VERY LATEST. Government Buildings, Wellington, 8 p.m.

Waikato Times, Volume IX, Issue 522, 23 September 1875, Page 2

VERY LATEST. Government Buildings, Wellington, 8 p.m.

Mr Montgomery adduced a long array of figures to show- that the Government intended ouly taking from one Province to give to another, as Auckland and the West Coast had no Land Fund. The Treasurer denied this, and said the Government were asked to put £150,000 additional on the Consolidated Revenue, which meant additional taxation of 15s per head. The liabilities must be met either from the Land Revenue or by increased taxation. Mr Reoves said if the amendment was rejected the Southern Provinces could rest assurred that their land revenue was irretrievably gone. The hon. Mr Bo wen : We are not taking a penny. You want Canterbury to have more than the law allowed. Mr Wood said the Bill altered the whole law of our finance. It was really only introduced to cover a deficiency in the finance of tho colony. [ The Treasurer said if Mr Wood knew anything of finance he knew that what he said was not true. He challenged both Mr Wood and Sir George Grey to ask for any return that they liked to show what state the finances of the Colony were in ; and it would be immediately produced. The Treasurer defied Mr Wood to prove that there was a surplus this ycir instead of a deficiency as he (Mr Wood) had stated. Mr Wood replied that the returns produced were not to be relied upon, and characterised one " Canterbury return" as scandalously false. The Hon. Mr Bo wen said the return was absolutely correct. Mr Rolleston, who was appealed to, pointed out that the difference in the dates caused the discrepancy. Mr Wood regretted having in the heat of debate used such language, but the return deceived him, in not containing the information asked for. Sir George Grey maintained that the surplus referred to was a manufactured surplus. He said that the Financial Statement was fallacious, inasmuch as that iustea dof a surplus, there was a deficiency, which, in fairness, to the Colony ought to have been openly stated. The Treasurer said such statements were absolutely contrary to fact. Messrs. Reid and Montgomery wanted to discuss the matter further, and moved an adjournment. Mr Pyke said if eight weeks would not be enough, tha two centuries would not. The Treasurer agreed to adjourn, if the first sub-section were passed The sections were passed without amendment except those amendments made by tho Government.