GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 330, 20 August 1898, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THURSDAY. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. VACCINATION. A motion by Mr Jennings that only calf lymph should he used by public vaccinators, and that the appointments of all these officials should be revoked was withdrawn on the suggestion of the Minister for Education, who stated that an amendment of the law was anticipated in the direction of English legislation.

THE BANKING BILL. The second reading of the Banking Bill was moved by the Minister for Education, who urged that the measure was required, and would place the institution in a sound and permanent position. . • Mr Ormon.l unfavourably regarded the proposal to dispense with the executive officer by Act of Parliament. It was a Government function and should be discharged by them. He also questioned the wisdom of abolishing the power of veto, and thought there should be some permanent officer to report from time to time, and generally safeguard the colony's interest. He intimated that aftei "the second reading he wouM move that a committee be set up to enquire into the progress of the Bank since 1891. Mr Stevens supported the appointment of a committee, and urged that the position of the shareholders, who had suffered coosiderably, should be made more satisfactory. Dr. Grace criticised the measure at some length, declaring in the course of his remarks that in his opinion the charges of corruption against politicians and others connected with the banking legislation, wee unfounded. The debate was adjourned till next day. ERIDAY. The Council met at 2 30 p.m. MR VAILE'S I'ETITION. The motion by Mr McCullough to refer the petition of Samuel Vaile back to the Petitions Committee for the purpose of taking evidence was nogxtived by 2S to 8. BANKING BILL. Mr Geo. Jones urged that the position of the Bank was such as called for i attention. He commented on the President's share transaction and the position of the pension fund of the Bank had been conducted oh a scale of oriental magnificence, and had the Colonial Bank disclosures been made prior to his appointment, he doubted whether he would have been appointed. Mr Watson should not be given compensation, and should be allowed to find his remedy in the Law Courts. Mr Shrimski argued that there was some mystery behind the appointment of Mr Watson, and people in New Zealand would some day know the circumstances. The continued tinkering of the Bank was inimical to the institution, and would lo«e confidence. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THURSDAY. THE FINANCIAL DEBATE. Mr Huuter quoted figures to show that there had been more deaths and accidents on the railway since the Government took them over, as compared with the penod they had been under the control of Commissioners. Referring to the statement that the Opposition had no policy, he said the principal policy of an Opposition was to expose the shortcomings of the Government, and they were not called upon to enunsiate a policy until they were in a position to give effect to it. When this time arrived, he believed the present Opposition would be in a position to propound a policy which would be acceptable to the people of the colony. In order to prevent accidents on the railways, the lines should be fenced, but when he had asked this to be done to a portion of a line in his district, he had received the reply that it would have to stand down until more urgently necessary works were done. Mr Meredith considered the time had not arrived for borrowing for railway extension, but he believed that in a fewyears, when more land was taken up and occupied, and the volume of produce had increased, the people of the colony would be called on to express an opinion on the question of borrowing for railway extension. Before borrowing even the half million proposed in the Budget, there should be a remission of taxation to the same amount. He was much pleased with the proposals for the remission of duties in favour of Great Britain. He considered the administration of the Lands Department for the year had been most satisfactory, and said the number of forfeitures (fi33) and surrenders (171) was comparatively small, compared with the number who took up sections (2055). He considered the railways had been managed by the Minister for Railways in the interests of the ptople of the colony. He thought the Government should expend at least £SOOO in advertising New Zealand frozen meat. Mr Buchanan said if the Government had been really anxious to re-employ the men on the construction of railway rolling stock, they should have brought the Financial Statement down earlier. It could not be urged that the Opposition had been blocking business in view of the face that the Government still possessed an overwhelming majority. He suggested that the Auditor-General should be authorised to grant returns approved by the Speaker to membeis of the House, in order that they should get information now denied by the despotic gentlemen in power. He combated the Premier's statement that the public debt per head had decreased under the present administration. In 1891, he pointed out, the indebtedness per head was £59 ]2s, while last year it was £6O 9s. Taxa tion had also increased during the same period from £2 7s lid to £2 12s 6d. The Government valuation had been the worst he had witnessed since he had had anything to do with public life. Many of the valuers had not gone on the laud at all, hut the worst feature had been that values in many cases had been made in the Wellington office. Mr Duncan said the members of the Government party were just as desirous of getting information as the members of the Opposition were, but the latter made the mistake of asking for information in an unreasonable form. He hoped the Local Government Bill would soon pass, in order to remove the question of roads and bridges from the floor of the House. Mr Scobie Mackenzie, referring to the remarks of the last speaker, said that in accusing members of the Opposition of being under the thumb of the Bank of New Zealand, he had been appealing to the lowest and most ignorant passions in humau nature. So far as he (Mr Mackenzie) knew, no member on the Opposition side of the House owed the Bank anything. Taking the Financial Statement in one hand, he proceeded to ask what comprehensive phrase described its dominant characteristic. In his opinion the Statement, as respecting some of its figures, revealed nothing more nor less than all audacious, and, at the same time, odious, falsification of public accounts. The table had the effect of tradiuiugthe political reputation of the late Mr Ballance, as the deficit attributed to Sir 11. Atkinson was, in reality, to be attributed to Mr Ballance. In 1891 the surplus was attributed to Mr Ballance, while in reality Sir H. Atkm son should have had the credit. ISo language was too strong to condemn and denounce a table of this kind, which had b°en compiled with no other object than to deceive the people of the colony, who had no means of verifying it- As a proof that no reliance could be placed on an assertion or proposal in the State-

ment, he referred to the proposal respecting the amount required for the new library, as stated in Inst year's Budget, and the amount now required to complete the work. The Government's attitude in the matter had been a conspiracy to deceive the people of New Zealand ami throw Parliamentary authority to the winds. Those who had voted with the Government were accessories after the fact in this conspiracy. He had met many who considered the settlement of land had only commenced when the present Government came into office, hut he quoted from a table to show that from 1878 until the time the present Government took office, land settlement had been more vigorous than under the present administration. One compensating fact in the Statement was that there was a leg*l surplus, which, though a legal one, was none the less a manufactured one. He could not move an amendment ; hut could he have done so, he would have moved that no surplus, real or fictitious, is or ought to lie considered a set-off agiinst the moral evils engendered under the present Government, and the administrative blunders they have committed. He adveiaely c iticised the recent appointments to the Legislative Council.

Mr J. W. Thomson, referring to the table of deficits and surpluses in the Statement, said the Colonial Treasurer In fore compiling it should have had some consideration for his late colleague, Mr Ballance, and should not have thrown a brick at Sir Julius Vogel, whom he had supported. He hoped the Treasurer's estimate of revenue for next year would prove incorrect, and that the expenditure would lie under what was estimated. He intended to oppose the proposed increase of wages to surfacemen on railways, which, he considered, was uncalled for expenditure, and would be unpopular in the country districts. Increase in wages would mean that there would he an increase in the number of applications from young men for work on the railway. He considered they were attempting too much legislation this session.

On the motion of Mr E. G. Allen the debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 12.20 a.m. ERIDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.m. PMVILEGE.

As a matter of privilege, Mr Taylor drew attention to the fact that the portion of evidence of the Police Commission which had not becu submitted to His Excellency the Governor had been placed before a committee of the House that morning. The Speaker said it was not a breach of privilege, as the report of the Royal Commission was a matter outside of the House, though it, was in the nature of an irregularity to give some members information which had not been given to members as a whole. The Minister for Public Works explained that some thirty pages of evidence had been placed before the committee to avoid the cost of calling witnesses from the West Coast to give evidence.

Mr Taylor said he had received copies of the evidence he had called before the Commission, in order to save him the trouble of taking notes. Each Commissioner, Col. Hume and Mr Tunbridge had copies of the evidence ; but subsequently the Premier had got hold of the Chairman of the Commission and forced him to break his promise to him. Mr Seddon said this latter statement was a gross fahrecatiou and a most untruthful assertion.

Capt. Russell moved that these words be taken down.

The Speaker held that the words had not been applied in an extremely offensive way. He asked if it wcte the desire of the House that the words be taker*

down, and the volume of " Noes ", being greater than the " Ayes," he did not order the words to be taken down. The matter then dropped. FINANCIAL DEBATE. Mr E. G. Alien said the Leader of the Opposition had been unable to discover in the Financial Statement anything on which to bring a damaging want-of-confidence motion. There had been no juggling with figures nor mystification, as is often the case with respect to Budgets. It was difficult for a young country to progress without relying on the foreign money lender, aud he believed there was a feel-

ing in the tolony in favour of borrowing large sums of money for public works and railway construction. Mr Bollard accused the Government of having trampled on the liberties of the people, and said their professed regard tor the welfare of the people was simply moonshine. There had never been a time in the history of the colony when there was so little to show for expenditure of millions as the present. He asserted that the Government would not remain six mouths iu office were it not for the system of political bribery. The Minister for Railways was an honest man and honest politician, but he was dominated by the Premier. Ho did not believe the Premier had any intention to remit duties on English-manufactured goods, because the Labour Unions in the colony would jump on him if he did. The Hon. Mr Larnach said as far as he was able to judge,there had been a bonafide surplus on Hist March last. He did not think there was much in the contention that surplus had beeu manufactured by the Treasurer over estimating the expenditure and nuder estimating revenue, as doing so would not affect receipts. It was not quite fair to apply all excess of revenue to Public Works, as it meant they would be taking themselves day by day and year by year for the benefit of posterity He corjsidered the colony should he making more progress in railways construction and that the Government would ask for sufficient money for this purpose. If he read the Financial Statement alright, it proposed to increased direct taxation ; but he considered iu view ef the recurring surpluses our estimates should be more in accord with our requirements, and we should live more within our means. He said if the colony was as prosperous as the budget showed, and he believed it was, there was no excuse for the colony going on with railway construction in the piecemeal fashion of recent years. Only a paltry 302 miles had beeu built during the past decade. Railway construction would not pay if the Government had to pay six per cent, on borrowed money, but would decidedly pay when money could be obtained at 3 per cent.

Mr Field considered that the Government should have taken the Manawatu line over at the earliest opportunity. As to the laud policy, he objected to the present classification of lands, and contended that the area of freehold land which could be acquired should be restricted in the same way as for leasehold. The price of Crown lands should be on the basis of their producing capacity, without regard to their actual position. He was not sure, that a reliable valuation of the land had been attained by the recent valuation. Speaking of his own district, he thought there should have been more objections to the valuations.

Mr Gilfedder said if the policy of tiie Opposition consisted of retrenchment alone, it was well that the people of the colony should know it, as it was the same policy which had brought about the defeat of the Atkinson Administration. Though the public debt had inceased under the prescut administration, the money had been largely invested in reproductive channels, which created a valuable asset against the increased indebtedness. Referring to the comparison between the land transactions of the past Government, as compared with those of the present Government, he pointed out that the Government had not the same area aud quality of laud to deal with as their prcde-

cessors. He warmly advocated the institution of periodical valuation in connection with Crown leases.

Mr Eraser proceeded to dissect the surplus, and showed that, after deducting certain sums which, he contended, ought not to have been include'!, there remained a net surplus of £426,000. Respecting the sale of Bushy Park, he said that to a hu-liel of truth there had been added a waggon load of lies, and falsehoods had been much more palatable and acceptable and were believed. The time had not arrived to cease borrowing ; but the present system of borrowing in driblets led to waste. Throughout his district there was intense indignation with respect to excessive and extortionate Government valuations. In view of the face that valuations had been increased by sixteen millions, it was absurd to say, as stated in the Budget, that there would be no increase ftom Land and Income Tax.

Mr O'Regan, while approving an increase to wages of casual hands, considered a great mistake had been made in railway classification in fixing the wages of these employees at (is (id per day, which might !>■• a good wage in Auckland or Canterbury, but was not adequate on the West Coast, where there was much broken weather. Referring to the falling off in land revenue, he said this was accounted for to some extent by the purchase by the Government of large estates, but he considered the £SOO exemption was largely responsible for this falling off. He would not be surprised to rind that owing to the exemption the colony •was getting only half the revenue it ought to do. Indirect taxation, he asserted, was excessive, and the people were called upon to pay too much through the Customs. The time had arrived when some attempt should be made to relieve people of the burdens they have to bear. (Left sitting at midnight.)