HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4934, 1 November 1884, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

In reply to a question it was stated that Government could not consent to pay the salaries of ike Licensing Comm" tees, the fees being vested in the local bodies. Mr Itolleston moved the adjournment of the House to make a personal explanation of the charges previously made against him with reference to the Westport Colliery Company. He went at some length into the whole question, and contended that his action as Minister of Lands was perfectly justifiable and within the law. The whole matter had been laid before the Parliament in previous sessions. The Treasurer was too much given to browbeating the House, and. to impute unworthy motives to members, but he considered his character would bear comparison with that of the Treasurer, and his transactions with companies were perfectly straightforward. — Sir Julius Vogel did not in the least regret what he had said previously in re gard to this matter. The member for Geraldine had frequently made most unwarrantable charges against him, but he should like to know what public services the member for Geraldine had ever rendered. As to his accusations that he (Vogel) had come back to New Zealand merely to take office, the idea was absurd in his present state of health. He had simply taken office because of the condition of the country, which had been brought about by Mr Eolleston and his friends, Already public confidence was being restored through his taking office. He had no desire whatever to hold office, and he was holding it now at great personal sacrifice.—MrStout said all he had charged the late Minister of Lands with doing, was having perpetrated an illegal action, for which ho should have obtained the sanction of Parliament. —Major Atkinson denied that confidence was restored through the fact of Sir Julius Vogel having taken office. On the contrary, the action the Treasurer was taking at present would sink the country into difficulty and disaster. He warmly defended his late colleague, and said he considered the imputations levelled at him by Sir Julius Vogel were most unworthy and unjustifiable.—Mr Gillies defended Mr Rollestons's action in the questioa before the House, and Messrs J. C. Brown and Seddon strongly condemned the latter, stating that Mr Eolleston had led to the downfall of the lato Ministry through his action as Minister of Mines.—Mr Eolleston briefly replied, and withdrew the motion for adjournment. The Property Tax Bill and the N.Z. Loan Bill were read a first time.—The Beetroot Sugar Bill was read a third time and passed.—The Westland Education District Sub-division Bill was reported.— On the motion for reading, Mr Menteith urged that further action in the matter should be suspended till next year, and, in doing so, accused the Premier of depriving numbers of Westland children of education. —Mr Guinness protested against the measure, and Mr Fergus also spoke against it.—The Premier characterised the proceedings of the Westland Board as disgraceful.—The House divided on the third reading:—Ayes, 35; noes, 24.

On the second reading of the Consolidated Stock Bill, the debate was opened by the Treasurer, who explained that the object of the measure was to suspend the pressure of the sinking fund in the only way in which it could be done. He argued that to meet a maturing loan it would be as convenient to connect the whole of the loan by the issue of fresh debentures or inscribed stock, as by selling miscellaneous stock by the sinking funds commissioners.

He went on to show the fallacy of paying off the public debt by sinking fund.— Major Atkinson replied, characterising the proposal as an immoral one by which the colony was to borrow more money to pay its debts. There was no reason why they should not wait for the ordinary operation of the Stock Act without this juggling to relieve them of their burden.

The proposal would, damage their credit with the London market. He hoped the House would reject the Bill as being the greatest blow ever aimed at the credit of New Zealand. He moved that the Bill be read that day sis months. —Mr Moss did not object so much to the discontinuing to add to the sinking fund, by all means let them not touch that which had already accumulated. He hoped the bill would be considerably altered in committee.— The Colonial Treasurer pointed out that the bill did not propose to seize the sinking fund, nor was the operation of the bill that of borrowing to pay debts. There was not a single colony which had paid off its debt which had not renewed them when they matured, and therefore he urged that this colony's credit would bo in no way injured by the proposal contained in the measure.

This day. Mr Barron had intended to traverse the Bill, but as the leader of the Opposition had proposed a motion which was tantamount to a Vote of Want of Confidence, he should take another opportunity of addressing the House on the Bill as a question. He should oppose the second reading."*--Mr Montgomery was in a similar position, and would not address the House.—The House divided: Avers, 48, - % \ Noes, 15. The second reading wa3 j carried.

The Grey mouth. Harbor Bill amendments mad? ia eouacil were agreed to.

The Timber Floating Bill, and the Impounding Bill, went into committee on the Eiver Board, Bill progress .was reported, and leave gi^en to sit again. The If onse rose at 1 25 a m.