THE ESTIMATES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 211, 5 September 1900, Page 5

THE ESTIMATES.

DISCUSSION ON FEDERATION,

[By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day

The House went into committee of supply last evening on the Estimates. Class 1, Legislative Departments, item salaries and other charges, £1870. Considerable discussion took place on the question of New Zealand joining in the Australian Commonwealth. The Premier "said that no doubt the time would come when this colony would have to decide whether it would constitute a separate state or enter into the federation. The policy of New Zealand would be to preserve a friendly attitude towards the federation, but it would act wisely by waiting for results. His own opinion was that the Australian federation was not at present a happy family, and was not. likely to become so for many years. The difficulty would come when the question' of 'tariff hrul to be settled, and an attempt wr acle to reconcile the colony of Vie. ...a to free trade. This colony would probably be represented in the Federal Parliament by twenty members, against a total of 120 from the others. He pointed out that by excludi ag the native race from representation New Zealand's entrance into the federation was made conditional.on a gross breach of the rights and privileges guaranteed to the Maoris, and he said he believed this was done with the intention of diminishing New Zealand's share of representation to that extent. Mr Monk said he was opposed to federation with Australia under the Federal Constitution as it now stood. After further discussion, the Premier said the policy of New Zealand was, as the late Sir George Grey had declared, to aim at remaining a selfcontained state, whilst maintaining a friendly feeling towards the neighbouring federation. Mr Witheford was surprised to see the attention of Ministers taken up with abstract questions such as that of Federation, when the whole, country was crying out for roads, bridges and railways. (Hear, hear.) They had been two months in session, and he had not even got a quarter of million for the North Island Trunk railway. He was in Australia when Sir George Grey and others were discussing the question of Federation, and he took a| great interest in it, but there were •now. questions of much greater interest to New Zealanders than the question of Federation. There were the internal wants ,of the country, and there-was the land hunger, and attlife present time there were not sufficient surveyors to survey the land in order that the people might go on the back blocks, and the land to be acquired in the King Country. (Hear, hear.) Their efforts should be in the direction of getting people of the right class to go on the land, and to assist those who had already settled on the land by means of roads: and bridges. (Hear, hear.) Then, when it came to the question of railway communication, they wanted the lines surveyed, and they wanted more engineers and more working men to carry, out the various works. (Hear, hear.) There were men applying to him for work nearly every day, and they could be put on to construct these lines in the interests of the whole country. How was it possible for money to be put intp circulation if the -Government would not place it on the estimates, and have it voted so that it might be spent. It was for the Government to take prompt action, and provide the money that .was required ,J!or . thj3 North Island Trunk railway. (Hear, hear.) He would leave it for other hon. members to speak as to the wants of their own districts, but in regard to the North/..island he considered if they once got that line to connect Wellington wit^h Auckland they would see a .second London and Glasgow before many years. (Cheers.) It was of the highest importance that a line of railway, should connect the Empire City -and the .new naval station of New Zealand, and not only that, but he, would like to see settlements laid out in order that the working .men, while they were receiving wages from the Government, might go and make a start on the land. (Hear, hear.) Then, further back from the line they might have the larger sections of from 1000 to 20,000 acres. These large estates would also furnish a great deal of employment in fencing and preparing- the 'land for cultivation, which would all in turn tend to increase the wealth of the country, by enabling the land to carry more sheep and cattle. This was of more importance to the people of New Zealand than the qnestion of federation. The Eight Hon. the Premier, with the great ability he possessed, if he set himself to work, would readily tfind all the money —(cheers)— required for carrying on these important works. It was suggested thatI,next Saturday, or some other day, might be set-apart f or . a discussion on the subject of Federation,1 so-that hon. gentlemen interested could go fully into the subject, and he thought that would be the best plan. (He would not take up the time of the House any further; -'he -only wished to urge the claims of the neces--sary railways in. every district of the colony, commencing, of course, wi,ta" the North Island Main.; Trunk, railway, because,-in duty boiind, he must do so -,and he had not the slightest doubt that his colleague, the senior member for Auckland City, would give him every assistance. He trusted also that every member of the House would assist him. {Cheers.) ~ ,•. <• - Mr Masse}' said the debate on the tariff had shown that it needed thorough, revision throughout.. .Mr Napier justified the action of the Auckland and North Island members in asking for a substantial increase in Ihe amount to be expended on the North Island Main Trunk railway. He said that during the current financial •year, with remission of taxation-to'the amount of £ 300,000, and increased expenditure to the same amount, they could not foresee what the financial position of the colony would be next year. The Premier was a political Sandow, but he showed his discretion in giving way to the swishes of a majority of the House. Mr Hogg", whose idea of public wtorks is confined to roads and bridges in his own district, expressed disapproval of the pressure from Auckland to force the completion of 'the North Island Trunk line, which In his opinion would not be profitable for some years to come. In fact, all that could be clearly inferred from his speech was that any money available, for the. Main Trunk railway could be far'more advantageously expended in roads and bridges in. the. vicinity of the very enterprising little township: of Masterton. Mr G. "\V. Russell remarked sarcastically that the action of the Auckland members in regard to the North Island' Main Trunk railway tended to create the impression that Auckland is Hew

Zealand, and that there exists-some-where an insignificant portion of- the colony called the Middle Island, but if the Auckland members imagined that they would get more than their share of railway .expenditure they kne\V; very little of the mettle they would have to meet in the South Island rrienv bers. The rest of the hon. member's speech was devoted to a eulogium on • the inexhaustible coal resources of the Midland railway route. j Captain Russell thought the speeches that had been made on the federation question were inopportune. Whilst he regarded the North Island Trunk railway as a colonial work, he disapproved, of the action of the Auckland mem~ berewho were prepared to sacrifice the interests of the colony as a whole in favour of their own line. He declared that if the pressure upon the Government were persisted in, it would be necessary to organise a combination, of members to resist it. He protested against the spirit that had cpme over the House in demanding lavish public expenditure, and characterised the argument that the burden should be thrown upon posterity as narrow and unpatriotic. He believed, the time, would come when New Zealand would form a powerful state In Itself, and would support a population of 15,000,----000, when it would have nothing- t« fear from outside competitors. Mr Hornsby moved that the item bei reduced by £ 1 as a mark of the Com* mittee's disapproval of the employ* ment in the Bill Office of the Leg-is-* lative Council of a gentleman who ia possessed of a large and profitable estate, which he stigmatised as a gross public scandal. At one o'clock the item was agreedto. . ■ '; House of .Representatives, £4015--The Speaker said he had recommended an increase iri tfhe salary o£ of the reader and clerk of bills and papers from £ 150 to £ 200, and that of the assistant librarian by'£ 50, buii these recommendations were not* adopted by the Government. . '„) Mr Herries moved that the iteht £19,720 be reduced by £1, as an indf* cation that the salaries of the Parlfa-* - mentary bill reader and librarian should be increased as recommended, by Mr Speaker. •• : . -\; ■:.:.) Referring to Mr . Herries* ■• amend* ■ ment, the Speaker explained that the! clerk of bills performed valuable service during recess in sorting.and fir* ranging for reference a large accumu-4 lation of documents and .records* which entailed hard work and careful selection. •• . -I V; • The Premier objected to officers, of the House lobbying members, which he knew had v been done. If the increases recommended had been .grant-*' ed, it' would have in a 1 large, number of similar requests for .in* creases in salaries from other officers;' The amendment was negatived by*24 to 19. Item agreed to. • . '~■:. - s General expenses, £ 5113; Item* assistant librarian, £250. '\ > ' The Premier said, the appointment of a permanent librarian was delayed pending the completion of the library, but a "bonus should be paid to the assistant for extra work during the recess. ■ ■ V The clause was passed at 3.30 a.my and the House then rose. ; ' ' ir