PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 203, 28 August 1896, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

f NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

{St TELEGRAPH— PARLIAMENTARY RE PORTER.)

Wellington, Thursday.

THE LOAN BILL. ,jjj b _ e House bhis afternoon the debate on the second reading of the Aid to Public fork's and Land Setblemenb Bill was lesumed by Mr Meredith, who said he considered bhe Governmenb was nob jnabified in incurring further public Jabt on accounb of railways. The pronosed expenditure on roads and bridgos p o b with hia approval. Thia was the only item he was in favour of. He contended the Governmenb had made a mistake in asking for loan, and he would vote againsb it.. Mr Buchanan said the policy of the Governmenb had been one of financial imposture, resulting in the taxpayers being burdened with further taxation. Mr Carncroaa aupporbed the second reading of the Bill, and contended bhab each speaker's attitude towards ib had been animated by application of the Bill's proposal to their respective districts. Mr Wilson opposed the Bill, and Mr Tanner stated his inbention to vote againsb jts second reading. Mr Lawry defended bhe Governmenb's borrowing proposals. Mr McGuire was opposed to borrowing, especially, he eaid, for bhe presenb Government bo equander. Mr O'Regan supported bhe Bill, bhough ie would rabher have aupporbed a measure raisin-' money by increase of baxation in certain directions which he waß quibe sure the Opposition would not approve of. He contended that the sum proposed to be raised to develop the goldmining industry Tne moat necessary. t Mr Earnshaw opposed the Bill. The Minister for Landa aaid he had never seen sO much political hypocrisy manifested asm ehe present debate. Members supported the proposals which were to beoefib their respective districts, bub were prepared bo vote againsb bhe Bill on sentimental grounds. If bhe measure were nob passed bhe public works of bhe colony would tave to come to a standstill. Tbere was sufficient money on hand bo pay oubabandjag liabilities on public works. He thoughb no member would go to his constituents and Bay he was prepared to allow public works to come to a standstill. £lr Saunders spoke opposing the Bill, and contended bhab no greater blessing ■could have been granted to New Zealand ;by heaven than thabib should be impossible for the colony to borrow. Mr Ward pointed oub thab in 1893 Mr Ballance had intimated to Cabineb bis inbention to borrow £500,000, but, owing to a * windfall" from conversion operations afterwards, this intention was nob carried into i effect. He stated thab since IS9I bhe gross decrease of taxation had been £3 7a lOd per head and neb £2 2s 2d. The colony's Rail.ways and''Poet nnd Telegraph Deparbmenb were sufficient for a population four times 'larger bhan ab' present The real issue respecting the proposals of bhe Bill waa whether the colony was to progress or retrogress, and the Opposibion, wibh an astuteness he hardly gave them credk. for, .aw an opportunity bo bring about a ; .ate of retrogression before the elections. He was perfectly cerbain tbab if the Opposibion were in power bhey could nob carry on the governmenb ot the colony without a loan. Mr Lang gave a qualified support to the Bill. He thoughb the differenb proposals should have been broughb down in separate measures.

Mr Pirani waa opposed roob and branch to'bhese borrowing proposals, v Mr Growb_er abated bhat he would vote (againsb'the Bill bo bhab the conatibuenta could be consulted on the queation. Mr Maseey, wbilab admibting thab several importanb public works were required to be Carried oub in bhe colony, bhoughb bhe public debt waa now 80 large bhab ib waa necessary to abstain from borrowing for some bioie to come.

Mr McNab said ho musb vobe againab bhe Bill in ful-inenb of hia election pledges. The counbry should have been consulbed before bhis serious change in bhe policy was entered upon. Mr Pinkerton supported the Bill. He disapproved of „ borrowing money to construct fresh lines of railway, but agreed it was necessary to complete several of the .unfinished lines.

f Mr Flatman regretted thab ib was necessary to bring in this Bill on the eve of a general election, bub, if it were nob passed now, ib meanb bhe suspension of all public works, which would be very severely felb by ..tbe working classes of bhe colony.

Mr Heke oppoaed bhe Bill. Mr Seddon roße bo reply ab 3.30 a.m. He said the debate was one of the holloweab 8-ama he had ever known. Ib waa simply another device of bhe Oppoaibion bo addreas the conatibuencies. There was no reason for a protracted debate, and the speeches were simply repetitions of those given in the Financial Sbatemenb and no-confidence debates. Ib was the question now whebher they were bo have a progreaaive policy or a period of sbagnabion. The Government !cduld nob go on for anobher year wibhoub assistance to carry on public works, He did nob wanb bhe weak-kneed supporbers who had shown bheir brue colours in this debate, and he wished they would declare themselves in opposition, and leave the Liberal parby. The abbibude they had taken up was not jusb or fair bo bhe Government who we're doing bheir duty for the .country, nor was ib fair bo bhe Oppoaibion party. He pointed oub thab _ several members who were strongly opposing this Bill had voted for similar measures in past sessions, among bhe number being the Lands for Sebblemenb Bill, Consols Bill, Advances bo Settlers Bill, and Land Improvement Bill. This showed grave inconsistency on bhe parb of these members, and raised bhe question whether they had always been so anxious to conserve their 'election pledgee. The Government bad • greab cause for complainb on accounb of the action of bhese mem bers. He con tended the Governmenb could Dob stop public workß thab were now going on, for ib meanb throwing a largo number of men oub of employment in bhe bad season, and he was «ure bhe country would nob countenance -hi ß . No doubt such a proceeding would suit the Opposibion members, tor the unemployed would then be available bo do their bush felling and obher works aba cheap rate of wages. The position of the colony warranted bhe Governmenb asking for this money, for bhe aasesbs were very largely in excess of liabilities. ,0n division, bbc second reading was carried by 32 to 19, and bhe commibbal of the Bill wa3 aeb down for bhe nexb sibbing. The'division list) is as follows :-Ayes, 32: Buddo, Buick, Cadman, Came , Carroll, Collins, Flabman, Graham, Hall, guinness, Hall-Jonea, Harris. Hogg, Joyce, Wry, McGowan, J. McKenzie. K. McKenzie, McLachlan, Millar, Mills, Morrison, O'Hegan. Pere, Pinkerton, G. VV. Russell, Seddon, E. M. Smibh, Steward, T. Thompson, Ward. Willis. Noes, 19 : Allen, Bell, Bubton, Crowtber, Earnshaw, Fraser, Green, Heke, Lang, Maslin, Mapeey, McGuire, McNab. Mitchel*on, Montgomery, W. R. Russell, G. J. Smith, Tanner, Wilson. . Pairs. — Ayea: Parata, Mcintosh, Houston. Duncan. Lamach, Thompson. Stevens, Carncroae, W. Hutchiaou, TV. Kpliy. Noes: Te Ao, Meredith, Buchanan, Wis, Stout, Saunders, Pirani, J. W. Kelly, Dubhie, G. Hutchison. LAW PRACTITIONERS BILL. In tho Legislative Council in committee on the Law Practitioners and New Zealand i*aw Society Acta Amendment Bill, clause

2, allowing solicibors in practice for seven years bo be admibbed and enrolled as barrister, was struck oub by 16 bo 13. The clause resbricbing examinations bo subjeebs in bhe English language, was sbruck oub by 19 bo 11. The clause allowing women to enter bhe legal profession waa retained by 18 bo 10. The Hon. Bowen made a abrong proteab againsb clause 5, "fees reduced," copending bhab if it was carried law libraries could nob be kepb up. He moved bhab the clause be struck oub, which was carried on bhe voices. INFANTS' LIFE PROTECTION. The Infanb Life Protection , Bill was committed in the Council, and amendments made by bhe Joinb Statutes Revision Committee were agreed to. In Commibtee of the Legislabive Council on bhe Aaiatio Resbricbion Bill bhe Hon, Sir Geo. Whitmore moved bo alber bhe bibie bo bhe "Chinese Restriction Bill," which was losb by 16 bo 13. The Hon. E. Shrimski wiahed to reduce the poll bax of £100 in clause 5 to £15, bub bhe Chairman of Commibtee ruled againsb bhis and bhe clause passed. WESLEYAN METHODIST BILL. The Commibbee of bhe Council bo which waa referred the Wealeyan Mebhodißb Church Property Trusb Acb Further Amendmenb Bill has reporbed thab they' have mado bhe following amendmenbs: — Clause 3, providing how lands should veab, is extended to property, also to clause 5, providing for the appointment of ministers, anew übsecbion is added providing thab bhis section shall nob bake effect unbil approved of by a reaolubiort of the General Conference of bhe Australasian Wealeyan Methodist Church. Clause 7, providing thab obher churches may unibe, is sbruck oub, and a new clause substituted, making tbe President of bhe Conference plaintiff or defendanb, as bhe case may be, in any proceedings under the Act. THE MORTGAGE BILL. The Joint Statuteß Revision Commibtee reported thab ib would be impossible bo re-model bhe Morbgages Bill so as bo produce a safe meaaure, bhab, in bheir opinion, bhe Bill would nob effecb bhe objecb aimed ab, bub would lead to dangerous misapprehension oa the parb of jaorbgagors and mortgagees, and they recommended thab the Bill be nob proceeded with. THE MIDLAND RAILWAY. The Public Pebibions Committee of the Legislative Council has no recommendation to make respecting the petition of W. H, Maxwell, Attorney for the Midland Railway Company, as a properly - constituted Courb of Arbitration had found thab bhe Company had no claim on the colony, RAILWAY TO WAIHI. Mr W. Kelly bo-day presented a pebition signed by S. Towley and 117 others praying for bhe construction of a lighb railway from Paeroa to Waihi, coab of construction of which they state would nob exceed £50,000. Aa a further argument in favour of bhe construction of this railway bbc pebibion ababed bhab were ib constructed ib would ab once remove a presenb serious menace bo bbc whole mining industry of the disbricb by providing an unlimited supply of fuel aba minimum cosb from bhe coalmines.