establishment was closed up altogether; He gave it as his experience that it was very badly managed. The practice was to order things there at three times their value.—Mr Smith gave itas his experience in contradiction to the last speaker, that the living was good ; that was the only mistake. The establishment lacked one item of fare, viz., oatmeal; had that been provided he had no doubt some members would have been better pleased.—The question was put, that the item be omitted. —Ayes, 9 ; noes, 40; item retained. Introduction of electric light, £3,100.— Item carried on the voices. On the item harbor defence, £50,000, Mr Bryce said that he thought that they should adopt moderate means for the defence of the colony.—Sir John Hall spoke strongly in favor of the item.—Mr Kelly thought the, great bulk ,of. the money could be spent to much better advantage.—Mr Montgomery said that the sum proposed would secure no protection.—Mr Pyke said that the only possible danger that could arise to Ntw Zealand was her connection with Great Britain, and he had no doubt that the day was not far distant when both New Zealand and the Australian colonies would float an independent flag—Passed as printed. V I Miscellaneous: £4,258, it em, pay Thames Volunteers, recommended by Public Petitions Committee. ., ■■-. .\ ,-- i.j : In the course of a discussion on this item, Mr Bryce said that the claim was a scandalous shame to the Volunteers. The mercenary spirit which the Thames men had displayed brought contempt on the whole Volunteer system. Mr Whitaker defended the Volunteers against the imputations thrown out against them, and referred to the recommendation of the Petitions Committee as a guarantee that the claim was well founded. ' , Mr Bryce said no one could imagine that he was withholding the money from any personal motive.