HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Yesterday.

Evening Post, Volume XVI, Issue 210, 4 September 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Yesterday.

In the House yesterday Sir Geogre Grey said, in reply to a question" by Mr Hobbs, that the Government had in their possession private letters containing some information relativo to the South Sea Island trade, and they would lay these letters on the table if the writers would give their consent. — Replying to Mr. M'Minn, Mr. Sheehan said the Government recognisod the necessity for a bill enabling settlers to protect their crops from injuries inflicted by game, but he could not state definitely whether such n measure would be brought down this session. — The adjourned debate on the Land Tax Bill was then resumed by Mr. Gisborno. After referring at some length to the changes in the financial system of (lie colony during the last few years, he argued that the cry of Separation which had been raised against the Government was unjustifiable. By the colonialisation of the land fund, and by the devoting of that fund to coloninl instead of local works, Spparation was innde practically impossible. The policy of decentralisation which had been carried 'out in tho Railway Department was also a step further from Separation, as it made both islands satisfied with tho management of the railways. Next devoting himself to the financial policy of the Government, Mr. Gisborue said he regarded their measures as honest attempts to carry out the pledges made during last session, though he might take exception to tins details of their proposals. He questioned whether it would not be better to impose the land-tax on improvements, regulated by a sliding scale, so arranged that tho greater the improvements made on land tho less should be the tax. The joint-stock companies' in-come-tax he opposed, but he thought there should be a general income-tax ro arranged as to reach the wealthier classes chiefly, as in England. To the beer- tax ho nlso objected strongly, as he rrgarded beer as a necessity, and it was chiefly consumed by tho working-classes, upon whom the tax would fall. He hoped the Government would drop these two minor parts of their policy. If they insisted upon carrying their proposals as a whole he must support them for the sake* of the grand principle involved in the imposition of a land-tax. — Mr. Rowe opposed the whole financial proposals of the Government, and advocated the imposition of a general income and property tax. — Mr. Ktlly would support the beer duty, but he objected to the land and companies' income taxes.— Mr. Thomson did not much like the land-tax, but ho would support it as a stop in the direction of a general income and property tax The beer-duty he supported, but thought that it was not sufficiently heavy. He would prefer n tax of a halfpenny or penny on every drink sold over the bar counter, on the American system. With reference to railways, he thought the colony should be divided into railway district!", each district bearing any loss on the working of its lines.— Major Atkinson then at length criticised the proposals of the Government. After some preliminary remarks, he took the Financial Statement, saying that from the surplus of £176,000 must be deducted £121,000 for outstanding liabilities, £15,000 voted last session for the Sartoris and Downes' claims, £10,000 voted as a bonus for the production of beet-root sugar, and other similar item*, which would reduce the surplus to almost nothing. Instead of a saving of £.51,000 in administrative departments, there was an increase of £.7000 in the expenditure, and this year £8000 more was asked for. The "saving" was made up by votes for surveys, &c, which had not been exponded. Then a sum of £73,000 had beon carried from loan to revenue account — a practice which Sir George Grey when in Opposition was never tired of denouncing. Ho congratulated the Government upon the floating of tne loan, but, claimed all the credit for Sir Julius Vogel, and censured Ministers for sending Home Mr. Larnach. He was glad to see that the Government had availed themselves of the Inscription of Stock Act, in spfte of the fierce opposition which Sir George Grey displayed when it was * introduced by the late Government. To Sir Julius Vogel was also due tho sole credit of rendering possible the passing of such an Act, yet the Government had not even made him one of the agents for the inscription of stock. Turning to the Estimates for the present year, Major Atkinson said he was afraid that the Customs and Land revenues would not rome up to the amounts estimated, especially if tho land were to be reserved from sale until opened up by railways, as proposed in the Public Works Statement. Then reviewing the financial proposals of the Government, he asked why they had not made an attempt to carry out their policy as declared last year, the chief feature of which was a general income and property tax ? The Colonial Treasurer vaunted the ad valorem land tax as one which would touch the " unearned increment " of land, but he considered this •' unenrned increment " a figment. The £1 minimum would press very heavily on poor land, much of which was not worth £5 an acre. Then how was the " unimproved value " of land to be ascertained ? Was a reclaimed swamp to be valued as swamp ? and was cleared bush country, perhaps worth nothing, to be estimated as if it had good timber growing on it? He strongly objected to tbe companies' income tax ana to ' the boor duty. He was himself, when ia office, strongly tempted to impose the latter tax, but he resisted the teraptafkw as it was a tax on industry, and was the beginning of excise duties. He thought that, as a matter of prudence, the duties on tea and sugar should not be reduced this year. Even before the supplementary estimates were voted there was only an estimated balance of £55,000, and it was questionable whether the revenue would be as large as anticipated, while it was proposed to construe' large public works from revenue. The reduction of these duties meant a less of borrowing, power to the extent of £2,000,000 If tb© duties were taken off grain and flour, the timber duty should also be abolished. Tbe change from ad valorem to specific duties vtt» ill-considered and vexatious, aad evidently proposed without due con«ideration. Then. taking the Public Work* Statement, he safd tbe only new principle enunciated was the reservation of Crown land* from sale until < opened up by railways. If this were done, how was the £1,250,000 expected from land sales to be realised ? Then large districts ia the oolony were wholly excluded, from participation in the proposed public works expenditure, while they would have to contribute to the revenue set apart for these works. He should like some explanation of the fact that

no reference was made either in the Financial or Public Works Statement to immigration, which was the keystone of the whole arch. The proposal to throw all the main roads of the colony upon local bodies was, he believed, intended to make the people disgusted with the present system, and anxious to return to Provincialism in a modified form. The counties roust have some assistance to enable them to fulfil their functions. Major Atkinson concluded by urging the imposition of a general income and property-tax, promising the Government his hearty support in such a proposal ; but until this was done there should be no remission of taxation. — Mr. Stout replied to Major Atkinson's criticisms. He first complained that the leaders of the Opposition were always attributing to the Government some sinister design in the direction of Separation, and it was continually pointed out that they had four Separationists in the Cabinet. Why, tbe late Ministry included three strong Separationists— Messrs. Whitaker, M'Leao, and Reid, but no one ever twitted them with a design to bring about the separation of the two islands. There could be no surer way of undermining the unity of tho colony than continually reminding Auckland and Otago that they were beaten in a hard fight, and that their representatives were not fit to oreupy xoats in the Cabinet. He might say once more that tho Government intended to adhere strictly to their declared policy. He then showed, by a comparison of the public accounts, that there had been actual savings in all the executive departments, except such as must of necessity increase with the increase of population. He agreed with much that had fallen from Major Atkinson, relative to the indebtedness of the colony to Sir Julius Vogel; but had it not been for Mr. Larnach, the loan would never have been floated through the Bank of England. He next defended the land-tax, pointing out that land was fundamentally different from all kinds of personal property, and there were many reasons why it should be taxed, tbe chief of which was that it increased in value from no active exertion on tbe part of tbe owner, but merely from the general prosperity of the colony. What did the advocates of a " general property tax" mean? Did they want all manufactories and machinery, stock-in-trade, land, cattle, buildings, and invested capital to be taxed ? If so, the industries of the country would universally suffer. Mr Stout then argued exhaustively against the imposition of an income-tax upon tbe English system, and in favor of the companies' income tax. The arguments raised against the beer-duty were next enmbatted, and the speaker then went on to deal with tbe question of local works. The Government, in proposing to stop all special votes, were simply adhering to the policy enunciated when the Provinces were abolished. It was then proposed to subsidize County Councils, who were to undertake all local works, and " the name of a road or bridge was never to be heard hi the House in c nnedtion with the asking for money." Tbe Government were even more liberal, and gave to the County Councils 20 per cent of the land revenue ; but the consolidated revenue could bear no greater strain and, much as the Government regretted it, they were obliged to adopt the course they had taken. — At 12.15 a motion for the adjournment of the House was defeated on a division, and Mr Gibbs then spoke. He generally opposed the proposals or .the Government, and advocated a general property tax. — Mr Hursthouse followed with some similar remarks. — At 1.30 a.m. tbe House rose, the debate being adjourned until to-day.

The miscreant Wi Pata is still at liberty. We learn from the Ranigitikei Advocate that Constables PleasanU, M'Anulty, and Price, by preconcerted arrangement, met at Halcombe on Thursday, the first named in uniform and the two latter in plain clothes. They went to Kakariki to execute the arrest warrant if the fine inflicted was not promptly paid. But a juvenile aboriginal gave the alarm, and Wi Pata took to the bush. A second attempt was made later in the day, but with no better success. However, it is a long lane that has no turning, and the defiant warrior is bound to be caught before long. Two months would do him a deal of good, though it is just possible that the amount of the fine and costs will be subscribed for him, and that be will thus get off scot-free. It- does not appear that the Queen'tt writ can yet run to any great distance from civilisation.