HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THURSDAY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 2024, 27 June 1885, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THURSDAY .

The House met ;it half past two p.m. Mr Mac.indrew brought up the report of the St. indium Orders Committee on the piopo>.il that the House should sit at halfpast ten v.m. for the leinainder of the session, and moved that it be corisideied at li.ilf pi-t «.cven {MM. Sn (J. (hey thought the notice too short fc.i -tioli an impoi taut question. He moved that the u-poit be considered on Tuesday nest. The amendment was lost on a division by •M to L\S. Mr Hobbs moved, " Tli.\t a Select Committee be appointed to considci, and make Miggestums for the proper winking of the Codlin Moth Act, 1884." Agiecd to. Mi Macandrow moved, " That a Select Committee be appointed to consider, and to repoi t as to how far it is expedient that the credit of the colony should be applied toward-* making advance-, at a low rate of interest to settleis on the secinity of their land, and also a-, to the ln->t mode in which Mich ciedit may bo applied."' In moving the motion he said ho would have prefeired tint the Ooxeinment should luvo taken the initiative in the matter, as it was one on which the future of the country gi&itly depended. The subject was at present »'\ei citing a large amount of attention among thoughtful men in the South Maud, and he hoped the Hou->e would grant the committee. Agreed to. The Hou^e re-armed at half-past seven p.m. Mr Macnudrow moved, "Tint the Hoti-u coucurs in the lepoit of the Standing Orderbrought up this day." Mi J. C. JSucklaud protested agam.st the motion. Mr (Juinness objected to the proposal befote the House. He moved, as an amendment, " Tli.it the clauses of the report be consideied seiiatini.'' Mr O'Conoi-Mippoited the motion. Mi Bev.ui objected to this attempt at e\pei niiental legislation. Mi Haiuliu thought it was an unu-ual proceeding to debate the main question on the lepoit of the Standing Orders Committee. He would be m fauna of giving the pioi)o.,tl ,i tn.il, and if found unwoik.iblu it could again be alteied. Mi J'yke objected to the proposal on the score of the health of member-!. He did not possibly sci« how the committee work could be cauied on if the proposal wer< cai i led. The amendment was lost on division I>\ •JOagiinst.W. Su (i. (Jrey considered that it would be most injudicious to adopt the report. Mi Stout said that .is f.u- as the Government was concerned, the passing of the motion would i ntatl a large amount of work on the (iovcinmeiit. He felt sure that the woikofthe session could not be properly pei toi vied by such late sittings as prevailed last session. He thought there would tie no haiin in trying the experiment for a week to see how it worked. Mr Seddon moved the pievious question. After a lengthy discussion, the previous question was put, and the House dividedAyes, 3"> • noes 3"». The Speaker gave his ca-ting vote witli the ayes to suable the question to be again put. The House then divided on the motion for adoption of the iepi>it, when the motion was lost by 37 against 33. Mr I'iadshaw moved the «rcoiid reading of the Kmploymcut of Females .md OtherAct, 1881, Amendment Hill, and briefly explained its pIOVHIoIH. Mr Levcst.'im pointed out .several objections to the Hill. Mr .1. C. Huckland said he intended moving in committee that barmaids should not be allowed to exist in Kew Zealand. The motion foi the second reading w.iagieed to. Mr Seddon moved the second reading ol the Mines Act. 187", Amendment Bill, He said the fee for miners' light had l>eci icduced m all other colonies, but had bi en let.inied at t'l in this colony. The present bill pioposed to leduce the charge foi miners' light to 10s. It was also promised to make the l eduction in the chaige foi business licenses £3, instead of t.">. Mi Lainuch would not oppose tin seLond reading of tliß Kill, but he though! liefoie it went into committed he would Ik able to show that the Hill he intended ti bung down would anticipato many of it> provisions. Tlii' motion foi the second leading was agieed to. The House adjoin ned at twenty-five minutes past ten p.n.. FKIDAY. The House met at 2.30. Mi Fulton moved the second reading of the Congiegatiou l r niou lucorpoiation Hill. Agieed to. Mi .1. XV. Thomson gave notice that on going into Committee of Supply he would move "That as legards the increase in the Customs revenue for the current year, estimated to amount to t'8!t,000, this House iof opinion that instead of increasing the duties of Customs w ith the view of realising this Mini, such sum should be raised by mci easing the property assessment on pmpeities of the taxable value of £'1000 and under i' 20.000, of ono i>cnny in the l\ and in case of |jro|M?rties of the taxable value of £20.000 and upwards to tluee half pence in the fc'."' Replying to questions, it wa» stated that a clause would Ikj inserted in the Land Hill for dealing with the mi gi anted sections of land oiigin.illy selected undi i the New Zealand Settlements Act ; th.it the question of lelaxing the legulatioits undei the Amis Vet lespettinjjthe purchase nt .i inn nil nt uhi l>\ Kuiii|hmiis in the Noith I si, i nil would lie i nnsidf led bv(to\ eminent ; that v\heie nispectois of ])olicu weie doing then duty it would be unwise to lemovo them, unless for special le.ison ; that it was possible some pio pos.ils would be made this ses-ioii foi e\ tending the tune dining which duty mi colonial manufactuied tobacco shall be Is pel Hi. The follow ing bills weie nitioduccd and lead a hist time : -The (iaminu and Jiotteues Act, 1881, Amendment iiill (Xo. 2), the Patea H.ubour Hill. Mi Stout moved the second reading, and that the debate bo adjoin ned till Tuesdaj next. Amendment agiepd to. Su .Inlins Vogel moved the second leading of the Kew Zealand State Founts Hill. The debate was liiteuupted by the .">.30 ad|oiunment. The House lesnined at 7.30. On going into Committee of Supply, Maj'M Atkinson n»se, and said ho intended to examine the piomises made by the (tov eminent last session to ascertain how tai they could tnist them in futuie. He lefened to the Colonial Tieasuiei's siH'ech at Clnistchuich, wheie he said lie « islied the ( !ov eminent to be judged ujMrn then meiits. He quoted fiom thePrenuei's speech at Dunedin lefeiinig to the IJoveininent and then ]>ro]Hisals, and ilsof torn last year's Financial Statement, ivhieh he said sent the Canterbury members Mitisfied Jiwny Thui>roiuisc.s in the Statement liad no dnubt cheered nil. There was howjve;v a small minority who felt sure these [>roiuisoa would uot be fultillud. Ho gun-

sideied the ye.u\ opciation- wei'j worni tli (it Ki»c \e~it. Of cnui-e th<>ie w i> tli| exuisp th.it the piopeity 1 1\ h.id been ro duccd by one half, but that was no e\ciHo' ( .11 the}' I). id l)o>'ii told it w.i- not inquired. If you weie to tike ii-ceipti foi the con sohdated lcvenue there was .1 di'lrit (if f iO OJO.yet w 0 w cic told th.it the depletion was pissing away. J Jut he would like to put tli' 1 Tie.isniei into tin* witnt-- ho M and the\ would then find tli (t ni.it' 'is w< re iinuh woise than la>t veai. Tlieie w• ru in, signs of the depiction p I—.mjr1 — .mjr .'" <v It was only mocking the colony to there veie. Jf effect h.i> given to tht >t it' 1111 nt tln-> Ms.ii we should have inch .1 -t.ite <>| aft tin .11 h.vi novel bafoie been 111 Xow Zetland. Refetnng to the expeii'lifine, he -.(id in ISN4 it was V2.027,0U0, whil' 1 in l.ss"i theie was an inciease of ne.ulv f'K) fKtO, and f«u lS^li the C >\ eminent weie 111 .kin- foi a, fmth'i iiic.'mmj of r>o,oo'> 1 1 . a-M when* was the saving pi<<miscd \>y tho Tie i»uiei : lie next iefeiiod to I.m 1011s 1) |i 11 ti.i. nt~. mi i.nd thoie had Uen a lid ictmn of *HO')0 111 th> Yrm d Conililxil.nly. Jvit ill that had liecn swallowed dp l>\ Midi coip- .11 Aitilleiy, llngineer*, Toi|i'd.e', etc Theiefore, thcie was.; ical i.icio.i,>c of some i'2(>,ooo. He contended a coiiMil'ible leductioii cnld bj in ide in the d"p 11 tnient. Tlic Survey l)e])aitnient «,i> the next dealt with, where there was an appuent living of tV>,OOO ; but on looking into it it was icen that there were icveial high chaiges Iransfeired to other de|>artnient-, so that there was no saving to the publio on the Sun cy Dep.utment. He asked, \\h\ weie depxi tnient, il deductioiii not fulfilled .is promised. The act com ci ting the Muking Fund has not had pifjudic-ii ottect, tlr> uiiciiption of stock had b'ei f.inh nKceiiful, hit why had the loan of ],S7(> bi'en insr-iibi d ' He could sec no advantag \ because it did not relieve in now, but would do io 111 -eri 11 years Refeuing to tin Tienun-i - pm ; p( Hals lie said the increased taxation meant ! a quarter of a million, and he evidently wanted it for tin cc puipo««e«, viz, £*2J. r i,ooo for outride piir|H>iiw, £"">,OOO foi loo.il biKlie-, iind l'"> 0,000 foi the dehnencv of Lwt year. No reason was given for this itici eased taxation. He entici-ad iinfavouiablv the pi.»p'>-..i]-i f«>i <r<>vi iiiing local Immluw, and also the scheme I>\ v\hkh such bixht^ weie to Imhiow lnonev. Ht; was >die' that the scheme Mould )ij a f.uluie, and that the ]>n>|>ei i\-tfiii fur aiding local b->die> mu>t b> -"iiifthmg' iiindai to the Roa-ds and Budges Con^tinction Act. How did (loYeinnient pio|Misu to lain" the money ief|iliied ' Is\ liieieaMiig the ("'iistonis dutio and stamp fc( ~. .iN<i liy tin ovv in;,' thautable aid on the -houldti^ of the local bodies? He did not toi one moment think the Customs dutit - would Ik- imposed, but -uppiwing they weie, the amount will fall of the TieaMiiei's Kitini ite. TJefeiiiug to the pKii^w.iK for incie.ising the duties, he would not bind himself to enter into either Fiee Trade 01 Piotection, but would judge foi himself each juiticulai case. He consideied tho duty on coal an impiopci tax, and a \ loljtmn of the treaty with a sistei colony. 'I he Tieasuiei had given no lenson foi mcre.lling it, and nienibeis should be \ery chaiy in agieeing with him. When .the fixation was adjiwted in 187'J, (iov eminent then considered all cl.u<sc», and how it w ould be felt. He did not know whether the Tieasiirer had adopted that course this year, but if he had he had not acquainted tha House w ith tho result of his enquu ip^. He thought the be-<t means of taxation was by means of the Property Tax. Referring to the borrowing of» million foi this\pai, he .i>ked the House not to giant it. two millions winch the (Jovein meiit had last \ ear .should be sufficient fm themtoeany on this yeai. The (Jovein ment h.ul completely failed in all tin lr piomises. He stionglv condemned the lecent appointinents to the Legislative Council .i> not lequired, and a> tlu'V v\ould cost £2.VX). He seveiely criticisid the appointment of Justices of the Pe.w?e, which, lie s,»id, hud been made foi jH>btiL.d pui]>osfs. He hoped the House would absoluteh decline to give effect to the lesolutioii» altenngthe taiiff, as the colmi\ was not picpaicd foi it, and that they should also insist on laige depaitmental 1 eductions beiii', r made befoie agieemg to an inuea->e of the pi opei t\ tax. Sir Julius Vojjel s.iid, lcfeiimg to the bioad pointf» in Major Atkinsons speech, he did not anticipate much difhcult\ in answeiing them. Some of the things which had been censined belonged to tho late (iovernment. He asseited that a gieatj »aving had been made in the L.md^ I >e4 partment. Referring to M.ijoi -Vtkm^on's speech at Hawera, he said that the lion, j gentleman then said he would siippmt the (iovernment for the steps taken by them re defences woiks, but he took them to task for extiavagar.ee. He < "iitended that the (itnernnient's expectations had been entirely realised. Hefeiring to the depression which had existed in the pievioiis >e.u, In s.iid it was not caused by po\eit\, 01 v\ant of inouev, but by the continuous <>loom\ pictines held out by memU'is of thi (Jovunment. He Mid that the statistic^ of tho .savings banks showed that dejMi-its con--ideiablv exeveded the viithdiavv.d- foi the last quaitci, and to him that ua« mn of the. best signs that the depression was p,i— -ing aw. iv. He denied the imputation tli.it the pi o]Hned alterations had not iecii\ed t\w coiisideiation. He s.iid the Estimate- thi> veai showed a deioit of f>O,OOl>, .1 lai.'e ]ioitioii of which was mciiiiid iiv the defences exp.'iidittne. If the Hoiwecon sideied the deficit .ihoidd not lie [iatd off, of couisc taxation wtnild not be m> l.ugc. He thought the only plan w hich vvouhl nssuie the the (Joy eminent a «ystpm of local (Jo\ eminent was to place the responsibility of expenditure in the hands of the local liodies and if there was any abuse they would have to suffer. The question ot co*l opened a large question, and was a matter of argument, but a c.;it.»in time would come when local pioducKs wo'ild have to be placed on the same footing .is foreign. The taxation as proposed would fall on the w hole population but othei dutu- would fall lightly on the laboming clas-es. Koferrun» to public wot ks and large expenditure that had been spoken of, he w\u quite prepared to meet eaily the nn\t year and take .1 \ott' of the Hoti-e win thei such exiH3iiditure be continued at the same late. Refemng to the Legislative Council, there weie so many vacancies that it was onh by making additions that the balance of lepresentation could be .secured foi all paits of the colony. Apait fioni liein? a paity question, the recommendations () f the gentlemen opjiosed to the (tovernuien^ icceived as much coiisidetatioii as those <>fl the (ioveininent side. He appe ded to tbel }loiise to look at their policy on a broad I liasis. (Jov eminent had dealt with all questions to the best of tht ir aWlitv and biought down their proposals lioldlv. The Hnu.se made the usual adjournment at 10.30. On lesiiming. Mr Wakefield said the Statement had come on the colony quite unexpecttdlj, and during the speeches of varioui- membeis throughout the colony, not one woid of warning had been sounded. The expendi* ture foi defence was made out of Kirn. Thcrefoie it did not come undei the estimates at all. He denied that the TieaMiier had fulfilled his promises. In 111 my of his pioposals, the Treasurer .said he found he had made a mistake. He chaiaUen-ed Sir .1. Vogel's speech, as one composed wholly of good humoured chaff. The Colonial Tieasuier last session told the House that he would leheve the colon y fioin taxation by means of suspending c.i^h pa\ ments to the Sinking Fund. This pi<>mise had, in his (Mr WakeheldV) iiimml, 11 >t been cai ued out. Dpptession wa- gieater at the present time than at any tune p.ift. Thpie weie many reasons to accoir.it foi the oxi'stiug depiebsion. One was, gi.un vn.h never so low as now ; the hop u>»ps al-o affected tho prospects of Nel-on. The Colonial Treasurer had said the dt pie-simi was fiom the want of confidence of the pievious (iovernment. He (Mr Waketieldl chaiged the present (>ov eminent w ith h.u ing nispned false confidence, which had deepened the dejuessjon instead of de munshing it. Kefeuing to the withdiawals and deposits of savings banks these weie legulated by the late of bank inteiest. When it was at f> pei cut, the withdiavvals weie laige, but when inteiest was leduccd, the dtpoMts at savings bank went up again. He I seveielv uitieised the pioposals foi I ing local bodies. He con-ideied tint the I exi>enditme pass»-d I.vst se-siou foi o|niiing I up the coal mines of the Ivist Ci i>t w.i-^B sufficient fosteimg of local nnl\i-ti>^B w ithout imposing a hea\> tax "ii t.<n I 'i^H aiticles. He strongly coudemutd tliu ■ appointnit'iitsintheCouiu ii. He thought the I teapot! that Customs duties on spmts, lied, I and luanufactuies weie falling off was I ]tec vise peoj)le had no mom \ to -.jKiid, I In othei woids, lui-ini -.- w 1- uucoiiiiuonly I dull. ■ (Left hitting 1 ■

A\l\iu in 11 1110 life alnu -.t cuato^ 111 th« ico c<»\orc(l l'ol.u ."">ei. Tiih ii-i- «if fimt and fi> Oi \cjret iblc fu'jU Uuiiuy \WUtu ;jhwulU bb4.U(.Ullla 0 't.(.1.