PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4531, 13 July 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[Pee Press Association.]

HOUSE OF REPI4.E <ENTATIVES. Wellington, Yesterday.

The House met at 2.30,

Mr Pyke resumed the debate on the Anti Central resolutions. The necessity for some such change was, he said, shown toy the state of tbe House Ibst night, wheri this most important question was being discussed Ttiuro were only thirty mem< bers present, the rest being at a ball j and only three Ministers—one reading a newspaper,anotherreadiog something like a French novel, and the third fast asleep; The House was no longer a Parliament; it had become degraded to the level of i Road Board. He held strongly that the police should be under local control, and he would be glad to see the country appealed-to on this local government question. For himself, he had never made any reasonable request (o the Government which had not been granted, but certainly he had not been corrupted, and he did not belie ye in the charges of corruption which had been made. His own action in 1876 was entirely consistent with his present course. The present system was worse than Provincialism. He wanted local government, and the Counties did not supply it, as they had no real power, they were only machines for taxation ; they had been robbed of the land fund, and of subsidies. The only way to avoid separation was to give an efficient system of local self-government. —Mr Sutton said that County government had worked much more satifsctorily in Hawke'sßay than Provincialism ever had,—the people were satisfied ; all they 'wanted was a little more power to deal with questions such as licensing, lands, and such subjects. He ridiculed the idea of Canterbury and Otago having an alleged community of interest, as their jealousy of each other was well known.— Mr Moss said the resolutions if censuring any one, censured not the Ministry but the Legislature, which had decided for. abolition. Hawke's Bay had done so well out of- borrowed, money that it was no wonder it was satisfied with the existing state of tilings; it would be different when there was no more money for distribution. He would propose ah amendment of a more definite character than the resolutions, as follows :—"That the exiting system of Central government has fniled to realise the results anticipated, and that it is expedient to! re-establish local government and local legislatures, with adequate powers to maintain peace, order, and good government within their several boundaries ; to raise all revenue for their proper and independent support, and to relieve the General Government and General Legislature of all matters that are not of purely la general concern.—Mr Macandrew defended the Grey Government from .the charges made by Major Atkinson in refer* ence to the land hind and other matters. The Legislature had authorised the proposals of that Government, and it would have been well for the colony had they been carried out, as they would have been had the Grey Government remained in office. As to colonial finance it consisted of balances here and balances there, and hocus pocus everywhere. He would be very sorry to return to a provincialism living on the crumbs from the rich man's table; but even Provincialism as it was would be preferable to Centralism as it be. He would allow,the local bodies to borrow for themselves. He would support the resolutions although he thought they did not go far enough. He would like to see insular financial separation, as Mr Driver had proposed last session. He did. not regard the question as a party one. He hoped Mr Moss would not complicate and confuse the. matter by pressing bis amend ment. —Mr Bryce said that to adopt the policy of giving local bodies unlimited borrowing powers would bring ruin on the colony. He had always been au out settler —and therefore an anti-Provineialist- Toe abstract resolutions were not a vote of confidence if they were carried, but Mr Mont* gomery followed them up by calling on the Government to bring in a bill, that would, of coarse, mean a vote of want of confidence. He recalled the grievances of the out~distriots under Provincialism. The resolution, if given effect to, would' destroy real local self-government by Counties, Road Boards, and Boroughs. As to separation, he regarded it as im» possible, owing to financial reasons. He considered Sir Geo. Grey's speech as degrading to that hon. member himself, and degrading to the House, and his making the serious charges he constantly did against public men was seriously affecting the public tone of the colony. Referring to Rusden's book, he pointed out that the , calumny was really against the colonists generally, rather than against him personally, as Rusden did not know him, and 'could not bear malice towards,him. — Mr Hutchison defended Sir Geo. Grey from Mr Bryce's accusations. Our present form of government was neither one thing nor the other, and fully justified the discontent which undoubtedly existed in the country. Central government, if properly administered, would, however, be ! very different from what ilf was at present. He could* not support the resolu tious to increase the number of Govern* ments, and must, therefore, vote against them—Mr Fitzgerald commented on the vague and unsatisfactory character of the resolutions, and replied to some of the arguments used in their favor. He reviewed the state of affairs under the provincial system in Otago, Southland, and Canterbury, as far as tbe out-districts were concerned, and stated that while he did not contend that the present system was complete, it coutaiued the foundation of all that was required. Liter.—This day. Mr McKenzie supported the resolution. The promises by which Abolition had been gained had not been fulfilled, and Parliament wa3 only a big road board. Local bodies should have power to deal with scab, fencing, rabbits, and similar questions. — Tawbai would strongly oppose any return to Provincialism.—Mr Harris would support the first and second resolutions, but wouldnot vote on the third.— Mr Shepherd moved the adjournment of the debate.—Mr Seddon gave notice of a: further amendment, condemning the pre* sent multiplicity of local boards on different subjects, and the House rose at 12*1# o'clock.