THE FINANCIAL DEBATE.

Evening Star, Issue 12258, 27 July 1904, Page 4

THE FINANCIAL DEBATE.

[Proh OtJR Parmamkntaey REI'ORTEr. ] WELLINGTON, July 27. Tho Financial Dabate was resumed at 10.50 a.hi. by Mr Smith, who continued tho speech in which he was interrupted last evening by tho Adjournment. He condemned tho high price charged for coal, and complained of the administration of the Old Ago Pon i ions Department. Mr Jkdford, Mho followed, said that the Government had claims on posterity as the nvortcr of industrial strife, as a protest against a muddling land policy, an"d above nil as a Mi listry of the most perfect professions and rhe most unimpeachable practice. It was absurd for them to talk of practising strict economy while proposing tho institution of parliamentary undersecretaries for ornamental Ministers, and 'he repeating of the extravagances of tho ducal visit by inviting Lord Roberts to come to tho colony. How coulfl the House believe tho Premier's professions of economy in view of the vote of £15,000 last session to the Queen's Memorial, £6OO for the illuminations for the Governor's arlival, tho Wasteful expenditure on publications such as 'Maori Lure,' and the past expenditure on ornamental public buildings. There were in the House men who ought to h;tve been on the Trea.suiy benches years ago !f the Premier hud looked after the interests of the colony instead of his own luSt for- individual power. In this connection he objected to the. expenditure of an extra thousand a. year for rewarding these men, so that they might do. the work of most incapable Ministers. He also objected to the creation of a High Commissioner, holding that the most valuable adjunct of the Agent-General's Department should be a commercial head with a complete knowledge of the colony's requirements. During the past ten'years over a million pounds had lieen received from the sale of Crown lands, which Was a strong reflection on the liberal-progressive land policy of the Government. The proceeds of these land sales were brought in to swell the revenue and to swell the. surplus, which was largely, if not whollv, manufactured. Though tho Governnrcnt made a, pretence of doing a great deal for education, and promised increased expenditure thercoiv the fact must not be overlooked that tho universities were starved, technical classes wore not receiving sufficient attention, and the public school system was being deprived of its mala tcacheis owing to the insufficient pay given thein for sen-ices rendered. The' Otarr o University wanted £15.000 to place it on a sound financial posit : on. Last year wo sent £15.000 for expenditure on a monument in London if that money had only been spent in a true patriotic war, and for the proper development'of the'people, a lasting benefit would have been done. He urged that, as in American cities, kindergartens should be attached to all larw schools, and that annual examinations in public schools should 1,? abolished. Inspectorial examinations did not give a tme test of a scholar's right to promotion. Messrs Baume and Arnold pointed out that, except m the Sixth Standard, inspectorial examinations were already abandoned Mr Bedford went on to advocate the establishment of teachers' reading; circles such as existed in America, These circles were vohmtaiy associations, and books were selected with a view to keeping teachers abreast of the times. Tho new ideas of the American educational system-were helping her to achieve a high commercial position. In both America and Canada strenuous efforts were being made to give technical education to farming clasps and more thorough instruction at the rural sehoo'.s in agnenltuial science, thus stemming the'flow of young mm into the cities. Neither Freetrade nor Protection hud so s-trong a bearing on New Zealand's future progress as the physical and intellect mil development of ihe people. Our resources must be developed. The Cliilin? district ought to be opened. :c> that timber would be cheap in Duncdiii; the railway from Lawrence to Roxburgh also wanted to be completed, so is to give the people of Dunedin cheap fruit ; and the Central line ought to be opened to the inter'or for irrigation purjwscs. The necessity for similar connections existed in other parts of the colouv. He believed that the people as a who'le would submit to increased taxation rather Ihv.n to a reduced public expenditure, provided that the money co raised was earmarked for specific railways and bridges. Mr Mundcr hostilely criticised Ire Budget, and charged the Government with a. departure from Mr Bailance's self-reliant policy.