PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2957, 27 June 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

I LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THURSDAY". i On meeting at half-past two, the Council I immediately adjourned out of respect to tliu ' memory of tho lata Hon. Captain Feasor. 1 FRIDAY. The Council mot at 2.30 p.m. Mr Stewart moved the lirst loading of tho Indecont Advertisement Bill, to prohibit writing or exhibiting in any public place obscenu or indecent matter or publishing an improper advertisement. The Legislative Council Bill was referred tea Select Committee. The Partnership Hill and the t 'ompanies i Memorandum ol A.-nocialion Bill were L read a second time. Tho Council rose at 3.30 p.m. i HOUSE OF ItEI.'RESEXT ATI VES. J THURSDAY. Tho House met at -.30 p.m. The ['üblic i'etitious Committee reported ! "ii the petition of Lieutenant .-Colonel Stapp, that lie had rendered valuable military ' services of an exceptional character. They recommended the Government to place on ! the Estimates a sum of t7aO as a reward ' for tho-'o service*. Mr Ballance said the epiestion of dealiiiL' 1 with the claims of old soldiers would be 1 brought in during the session. 1 The report was ordered to lio on tho tablo and bo referred to tho Government. Mr Ballance then moved the adjournment of tho House till half-past seven, as a innk of respect to tho memory of the late Hon. Captain Fra/.er. Several members having paid a tribute to 1 the sterling character of the deceased gen--1 tloman, the House adjourned at half-past three. The House resumed at 7.30. ■ Mr Duthie resumed the debate on tho Financial Statement. JI a had read the : Financial Statement carefully, and thought the wliolo policy of the Government was simply a cry to catch popularity, without any solidity in it whatever. The question of absenteeism sh.'uld be dealt with an soon as possible, and he regretted there was no allusion to the .subjoct in the Statement, The Government had by their wholesale dismissals done such injury to the public service of the colony as would take several years toiepair. lie asked why, if the Government were tho friends of the labouring classes, they did not devote some of their boasted big surplus to reduce taxation on the necessaries of life. Mr McGuiro praised the action of the Minister of Lands, who was doing his best to put a stop to dummyi-'in, which was so rampant under the late Ministry. It was his intention to support the Government in their policy measures with certain reservations. Captain Russell said that when he was in Australia recently, he had met many globe-trotters and others who had money to invest, and who expressed themselves pleased in every way with Xew Zealandits scenery and its climate, but who would not come to stay in the oniony owing to the uncertainty of the land tenure and threats of taxation on land. It was not wise on Mr Reeves' part to class men who had spent the best portion of their time and means in subduing the wilderness as nuisances and on a par with fiends, and his opinion was that these constant threats against capital to a large extent kept the wealthy from investing their money in the colony. It was impossible, ho, contended, to properly criticise tho policy of the Government, owing to the absence of necessary details. Ho was strongly opposed to a tax being placed on totalizators, and altogether disapproved of the proposal with respect to native lands. The Government instead of bringing down a policy that would tend to stir up class animosity should have reduced taxation on tho necessaries of life, and thus benefited tho whole community. Mr J'inkerton moved the adjournment of tho debate, which was agreed to. The House rose at 11 p.m. FRIDAY. The House met at 2 30 p.m. Replying to Mr Mills, Mr Seddon said the House would be asked to provide a more substantial reward for the discovery of new goldtielda in exceptional cases. Replying tn Mr Palmer, Mr Reevos said tho Government intended to procecd witii tho easo of Judge Edwards in the Privy Council. Mr Pinkerton resumed the debate on the Financial Statement. Ho agreed with the proposals brought, down by the Government. as he thought they had made an honest) attempt to place the burden of taxation on the shoulders of those able to bear it. They had been told that instead of introducing a penny postage the Government should have reduced the duties on the necessaries of life; but, as one of tho industrial class, he thought it better to have a better system of taxation introduced which would provide for the settlement of the hnd. Mr Jvelly (Inveroavgill) refuted the charges brought against Ranger Campbell, of Jiivercargill, by Mr Scobie MeKen/.ie, and said the whole thing whs (, ( ,t up to make a serious charge against t'.ie Minister of Lands. He made some serious allegations against Mr Spence's administration as Commissioner of Crown Lands at lnvercargill, and said that when all these things were known it was not to be wondered at that the Minister of Lands had acted towards Mr Spence as he had done. Messrs Mcintosh and Taylor also spoke in support of the Government policy. The debato was interrupted by the -~>.30 adjournment. Tho House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Rees dilated upon the great services rendered-to democracy by Sir George Grey during his recent visit to Australia. He strongly condemned tho administration of the late Government, and assorted that tho country was now undergoing a re-action from a long financial debauch. The pre sent Financial Statement was, in his opinion, the only one for the last twenty years that was calculated to advance the linanuial condition of the colony. Mr Mackenzie (Clutha) deemed Mint the property tax was the chief political question at the hito-electiou. As stated by Mr Rees, tho whole country was then in a state of excitement owing to unionism, and thu people cared nothing for property as compared to an income. Wherever it had been brought into operation it had proved to be an abomination. Tho present Government came into office pledged to do Roman Catholics justice, and five memhers of the Ministry, Messrs Ballance Buckley, Ward, Seddon, and McKenzio were in favour of giving aid to private schools (John McKenzio: "That's a falsehood.") Mr Seddon rose and asserted that neither publicly or privately was ho pledged to support the Private Schools Bill, ami on the last occasion he voted on the subjoct ho voted against it. Mr Fergus said that on tho last occasion Mr Seddon did not vote fur or against the measure, as it was understood lie was " hedging" for the Catholic vote. Mr Seddon explained he was not in view of the Parliamentary buildings when the question last came on. Mr Hogg spoke in support of the Government. ' (Left Sitting.) i ; i i I i i (