PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2956, 25 June 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

«_ LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TUK3DAY. TIIK Council mot at half-past, two. Mr Buckley inovo'l ttio seoud reading of the. Legislative Council iJill. Dr. l'lillen vigourously opposed the Bill, as also did Mr McLean. Sir (Jen. Whitmore generally supported tho proposed measure, especially tlio clause relating to tlio Council electing its own Speaker. The debate was adjourned to next day on the motion of Dr. (Jraco. Tlio Council at half-past four adjourned until to-morrow. WEDNESDAY. Tho Council met at 2 30. Mr Buckley said in reply to Mr Stevens that the Government would enquire- into the report of the Royal Commission on the working of the Lincoln Agricultural College but he feared nothing would be dona this session. Hon. Mr (.trace rcsninnd tho debate on the second readine of the Legislative Council Bill and said he would nut oppose the Bill as lie believed t-he country demanded some- reform in the Council. Hon. Mr Bnven intimated his intention of supporting tliu Bill. Hon. Downio Stewart would not oppose the Bill but he oxliorted the Council to exercise great caution before passing it. Hons. Fulton, Barnicoat and Johnston, npoke in favour i>f the Bill the second rending of which wan agreed to nn the veico* The Council adjourned to next day. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TIfKSDAY. The House met at half-pa.st two p.m. Mr Ballancu moved "That Mr l'erceval be Chairman of the Coiiunittees of the House." Ho believed Mr .Perceval's qualifications, wbi'o second to none for tho important duties he would have to perform. Mr \V. (!. Smith, in seconding the motion, said he felt sure Mr Perceval's appointment would he approved by the members on all sides, and Im thought he would iiiiike an excellent cliaiiinai), Tiie motion was agreed to. Mr i'erceval, nn taking the chair, thanked tho members for the honour thpy had conferred un him, nud remarked that tho poiition to which he had just boon elected had not in any way been sought by him.

Mr Bryco said Mr Perceval's acceptance of the Chairmanship of Committees pave. gieat satisfaction to tlio Opposition. On tlio motion that the House go into Committee of Supply, Mi Bryco said he should like to say a few words on the (financial Statement. II« hitd boen anxious to congratulate the Government on their Statement, at least on the candour with which Mr Billanco had commenced his Statement, when he told the House he should not weary them by inflicting on them unnecessary details. The Bills referring to the financial policy were to his (Mr Bryce's) mind vory necessary details, and ho thought, even at the risk of wearying the House, he ought tn havi supplied the necessary details. Still, he was anxious to congratulate the (xovernnmnt on their Statement, but, on going through it, he he found he could not congratulate them on any one point in it. Iu distinct contradiction to the will of the Hou-fl, and hi .absolute violation of the law of the land in his (Mr Bryce's) own district two stock inspectors had been dismissed. It was gene.rally believed because, they held certain political opinions, and he thought if this was true, it was a very unfortunate thing for the colony. Coming to the. incidence of taxation, he ."aid he did not defend the property tax; in fact, whon that tax was first proposed by Sir H. Atkinson he was agaiust it, but on a reconsideration of the question he had come, to the cmtcliisi.'n that the property tax was on tlio whole a fair tax. Hβ held, however, there, should he no exemption,because property renuii od protection. That did not apply to an income tax, and there should certainly bo an exemption under that Us. As to tho property tax being a tax upon industry, he asked was it not better to put taxation on accumulated industry than upon current industry, that a man earned from day to day ? With rospect to an income tax he thought that whereas that tax would bo particularly easy to collect in England it would be ft very difficult matter to collect it hore, and would load to commercial immorality. His opinion was that if they put too much taxation on the land they would run great risk of financial disaster,and he desired to warn the Government that the experiment they were about to make was a dangerous one, Hβ sympathised with tho proposal to tax abse.ntoee, but he pointed out that in reality the Government proposals went in exactly the opposite direction, while such terrors were baDging over tho heads of capital that capital must shrink within itself, and must eventually result in the curtailment of labour. As to borrowing, he ventured to say that the Government was a borrowing Government of the worst character, because they nvciided publicity. The conversiou operation recently taking place ;vas nothing, but borrowing, and tha inuney derived fr-mi it should be appropriated to paying otf the debt of tho colony instead of being devoted to purposos that the House knew nothing of. Referring to the acquisition of private estates by the Government he thought landowners themselves would be delighted at the proposal; but how, he asked, co lid ' people put on those lands pay the high rates of interest that would he charged '! Touching on tho question of tho exodus, of population he remarked that it was curious to notice that the outflow had steadily iucreased since the present Government came into power. There was no doubt that the threats of the Government iu respect to a land tax tended to send people out of the colony. He was shocked at the proposals of the Government to nliico a tax on totali•ator proceeds. A strong gambling spirit would be aroused by this action, and he believed there was no greater national vice in any country than that of gambling. In concluding a speech of over an hour and ahalf's duration Mr Uryce said he regretted he could not take a more favourable view of the policy of the Government.

Mr Reeves 'aid ho was b.mml to confess that on the whole Mi , Dryce had tit beun unfair to the Government, nor had lie boen at all bitter as far as matter was concerned. The Government had listened to his speech with great pleasure. Although he had at. tacked the Government all along the lino he had not shattered their defences in any single instance. As to Mr Rryce's remark*' about taxation, he ?tmuld like to know hovv

else they cmld tax :i man oscvt l«y tli■• ' DMilil.s <,f industry, and that w.,- tii• - (/n-.r feature nf tlio incrsii t<\. Th.- ''< v - - . the, faired in the wi)i-|i!. Tli" ' ;ivi-i nui'-nt i proposed tu ts.ko UUO.OOO "If -" 'I '"-I- | nwncro, ami to put CoO.OOO'.n I i,;-"- l.iti-i- . iiwiierr". I{q uimlendivl tli.it. Mi-; mi-nr-i-s n| | lari<e ostute.s were this lust |ici ">ns tu (.-'iiini ; ctmsider.'ition. Tho pmty t" wlii' - li li" li ,, ! luniriid did not w.mt lari;« i'-t.iti--. Tlio-.: I osta ! i\s with a pent. Tli'V \-.-'t»:> •>»>-' \ ul■■ami ;\ bin- tn pi"t;rcs-. W'livn lm i- II >:•■:'! on Hi,- ciisit wi-inn tlr.t Irid ii-.-i ii.tliut.--l (in tlio C'.mjtry by tin: tnvn.;ts <>f tiif.c Irn i.'--e>t:itcK in »;v«ry diivcli'M), h>: <t<..nl • Hf, tliu iii.,(l«n.ti..ii cx.jii;i-i:d in d"i!'mu» >•■ it!i I thiiin. lln did n it. think hu :i n i'i i'H i iippicd tu tha diiinti-y w-.iild lin r<.-i|'iii-.'d, ; but h.ialin.,4 wi-ln-d tint -well w«nU\ ..-■ suit, as lie f»lt mho tli'-y would ;u:hi-\" a triuinpl) in tliu cuiintrv. Mr Mai;;irlhur prciplmsiod that b-f.ire the d«!batO U-ilSCll>M!rl till) ILIUM! W'.llld SI-., tll.J I''inuiici;il Suumnit in ;i vuiy dilleiml litfht, :;nii men nmv many .if Uie ilhhtiiiiiuiit Hiipport.irs wiiie n"t cMianinitn'd uf its prouiMitlH. ]lu stninuly C'liiiJniiiimd tli« land ndiiiitiistrntion nf th" < Juvi'niiiictit. Mr Ward chaructpriso'i Mi- IJ.-ycu's spnuch as i.ii« of tlif) most bitwr litid faultlindini? it had over lie'n his lot to liuar. Ah to his rcunrln about tho land tax and the d.-inp;or of iis briiiKiiiK about- liii;mcial (ii.-> aster, ho point'iil out that tho bulk of tho Hinall farmurs would pay less under the land tax than, under the property tax. With regard to l.lin contention that the Goviniunent should liav.j remitted Cu-ton,B duties, ho maintained it would be no n-liuf to reduce Customs tariff pioccineal, and, as a inattnrof fact, tin; country uMnlud Customs duties increiKiid poluly to assist tho manufacturers of the colony. Mr Scobie Mackenzie moved the adjournment of the debate. The House nma at 2 a.m. WEDNESDAY. The Houso met at 2 MO p.m. Replying to Mr Jlaikno-ss, Mr Ward siid the (ioverniueni v.ould introduce a bill this session to try and amend the laws resppctinff th , .! iidnltoralion uf food. Replyin- to Mr Wri«ht, Mr S-.H..11 said tlio (ioverniii'.Mit hid not vet d.-i:id».l a-i tu whether or not. a fully qualiliud t-iiiriii".'r xliould bo ajipointPd to tin: positl.-n of lOngineiii' in (j.iin( fur tin: colony, but. tins was a case in wliijli a savin;; coui'l ho eliiicted. Mr l-'erßiis moved tlio adjournment of the llouso to onablo him to speak on the question. 110 d.'ni.rl that the public works were beiOß carried on satisfactorily and s:id no Imsint's-; man would for a moment attempt to carry on a depirMnent iiko Mr Seddon was doing at prii-iont. The Ministi'r was deserving of ureal c .'ndeinnMion for ailmviiiß a qualified oii(.'iueei like Mr O'Uonner to leave tlio countt-y. Mr Seddon de-ued tliat .\lr O'Conn nh.id been troatnd badly by the (iov. rnnient. He twitted Mr J.''er(?us with beintr a iiioinbdr of a which had proposed UlO abolition of the l'nblic \\ orks Depai tiiicnt and yet 110 taunted him (Mr S-cidon) with crtshiug tho lifo out of the department. The Minister remarked that tho (iuvernmerit wore carefully watching the result of their present arranprements, and it iv;n quito possiblo that further retrenchment would bu olfiicted in tlio dupiivtin.Mit of which ho had cliarßi?. He ahould c>ii!iiiuu to aiako further reductions if it was at all possible to do so. Mr O'Uor.ur submitted Ih.t a RriMt d'.-nl of money would bo savud if the Public Works Department was abolished, and the local bodies allowed t" construct their own public works. Mr Bryce said he would bo willing to overlook the mistake ni-ido bv Mr Seddin in etfacting retrenchment, it he could Irel Hure that Mr Seddon bad the real interest of retrenchment at heart. Me Russell said that all ilia eminent engineers who had been in thu service of tho colony had beoti driven fi.itn it uu-iug to tho parsimony of tlio colony. Several other member* also spoke. Mr .Kerens, in the cour-e. of his reirark-, declared that it would pay iho colony to give £2400 in order to secure a suitable Kngineui-in-Chief. The motion for the adjournment of the House was lost. Replying to questions, Mr Reeves said tho levised nducutional syllabus would give greater prominence) to inslrution in a^.icnltuty. Sir .fol.n Hall referred in fiK'lini; terms to the death of the Hon. Captain Kraser, which had taken plact during the afU , :- noon, and asked what steps tho (iivornmeut intonded to take to show respect for bis moinoiy.

Mr Ijiillmico .said that thn Hnus". would on meutiiis , to-morrow at '2.30 immediately aijj'ini'n In 7".'50, and the Loprislativo Council would als'i ailjorni. Tlia Mmise nxo »t fi.ISO. Tho Hi>»se resumed »t 7..'i0. Mr riii'.'bio MuKwizio resannsd I.lir iJcb.-il.e nn the l'iiMiici.ll .St;)t.!iii(iiil.. Ho p'Uiitoc] out that tho law surplus of claiinyd by tlio (Ji)vtii'iiiiiHiit, ivas, with one small exception, the result of a linaucial policy they wure about tn alwadou aiul not iiwnijf to I ho policy of the Government. Ho oaM nol, sp'i how the Financial Sfcit.ftme.iit in any ntiß particular would tliß wi.vkina classes of tin. colony. It prct«M(!«d that tho policy of tho (iiivi-rniiißiit was to br.'iik up t.hi> hirire e.>tiite>', and when that, took place anij the money was all n< "lie where would they gi:t funds to carry on with? Why. fioio Customs duties, and woold that not ;irovu ilotrimeiital to the working classes'; Tim now (innnet) was supposed to rectify inequalities, but no Minl-tur had condescended t.o explain why there should be «ucli aneiioiuiuuri ditl'eience in the tux uuid hy thu professioiial classes, and thiit paid by trader?. The wholn motive of the policy was in order to «et three or four votes from Auukland; but if he knew anything of tli'j character of the Auckland representatives, the IJoviirinuent whs not likely to pet those votes. Ho ventured to prophesy that when thev came t<> collect the. Incoo.e-tax and to show the account b:wks of their trado and business there would lie a large outcry against tho inquisitorial character of thn Income-tax. Referring to the composition of the Ministry, he pointed out that the present Minister of Lands had last year stated in the Mouse that unionism must be crushed out and that a man could not lnve two masters. Their Government had as tho Attorney General, tilerepreKi;nt.it ive in in the colony of the Globo Assets Company, uud that being so, they were not likely to havo the bursting up policy, so much talked about. As to Mr Reeves' remarks last night, that tho owners of large estates wero social pests, he ventured to say that a statement of that kind coming from a Minister of the Crown was deserving of tho severest reprehension. The appointment of Duncan Campbell to tho position of ranger at Invercargill was the most shameful and barefaced ever made to the public service of the colony, and it would bo a scandal to the House if men of this kmd were to be received into the Civil Service. In conclusion, he asked the Government in all friendliness to throw off the mask of spurious liberalism, to take back their statement, and come down to the House with something honest in its stead.

Mr Sanders said the country had not possessed a surplus for the last twenty vears. Surpluses wore generally made up by the Civil servants, but if an honest balance - sheet were prepared, it would bo found thnt they had lialf-a-mtl-lion deficit instead of a surplus. Ho should support the Government because he believed they were honestly trying to work for the benelit of the oountry, but ho should oppose them as soon us they ceased to strive for that object. He was averse to people holding large estates, but in dealing with them they should remember that the land had been honestly bought, and they should inflict .13 little injustice as possible. The present proposals lie thought, were exceedingly moderate. He objected to farmers being too heavily taxed, anil said if tho Government were to err it should be 011 the side «f ta.ring tho towns heavily, as no great harm could result from the people leaving the towns; but if farmers left the cmi'.ry it would bo a much more serious matter. Mr Auckland refused altogethor te Rive tlm Government credit tor eilectiug retrenchment and uctiugup tj their pledges. Individual Mininters had run through the country in special trains and coaches to banquets and dinners, and yet they were a retrenching Ministry. Ho quoted from a speech lately made by Mr Ward in which he said it was impwsbibli, to abolish the Property Tax and yet he last nigiit bittorly denounced that tax an a fearful blot on their statute book. Instead of abolishing tho Property Tax the Government weru continuing it under another name. Mr Smith spoke at some length in support of the Government. Mr Harkness moved the adjournment of tlio debute which was agreed to and the House rose at 12.5.