PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2917, 6 June 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

House of Representatives,

TUESDAY, JUNE 5,

Tin motion that the House immediately go into Committee of Supply was carried, mr ormond's motion.

Mr Oniond, rising on the motion to go into Committee of Supply, moved the motion of which he had giren notice. He might say that lie did not agree with the Clovernnjent ujiou tlio

question of the abolition of education boards, and would himself only propose to raise the school age to six years. He affirmed that £23,000 could be saved by increasing the age. He strongly disapproved the abolition of boards, and felt satisfied that a'proposal to abolish the boards would not be carried if it was made. With reference to the second proposal, he was of opinion that local bodies had pretty well mado up their minds that they would not get. subsidies, He deeihed that it was a justifiable course to cliargo subsidies to local bodies to the Customs revenue of the Colony, and said that if it were desirable to continue subsidies it would be tar better to do away with some of the useless works in the Loau Bill and take them (the subsidies) out of borrowed money. They read of seventeen miles of railway being finished lately and two trains a week were to run on it. What did that mean ? Why, the money had been wasted. (Cheers,) Now, he came to a proposal which he knew would not meet with the same favor, and that was in reference to the proposed primage duty of one per cent. He held that it was not advisable to leavy a duty of this kiud out of" mawkish sentimentality." In conclusion Mr Ormond said that in the present condition of the Colony, he strongly disapproved giving the Treasurer a new engine of taxation. As regards Protection and Free-trade, he belonged to neither parly, and he was surprised to find gentlemen calling themselves Freetraders in a Colony situate as New Zealand was. (Cheers.) Mr Ormond concluded by moving— That with a view of reducing taxation shown by the Financial Statement to be necessary if certain services are continued, litis House is of opinion—l, That the school age be fixed at six years, 80 that the saving named by the Colonial Treasurer viz. £25,000, may be thereby secured. 2. That the payment of subsidies to Local Bodies be abandoned in order that a saving of the duty proposed to be raised on tea may be secured. 3. That in the present circumstances of the Colony, the raising of additional revenue to the extent of £58,000 for two years, by the imposition of a primage duty is inexpedient, and the deficit for last year should be added to the funded debt,

Mr Cowan seconded Mr Ormond's amendment.

Sir John liall asked if an opportunity would be given of voting separately on the three parts of the motion. The Speaker said the first motion would be chat he leave the chair, which, if carried, disposed of Mr Ormond's motion, If it was lost it would then be competent for any member to move that these resolutions be taken separately. The Premier thanked the lion, member for his moderation, and expressed regret that the proposal to take bis proposals as a substantive motion had not been accepted. (Hear, hear). With respect to the first part of the motion, lie explained that the Government had not taken action on the education question in view of the opinion the House expressed last session. He ridiculed Mr Ormond's suggestion that local bodies should raise their own rates for local works, maintaining that all people were concerned in roads and other works, and that they could only get at all people through the Customs. As to paying subsidies out of lean, why that would be doing exactly what the lion, gentleman objected to. Coming to the third part of the motion, he considered that a beginning should be made to pay our debts, and the sooner the better, and he begged the House to take that view also. He asked them also to consider earnestly the best step to be taken, and to recognise that they must in future contrive to meet their liabilities and leave a margin for expenditure. (Cheers). Mr Ballance denied that the Opposition had tried to burke the motion, and said that they wished these questions fairly decided, but the motion did not meet them fairly, He pointed out that the tea duty was not intended to meet the whole of the local subsidies and only;amounted to £38,000, whereas the subsidies were £G4,000. (Mr Ormon'd interrupted that the increased tea duty was £57,000.) With respect to education, Mr Ballance contended that the House had practically given the boards an assurance of permanency last year, and would be breaking faith now if it abolished theui, Ho contended that country schools would be injured if the school age was increased, and asked how it would act for those schools to have to depend on the Government in Wellington for consideration. He warned hon members that if they supported centralisation of primary education they would set a precedent for centralising secondary education. He maintained that Mr Ormond had not made out a case for any of his proposals, People were leaving the colony every day for want of employment—because industries which would flourish were not encouraged ; and he maintained that the Government were to be commended for the boldness with which they had brought down a Protectionist policy, lie did not say their proposals could not be amended, but that they were acceptable to Protectionists—the bone and sinew, ifter all, of the Colony. Mrßeetham said that as lie was prevented from moving the previous question, ho should, on behalf of a large section of the House who were dissatisfied with the position taken up by Mr Ormond, move that the House adjourn.

The Speaker said that if the adjournment was carried Mr Ormond's motion and that for Committee of Supply would disappear from the order paper, On division the motion for adjournment was lost by 48 to 42. The House divided on the motion that Mr Speaker leave the chair in order that the House might go into Committee of Supply. Ayes 53; noes 22, The amendment of Mr Ormond was therefore negatived. The members for Wairarapa were amongst the noes. The House went into Committee of Supply and immediately reported progress, Tho Premier said ho wished to get the opinion of tho House on the Ous.

Toms Duties Bill, and moved that the second reading be made an order for next day at 2.3o.—Carried. The House adjourned at 11.45.