GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3129, 4 August 1892, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WEDNESDAY. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Friendly Societies Amendment Bill, and the Bible-Reading-in-Schools Bill wero read a first time. The Council then adjourned until Wednesday next, tomorrow being the public celebration of Arbor Day. HOUSE OF EEPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY. A message was received from the Governor to the effect that ha was unable to comply with the request uf the House to furnish correspondence between himself and the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the subject of the proposed appointments to the Legislative Council, as such correspondence was confidential. The same remark applied to any correspondence that might have taken place between the late Governor and the Secretary for State. Mr Buckland resumed the debate on the Financial Statement, strongly condemning the Statement and criticising the speech of some of the members who had preceded him in the debate. Hβ thought the worst part of the Government programme was the Labour Department. Ttia Government were not assisting the working men to get work at high wages fur their own benefit, but merely because they wished them to be tools and implements of the party in power. Mr Macintosh congratulated the Premier on the Statement. He advocated the (Joyernnient raising money at three per cent., in order to enable people to invest it in freehold securities, but he did not say it shnulij be confined to small farmers only. He also strongly advocated the establishment of a People's Bank. Mr Valentine declared that the settlement which was so much boasted of was after all, no more than had been gcing on for the ]a«t few years. Criticising the Premier's finance, he prophesied that it would fall to piecss, whereas, if the Treasurer had been content to accept Sir H. Atkinson's finance he would have hail a certain surplus for next year of £350,000, not an estimated one. Mr Ballance might be able to make out his accounts very cunningly, but those who came after him would expose them, and would be compelled to go in for borrowing to make up for his maladministration. Mr McGuire moved the adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at 12.40. WEDNESDAY. The Housa met at 2.30 p.m. Select Committees were set up to enquire into and report on the claim of old soldiers and vqlunteers, and to consider all matters pertaining to agricultural and pastoral industries. Mr McGuire resumed the debate on the Financial Statement. He advised the Minister for Lands not to make any changes in our land laws, or to oppress the small settlers. He would have liked to have seen some reduction made in the taxation on the necessaries of life, and he also thought it would be wise for the Government to appoint gentlemen to the Upper House who had had several years in the or who had rendered some special service to the country, instead of appointing those who had no claim whatever to a seat in that Chamber. Mr Wilson thought that the last speaker's views were so much in common with those entertained by the Opposition that he was on the wrong side of the House. He had spoken strongly in favour of freehold tenure and several other Government supporters were known to hold strong views on that question, It was reported that oven tho Government whip (Mr W. O. Smith), was greatly averse to doing away with freehol j. and no doubt the Minister-for Lands would yet have to give way on the point. He deprecated borrowing from Trust Funds and said it vyould be far better to go openly to the English market frr money than in the way proposed by tho Government. Mr Thompson (Marsden) felt sure the Briticism of the Opposition in the course of the Financial Debate had left the Govern-

ment stronger in the Houaa and countrj Ha defended the Government policy an expressed ail opinion that the Financi.i Statement was on the whole satisfactory t the country. He was strongly in favour o the retention of freehold. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Cairncroas, after defending the pro nosals of the Government, moved as ar imendment t>> (Ti> into Committee of Sup aly, and that instructions should be giver o the Hansard reporters not to report anj neinber after he spoke sixty minutes, ex :ept in the case of a member introducing a 3iJl, or the leader of the Opposition reply ug to the said member, in which event nc iine limit shoukl be observed. Several mombers having spoken to the imemlment, MrScobie Mackenzie contended that the mend ment wag out of order. The Speaker ruled in support of Mr Mackenzie's contention, holding that the tanding orders prevented the amendment eing received. Mr Buchanan referring to the question f the withdrawal of capital from the colony lid that wfien recently in London he had ome in contact with several financial comanies, and he had heard the same scory. all .ound, viz., that if a land and income tax was put in force in Jfew Zealand, these companies would be compelled to withdraw all the capital they could possibly take frnm the colony. Mr Shera expressed himself in favour of the exemption of all improvements under the Land and Income Tax. He regretted exceedingly that the Government had fenced the difficult question of the settlement of the route for the North Island Trunk Railway, and feared that a Government which postponed all serious questions were heaping up wrath against the day of judgment, and it would yet crush them. Mi Gadman said he had sat in the House for a good many years, but had never listened to such milk and water arguments as had been used by the Opposition in this debate. They had never really put a knife into the Statement at all, and the only real criticism of it was made by Mr Richardson. As to the revision of the tariff, he asked if the people whom the Government represented — namely, the industrial classes — were willing to allow a revision of the tariff to stand over until next year, why should the Opposition, who were supposed to I be free traders, object to the tariff being allowed to remain unaltered. He referred in detail to the working of the native department and said he had made a, saving in this years' estimates of £331,5 overlast year. [Left sitting midnight,]