GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 329, 18 August 1898, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

TUESDAY. RESTRAINT OF WAGERING

Tins llill was committed. Oa clause 1 (short title), Mr R McKen/.ie moved that it be postponed. This was negatived by 36 to IS. On clause 2, making incitement to betting a misdemeanour, Mr Ward moved in the direction of bringing mem hers of club 3 under the provisions of the Bill.

In the debate which ensued, reference was made to the gigantic ramification* of spielers and to the evil connected with the working of the totalisator. With respect to the latter subject, Mr Seddon said he intended to move that, any person who invests money on a totalisator shall be guilty of a misdemeanour.

Mr Ward withdrew his amendment, and Mr Seddon moved as above indicated. In the course of the discussion which followed, it was contended that the various racing clubs in the colony should have been notified of the intention to

abolish the totalisator, as to abolish it without consulting these clubs would be to land them in financial difficulties.

Progress was reported FINANCIAL DEBATE.

Mr Seddon moved that the House go into Committee of Supply. He dealt at some length with the press opinions of the Financial Statement, and especially with respect to doubts cast on the accuracy of the table showing deficits and surpluses. He contended the table was perfectly accurate, and quoted appendices to show the figures were correct. He pointed out that in 1887-SB, in order to rtipe off deficits. £2,232,000 had been added to the public debt. Referring to increase under the new tariff, iie said the net increase, after deducting remission and increase on goods not affected by the revised tariff, «vas only £48,160 for the three years ending 31st March last. The time was ripe for instituting preferential duties with the Mother Country, and it was in the best interest of the Colony to foster closer commercial relations. Captain Russell said the Treasurer's speech M'as a peculiar one, and reminded him of the proverb, " He who excuses accuses," as the Treasurer had considered it necessary, before a siugle word was hurled against the Statement, to rise to defend himself from newspaper attacks. He complained that the House knew nothing of wdiere the money voted had been expended, and if the House had had that knowledge, it would have taken care to make ample provision for railway trucks, rendered necessary by the increased traffic. He intended moving an amendment later on. Referring to the table of surpluses and deficits, he said it had been compiled either by nn unsophisticated plodder, or a very sophisticated perverter. The Treasurer admitted that he possessed no financial skill ; but the Financial Srateinsnt seemed to him to have been compiled with a view to conceal rather than disclose. He questioned whether it was desirable that there should be such large surpluses every year, and thought more care should be taken with respect to the estimate of revenue and expenditure, as surpluses evidently M-ere manufactured by underestimating the revenue. As shoM-ing that the new tariff had increased the pressure on the people of the colony, he pointed out that in ]S94, before the revision of the tariff the Customs duties per head was £2 6s 4d, while in 1897 it M'as £2 13s. With respect to preferential duties he asked, What does the Treasurer really mean by his reference to these duties ? The only explanation lie (Captain Rus=ell) could find was that the Treasurer, whilst under the influence of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, had made some promise in the direction of favouring British as compared with German goods. The attack made in the table of deficits and surpluses was an ungenerous one, and the table was intended to show that deficits had been the rule previous to the present administration. With respect to the deficit of £1,522,772, shown in ISBO, and attributed to Major Atkinson, he said that Major Atkinson took office at the end of 1879. and was not responsible for this deficit. With reference to railways, be pointed out that the district traffic managers reported that there was every indication that receipts would be increased by £50,000, instead of, as stated in the Budget, a decrease in revenue. He moved as an amendment—''That in the opinion of this House it is desirable that the Government should take immediate steps to provide, sufficient money to enable the construction of railway rolling stock at once, thus making due provision for the pressing needs of the colony and immediate employment of men out of work."

Mr Seddon suggested that the debate should close at once, when the House could deal nractically with the matter dealt with by Captain Russell's amendment.

Mr Carroll, referring to the table of surpluses and deficits, said it had been compiled by officials who had spent a lifetime in studying finance, and their statements were worthy of credence. Speaking of the increased Customs revenue, he pointed out that the increase was attributed not so much to revision of the tariff as to the increased spending power of the people. Speaking of the increase ot the public debt since the present Government took office, he pointed out that of the £6,000,000 increase £5,000.000 were for reproductive works. While considering the time had arrived when the Government should cease purchasing native lands, he considered they were to be credited with purchasing in the past lands iu back districts for settlement. With reference to the amendment moved, he pointed out that no account was taken of the amount speut by the Government in addition to open lines. Mr McGowau pointed out that the amendment had been framed in very insidious terms. Referriug to the increased Customs revenue, he said when the tariff was revised by Major Atkinson it had been estimated to yield £l7''">,ooo, which had been over-estimated by £u5,000, but still showed a considerable net increase. He advocated an energetic policy with respect to railway construction in the North Island, and referring to the revision of the tariff, hoped the Government would devote attention to reducing the duties on the necessaiies of life.

Mr Morrison characterised the amendment as a cunning ooe, and drafted for the purpose of catching the few members who had a large railway vote in their constituencies. He challenged Captain Russell, if he were sincere, to vote for an additional £IOO,OOO to provide for railway rolling stock. Mr Synies moved the adjournment ot the debate. Captain Russell nrjfcd iliac a division should be taken on his amendment. Mr Seddon said he could not accept the amendment, which he considered was a rio-confi'lence motion Captain Russell pointed out that the Opposition were prepared to go to the vote on the amendment without further discussion, in order that the work of constructing railway rolling stock should be put in hand at the earliest opportunity. The Hon. J. McKen/.ie said the Opposition had arranged with members of the House to carry the amendment against the Government, and had refused to give pairs to Government supporters. Mr Masaey said no reasonable pair had been refused by the Opposition. Mr Rollestoii said it was a perfect outrage that the amendment should have been taken as a waut-ot-confidence motion. The whole Parliamentary procedure

was becoming a syetem of dodging and trickery. After further remark? the debate w.is adjourned, and the House rose at 1 a.m. WEDNESDAY. THE FINANCIAL DEBATE Mr S) tries contended that the amendment had been moved in older to catch the vote of this railway employees i,nd discredit tlit Government control of the railways. Under the Commissioners' control he said the railways" I) ul been starved for revenue purposes, and it was not till the Government took control that the railways had been properly eqipped and necessary accommodation provided. He disagreed with the proposals icspeeting preferential duties, and ai'L'lud that consumers would not reap any benefit by the remission of duties. Despite the fact that there ha I teen a good many forfeitures, the reason for which being the inability to obtain roads. The improved farm settlements had worked a new era in the history of the colony. Speaking of the dairy industry, h'i eulogised the Government for tneir efforts in establish ng and fostering it, and suggested that the carriage of dairy produce shoul 1 be subsidised. Capt. Russell's amendment was negatived by 39 to 27. Mr iVloore asserted that the railways were much hotter managed when under the control of Commissioners than under the Government. He condemned the Government land policy, and said this year's land report was the most damaging one to the administration ever laid on the tal le of the House Fiom tables contained therein, he showed that there was a general desire on the part of Hie people of the colony for freehold as compared with leaseho'ds. He pointed out that the liabilities on the Consolidated and Public Works Fund at the end of the financial year were larger than they had been tor some time, which he, considered was not sound finance. The proposed preferential duties in favour of Grea,t Britain was a step in the right direction. Mr Brown said, to <diow the mismanagement of the railways under the Government control, he had frequently to wait not two or three days, but over a week for trucks. Speaking of the cooperative system, he Slid the work done under it was costing more than if it bad been done under contract. He did not consider the large amount of deposits in the Post-office Savings Bank was an indication of prosperity, as a great deal of it was deposited in order to obtain a higher rate of interest. He would have preferred to see more money invested in trade and agricultural industries than deposited in the bank. He contended that middlemen would reap the benefit of the proposed preferential duties. Mr Montgomery expressed the opinion that the amendment of the Opposition was, considering the occasion, a trivial one and really endorsed the policy of the Government. The finances of the colony were undoubtedly in a stronger position than in 1880; but this was not due to any particular party, but to the general prosperity of the colony. It was almost a scandal the way the revenue of the colony bad been under-estimated in order to swell surpluses, and it was a trick unworthy of the Colonial Treasurer. He contended that the amount transferred to the Public Works Fund from the consolidated revenue should be eliminated from the consolidated surplus, which would for the past year have been £339.280. Speaking of loan conversions, he said the colony would have been in a much better position if the Conversion Act had not been passed, as the conversion operations relieved the interest charge for the time only and added to the debt of the colony without the authority of Parliament. The sooner the consols account was done away with the better. Mr Dutbie referred to the fact that the last speaker had devoted a great part of his speech to bemoaning the shortcomings of the Government, and advised him to consider whether it was his duty to continue to support the preseut administration. He was pleased to find the finances of the colony in such a strong position, and the country was to Le congratulated upon it. If there was any principle in connection with finance it Is accuracy, and so far as the Colonial Treasurer was concerned he knew nothing of it, as he was never accurate. As evidence of this, he pointed out that there Mas a difference of over £74,000 between the amount of the surpluses under tht present administration as stated by Mr Ward in London in 1895, and in this year's Financial Statement. He complained that owing to the refusal of the Government to supply the returns it was impossible to discuss the effects of the revised tariff. With respect to land settlement, he pointed out that with about twenty different tenures to choose from settlement of land was not being carried on with that success one wouid have expected. The prosperity of the colony was due to private enter prise, and not to Government expenditure on the goldfields, which had not been warranted by the results. Accumulation cf money in the Saving Bank was not a sign of prosperity, and was really a source of danger in the case of a crisis occurring.

Mr Lawry, referring to the arguments of previous speakers, pointed out that Customs duties were a voluntary form of taxation, and a rich man in one night might contribute more than a settler would in a year. Although he had doubts respecting the probable result of lending money to settlers in the Auckland province, owine; to the poor quality of the soil, iie was pleased to say that the advances made by the Government to Auckland settlers had been more successful and attended with less loss than in any other part of the colony. Referring to the attack made on the Government control of the railways, he said if there was one thing more than another which had made the Government popular it had been the administration of the Minister for Railways. Fie waimly supported the Government's native laud proposals. Mr Wa'oi said the country was wearying of the present administration and of the Premier's iron rule, and everything indicated that the present minority would soon be a majority. He condemned the Government's action in connection with the Midland Railway, and the Bank of New Zealand and Assets Realisation Board. With respect to the Bank of New Zealand estates, he considered it would pay the colony to put the people on them to work them rent free. The Lands for Settlement policy had done more probably than anything else to enhance the prestige of Government in the country and to ascertain the extent he sympathised with that policy, but it had one very great defect in that the lands were cut up into small areas. By far the greatest defect in the system was the refusal of Ministers to permit settlers under the Lands for Settlement Act, to convert their leaseholds into freeholds. (Left sitting at midnight).