GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Waikato Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1034, 29 August 1901, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. YESTERDAY. The House met at 2.30 a m. Mr Guinness in the absence of the speaker took the chair. THE STUD BILL. The Stud Bill was read a first time. PROTEST BY AUDITOR GENERAL. A discussion arose upom.the reading of a communication from the AuditorGeneral, complaining that the halfmillion loan, had given the investors a greater amount of interest than was allowed by law viz., four per cent: also that the consolidated account instead of the revenue of the colony was given as security. On the motion of Sir J. G. Ward the letter was ordered to be priuted and referred to the public ac ounts committee. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. Mr Palmer, Chairman of the Goldfields Committee, reported that a breach of privilege had been committed by the Dunedin Star, in publishing certain evidence given before it before the committee had reported to the House. On the motion of Sir J. G. Ward, the House declared that a breach of privilege had been committed, and that a committee be set up to enquire into how the information contained in the report in question had been obtained. FINANCIAL DEBATE. Mr Jas. alien resumed the Financial debate and pointed out that the Government had power to borrow no less than £5,100,000 during the current year, which meant that the colony was relying entirely on borrowed money. Mr Withefotd said that some practical policy for the proper development of the resources of the colony was hardly required. Mr G. W. Russell complained that the present Government had entirely departed from the self-reliant, non-borrow-ing policy enunciated by Mr Ballance, and he contended that there must soon be drastic retrenchment such as has never been known before in the history of the colony. Mr Ell deprecated the large increase in departmental expenditure as revealed by the Estimates. Mr Lawry having spoken, the debate was adjourned and the House rose at 11.50 a.m.