NOTES FROM THE HOUSE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 30, 24 July 1902, Page 6

NOTES FROM THE HOUSE.

PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

On Tuesday afternoon Sir J. G. War.l, on introducing a Loan Bil), said it had tkcu deemed durable to bring down the loan proposals of the Government that day, so that members would be in possession of the fullest infor'iiation before entering upou the debate on the Financial Statement. No reasonable complaiut could therefore be advanced that the Government were submitting their financial proposals in a piecemeal fashion, and time would be saved in that the one debate would cover the Financial Statement and the financial proposals of the Government. The total amount provided for under the Bill was exactly the same as that bet out in the Financial Statement — viz., £1,750.000. On Tuesday evening the debate on the Financial Statement was opened by Mr J. W. Thomson, who was followed by Mr Witheford, Bir William Ru^el], Mr Napier, and Mr E. M. Smith. Sir William Russell said that if they went on spending money at the rate of the last few years, it was hia conviction that bankruptcy would be the result. The gross amount added to the public debt last year was £.'>,'J7.">,202, and that was enough to make them pause. The Govirnmeiit talked about a strong finance, and yet proposed burrowing over £2.000 000 of money. Tne amount of our interest wa-, now hogiv.it that; it took about a million more than the difference betweon o<r export* and imports to pay it. The total sent out of ihu Co'nny annually in payment of interest was £2 ,5'.»4 90!'. an 1 when people talked of borrowing more money, he asked them, if thy were "am-, to p iu*e. It was to meet that interest that borro.vii I!,'1 !,' *\a^ iroing on. and the statn of things would continue so long as tn.i Col >nia.l Tn a'-un- woul 1 not face fro .vtuation. Sur ly t,,me d".y a (ioverummit would b 3 found ro pursue a cour-e not ot trivuig up t uhlic wQ>-k->. but of pru "'ence lham Went on to remuk 'hat if I] y laatl had b crowed at tbr aara > rate per hear) a^ New /• uian 1 during tne past year her national debt would have incr^a-cd by £17.'} n'u''),or>B The Budget vvat a^yiin und».r review on Wednesday pvpning, Messrs J. Allen and Harden adversely criticising the policy of the Government, and Messrs Gilfedder aud Fidtman supporting it. Just before the Kouso adjourned, Sir J G. Ward announced that the Pacific cable wa^ now working duplex between New Z-n-land and Qu-enaland. This was important, and the Colony should be made awarn of it. It meant that the Pacific cable was now capable of double transit, and that there wa 5 " a very great reduction in transmission both wny~. It wan with nome difficulty the debate on the Financial Statement was kept fr in f.ilhug through in the early part of Thursday afternoon, and on more than one occasion the Acting- Premier whs on hi« feet to reply when =ome laggard came forward and added his quota to the diheu-<Bion. '1 he speakers were Messrs McLachJan. Ell, W. Fraser McN'ab, and G. W. Russell On the House resuming after the surp t r adjournment no one being evidently prepared to carry on the discussion, Sir J. G. Ward took up the running, and made a vigorous defence of the policy of the Government. He reminded those members who accused the Government of having departtd from the policy of Mr Ballance that many duties had been cast upon the htate nowadays that were unknown a dozen years ago. Such wero the advances to settlers and the lands for settlements schemes. Dealing with the indebtedness of the Colony since the present party came into power, he admitted it was some £14,000,000, but emphasised the fact that about £9,000,000 was interest-bearing, while of the balance £^.000,000 was expanded in public works, and prophe&ied that the people in the Old Country would, when they knew what the money was required for, not be prevented from purchasing New Zealand stock by any of the troubles" connected with the, Midland railway, or the criticism of the gentlemen on the opposite side of the House. 'In fact,' added Sir Jo-teph with confidence, ' the Colony occupies a stronger financial position in London than any of the neighboring colonies.' He denied that loan money was being used to bolster up the revenue of the Railway Department. Touching on taxation, the AotingPremier sa.d that the Government had reduoed charges and made remissions to the extent ot over a million of money.

Shortly before midnight the debate, whioh was the moßt nnmteresting and lifeless ot its kind ever heard in the Home, came to an end.