PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2042, 15 July 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

TUESDAY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, The Postal Notes Bill was read a second

time. The other business was unhnpor

taut, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2,30, Mr Ivess, member for Wakanui, took the oath and his seat, Mr Fulton moved that the amend ment by the Committee in the Congregational Union Incorporation Bill be adopted, Agreed to.

Mit Fyke gave notice that'on going into Committee of Supply ho would move that the system of nominated immigration be resumed without delay.

Replying to questions it was stated arrangements would be made for provide ing wire, instruments, labour, etc,, fo erecting a line between Gisborne and Tolagaßay, if the cost did not exceed £1000; that the question of connecting Cromwell Hospital with Cromwell Town had better bo left in abeyance till after the passing of the Charitable Aid Bill; that a sum would be placed on the estimates for the purchase of copies of Mr Kerry Nicholln' book on the King Country that steps would be at once taken for including the compound known as "Rough on Rats" under the Poisons Act, 1871. The following Bills wore introduced The Westland and Grey Education Boards Bil', (Mr Stout), a Bill to validate tho Sydenham Municipal Council Public Works Loan(MrW, White); the Coronors Juries Act Amendment Bill (Mr Tole). Sir Julius Voqel gave notice to movo 011 Tuesday "That the House go into Committee to consider the following resolutions That the Government be requested to arrange a fresh service between San Francisco and Auckland for five years, at a cost of not exceeding £30,000 a year," Major Atkisson resumed the debate 011 the second reading of the Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill. Ho said 110 regretted the Government had decided to make it a party measure, as he considered it was especially a Bill that should be considered free from party bias, • He thought the main principle of the Bill was that roads should be constructed out the Consolidated Fund ; but he considered the chief charge of tho roads should fall upon 1 the landed property of the country, and the only way to make them would be by capitalising special rates. He hoped the Government would not thrust the Bill 011 an unwilling House Soma temporary arrangement should be mado this year with the view of the whole matter being moro fully considered during the recess. Mr Stout congratulated the leader of tho Opposition on the attitude he had taken up on the. Bill; but he contended that by the speech lie had just made he had altogether given up the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. He denied that tho Government made any proposals for constructing the roads out of the consolidated fund; Ihey. merely told the people they must tax themselves before the Government assisted thorn. He objected to the statementi that the Government freed property from taxation, since exactly the opposite was the case.' He did not think they would have any satisfactory system of road construction till they had large Boards of Works to deal with each road, and to allocate the

money for it/ Ho hoped the Government supporters and tho Opposition would disousa the Bill free from .party feeling, and do their utmost to make it a good measure. Mr Beetham said one noticeable feature in the Bill was that no provision was made as to the works to be undertaken, He thought that such an important question should be discussed altogether free from party bias. Mr G. F. Richardson said the framers of the Bill evidently had ro idea of What its effect would be if passed in its present form. He should move several amendments in Committee. .

Me Lance spoke strongly in favor of the Bill, but' failed to see how Local Bodies could borrow witnout taxation The Government contended that under the Bill the large centres of population did not receive fair treatment, and he hoped this would be am ended in Committee. ' Mn Lake did not think the principle of subsidies in itself was a very desirable one, but if the present Bill was intended merely as a temporary measure, then there would not be very much to object to, especially as the most, objectionable portion, that of borrowing, had been abandoned, Mb Buchanun did not consider the roads andbridges construction Act a satisfactory measure, as far as main roads were concerned, and for that reason he was glad that the House had decided to approach the subject from a non-party point of view, The House rose at 5,30. EVENING SITTIiNC, Mr Buchanan resumed his remarks on tho Local Bodies Finance and. Powers Bill, and held that the Roads and Bridges Construction Act offered greater assistance in opening up the country, Mr Hurst thought the local government Bills should have boen placed before the people during the recess. The present Bill should be withdrawn with a view to remodel it, and then should be placed before the country, so that when Parliament met next year it could be considered. Mr Cowan looked on the Bill as a promise made by the Government to bring down a scheme of local government, and it was the duty of every member to endeavor to make it as acceptable to the country as possible. In apportioning subsidies, there were two essential factors to be considered, one as to the requirements of a district, and the other the extent .to which local Boards would put their shoulder to the wheel to help themselves.

Dit Neman, as a city member, strongly opposed the Bill,

Mr Walker considered the charitable aid proposals of the Government deserved fair and earnest consideration. The result of the proposals would be, to place local responsibilities on local shoulders, which was only just, and he thought the system of devoting portion of the land fund to opening the country for settlement was the best they had yet had. He hoped the subsidy would be divided between lload Boards and County Councils. and every inducement be given to these bodies to amalgamate. Mr Fyke said the Bill had been so purged and eviscerated as to make it comparatively harmless. He thought the Government should adopt the resolution recently passed at the meeting of thcdelegates of the County Councils at Wellington, or take back their Bill, and in the meantime appoint a Royal Commission .to enquire into and report upon the best means for local Government, I He would not-oppose the Bill, but looked upon it as past patching and not worth mending, Mr Fisher denounced the Bill as a speculative financing measure, and said he hoped the subsidy system would never comeinto force,

Mr Hursthouse opposed the Bill because it tended to disintegrate existing bodies, Ho recognised that they could not subsidise local bodies 1 without taxation, but he thought local bodies should levy and administer their own taxes,

Mr Holmes supported tho Bill. , Mr Mentbath was disappointed with the Bill. The result of the proposals would be that the poorer districts would come to the House and claim extra assistance for work described as colonial work,

Mr DorisoN supported the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, and thought a more comprehensive schemo should have been brought down by tho Government. Mr Duncan supported the second reading, with a view to amending it in Committee,

Mr Montgomery would vote for the Bill, his reason for doing so being that the principle was to repeal the.Roadsand Bridges Act. Mr Ivess thought that under this Bill the usual annual scramble under tho Roads and Bridges Act would be avoided, and it would also be beneficial, as money would be expended by persons possessing local knowledge; Mr, Hobbs, Colonel Trimble, and Mr W, White opposed the Bill. Messrs Fitzherbert and Barron also spoke against it, but would support the second reading, and endeavor to amend it in committee.

Sir Julius Vogel, in replying, explained in regard to the Bill that the Government would divide tho subsidies Where counties and road boards existed in one place. After combating the arguments against the Billl 110 said the Colony was not the distressed and impoverished country that it was represented to be. He found they had a surplus of £120,000,000 in value, and on reducing the amount in proportion to population, it made thisthe richest Colony in the world. At 1.15 a.m the second reading was carried on the voices, and the House adjourned.