PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2492, 30 June 1888, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

(BY TKI.KCiKAI'II—I'IiKSS ASSOCIATION.)

FRIDAY'. Till-'. Speaker tc.k his seat at L'.liO. linn. Mr Wahawaiia continued Iho debate nil his motion to the effect that the (levennnent should select As-ses-c»rs, interpreters and registrais for the Native Laud Court, only persons of g character and special ability. Wahawalia. asked the (mvernment to wipe out of existence all connected with thi; presentNative. Land Court and ro-ColJslt'llul. them under Maori supervision. The motion was agreed (o, Hon. .V- "Stevens laid on tiie table, the following .turn, asked for by Hon. Mr Miller. Statement of increased property tax revenue, which would have been receivable during the past financial year if exemption had only excluded from tax persons owning 6100 worth ot propert.v, £80,000. e slimale. of private income for mine period, not arising from property tax, exeiudincr all incomes under .HoO, tlL', 800,000. The Council rose at o p.m. till Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. K I; [DAY. The House met at "J..'!o p.m. A lengthy discussion arose >ver a motion by Mr lvce.es, that a correspondence relating to the Joshua Jones-Mokau ease be laid on the table. The '.notion was lost by ~>o to L'li. Some discussion arose on the report brought up floe; the Gnldfield Committee, which passed a- resolution, regretting that the Minister of Mines had not obtained more information on mining matters from nth er countries. lion. Mr Richardson said he might to have been asked for the information when before, the committee. As to getting the information from Ani»nca, he mi;;ht say the I iovernnient had nothing to do with mining matters there, as they are in the hands of mining bureaus, but steps would be taken to get the information required from certain sources in America. He held there were no grounds for censure of the <!uldliehls Committee.

Messrs Eraser, Seddott, and sevetal other members expressed regret, that the Hon. Mr Richardson did not take more interest in tlie mining industry. Mr Sodden stated that although the. report of the committee was unanimously adopted, every member of the committee felt great regret at having to pass such a resolution reflecting on the Minuter. The report was then laid on the fable. Replying to questions, it was stated that no salaried officers of the (iovernnient had valued estates for stamp duty in the case, of deceased natives to the exclusion of professional valuers.

That proposals would be made in a few days respecting the Bill as recommended by thi! Chinese, Conference.

That it was not intended to olfer any encouragement for the cultivation of the wattle.

That the Government had offered Sir F. 'D. Bell the appointment of Agent-General for another term but Itad not yet learned whether he had accepted it or not.

That the Government were as anxious as any members in the House to have the Midland Railway Contract signed but they eoiil-.1 not agree with the Company in the matter, especially as t,he amended proposals had only been submitted to the Company a week ago. That as there ivere no locomotives in the colony for burning firewood (iovernnient could not recommend that it should bo used. Tli it, the Government, worn in communication with the, Gisborne Harbour Board with a view to having a correct survey of the (iistionie harbour made. The House rose at .">.30. The 1 louse le.-uun d at 7-30. The third leading of tin' Customs Duties Bill was postponed Liil Tuesday, and the J'leuiier tinned log" into Committee, of Supply to consider the Estimates, tie said the. (ioi eminent were anxious not to leave t-hein lo be ru.-hed through in the last hours of Ibe. session. They had gone very carefully t hroiigh the various divisions of the. Civil Service, and reduced all the salaries they considered over-paid. The (piestion of classifying had been discussed, and he Imped' to bring in a Bill dealing wilh il-- As to the pos-iW-lity of I'uither icduetions, he. was prepared to c'ltisid'sr any propositions made on that head, but lie In-limed the Government had already gone as far as the Jbaise. c-iidd desire. Asa specimen of Ute s-.it of criticism tn which tie' Goveinmen! had been sidijecled, he quoted the report forwarded I'V I,lie Auckland 1 oitlic.il ivelorui Association which bristled with misstatements. Air Monk moved an amendment that legislation should be introduced, dealing with the Legislative ooicers and AuditorGeiietals'' salaries, which he considered could be reduced with benefit to the country. Mr Fish protested against going on with the Estimates, as members had been so lm-y with the Tariff they had not had time to master the details of the Estimates. Air Walker also hoped the (iovernnient would not persevere in their intention as there uere several measures which should be taken into ci nsideratinii first. Mr Moss felt assured retrenchment alone would not get the country out of its difficulties, it was the enormous amount i f money that had to be sent out ol the country which caused our embarrassment. Sir J. Hall complained that Mr Monk had given no facts in .support of his amendment. lie presumed that that gentleman was the mouthpiece of the committee which had been privately considering the estimates. He ventured Losay the 0:\ il Service was worse paid than in any other io!ony lie agreed with Mr Alo,s that the enormous amount sent out of the colony was the cause of all the. financial ililliiai'ties. The. only way iu which considerable saving cotild be effected was to dispense with tho administrative luxuries.

Mr Seddon moved the adjournment of Hie debate. I'.efore g"ing "U with tho Estimates they ought to have the Bill chssifying the Civil Service, spoken of by the Premier.

The adjournment was agreed by -lo to 31, and the debate was postponed till Tuesday. The Premier moved the adjournment of the 1 louse, but several niembors strongly protested. The Premier said the division showed there were a large, number of members who hud supported the Tariff Bill who now doubted his word. The turn of affairs taken had certainly altered his position. The Government had a, right to say what businesssf.euld bedoiieon* iovcruinentclays, and no othir member should dictate to them. He would now place the Estimates on the Order Paper f'<r Tuesday, and insist on thenbeing gone on with then. He would see whether th i economists were to have their own way, and of course if it was so the Government would consider their position. The House then adjourned at 10 p.m.