PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1457, 17 August 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION,

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Legislative Council spent the day in committee on the Mining; Companies, Chattels, Securities, and Bankruptcy Bills..

HOUSE OP, REPRESENTATIVES, In the House a report was brought up from the Direct Steam Service Committee. It recommended that no contract be made till after next session ; that in the meantime the Government from time to time make changes and arrangements possible, consistent with efficiency; that in doing so the Government should pay due regard to the claims of the' New Zealand Shipping Company on the «olony owing to its enterprise; 'that unsinkable vessels should have a preference, anil that the Bluff should be included amongst the optional ports' of call,

Messrs Turnbull, Fish, and others thought this left the matter very much where it was before. Tliey ridiculed the idea of unsinkable ships. Mr Macandhew said this referred to a plan invented by a Port Chalmers shipwright. The Hon .Mr Rolieston said the Government - would loyally accept and carry out the Committee's report, and would direct the Agent-General's attention to the unsinkable ship invention. After further discussion the report was ordered to be laid on the table.

Ten days extension' of time was granted to the Roads and Bridges Construction Committee.

Replying to questions Ministers said tliey would renow the offer of a bonus for tho manufacture of Portland cement, and would print and circulate U.S. Consul Griffin's reports on New Zealand. Would not sanction the establishment of distilleries in the colony, Would give facilities for ascertaining the value of gold by assay,. Would not give Auckland College the sum of £ISOO first voted, as a subsequent vote of 14000 covered it, Would not increase die allowance to Mrs Adams from'£3lo to £SOO.

The following new Bills were introduced and read a first time Governors' of Canterbury College appointment (J. E. Brown), Counties. Act Amendment (Atkinson). On the motion to go into Supply, Mr' Smith, by permission of Sir G. Grey, who had given notice on the subject, moved that a land tax should be imposed on all land in the colony, He supported this at considerable length, pointing out the evils of land monopoly in Hawkcs Bay, where absentee proprietors were drawing L 150,000 a year from vast estates, which wore acquiring enormous value from the progress of the colony and the expenditure on public works. Th« property tax scarcely touched them. Sir G. Grey, in a very long speech, supported the amendment, pointing out the vast evils resulting all over the world from land monopoly, and the enormous and dangerous social and Political power which such a monopoly gave, and the injustice done by it to the great mass of the people, who all had a natural right to a share of the land, In this colony the poor were oppressed and unfairly taxed, while a dangerous governing class was growing up. The oi}ly remedy, he contended, was a land tax, .

Mr Levastam was in favor of a land tax, but thought the present an inopportune time to discuss the matter.

Mr Steward admitted it could not be discussed on its merits, as against Property Tax, but ho strongly sup* ported the amendment,

After considerable discussion, in which Messrs Moss, J. W. Thompson, Ivess, ij'ish, and Green took part; the latter expressing approval of the tax, although he could not vote for the present amendment, and the others all supporting it" The House divided on the motion to go into Supply, which was carried by 42 to 28.

In Supply, on the Public Works Estimates, class 11: the vote, harbor works, £42,966, conderable discussion took place over the Wcstporfc, Greymouth, and Hokitika harbor votes. Mr Fish moved to reduce the vote by £15,000. Lost by 36 to 17 and vote , passed, •

Class 12, vote expenses of raising loans, £28,500, passed; Class 5, roads .vote, roads, .bridges, etc,, north of Auckland, £95,800. Vote passed after •considerable discussion.

The following votes in class 5 were passed Unexpended balances of previous grants, £115,603. Roads to open up land? ■ before sale, Auckland, £67,557; Taranaki, £10,078; Hawkes Bay, £12,129; Wellington,. £31;143; Nelson, £23,382 ; Marlborough, £5243; Westland, £22,303; Canterbury, ~£25,286; 0tag0,>£44,309 . Southland. £15,593 : ; sundry roads, 410,383. Total : vote;- of which £98,052, requited for current year, passed. Vote roads through lands recently purchased, £981... : This finished the Public Works Estimates and the ordinary Estimates were then taken:—

. Class 6, Commissioner of Trado Customs-Vote, customs, £42,373,' passed; vote marine and harbors,

<£36,427, passed; vote miscellaridoltf), Hinemoa, £BOOO.

Messrs J, McKenzib and Wah objected- and urged that she should be sold.

The Hon Major Atkinson said ,t|ie steamer was only lised when tidily necessary. He consented to raluce the. vote by 12000. Mr MoKenzie moved to strike it out altogether, which was lost on the voices and, the vote, as reduced, passed. Class 7, Commissioner of StampsStamp department £6291, land and deeds registry £18,860, and miscellaneous £707, were passed. Progress was reported and the House rose at 2.35.