TUESDAY JULY 8.

Clutha Leader, Volume XVII, Issue 834, 11 July 1890, Page 3

TUESDAY JULY 8.

;, In the .legislative Oouiicil-^-Several bills were advanced a stage. The second reading of the Industrial Schools Act Amendment Bill was carried by l'-i to 3P I.iipthe, Hpuse { of-Ilepresentatives — Mr Monk gave notice to move, in committee of supply, .that the first item on the'Estimates'be reclu'ced by Ll, r as an\ indicatipii that,the Government reduce, the Estimates by L 50,000.: „ ; Mr; Su'iitlx gave 'notice to'move as an addition that such reduction should not apply to the Post and Telegraph Department up-to any salaries, of, officers .below L2O& 1, .•/'.; ..-.;' .' '. Mr Guinness asked Government whether it-was correct, as reported in that morning's paper, the Government had promised a section of the House that they would reduce their Estimates by L 50,000. • Hon.- E.Mitcixelson asked the hon. gentleman to give notice of his ques-' "tioh. Mr Gumness refused to give notice as there was ho reason why tlie Government should, not give a reply to .this question straight out. He moved the adjournment of the House to enable the matter to be debated. His "opinion was that the financial debate should not be proceeded with till the House knew whether or not Government intended to make this reduction. A long discussion ensued, in the course of which Hon. E. Mitchelson said the question put by Mr Guinness was perfectly reasonable, but he was not at present in a position to inform the. House of the arrangements come to. Negotiations had been going on such as were referred to, and at the proper time he should state the result. In the meantime he hoped members would cease talking, and go on with the business. Ultimately the motion for the adjournment of the House was put and lost. The-financial .debate was then resumed by Mr Saunders, who was followed by Mr Moss, Hon. Captain Russell, and Mr Taylor. Dr Fitchett moved the adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at 11.30 p.m. Notice was given by Mr Kerr on Tuesday to ask the Minister of Education (1) if he has read in the public prints the following : — It was known to every second man one met in the streets in Auckland that two members of the Government *of this Colony were largely in debt to the Bank of New Zealand, and it was equally a fact, sir, that when the circumstanced surrounding the indebtedness of one at least of those gentlemen became known to the board of directors, of which I was a member, I was compelled to intimate that I could not remain on tho board unles3 he resigned, and resign he did. The Hon. Mr flislop now denies the indebtedness of the two gentlemen, consequently either (1) they paid their debts, or (2) they have been paid for them, or (3) they have been wiped ,but by some other process. If either the first or the second plan has been adopted it should be good news to the shareholders. If the third, possibly the gentlemen referred to will enlighten others sioriliarly situated, how the " wiping out " process was accomplished.' For my own part I cannot believe the bank claims have been paid. The news is too good to be true. . , And which said paragraph appeared in Mr George Buckley's letter about the Bank of New Zealand affairs, and was published by the N>sw Zealand Times on the 7th July, 1890. (2) If the answer be in the affirmative, does the Hon. Mr Hislop still adhere to the statement made by him to the House, that there was no foundation whatever for the statement that two members of the Government owed the Bank of New Zealand L 60,000.