NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 687, 21 July 1870, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT

THE DEBATE ON THE BUDGET.

Wellington, Wednesday. Mr Stevens followed Mr Kynnersley, aud directed himself principally to the finance portion of the question. Mr Ftzherbert spoke on the House resuming in the evening. He avowed himself willing to meet Government in the same spirit as they met the House. Whatever plausible reason might have existed to justify partv conflict, he was glad it had not been entered into. The frank, cordial, manly speech, made by tho Premier had entirely removedall doubts ..s tothe sincerity of the Government in making their proposals. He was willing to co-operate with them in giving effect to those really great measures which had been proposed. It would be impossible for him to refuse his assent to plans which had been tor many years floating and maturing in his own brain. He was not at all alarmed at the magnitude of the pro posals ; they, however, required modification to be made workable. The Commissioners had given a pledge against further borrowing at a time when their colleagues were contemplating a large loan, and prefacing loan by postponement of payment of overdraft Treasury bills; these were unfortunate circumstances which could not be ignored, and must be met. All countries were obliged to borrow for war purposes, why therefore should not the colony do the same, for war was not its normal condition ? Ho quite endorsed the Tieasurer's statement that a careful examination of figures showed the colony was not living beyond its income. The accounts were not so clearly made up to show this as they might have been. If, however, we tried to borrow too much for war, we should fail altogether, for English capitalists always wanted to know how their money was to be used. He quite approved of the capitation grant to provinces, aud had himself proposed it. The House was not then prepared to adopt it. The grant of £50,000 to Road Boards he entirely approved of. Side roads were absolutely requisite to feed any system of railways, and double the proposed sum would not be too much. On its merits he approved of protection, but he thought it had really nothing to do with a financial policy, and was therefore sorry it had beeu imported into it. Sooner or later, however, the colony would have to introduce protection. The question of immigration was the greatest problem of the present day. We formei no small item in the problem, for, practically, our country was still uninhabited, "it was the most habitable of all young countries in a temperate zone. It was a fallacy to think immigration would really reduce wanes; it would practically raise wages. The millions of people who had gone to America had done so. Bring peo pie here and the price of labor would rise. Should the price of food rise, all s would be benefitted by its rise. He did not believe there was any desire on the part of people at homo to ~w pauper immigrants on us. There was a large class of men who would make excellent colonists, who were I

carrying on a bitter struggle to keep clear of the workhouse, aud of these we could get numbers at a cheap rate. Whatever was done the stream of immigration should be continuous. The country was hungry and thirsty for people, and the limit must only be our capacity for their introduction. lie would not give free grants of laud to immigrants. The plan had been tried and failed. A uniform system of land laws was absolutely essential. He would like to see a system of de ferred payments, through the intervention of a colonizing association, introduced. He looked upon the colony as solvent, and therefore entitled, as a private person would be, to borrow largely for improvement of its splendid estate. He believed they had ample security to offer English capitalists, who would be quite willing to lend on that security. They would require the fullest details of the proposed expenditure, and this the Government had not supplied. With regard to the administration of Public Works, Government and the Assembly must keep the control in their own hands. He would also like to see a Board of Advice, of which each Superintendent should be ex officio a member. If Government ha>l been uiaturin < a scheme since October, I professional assistance might have been called in to supply facts instead of conjectures. He was not afraid of the magnitude of the proposals, but he was alraid of the way in which they were male out- He placed no reliance on the Treasurer's calculations as to cost, or probable revenue from railways. The whole question was really one of administration. He would join heartily with Government in endeavoring to give practical reality and shape to the great scheme they had brought down, and of which he envied them the honor and credit of having laid before the House and country. Mr Birch and Mr M'lndoe warmly supported the Government proposals. Mr Brandon urged a variety of objections against them, and the debate was then adjourned. Messrs Kelly and Howorth spoke ; to-day, supporting \he Government; • Mr Mervyn advised delay till next . session; Mr Potts spoke against Government. Colonel ITaultain is now speaking. He congratulated Government on successfully carrying out the military plans of the late Government. In the Divorce and Matrimonal Court to-day, Jessop v. Jessop, another rule for dissolution of the marriage was made absolute. In Ferguson v. Ferguson, there was another postponement for the ratification of some informality.