PARLIAMENT

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10713, 4 October 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

JJCOTSLATIVE COUNCIL. (By Telegraph — Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, La*t Night. The Legislative Council ?rot »t 2.30 p.m. MacOAIITHY TRUST HILL. Tlio MaeCarthy Trust Bill was put through all its stages. PUBLIC SERVICE BILL. The Hon G. Jones resumed the debate on the Public Service Bill. There was not, ho said, very much enthusiasm for the measure. It seemed to him that it really provided lor Ministerial control under a maze of phrases. Referring to one form of alleged political patronage, namely, preference to Roman Catholics, he cited figures to show that of 4800 employees in the Postal Department, tho j percentage of Itoman Catholics was 15.79, while the population propor-

tion for fifteen years was sixteen per cent. The j>ercentage of Roman Catholics in tho Railway Department was no more than 15 per cent. No single reason had been given for tho acceptance of the Bill. To give power to Parliament was merely to give it to the Ministry of the day, which made no change from the present position. • They could not dodge political influences, try how they would. This was oneof.tho twin measures of thai GovernnwVit, bu(J lie hoped it would go the same way as the Lcgis-'

lative Council Reform Bill. Tt was not an open attemnt to control and do justice to the Civil Service, ft was the eeature of a mere phantasy, conjured up for political purposes. The Hon J. Barr supported the Bill. | which lie regarded as an endeavour to meet a difficult prohlem. Many American and Continental cities were adonting commissioner con+rnl for their enterprises, with satisfactory results, and he approved of the experiment here. The Bill would encourage ability, and that was proper in the interests of all. The Hon Mr Barr proceeded to criticise some of the features of the Bill. The Council rose till 8 o.m. On resuming the Hon J. p 4 - the reform of the Civil Service was perhaps .necessary, but it was the duty of the Ministry, and not of paid Commissioners, to undertake this reform. Tt was a question of nolitical patronage or patronage by Commissioners. Ministers, if abuse were proved, could be put out of office, ] but Commissioners could not be dispensed with unless at the conclusion of their engagements. The Hon W. Cairncross said if Government voluntarily chose to deprive itself of patronage as to brine forward such a measure as this, it showed their motive was ?i Jf»t» L , £-'~'> and that musfc be appreciated. The present Government had made the Bill a plank of its platform, so it had been before the people, who had not condemned it.

The Hon R. A. Loughnan "•i'- 1 v would have preferred to ?oe the Government shouldering their responsibilities instead of. n? it seemed, shirking them. The Bill was a c{6parture from democratic principles. The Hon J. Paul said there were dangers in administration by Com- . missioners, iust as in patron ago by Ministers. The tiro? was when most of the Stole wo.-k's would bo managed by Commwionors. but the workers would have direct representation among these Comnmsioners. The debate was adjourned. AN ANNIVERSARY. | The Hon Mr Jenkirson mentioned that to-night was the anniversary of the transfer of the Government h-dm Auckland to Wellington, and he thought it was noteworthy that the Hon H. T). Bell should be sitting where father sat on that occasion. He congratulated the Hon Mr Bell. I

The Hon Mr Beeham endorsed the remarks.

The Hon H. D. Bell replied. He remarked that his father, however, had opposed the transfer of the seat of Government. The Council then rose. HOUSE OF MPBESENTATIVES. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. RECIPROCAL TARIFF.

Replying to Mr-Buxton respecting the question of reciprocal tariff with Australia, the Hon W. F. Masscy said steps were being taken to arrange a conference between representatives of Australia. New Zealand and Canadn. It was -also possible that South Africa would be represented at the conference. ' EDUCATION COMMISSION.

The report of the Education Commission wasj on the Hon J. Allen's motion, referred to the Education Committee for consideration after some discussion.

The Hon J. Allen admitted t nat there were anomalies in the present law, but they could not be altered this year. Something would have to be done to alter the method of voting for education boards. This matter would, he said, be attended to next session. THIRD READING. The Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. PHARMACY BILL. The Pharmacy Amendment Bill passed through its final stages. AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY BILL. The Auckland University College Amendment Bill, which provides for an alteration of the representation on the Professorial Board, was read a second time. LAND AND INCOME TAX. The Hon J. Allen moved the second reading of the Land Tax and In-

come Tax Bill. The mover said the Bill was an annual one, and had already been explained. Mr T. M. Wilford described the Bill j as a "fake." It was, he said, so co-n-I struetcd that ifc wouM make every j member vote for ifc. It was cleverer j tJian Maskeyne and Cook's cabinet l trick. The effect of this and the Ya- ' luation Bill, worked together, would j mean that some large landowners ! would get concessions'."" It. was a t'P~ top Bill for that class. Mr G. Laiirehson said that no one could vote against the Bill though. they knew it.was a sham. Nominally the Bill proposed to effect a tax, but actually it did nothing ,of %he sort. The Bill-would.not break up one. estate in the country. Mr E. Newman held that on tTiV present valuations, 371 people would pay extra taxation under the Bill. He thought the taxation was a reasonable one, and he was convinced that the Opposition was disconcerted at the progress made by the Government despite the short time they had been in office. Mr J. Payne described the land tax as n sham and a pretence. The Labour Party would like to completely step the unearned increment go-

ing into private pockets. Mr G. W. Russell snid that the programme of the Reform Party prior to the elections provided for the reduction of taxation wherever possible. There was no reference- to an increased graduated land tax. Not a -copper had been taken off the Customs taxation so as to lessen thp cost of living. A gve.it many ueoplewefre erif-it-led to /redufotiolns before the man who had a farm worth £lO,000. . ..

, Mr L. M. Isitt said he would hareto vote for the Bill, hut notwithstanding that he despised it because h* looked upon it as a. Tory subterfuge—a piece of property scenery. Sir Josepn ward said the Government had adopted a suggestion co»tained in the Governor's speech of February last, and the present Onposition could not be expected to vote against their own policv. The Liberal Party had always advocated the exemption of improvements. The principle of exempting was a thoroughly sound and thoroughly effective one. The extra SS per eeni taxation was never intended to produce revenue, but to induce large landowners to cut Tip their estites-. Ho advocated fixing a high graduated tax, to come into operation two or three years hence, so as to induce large land-holders to cut uptheir estates. In connection with the income tax. he thought a man with a largo family should be in a different position to a bachelor, or n man with one or two children. He enjoine'T the Minister of Finance to proceed warilv, else the counter might stumble into a financial pitfall.

The Hon F. M. B. Fisher sngorpsted that the Liberal Partv had been the bier wept- protector of monopoly.

It had failed to carry out its trust to the people in the wav of reducing land mononoly. as the mimhor of hfe estates existing after twenty vears of LihoraKsm won'd «hnu\ I<V- f'e first time, an eonitahle scale of tsixat ;r> n imposed.

The Hon J. Allen haviW briofiV replied, the second reading W as agreed io.