THE FINANCIAL DEBATE

Evening Star, Issue 11642, 31 August 1901, Page 6

THE FINANCIAL DEBATE

ANOTHER CANDID FRIEND. [Fbox Oox Pakliamentaet Rkpobtxb.] WELLINGTON, August 31. A beggarly array of empty benches was presented to the House yesterday afternoon when the debate on the Financial Statement was advanced a stage. It was continned by Mr Meredith, who expressed regret at the absence of the Treasurer, and said he believed that such a circumstance was unparalleled in the history of the colony. If he found it necessary in the course of his speech to make some plain statements in the interests of his constituents, he assured the House that it would be no spirit of mere cavil. He declared that the spectacle of the occupants of the Treasury benches sitting silent under a succession of attacks from their own followers, as well as from the Opposition, was a proof that the colony was on the edge of a financial precipice—* statement that provoked a chorus of dissent. He declared that the colony was ruled by Royal Commissioners, and not by responsible government Reviewing the financial condition of the colony, he said that the total interest which the colony has to pay on public, local, and private loans amounted to £4,246,718 annually, without including interest on short-dated bills and on temporary loans by the departments (including overdrafts and accommodation). The total debt was £100,000,000, which, divided amongst the people, meant £125 for every person in the colony. He advocated the claims of the Midland Railway debenture-holders, urging the Government to deal with them with clean hands, otherwise the people might say: "Get you gone, and give place to honester men."—(Opposition cheers.) Whilst claiming that the people of New Zealand were loyal to the old flasr, as had been proved by the sending of 3,500 of our best manhood to South Africa, he condemned the heavy and unnecessary expenditure in defence, which showed an excess for the current year of £1,352,854. He deplored the spirit of Imperial Jingoism which had been brought on to the floor of the House. That broad-shouldered democrat the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon had now become the inflated Imperialist. Quoting figures, he said that Ministers' travelling expenses and allowances, with their private secretaries, had last year cost the country £20,268. One Minister had three secretaries and two understrappers; and if all the Ministers were equally provided for he pitied the poor taxpayer. Eight gentlemen on the Treasury benches were costing the country £20,268 a year, whilst the other sixty-six representatives of the people cost only £16,729. He condemned the Mortgage Tax, and advocated the extension of foreign trade. He had intended, though he had always been a consistent Government supporter, to move an amendment on' the motion to go into Committee of Supply, but his friend Mr Lattrenson had taken the wind out of his sails. He now desired the Speaker's ruling as to whether the following amendment was in order:—fThat the Estimates for the financial year 1901-02 be referred to the Government, with instructions to reduce the sum by £50,000." i The Deputy-Speaker (Mr H. Guinness) ruled that as one amendment had been, negatived Mr Meredith was debarred from moving another. Mr Hogg defended the Royal Commissions ' from charges of extravagance, and generally approved.the policy of the Seddon Ministry. He was proceeding to contrast the labor conditions now existing with those under previous Administrations, when Mr Arnold drew attention to the state of the House. The bell summoned a quorum, but the incident showed the rapidly waning interest in the debate. Resuming his speech the member for Masterton said that a good

deal _ had been said about the increase in the public debt, but it must be also borne in mind, he reminded hon. members, that the colony had been expanding in a way that was never known in a young country. In maintaining that the colony was in a pro* sperous condition, he pointed to the large increases in value of exports of wool, frozen meat, butter, and cheese. As to the Teachers' Salaries Commission, he believed that if the report were adopted the position of teachers and of education generally would be greatly improved. Mr Hanah' disclaimed any intention to criticise the financial, policy of the Government, mainly because there was not sufficient materials before them. He said that he had found that many of the calculations made by older members of the House had been found on careful investigation to be inaccurate and misleading to younger repre* sentatives. Whilst he admitted the expediency of thorough criticism of the finances, he regretted that last year members had been like dumb dogs. He advocated- harmony between town and country interests, the establishment of agricultural schools for teaching scientific knowledge, light railways, and the development of our mineral resources, as well as co-operation between local bodies in order to improve their financial position. He expressed approval of the policy of leasehold tenure, with securitv of compensation for improvements. He defended the Government from the charges of increased travelling expenses, and remarked that by moving about the colony thev got in touch with the requirements of the settlers.

Mr A. L. D. Fraser, referring to the Budget criticisms of Messrs Graham, G. W. Russell, and others, said that recent events had led him to discover another party in the _ House, which he christened the Ishmaelites. He quoted from one of Mr Graham's election speeches, in which he had defended the Government from the charge of having departed from the policy laid down by Mr Ballance, yet last evening the member for Nelson had charged the Government with this self-same thing. The name of John Ballance had been mentioned many in this debate, but he had been the most maligned man of his day, and had been driven to an early grave by the Opposition and Conservative Press. As far as he (the speaker) could judge, the greatest part of the abnormal expenses incurred during the last twelve months had not been disclosed, because he could not believe that the visits of the Imperial and Indian troops and the Royal party had only cost £5,200. Probably all the accounts had not yet come in. As indicative of the progress of the colony, he pointed to the fact that the average annual income had increased in the last seven years by £3 per bread-winner, whilst the incomes liable to taxation had more than doubled. The time had arrived when no more land should be purchased from the natives by the Government, and the Maori Land Administration Act of last session should be wiped off the Statute Book as being fll-conceived and improperly digested. Mr Fisher held that the Civil Service expenditure of the colony was sufficient for a country with two millions of a population and he thought the proposed increases in the Estimates were not justified. The Government ought to be content with the labor legislation already passed, and avoid a possible revulsion of feeling. It was unfair, he thought, to fan the flame of dissatisfaction growing up throughout the country, and counselled waiting until the labor questions had settled down and the feeling of irritation now springing up between the two classes had been allayed. The speaker went on to condemn some of the Royal Commissions—the Midland Railway and the Federation —which he thought were not needed, public opinion having pronounced on the issues before the Commissions were set up. He advised the Government to give heed to the frank advice of some of their most consistent supporters, who were actuated by patriotic motives. The Government were entitled to great credit for assuming their present attitude rather than act harshly. The Minister of Mines, whilst claiming no transcendental merits, said he did claim to be actuated by an honest desire to advance the welfare of the colony. He partially anticipated his Mines Statement, showing that the gold and silver output during the past six months had shown a great increase on the previous year, but had not goL through this part of his speech when the* Speaker summarily stopped him by pointing to the clock; and it being half-past ten of the night, the House adjourned till Tuesday forenoon.