TELEGRAMS

Grey River Argus, 11 July 1913, Page 5

TELEGRAMS

ture going- on* When,; the; Budget came down members -would , see what had been done in the direction of. checking that expenditure.- . ".-.'■ The debate oh ; tfie w\ddress-in-Reply was .vcontinued. Mr^. H. 'Bradney (Auckland, West) regretted -that tihe- "Government had continued their predecessors / policy! The workers house system was absurd and wasteful. He advocated annuities on the insurance principal ', and favored a loan for railway construction; only He,;expressed continued confidence in the Massey, Government. .' Mr J. Graigie (Timaru) favored an elective executive, amd suggested the appointment of Mr G. MT Thomson (Dunedin North) as Minister of Education, to: allay th~e widespread discontent amongst the teachers. He de-. nounced the gramting of freehold; and favored closer 'settlement. . He moved an amendment favoring the -imposition of-; a 'graduated and ever increasing- land tax for the purpose of providing land for settlement. The Hon. J. 1 Allen said that the Government would accept the amendment as a party .one. Mr G. W. Russell (Avon) explained .that Mr Craigie had not consulted the Opposition amd was acting" entirely <on his own behalf. ■ . When the House ; res-eumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr J. Craigie (Timaru) asked the permission of the House to add the word "graduated" to his amendment, so 2is to make it read "ever increasing- graduated land tax." • Hon. Alien objected, and the - amen ment remained as previously stated. The amendment was seconded by Mr T. K. Sidey Dunedin South). Mr H. M. Campbell (Hawkes Bay) dealt with Jand matters. He contended that the Graduated Land Tax had gone up to ,£BO,OOO .annually. 'He thought beer should be • taxed to.the extent of two pence -per gallon. If the tax were public the outcome would be a State brewery. He thought also that the Government should appoint inspectors to test the quality of the liquors sold in hotel's 1 . . He criticised the educational system, and urged a wholesale investigation .into' the .whole matter. _ . ; -.. Mr A. S. Malcolm (Cutha) intimated that he desired ■ to . touch/ upon -matters relative to the Bank of New Zealand and the State. He appeared as neither counsel for the bank nor the State. He then proceeded tq^give a review of the history if the bank. Of the whole capital „ subscribed durinfff: sixteen years only 1-.16. per cent, had beieni caned.. ( ,q57,046 . had been written off also .£770,166-0 fthe reserve fund's. He contended that before, any alteration was made in the -constitution of the bank the amounts written off should be •on again. Because the bank was '■ now making money greedy eyes were cast upon. it. . The bank had kept' every one of the obligations* imposed upon .it ..by the Slate. In ,1903 the ; State said : -You are making more money than we "thought you; would so ' forthwith legisla tion was introduced and advanced to;the ..bank .on condition thaC the State got the balance of votingpower on the directorate, and $he share holders were always outvoted. ;As a consequence : Mr Jßeauchamp's present :, proposals were undoubtedly to the de-' triment of the shareholders.; Cries of, No! Mr Malcolm, continuing said* that it could not burn the defence candle at both ends. They must remember; military defence was costing- a large sum and naval defence could not be undertaken except at an enormous increase of that expenditure.- .He advocated replies entation on the Imperial Federation Committee. .; '.■■'_ ■'.'■'. '/ Mr J. Robertson : (Otaki) followed. Replying to the statements made by' the Hon. A. L. Herdman regarding the alleged .breaches of the law at.Waihi, he urged; that the circumstances demanded anenquiy. ; Mr G. Witty (Riccarton) disclaimed the Opposition's connection with Mr Craigie's amendment, which was entirely owing- to the Government's dis- ; courtesy in not permitting- him to amend. It did not accurately represent what he meant. The Opposition, was in favor of increasing- the graduation Tax, but not of "ever increasing the land tax" which might -■ be construed to mean increased taxation on/ the small farmers; . j. , Mr : A. H. Himdmarsh Welli^gtoin/ South) criticised ; the policy of the Government in advertising land in an inaccessable position. Why did they' not break up the. large estates ? ; The Premier dare notr put • on. a tax enough to do so. It would be turned down .l by _ the party if he did. He demanded an enquiry into the proceedings at Waihi. He • criticised the Premier's action in treating- an amendment on. the land question as ; awantibf. confidence motion. Would he treat "a motion on the "defence or liquor traffic in the same way? He thought not- If a member of the Government party voted in favor of the amendment he would be asked to leave the party. Mr G. W. Russel (Avon) said^hat the Opposition had entire sympathy with the policy of stopping- aggregation, but the present- amendment was not officially recognised by them, because in the pesent- form it did not represent the views of their party. Mr W. D. S. Mac Donald (Bay 'of Plenty deprecated the Government treating- an amendment not recognised by the- Opposition as a direct challenge. Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt)' stated that Mr Craigie moved tKe amendment honestly but mistakenly as to its effect. If any member supported it 'he was voting to put a- tax on small hold - ing as well as the large ones. That was not what the move intended. He suggested that he be allowed 10 withdraw his amendment. On the question being- put the amenrf ment was' lost on the voices and the debate adjourned on the motion "oF Mr W. Nosworthy (Ashburton). 1 The House rose at 11. 5 p.m.