PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 190, 28 September 1871, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Wellington September 19th.

Mr. Bathgate opposed the second reading of the Dunedin Water Works Amendment Bill, moving that it be read a second time six months hence.

The Bill was read a second time on the voices.

The Government promised to provide for holding a District Court at Oamaru.

Mr. Bi'adshaw has given notice of a question asking the Government why the Crown witnesses in the case Hegina v. Barton have not been paid, and when they will be paid. September 20th. The Water Works Bill was considered in Committee, when Mr. Bathgate's amendments to omit cerj tain clauses and change the word " messuages " to " houses " were negai tived.

Last night Mr. Reid moved the second reading of the Otago Land Bill.

Mr. G. M'Lean moved that it be read a second time that day six months.

After some rather warm discussion, the debate was adjourned till Thursday.

Mr. Smythies was heard at the bar of the House to-day. He spoke for two hours, very clearly stating his case. Mr. Travels watched the proceedings on behalf of the Law Society.

The House was adjourned till to-mor-row, owing to the Govenor's ball taking place to-night. The Motueka Election Committee has unseated Sir David Monro, ;md declared Parker duly elected ; each side to pay their own costs. I September 21st. i A despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies regarding the | Reciprocity Act, has been pulished. In it Earl Eamberley says that Her Majesty's Government, in the present state of their information, could not come to any conclusion on the questions raised, ami which should be fully discussed in order that the Colonies may become fully aware of the nature and gravity of the objections to allowing reciprocal tariff arrangements being made between them. There would be no objection, liowe.vei", to a Customs Union, with a uniform tariff. His Lordship adds that Her Majesty's Government are bound to say that the measure proposed by New Zealand appears to be inconsistent with those principles of free trade which they believe to be alone permanently conducive to commercial prosperity ; nor are they aware that any attempt has been made to show that any great- practical benefit is expected to be derived from reciprocal tariff arrangments between the Australasian Colonies.

In reply to Mr. Bradshaw, Mr. Gisborne said that the Government thought the Crown witnesses in the case Regina v. Barton should receive their expenses the same as if the case had gone to the Supreme Court, and would give instructions for payment of them. September 22nd. The Dunedin Water Works Amendment Bill has been passed.

On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr. Creighton moved that the Estimates be referred back to the Government to recast them, so as to reduce them by the sum Of £50,000, He. disclaimed any hostile intentions to the Government, but said the expenditure proposed, was excessive, and larger than that of last year. He then criticised the Estimates at, length indicating how reductions were possible, and proposing to take £25,000 off the amount for Native and Defence affairs.

Mr Yogel declined to believe that the motion was proposed with a friendly feeling towards the Government, or with a desire to assist them. The motion was really a covert attack on their Native and Defence policy. An ill-timed saving in this respect would involve future enormous expenditure and serious disaster. The Government were bound to ask for sufficient money to meet the contingencies of the year in Departments of paramount importance ; and a very small section, either of the House or the country, would refuse the Govern ment the means necessary to maintain the present peaceful conditions of things. The Government did not see their way to take back the Estimates and make a lump reduction, but in Committee they would thankfully accept any suggestion to reduce items which could be reduced with safety. Mr. Stafford said that Mr, Yogel had to thank his own boast of a " Eetrenchment Budget " for the motion. He had boasted of an economy which had not been peactised, and of retrenchment which did not exist. He ptronjjly regretted that Mr. Yogel had placed the Government in the miserable position of imposing on the country by false statements. It was indeed a miserable position for a country to be in, when it could not get reliable facts from Ministers of the Crown? The present Estimates were an invitation to spend more than had ever been spent since the foundaation of the Colony. All things considered, the real increase this year on the Estimstes was £16,170, although no provision had been made for such things as the Census, £7000, lighthouses, £8000, <fee. The last Ministry had in their (three?) years saved £20,000, without thiaking it necessary to ' telegraph' the fact all over the

country. He challenged Mr. Yogel to show the saving of £30,000 which he boasted of in bis Statement.

Mr. Yogel said that he did not wish to say there w;as any such saving, taking into consideration the new Departments created, and the interest on the new loan.

Mr. Stafford continued that it was a mere juggle to say that the Colony was spending less because it was spending £80,000 as interest on the loan. He and others, when going over the Estimates, had felt, first surprise, and then indignation. It was the first time that he knew a Treasurer to make an incorrect statement regarding figures' He believed the Estimates could be cut down by £50,000. An American mail service calculated to meet all the requirements of the colony could be had for £26^000 instead of £i 5,000. The present service was an unjustifiable luxury in the present cifV-uiustanees of the Colony. A large saving could also be effected by the Colony taking over various Provincial Departments, such as Surveys, and by the amalgamation or abolition of duplicate offices. He criticised the boasts of the Government about their conduct of Native affairs at some length, saying that they had been fortunate in having a lilcky lull. Unless £50,0000 was saved on the Estimates, the concluding portion of the i'mani-ifcl Statement was a mockery, a delusiou, ami a snare.

Mr. Gisborne pointed out that an item of £14,000, for Salaries of Goldfields ofnciols. was in the present Esti.mates which was not in those of last year. He defended iMr. Yogel from the charge of misleading the House.

Mr. Reader Wood followed up the attack on the Estimates.

Mr. Bunny said the motion really amounted to a vote of want of confidence, warned the House not to be misled by it, and defended the present Government and their policy.

Two of the Maori members protested against a reduction of the Native expenditure, or a change of Government.

Mr. M'Gillivery advocated the entire abolition of Provincialism. He thought the proper time to make any reductions on the Estimates was on the items being considered in Committee.

Mr. Gillies characterised the Financial Statement as "a piece of financial thimblerig. He could not put his finger on a single one of its assertions and say that it was a fair and above-board statement of fact. The Provinces, instead of receiving anything from the Colony, would have this year, under the proposals, to pay a 5um 00r£39,650f r £39,650 into the Colonial chest. So far from the Estimatesshowinga saving, they showed a large increase, apart from the fact that they proposed really to pay the interest ouc of the loan itself. The motion was not "intended as a party one, but was proposed with a genuine desire to effect retrenchment.

The debate was interrupted by the adjournment for dinner, and on resuming the House proceeded with other business. <

Mr. Haughton- has , given evidence before the Chinese Committee strdngly adverse to the Celestials. He recommends, as a remedy for the evils- he specifies, the insertion in the Goldfields Act of a clause absolutly prohibiting the Chinese from obtaining mining property in their own rignt, except by purchasing the freehold. He did not tbink a duty or any exceptional taxation was practical or would effect the objectaimed at. September 23rd. The debate on Mi*. Crei^hton'" motion was continued yesterday evening. Mr. Gillies finished by protesting against the question being made a Ministe'ial one, as for party purposes, members would be driven to vote against their convictions.

After discussion the motion was put and lost on a division by 43 votes to 15.