House of Representatives.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 809, 23 August 1877, Page 2

House of Representatives.

Wellington, Wednesday. The debate on the Incidence of Taxation was resumed at half-past seven, last •aght. Mr THOMSON supported Sir George Grey's amendment, affirming the immediate necessity of a change. Mr GISBORNE followed, accusing the Ministry of being the lacqueys of the lobbyists.- He likened ihe treasurer to a French cook, transferring frogs and snails info savory viands. He characterised Government localization of tke .land fund proposals, as organised hypocracy. The Treasurer was like a vampire, who fanned the laud fund with his wings, while he sucked its life blood. The Ministry were mere lacqueys of the lobbyists and j would dance to any Opposition tune. Mr STAFFOuD delivered a capital speoch in favour of the Government, and shewed up Mr Montgomery's finance He hit Mr Uisborne hard, and said that, j in 1867, the latter waa requested with ! others to prepare a scheme for shanging the Incidence of Taxation, but failed ; after seven months. He, Mr Stafford, considered it would be cruel to impose an incoma and property tax this year. Nine* tenths of the people of Canterbury would surrender the land fund rather than submit to such taxi tion. Mr TRAVEt-S severely handed the budget, and shewed that by imposing a tax of a pound a hogshead on Colonial beer, a halfpenny a pound ou salt and j engar, £180,000 annually could be raised, while taxation on other articles might be reduced. He considered the Public Works proposals of the Ministry inadequate, und advocated placing ths railways in the hands of English Companies. Mr JOHNSTON in a well digested and matured speech condemned proposed taxation. Mr BALL ANCE moved the adjournment. Last night Mr BALL ANCE to day resumed the debite on the question of incidence of taxation. He criticised the Financial Statement in some details severely, although he thought it a fair Statement on tiie whole. He spoke in favour of the taxation of land, stating it wouid not be a burden to the landowners, but a stimulus to industry. Prope- ly ad justed such a tax would discourage to a targe extent the aggregation of land by large proprietors. Smull men should have chanc-8 or getting land, and a check should be put on those who grab up large blocks without a thought of putting it to use. He advocated making roads through small settlements, and encouraging small settlers. This should be done out of the Land Fund, which was really the revenue of the colony. They had aright to say that the laud should not be kept for monopolists, but should bo reserved for the benefit of the people. Mr RUSSELL, after contradicting several personal assertions by Sir George Grey, spake in favour of a change in the incidence of taxation, but not during the present session. Mr WOOLCOCK next spoke in favour of Sir George Grej's resolution, with one or two excep.ions, principally that of the acreage tax propose I. The debate was interrupted by the adjournment.