HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2054, 5 September 1885, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THURSDAY. Tho House, met at half past two. Mr Stout pave notice to move " That tho House, at its using to morrow, adjourn till Satuid-\y, at half-past two p.m., for consideiatiou of tho federation lesolutions." Mi Stout gav e notice to move on Saturday, "That it is ui.idvib.iblc that this cofony should join the Fedei.U Council of Austial.isia under the existing Fedeial Council Bill." A lengthy discussion followed, several mi'iiilwii protesting against sitting on •Saturday, ovvinir to tho late sittings of the week. Mr Stoat said he would consider tho question, and infoi'ii the House of his decision next day. The House went into committee ou the Anckl md H u bom Boaid (No. 2) Bill. Seveial niemberh opposed the bill, which was for the purpose of reconstituting the Auckland Harbour Boaid. A long discusMon ensued on clause ,">, re siiecting the term of otlice of mombeia of tlie board. The debate was interrupted by the halfpast five adjournment. The H >u« resumed at half-.u-t seven. The Hoiis^, vvcui mlo oo umiitee for furthei loiim u-iutiou hi tiie Pt opei ty Vasess ment l"il. In el vise '1 Mr Stunt moved t!i it " pioP'Tty" shall uidudo all te.tl .unl personal pmiieity, and exti-nd to .md irxlnde every inteiest of any kinu unatuvn, .mil all piol>eity which in y e estimated and rallied as an asset of any company. Agieed to. In clause 3, property subject ro taxation, Mr Slitter moy ed to rediii-.i tho J&"> JO exemption to £JOO The Chan man said that the amendment could not be put without the consent of the Ciovvn being obtained, as it interfeiod with the icviMiue. Mr Snttei then moved that the clause be stiuck out. The Chairman inled that by the rules of the House he could not put auch a motion fiom the eh. i n. Mr Bat ion thought the exemption had bettei be left as it was, although he considered the piopetty tax altogether wiong. Colonel Tumble moved, "That the clause be postponed, to enable the Government to consider wlietliei a reduction of the exoniplion could be made." Major Atkinson asked if it were, would the Government be prepared to take that as a duection from the committee that tho exemption should be leduced. Mr Stout was not piepared to reply to that question at once. Su J. Vogel said it was very undesiiablo iindoi the mesent bill to bung m a laige number of extia taxpayer. He thought the committee would bo taking tho prciog.i tivc of the Ciown into their hands if they wore to reduce the exemption, and it would bo veiy unjustifiable if they were to do so. After some discussion, Mr Stout said ho was willing to postpone clauses 12 and 13, but he earnestly hoped the committee would not leduce tho exemption fiom £">OO. He might tell tho author of the tax (Major Atkinson) that nothing would tend more to destioy it than'the adoption of that course. He then moved that clauses 13, 14 and l(i be postponed, which was agreed to. In clau.Mi 18, property exempt from taxation, Mr Donald Reid moved to strike out £3000 as the amount of exemption of agn cultural nnpioveinents and to uiseit £1000. Su J. Vogel considered the proposal in. tlie Bill was a voty reasonable compromise. He reminded the committee that the piesent Bill abolished many exemptions. Major Atknimm regretted that m a consolid ition Bill tho Government should bnnff in what they called a compromise between a property tax and an income tax. Ho thought tlio state of the financeb would not wanant them making so many exemptions. He, submitted that the Government Hhould not force such a chute upon them, and he felt ceitain that if th? Tieasurer lemained in office till next Acnsion, he would be compelled to repeal the Bill they were now discussing. Ho hoped those j

clauses would be struck out in the absence of any information as to the result on tho revenue of the colony. He mo\ed that mb section 2 be struck out. He\eral other members spoke on tie clause. Mr W. White moved that the word " agriculturil ' be .struck out. A long discussion eiihued, after which tnc word " all " pieceeding aj»ncultuuil was struck out by 29 to 20. Mi Stout h.ud .is the committee had by this vote affiiiued tho amendment of the member for Egmunt ho would move that subsection 2 and 3 (agricultural improvement and engines and nnchineiy extensions) be struck out. Agreed to. Clause 27, providing that paities to a m«i tij.ige may agree as to the payment of the tix on the mortgage, was stiuck out ou the \ oice». In clause 13, property subject to taxation. Mr Stout said that after the discussion tint hadtiken place he hoped tlie c>m mitti o would pass the iT>OO exemption without alteration. Major Atkinson Mid ho was not prepared to take the responsibility of moving any reduction. The (io\cin.neiit hid not m.ido any recommendation in that direction. The clause pro\ iding for the exempt on of I £")00was then passed without fuithei discussion. The schedules of the bill weie agreed to. The House went into committee for fuither consideration of the Counties Act Amendment Bill. Several now clauses were added to the bill. Mr Guinness proposed a new clause v>roMding for the election of deputy-chauin.in of the county council in the absence of the chairman. The clause was nejatived on a division by 27 to 22 Mr (iiiiniipss moved a new clause allow ing licensing committee costs to be paid out of the county funds. The clause was lost by 31 to 10, The bill was teported with amendments, read a thud time and pissed. The Property Assessment Bill was repoited from committee, read a third time and passed. Mr Sutter resumed the drbate on the (told Duty Abolition Bill. The second lciding of the bill was carried on a division b> 24 to 21. The House rose at half past twelve a.m.

FRIDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.m. C.ipt. Russell moved that the repmt of the committee on the Napier Ua« Company Bill be agreed to Carried. The bill was then read a third time, and passed. Mr O'Connor called attention to a question of privilege. He said that an lion, member had stated in connection with a case heaid before the (Joldhelds Committee that the petitioner's evidence was nntiue. Some discussion ensued, dining which Major Atkinson said he hoped in future witnesses would be infoimed of the consequences of their making false statements before a committee. Mi Stout said he would take steps to have the offender brought befoie the House. Mr O'Connor said he did not wish to press the matter, and no fuithei action was taken. A lengthy discussion took nlnce on a repwt brought up by Mr Moss from the Public Accounts Committee with lespect to the W.iliuea Plains Kulway Company. Theieport wan that legislation should bo effected this session to enable the company to levy then l.ites. Mr Cowan moved tint the report be refen ed back to the committee for rcconhidei.ition, on the giound tint tlie ratep.iyeis should be consulted. A laigo number of member* spoke on the amendment, which was eventually lo«t on the voieef, and the rep >rt ordeied to be oi the table. Repl> ing to a question, it was stated that lepoits hne been ieci\ed on the scheme of riilwjy management advocated by Saiiiiiel Vaile, but it was too late to do ftti\ thing in th it direction this session. Mi Bdlance uihoducxi the Special Poweis and Contracts Bill. Mi Stout moved that this House will at its using this day adjoin n till 2.30 p.m. on Saturday foi the consideration of the Federal Resolutions on the Order Paper. Majm Atkinson tuovud that Monday be substituted foi Satuiday. Tho amendment was agreed to, and the House lose at 5.30 p.m. The House icsiinud at 7.30 p.m. Mr Rich.udson ino\e I the second reading of the Public Woiks, Act Amendment (No. 2) Bill. He said the bill contained some useful amendments sugßcstod by county councils, which he w«ild explain in committee. He explunel briefly the other clauses of the bill. Agreed to. Mr Stout moved trio second reading of the Public Reserves Bill. Agieed to. The Hoiiso went into Committee of Supply foi further considei.ition of the estimates. On item working lailways £7H',000, Mr Richardson moved that the vote be reduced by £1000. He cvptauied th it a large s.iciifice hid already been mule in this department, and he could see his way to make this leduetion. Agieed to. (Joveininent domains, £12,000. Carried. Public buildings £33,700. Mr Hurst moved that the item bo re duced by £10,000. H ; speci illy c nideiuned the large e\pendituie ou Ministerial res-i-dencos, pas, etc. Mi Richaulson said the item "gas" covered all the public building-, in tlie colony. He defended the expcndituie on the Ministerial residences as being npces s.uv. Mi Fergus pointed out th.it the colony had to pay, during the last four or five yeais, no less than t'"ioo per year for each of tho Ministerial tcsidc«ees. He contended it would be better to do away with the lesidences altogether, and allow those Ministers rent allowances to the sai-ie amount as those who were not furnished with residence*. Mr Daig.uille said he had frequently been stiuck with the mean appearance, both inside and out, of the Premier's resi tlence, and he considered the expendituie pet fectly justified. Mr Hursthouse said if Ministers' residences were sold, it would do away with ii'iich unpleasant discussion on such items ns that fit present befoie tho House. Mr Holmes said he had advocated in IISM, th.it the Ministeii.il l evidences .should be sold, but he w is then opposed both by tho meiiibei for Waitem.it.i and the member for W.ikatipn, who weie now support ing the opposite couise. He would be pre pared to vote with them now if the member for Egiuont boldly stated that the residences weie not necess.ny. Mr Stout said that the discussion appeaied to be initiated as a new argument for lemoving the seat of Government Personally he was not against the Ministeii.il residences being sold, but he thought in the piesent condition of the colony they would not fetch their value After cotisuleiable di-scussion, Mr Hurst withdrew his amendment to reduce the amount by £10,000, and pioposed instead a reduction of £3,700 The amendment was lost by 3(» to 2S. Mr Tuinbull moved to reduce the amount by £1,500. The amendment was lost by 37 to 3. Miscellaneous sen ices, £2,f!!tl. Mi Slitter moved th.it the item £1,900, repaumg roads Noith of Auckland and expenses collecting tolls, be struck out. A loner discussion lesnlted. Mr W. White moved that the item bo leduced £200, upon which Mr Sutter withdrew his amendment. Major Atkinson suggested that tho Minister should take the sense of tho House ( n a nominal reduction of £.">. Mr White's amendment was lost by 31 to 30, and M.ijoi Atkinson's carried on tho voices. I (Left sitting.)