HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8541, 22 July 1893, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

[press association telegram.]

F-UDAY, JCLT 21. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m.

QUESTIONS.

Replying to Mr Fish whether the Colonial Treasurer was aware that importers and others, in importing machinery and plant for dairy factories, which were admitted free of duty, were in the habit of including in the same stationary engines, which were subject to a duty of 20 per cent, Mr WARD said he thought engines of this description should not be admitted free, as it was not the intention of the Act, and he hoped to be able to make some amendment in the law in this direction.

Reply to Mr Fish,

Mr SEDDON said he had no information at all as to carpenters being sent from Wellington to Dunedin to execute work in connection with the alteration in the electric machinery. He hoped Mr Fish would make further enquiries in order that the Government might obtain information on it He had made enquiry, but could hear nothing about the matter. • - MANUFACTURES AND INDUSTRIES. Mr REEVES moved—"That a Select Committee be appointed to consider, how the manufactures and industries of the colony might be encouraged, the Committee to consist of Messrs Duncan, Lawry, Alitchelson, O'Conor, Pinkerton, E. M. Smith, Tanner, and the mover." A lengthy discussion .arose on the whole question of freetrade versus protection, after which The motion was carried. MR FISHER'S REMARKS. Mr O'CONOR called attention to a matter which he said affected the dignity of the House. He referred to a charge made last night by one" member against another to the effect that that member's hands were reeking with corruption. He (Mr O'Conor) thought that a statement of that kind should not be allowed in the House, and he thought it must have escaped the Speaker's notice. His opinion was that in a case of this kind the Speaker should instruct the chief reporter of Hansard to omit such an offensive charge.

The SPEAKER said he certainly had not heard the remark iv question. Had he done so he should not have allowed it to pass. He thought, however, that he could not undertake to give any such instructions to the chief of the Hansard staff as Mr O'Conor suggested, as it was too much power to place in the hands of the Speaker. FINANCIAL DEBATE. Mr CARNCROSS resumed the debate on the Financial Statement. He congratulated Mr Ward on the straightforward statement he had presented to the House, and the country was ahjo to be congratulated that the Colonial Treasurer had laid the bare fact before them and had not attempted to disguise the position of affairs. He referred to the able speech made by Sir J. Hall in the debate, and he felt sure all would regret that it was probably the last speech of the kind the House would hear from that honourable gentleman. He also complimented the Minister for Education on the able and statesmanlike speech he had delivered/? -MAnly regretted to say that other speeches during the debate were not such as reflected much credit on the House. He did not pose aaa financier and he hoped the other members, if they did not understand the figures of the Financial Statement would let ; them alone. Referring to the handsome surplus which was shown by the ' Treasurer he said* it was of course subje.t to the supplementary estimates and he held that these estimates should be very carefully scanned by the -Jouse. The Treasurer they all knew, was a genial man who did not like to say "No ""'to applications for the expenditure of money, but he hoped the House would do its best to assist the Colonial Treasurer in seeing that the handsome surplus was not shorn of its anticipated proportions. It was gratifying to find that they had a real live Minister of Agriculture now. He felt sure |. it would benefit the colony. He was not one of those who had a feeling of antagonism towards the Railway Commissioners, but it seemed to him that they did not study the wants of working people as they might have done, and a touring company of footballers or bowlers received more attention than the working classes. 'Referring to the purchase of the Cheviot estate, he thought that considering the circumstances the Government had no option but to purchase that property. If they had not done so they would have had wholesale applications to take over similar properties. The question of the settlement of the land was, he thought, bei_g worked to death by people who knew very little about it. Many people talked very glibly about sending people on to the land, but they took care not to. go on to it themselves. ■' His idea of land settlement was not so much to put people On the land to grow corn and breed sheep, but in the direction of suburban settlement, such as would encourage men to go out of the cities and live on their small settlements of land. He met men who could earn their living in cities, and would also cultivate their small sections ia the suburbs. He. held that they should assist the Government, as much as possible in disposing of the Cheviot estate in such a manner as would best promote settlement, and if it only fell into the hands of a hundred persons it would effect a great deal of good. He was pleased to hear that the Government felt the time was not opportune for taking away the subsidies to local bodies. As to Colonel Fox's report he felt it was just such a one as the colony required. They had not hitherto got value for their money in this respect Colonel Fox should receive the thanks of the colony for the report. He almost wished Government had postponed the remission of taxation on improvements, yet he felt that they could scarcely adopt any other course. He '*■ regretted very much that the graduated \ tax was to be increased, as he had understood that the tax waa merely a finger of warning to prevent the acquisition of large estates, and he could not see his way to support the Government in increasing that tax or to give another turn of the screw. A fairer way in his opinion would be to reduce the exemption than to increase the graduated tax. He did not advocate the abolition of the Railway Commissioners but he thought some scheme should be devised by wnich the House would have more control over the railways than it at present possessed. A Minister should have a seat on the Board, but he did not want the Commissioners to assume the position of dummies. Wlien, however, a great principle was involved it should be brought before the House, and discussed in the same way as other matters. He urged a reduction in medical fees as a very necessary step, and he knew of cases himself where poor persons had died simply through the relatives being afraid that they could not pay the doctor's fee. The question was one that well deserved the attention of the Government

Mr MACKENZIE (Clutha) congratulated Mr Carncross on having made a sound common-sense speech and he; thought his constituents might well be proud of him. The hon. gentleman had raised some very important points, especially ,the question of reducing medical fees, and that was a question which would have to be dealt with before long, as it was of vital interest to the poorer classes in the colony. Mr Carncross had referred to the Agricultural department He believed the Minister for Lands was doing bis best in the interests of that department, but his officers had not the practical experience necessary to carry out his wishes. He also agreed with Mr

I Carncross • that the question of colonial •reciprocity was one of the most important that could engage the attention of the House. Referring to the policy of the Railway Commi-sioners, he thought it would be wise to give a Minister a seat on the Board, out he certainly should not give him the power of veto. At the same time, he did not think the management of the Commissioners was at all perfect, and he thought some simple method of heating carriages should be adopted. What they wanted was more commercial capacity in the railway management, but he would not deny that the Commissioners had done a great deal of good during their term of office. He was speaking at the 5.30 p. in. adjournment