PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 29, 16 July 1903, Page 15

PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT

The debate on the Address-in-Reply was resumed on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Nearly all the Opposition members who spoke during the week strongly condemned the co-operative system as employed on public works, and declared it to be wasteful and expensive. On Thursday afternoon Sir William Russell, in the course of his speech, condemned the manner in which the nailway accounts were kept, and as a consequence it was not possible to analyise them. He contended there was an annual loss in the management of the railways. The working expenses were increasing rapidly, and whilst our expenses had grown to 68.10 per cent, those of our only competitor, the Manawatu Company had increased to only 53 97 per cent. He quoted figures to show that while the profits last year from the Government railways amounted to £22,961 moie than that of 1901, we had to pay £53,257 in interest on the extra capital embarked. There were no provision for wear and tear, and renewals were paid for out of capital. He contrasted with this the policy of the Manawatu Railway Company to show that the profit of that Company was larger, whilst it paid for renewals out of the current revenue^

Sir J. CJ Ward, in replying to the criticism of the previous speaker with reference to the railways administration, said that the accounts of the Department were kept entirely by the accountant, and he had never been instructed as to how he should charge anything Responsible officers of the Department had certified that ordinary renewals were paid out of the re\enue, and not out of capital Sir W. It. Russell had forgotten to tell the House that the proportion of working expenses in English companies was 68 per cent , which was the same figuie as shown m New Zealand If the users of the railways had to provide out of revenue for the cost of all new works it would mean that every rate on the railways would have to be raised by 59 per cent , and that 'the life blood would be crushed out of the usei sof the railways. It was said the Government had not done anything "for the agriculturists, whereas m one branch of the service— the railways — concessions to farmers had been granted to the extent of £415,000. This was independent entirely of concessions in passenger fares to the amount of £144,000. Sir J. G. Ward quoted figures to show the growth of the dairy industry, and attributed this growth to the grading system established by the Government Sir W R. Russell had said there we're to be no remissions of taxation, but he had ignored the fact that the Government had already given a remission in taxation to tho extent of no less than £1,500,000 The debate was adjourned on Friday until Tuesday and is expected to last during this week.