POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 9501, 25 September 1894, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[if&tfM Otffe PABLIASIiiNTAftY RiiPOitTEB.J

WELLINGTON, SsraitHiixil &. .; Til* i!Mai\ ftfßiiey Scheme. The Government Advances to Settlers Bill came on for consideration in committee of the House last night. The first fourteen clauses were rapidly rushed through, the only alteration made being in clause 7, where the Governor-in-Council instead of the Colonial Treasurer was given power to appoint officers. On clause 1(f there was considerable discussion as to the constitution of the general board.—Captain Russell objected to the inclusion of the Public Trustee and the Government Insurance Commissioner, contending that their interests were divergent to those of this hew lending department.— The Treasurer said that these officers would be useful on the board for. the very reason that they would be able to advise the board of any scOiiritie'ES tvhitth had been rejected by the Public Trust and Government Insurance Offices, if such were offered. His experience of those gentlemen was that they were very safe and able adiiiinistratorsi—Captain Russell contended that the Public Trustee and the Government Insurance Commissioner, the riurthe Solicitor-General, and the Commissioner of Tafces had already sufficient to do. They should have an independent and responsible board* Sir R. Stout supported the Bill fts it stdod. If tlley. had itieh with high salaries, on the bdard they woiild have great difficulty in ever stopping borrowing, whereas if the board were composed entirely of Civil servants, as proposed, there would be some probability of stopping it within three years. —A division took place on the tfuestion of striking 6u,t the Public Trustee froril the con, stitiition of the board; but the words were retained by 45 votes to 6.

Clauses 15 and 16 were, then passed nn amended.

On clause 17 Mr Crowther moved to raise the quorum at the board's meetings from three to four.-'Captain Russell pointed out that three men who, from their positions irk life; could know nothing of the value of properties were given the power to override the advice of the district board and valuers, who were fully acquainted with the securities.—The Treasurer agreed to alter the number of members constituting a quorum to four, and this amendment was made. When clause 21 was reached, with a view to economising expenditure, Mr Meredith moved tint the district boards shall consist of the waste lands boards, the members of which would have a good knowledge of the valUe of land. The Treasurer opposed the suggestion, saying that waste land lbard meeting once a week would never do.—Sir Robert Stout considered that the land board would be the best board which could be selected.— Mr Rusaell (Riccarton) threw out a suggestion that no member of Parliament should be allowed to sit on the boar J. The Treasurer seemed to approve of this, which brought from Dr Newman the further suggestion that all candidates for Parliament should be likewise disqualified, as they would be able to bribe the constituencies with cheap money.—Mr Mackintosh failed to see the necessity for district boards so long as they had thoroughly reliable State valuers. —Mr Meredith's proposal was negatived on the voices.—Sir R. Stout then moved to confine theoonstitution of the district boards to Government officers. If other persons wereappointed the door would be leftopen to political patronage.—The Treasurer said that the intention was to select Government officers where they had the necessary qualifications and were available.—Mr Thompson urged the Treasurer to accept the amendment, saying that there was no district in the colony where Government officers were not obtainable.—ln answer to a question, Mr Ward said that if an outsider were appointed he would not receive the Balaryj but a small fee for his attendance.—The amendment was negatived by 30 to 24. —Mr (Riccarton) Russell wanted to amend the clause by irfaking members of either branch of the Legislature ineligible to sit on the district boards, which proposal elicited from Caversham's representative the remark : " An insult."—Sir R. Stout contended that refusing to restrict the boards to Government officers would mean political patronage. He should support this amendment in the hope of getting it carried, so that the clause would require to be recast. —The amendment was negatived by 33 to 19, and the clause as printed was passed.— With a view to giving the town folk as well as country people a chance of getting some of the money to be advanced, Mr Earnshaw moved to insert " or other property" after the word " land " in clause 21.—Sir R. Stout saw no reason why machinery should not have some claims for consideration, while Captain Russell humorously put in a plea for racehorses, pointing out that their value increased after winning a rich stake.—The Treasurer said that if the intention were to kill the Bill, the Committee should accept this amendment. The Bill was introduced primarily for the purpose of assisting the producers in the country, while the class of securities which was covered by the amendment would make the whole system of advances very dangerous indeed.—Mr Earnshaw admitted his hostility to the Bill; but, recognising that the majority of the House were determined to support the Government, he wished to give his constituents an opportunity of participating in the benefits of the scheme. If manufacturers could get advances under this cheap money scheme there would be no necessity for a revision of the tariff in their interest. Mr Carncross suggested that the Bill should have its title altered so as to prescribe (as the Victorian Act does) that it shall be confined to farmers, pastoralists, graziers, and agriculturists. The carrying of Mr Earnshaw's amendment would mean giving a death-blow to the Bill. The country members protested against the scope of the Bill being enlarged, and claimed that settlers only were entitled to advances under the Bill.—Mr Mackintosh, amid approving cheers, contended that the only question submitted to the electors at the General Election was cheap money for the farmers, and not cheap money for the manufacturers. The battle now raged over a question of town v. country.—Sir R. Stout suggested that the scope of the Bill .should be extended so as to make a State pawnshop, which had been successfully tried in some foreign countries. —At 10.25 p.m. the Treasurer moved to report progress with leave to sit again "presently," which he explained, in answer to Sir R. Stout, to mean that the Bill might be taken up again before the House rose. His object in wishing to report progress was to enable the Minister of Lands to go on with the Lands Improvement and Native Lands Acquisition Bill after the adjournment.—The motion to report progress was put, the word " presently," however, being dropped, and carried by 26 to 14. Acquisition of Native Liiiklh. The Committee then took up the Lands Improvement and Native Lands Acquisition Bill. Mr Earnshaw moved to add the word " Crown" to the title, making it the "Crown" Lands Improvement, etc., a proposition which was strongly supported by Sir R. Stout, Mr Bell, and others, on the f round that the scope of the measure should e confined to the opening up of lands for settlement and not the opening up of settled lands.—The Minister of Lands contended that the Government should have funds to give people who had bravely gone into the back country access to markets.—Mr Bell said that if the money were to be spent in improving settlers' properties, then there should be provision for a betterment tax.— Members representing the country districts strongly opposed the amendment.—Sir R. Stout said that the amendment was to preserve the outlying settlers, and was to prevent money being spent in Bettled districts. If the amendment were not carried it would be possible to spend every penny of it on the Taieri Plain. Members who had not a single acre of Crown lands in their district would get as much for roads as members representing outlying districts.—The Minister of Lands said he would have estimates framed of every penny to be spent on roads, and the House could reject any vote it considered unfair or unjust.—Over au hour's weary discussion took place, which culminated in the Hon. Mr M'Kenzie getting rather cross and severely lecturing Mr Bell, who replied that the Minister should reserve that kind of thing for his own followers.—This retort brought the Minister to his feet with a point of order. He complained that he had, been

Recused of vising unbecoming language* and H.ptjtialed ttt the Chairman to compel Mr Bell to withdraw.—(Cries, of " That Is not A point of order."}—Mr Bell protested that He had made nd aucii accllsatipb, ,and tlfttfr cob' Sideriiblb diactissioii.tta towhether there was any point of order the Chairman ruled that the expression used was riot one which could be regarded as out of order. —At iast Mr Earnshaw's ameudment was negatived on the voices, and the Committee got to Clause 4, where it was provided that the Minister may allow an association of working men (instead of " any person ".) to settle on Crown lands and to improve the same. In clause 5 it was provided that no area greater that 800 acres be granted to each association!

After the telegraph office closed a proviso to clause 18, moved by Sir R. Stout, to make the Interest on debentures 3t per cent, instead of 4 per cent., Was lost on the voices. Sir Robert then moved a new subsection to the clause* providing that no debentures should be sold at a price that would give more than 4 per cent, interest.—This was accepted by the Minister and agreed to. Various verbal amendments were made on the motion of the Minister of Lands, includ* ing a clause authorising the payment, out of moneys,to be borrowed for the purchase of Native lands of sums requited for reading the same.

Mr G. J. Smith moved a new clause providing that the lands purchased under this Bill and other Native lands purchased should be only disposed of, under the lease in perpetuity, with a revaluation every twentyone years; the improvements made by the tenant being excluded. —The Minister of Lands opposed the .clause, saying that it was iiot fair to apply this matter to small people only. If the House were strong enough to effect, this change it should be done in the whole land law ofsthe colony.— Sir R. Stout said that this would not specially apply to small people, but to large and small alike, as it was proposed to apply the principle to all Native lands purchased. —Mr o'Regan said that no proper valuation could be unfair.—The motion was lost by 24 to 13.

Mr Allen moved a hew clause to repeal the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act. This Bill permitted the borrowing of £250,000 for practically the same purposes for which the Loans to Local Bodies Act now provided £50,000 a year. The indebtedness of the colony was being increased to an extraordinary extent.—The Minister of Lands could not accept the amendment. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill provided that the money could only be applied to special blocks, and all they were able to spend, under it last year was £3o,ooo.—Sir R. Stout said that £150,560 was" now authorised under the Loans to Local Bodies Act, of which £83,000 was still unspent. The Minister was mistaken.—The clause was lost by 31 to 7.

The Bill was then (3.25 a.m.) reported with amendments, and the House rose.

flic Municipal Franchise.

The Works Committee of the Wellington City Council have agreed to recommend that the Wellington members be asked to oppose clause 04 of the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill, which provides that no burgess shall have more than one vote whatever the value of his property may be.