ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 11 July 1913, Page 5

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

AN AMENDMENT PROPOSED. ACCEPTED AS NO-CONFIDENCE, motion. {By Telegraph—Fress Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. In the course of the debate on th« Address-in-Reply Uiis afternoon, J. Onaigie (Timaru) moved an amend* ment, favouring the imposition of a graduated and ever-increasing land tax for t/he purpose of providing land JM settlement. . . > . The Hon. James Allen said tlia Government would accept the merat as a party one. ' Mr G. W. Russell explained _Mf, Craigie had not consulted the 'position, and was acting entirely his own behalf. v Mr Cnaigie asked permission of House to add the word to his ametufrnent, so las 'to miake red "ever-increasing graduated tax." The Hon.. J. Allen objected, audi . the amendment was retained, as prsNviously stated. . \ The amendment was seconded bj; Mr T. K. Sidey. ; Mr Campbell (Hawke's Bay) deal! with land matters. He contended thoifcthe graduated land tax had gonS up £BO,OOO annually. He though# 'v beer should be taxed to lihe 'extent cA two-pence a gallon.. If the tax were" , • put on the public, the outcome would be a JStaifce brewery. Ho "thought, i also, that the Government should apf« point inspectors to" test the quality of liquons sold in hotels. He oritw * cised, the educational system,. «nd(; 1 urged a wholesale investigation" iiitct the whole xhatter. { v . - < Mr J. S. Malcolm intimated that h 6 desired to touch upon matters; rela* . tive to the Bank of .and the State. He stated that &.# : appeared neither as counsel for Jhe Bank Jjoir for the State. He preceded to give a review of the history of the Bank. On the wthole capital, subscribed during the 16 years, onlj £1 Is 6d per cent, had been earned, , A sum of £1,957,046 had been writ* ten off, also £770,166 off the .rdaerv* fundis. He contended that befon® any alteration was made in tfye oon.« stitution Of. Btank", wrcttenoff again.' Because-tihe Bank-wag nio*J ■making pioney, greedy eyes were casi upon it. The Bank had kept" one of the obligations imposed upon) it by the State in .1903. The Statif. * said '.'You are making more monejj :thaa- thxxught.you Fouldj" /.silt.,;:, ■ introdueeS: -:;y. Md a inillian. Ota oanditien that tife State * - dire^* 1, - v. tcrate,<and ' ways' outvoted. „&s consequenodi Mrßeauchamp's present proposals were. undoubtedly to the! detriment) of tha shareholders.—(Cries of Mr 'Malcolm, continuing, said w#>, r oould noi barn tfee defence can<pe atf both ends. We .must remember 5 thai v miHfory defence was costing a. larg» sum, and naval defence could, undertaken except at an enormous increase of that expenditure. Ho. adU .. vooaied representation on thetJnpew ial Federation Committer. ; ,"T" " - '•* Mr llobortson followed, replyire: t<l." ■ bhe statements made hy MrJTwd* ll man rf^n r din? the' w-. :bhti^lAW^-''-»t";-Wiaiihi k ';. ! K» '.ha# the 'oiroumstanoias deirtjtded, an en* ry quity, . 1 Mr^ ; .Witty, disclaimec| the V OnposiW tion's "connection with Mr. ,Cmiiiie'»'- .> - Rmendnient, Which, owto the-Go* ,* .verpment's 'ift nbt .taermil* ting hipi to : aniend: it, did nOi; ' r . 1 rafely represent what he~meant. Thtf; ' Opposition. was in favonr of increaa- i ing the graduated tax, but not of thef "ever-increasing land tax," whicbl might be construed to mean increase —, ed taxation oil small Jarfliers. . <v ■ Mr- Hindn»ai*sh criticised thej>policJ of the Government in advertising lana in inaccessible pbsitionii Why did the# not brake u£ the large estates ? Th» Premier, he said, dare not put on a >. tax enough to do so. He would be turned down by his party if he did so. Hq demanded jm inquinr into the proceedings ativ WaihL He; also criticised the Preftaier's action ill treating kn amendment on the land question as a want-of-confidenoe mo* tion. Would be treat a motion otf 1 defenctf or the liquor traffic in the f same way? He thought not. *lf a member of the Government partj voted in favour of the amendment, he would he asked to leave the party.' Mr Russell said the Opposition was in entire sympathy with-the policy of . stopping aggregation, but the present; amendment was not officially recognis- >•. Ed by them, because, ,in its present - .. Form, it did not represent the view#. o£ their party. ;*v'<'6v ' ■ Mr McDonald deprecated the G<h - , vernment treating the amendmentV . when it was not recognised by thr Opposition, as a direct v, ~ . Mr Wilford stated that Mr Craigie moved the amendment honestly, bnti mistakingly as to its effect. .If any . member supported it, he was > voting to put a tax on: small holdings as well as large. That wns* not whai> ; the mover intended. Hf suggested that he be allowed to withdraw hi# amendment;. \ On the question being put, tHS amendment was lost on the roices. The debate was adj^nrnf 1 orn tEa s motion of Mr Nosworthy, a;.d thQ House rose at 11.5 p.m. y ; .