PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XL, Issue 10, 11 July 1890, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Ybstbkdat. Tho Speaker took the ohair at 2.30 p.m. 'llio roport of tho Soleot Committee on the Children's Protootion Bill, whioh it waß rcuommandad should be allowed to proceed with amoiulmont, was adopted, and tho Bill v/n.s ordered to bo committed on Taosday HCtxt. Tiio Hon. Dr. GRACE movod that thn I,'oinnn Cuiholio Lind Act Extension bill bu uiJoptod. — Agrped to. Thn Council was oalled orer, with the result thnt out of a Council of 30, 3lmombtrs ivoro prosont. Tho absentees wero tho Hour. J. A. Bonar, T. Fraser, B. Oliver, J. C. Kiobmond, H. Scotland, Wahawahn, T. H, Wiglev, and H. Williams. The SPKAKER rnmarked that tho absence of the wbolo ' f tho gentlemen named could be satisfactorily acoounted for, savo that of the Hon. J. C. Richmond. That gentleman, however, shortly afterwards entered the Chamber, Tho Arbitration Bill and the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Bill were each read a third time. INDOBTRIAI. SOnOOLB ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Hon. Dr. POLLKN, on the motion for tho third reading of this Bill, moved that it bo re-aommittod for tho consideration of clause 8, which makes provision for oommitting girls up to the age of 17 years to special sohools. Evontnally tho Pill was recommitted gonerally, and on olause 2 progress was roported, leavo being givon to sit again on Tuesday next. LISOISIiATIVB COUNCIL REFORM BILL. The Hon. Sir G. 8. WHITMORE moved the soaond reading of this Bill, and in doing so said that he had introduced the Bill on tbe eve of a general eleotion because ho was doterminad to show that tho Council was not averso to an alteration in its constitution if such wore genorally desired. Whilst saying this he might romark that whereas l(i Bills to reform the Legislative Council had been introduced into Parliament from time to timo, in none of them had the systom of ol ant ion of members in the place of nomination of mombori been proposed. Referring to ono o! these Bills, that introduced by Mr. Dudloy Ward, ho was glad to say it bad not booomo law, because it provided for additional members. Ho (Sir George) was oonvincod that any attempt on the part of any Ministry to swamp tho Council would be rosonted not only by the Council itself, but also by the people, who ho believed wero in porfoot nooord with tho Connoil, and whom they rogardod as tho oonservers and safeguards of their rights. Last year Sir Froderiok Whitaker brought down a Bill vory similar to the one he had at proHont tho honour to introduce, viz., providing 1 for the shortening of the term of oiHoo and conferring tho eleotion of Speaker upon tho members of the Connoil itself. He hold that the fact that the Council was a nominativo one, and that they wero liable to bo swamped was a surety that it had the rospoot and confidenoo of the oonntry. A groat deal had been said of the elective Legislative Councils of Viotoria and South Australia, but ho conld assure the Connoil that tho Hon. Mr. Watorhonse had frequontly expressed to him tho opinion, aftor having experienced the workings of each system, that those of a nominativo Chamber were infinitely the better of tho two. Speaking of the Council electing their own Speaker, Sir George pointed put that the time may arrive when they might not havo anoh an impartial and admirable Speakor as they at present possessed, and thorefore he thought they should have the power of eleoting one of their nnmber to the honoured position. The Hon. tho ATTORNEY-GENERAL. in speaking to the motion, said that the Bill contained some small modicum of oonoession, and this being so it was his intention to vote for it. Tho Hon, R. PHARAZYN remarked that if ha thought the country was averse to hon. membors retaining their seats for life, he oo aid understand the reason for the introduction of the Bill. But the Hon. Sir George Whitmore had failed to show that there was any such desire expressed outside. Indeed, ho believed that tho country felt a feeling of security and an assurance that, by hon. membors holding their seats for life, tho various measures brought before the Council would rooeive the oalmest consideration. It should not be forgotten that tho dutios of tho Legislative Councillors wore frequently of a judioial oharaoter, and it was acknowledged that in the case of Judges, &a, their appointments shonld be for life, and to in his opinion should it bo with Councillors. The proposal that members should retain their seats for 10 years was, as a matter of faot, praotioally tho same as the system at present in voguo, because members, by reason of death or resignation, were constantly being removed, and in 10 years hence tho Legislative Council would practically bo a new Chamber of members. The hon. gentleman concluded by intimating his intention of voting against the second reading. On the motion of the Hon. Dr. POLLEN, the debate was adjonrned to next Tuesday, and tho Counoil, at 4.25 p.m., adjourned to the following day. BOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Ybstebdai's Aftxbnoon Sitting. THX FINANCIAL DBBATfI. Rosuming the debate on the Financial Statement, and the motion to go into Committoo of Supply, Mr. BRUCE avowed that though & Government Bupportor he would not attempt speoially to defend Ministers from the attaoka of the Opposition, though be questioned whether that attack was a fair one. He thought tho exodus of population had been exaggerated, and that in any case it was due to economic conditions beyond the oontrol of the Government, who could do nothing to prevent it beyond making the land laws more liberal, as they were trying to do. Though opposed to borrowing, he could aoospt the proposal of the Government as to tho roading of Crown lands, but considered that the burden of making arterial roads should bo thrown upon districts. Remembering tho extravagance of the Stout-Vogel Government, he was utterly astonished at Mr. Ballanoe demanding retrenchment, and he also considered the request for a dissolution a more bogns ory got up by the Opposition. Ministers were entitled to great credit for having rehabilitated the oredit of the colony, aud he looked forward with confidence to the verdict of the country. Mr. BDXTON ascribed the exodus to the want of small farms on whioh people could settle, in distriots whore they could' also get othor employment. He expressed approval of tha administration of the Railway Commissioners, but hoped for still more satisfactory management, and he considered the property tax the fairest that oould be levied. Though he did not care whether the Government stood or fell, he hoped Bnpplies would only be granted for a very short term. Mr. DUNCAN dealt with the land polioy of tho Government in an adverse tor.c at groat length, and doubted the correotnevs of the statement of tho Minister of Lands that dnmmyism scarcely existed at all. If that ■were so, vrhy wbo enquiry to toe made now, when the mischief was all done P He was satisfied that the Opposition would have a majority in the noxt House, so far as the South Island was concerned at any rate. Mr. MENTEATH having made several allusions to the remarks of previous speakers, dilated upon the evils of party government, and olaimed it was the middle party who had restrained borrowing for tbe last three years, and held the balance of power. Tho debate was interrupted by the 5 30 p.m. adjournment. Evjnino Sittino. Mr. MENTEATH oontinued his speech largely on tho lines of his last address to the To Aro eleotors, pointing out the difficulties undor which the waste lands aro settled, and protesting against any great expense being incurred in that direotion. In a passing raferenoe to the position of the froetrade party, be said that they had simply supported the side which went nearest in the direotion of their views, and had not allowed the Opposition to make use of them in the effort to oust the Government. Retrenchment, he believed, oould yet be carried further, but not so far as the oonntry supposed. The real blame for failure to retrench drastically rested not with the Administration, but with the House, for its readiness to continue tha subsidy system. As to the phargo against tho Colonial Treasurer of having raised the last loan for tho benefit of the Bank of Now Zoaland, he oould concoive it to bo powiblo that the Treasurer recognised that the interests of the colony were groatly bound up with those of the Bank, and might therefore havo takon tho step whioh ho saw would put largo sums of money into oiroulation. In so doing he might have aotod purely for tho good of the oolony, and not that of the Bank. If the peoplo of New Zealand would only dopend upon their own enterprise and energy, instead of looking to politicians for remedies for thoir ills, he had no fear as to thoir future. Sir JOHN HALL warmly advocated tho sending of delegates from New Zealand to the coming Federal Conference, seeing that various subjeots of interest to tbe colony woro to be disoussed, such as fiscal polioy, postal and telegrapbio communication, and naval defence, and that we were offered a voice in framing the constitution of the proposed new Dominion. H e quite agreed with the Opposition speakers that both sidas of the House should be represented, but he deprooated Mr. Hntohison's idea of depending upon the Mother Country for protection as being mean in the extreme. Coming to thn Financial Statement, he was not satisfied with the provision proposed for native land purpose?, as ho doubted wbotbor it would loftvo a sufficient margin for tho acquirement of land. He preforred the scheme for the roading of Crown lands to any direot loan for the purpose, which oould only lead to a general nor amble. The depression did not affect the large produoing industries, and altogether it was not of an alarming extent, or likely to be permanent. From bis own experienoo he knew that the numborof unemployed had greatly decreased, oven within the last year, and the general o >n (lit ion of tho peoplo was much improved. As to the Government preventing the exoduß of population by bettar facilities for land settlement, he claimed that plenty of such lu>d was now available. Applauding Mr. Biohardson's land administration, he argued that tho present perpetual lease system was really a conditional purchase, and that the old perpetual lease plan was killed by the people themselves refusing to have anything to do with it. pealing with retrenchment, he called upon its advocates to point out what conveniences t toy were prepared to sacriiioe, and wart ed tho House to be careful that it did not go so Ik as to cripplo industry. The hon. gsntleman also threw out a snggostion that a largo •ommittee should be appointed to ascertain where savings could be effected. Concluding, ho praised the ability shown in the Financial statement; olaimed for the present Government oredit for having reduoed eipenditure, restored the credit of the oolony, and extended land settlement, and predicted that they might antioipate a triumphant endowegent by the electors of tho vordict of tho House. (Cheers ) Dr. NEWMAN oontraslod the present tf ovornmont with its predecessors, and said

the party to which he belonged though il might insist on a change in tho personnel of tho Ministry, would novor help to put Mr. Ballanco into power. Until Sir Harry Atkinson took office tho colony had seen for years only the wildest extravaganoe and a series of deficits, bnt Sir Harry Atkinson, though his taxation waa somotimea cruel had not only been triumphantly successful in hiß finance, bnt had been able to pay off .£128,000 of his predo«flßsor'B deficit, restore the credit of the colony, and produce a small but genuine Rurpluß He approved the idea of appointing a committee to deal with retrenchment, but said that 08 to tho prosont proposals of the Bkinflintß| it was well known the Treasurer waf eoir.g to hove his own way. Deprecating tt.o doleful tone in which some m< inhere, especially those from Auckland, viewed the affairs of the colony, he turned with relipf to cheerful language of the Financial Statement, whioh quite supported his own theory for the improvement of position, namely, that the aolony should produce more. One of the best means of furthering thia idea would be to rapidly and extensively acquire and open up tho fine land in the interior of the North Island. The Government could raiae moneys with wbioh to road their Crown lands if they would only oonvert their deferred payment rights into first-class mortgages, and sell them to, say, the Government Insurance Department. In this way they would ease the drain on the consolidated fund and be able to do away with the primage duty. Ho bolieved the condition of the colony to he sounder than ever before, and urged the Government to carry on an aotive colonising polioy, beoanse the people undoubtedly felt the lift of a groat instinct shouting " Forwards." Sir G. GREY alluded to Sir John Hall aa tho author of tho great land acquisition polioy, and stated tbat in hia youth that gentleman had mopped up large areas of land by means of regulations which were porfeotly dishonest. Yet he and his follow^ did not think of giving up any of thoir nnearned increment to rohove prevailing depression. When there was a tax upon the unearned increment an enduring prosperity would set in . Perpetual rent, he argued , waa the very befit tenure that could be devised. The duty of tho Hoaso was to insist upon immediately going to the country, in order that people might exercise the new elootoral privileges. If thiß wero done he wascertain that great reductions would be made in some respects and proper impositions of taxation on othors That was why Ministers so much dreaded going to the country. An adjournment was made for supper, but on resuming the debate was, on Mr. O'Conor's motion, adjourned till next day.