EVENING SITTING.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 10070, 10 August 1895, Page 4

EVENING SITTING.

The Honse resumed at 7.30. DEBATE CONTINUED.

Mr Buick, continuing bis remarks, said

he should not support a single item of increase of duty on goods used by the working classes till ho waa convinced that all reasonable reductions in public expenditure had been made. Captain Rnssell Bald the Premier's speech in the Badget debate was not a defence of the Badget or of Mb policy, but a long dissertation ou ancient history and an endeavor to show that the borrowing policy of the StoutYogel Government, whom he had supported, was greater than that of bis own Government. Tha Premier had led tho House to believe that tho actual increase to the public debt during his term of office was only £1,500,000, whereas returns laid on the table showed that the actual increase was £2,291,109, and this amcunt by no means showed all the liabilities incurred by the Government). The Premier altogether forgot lo tell the House of the liability of £2,000,000 inenrred for the Bank of New Zealand. It might be argued that that was no borrowing, but it was a promissory note which might have to bo met some day, although be hoped that day wna a long way off. There was also a liability of £1,500 000 forad vances to settlers. He asserted thct tho gross liabilities incurred by tho Government) since they took office was actually £6,541,109. As to the tariff, nearly every member on the

Government side of the House had spoken agaioet) Mr Ward's proposals, The Budget was both long lind dreary, and contained no reliable Information on any subject. Mr Pirani had referred to the great progress of the colony for the past three years, bnt that progress had been hackwards. Both the Customs and railway revenne had considerably decieised. Next year's surplus was to ba made np by imposing £10,000 on the necessaries of life and getting £20,000 from the widows of the colony. He asserted that the finance of the Government had completely broken down, and if it were not for the two items ho had mentioned, the predictions of the Opposition that She Government were galloping to a deficit would have been completely fulfilled. As to banking lef-talation, he warned the Government that they would not be allowed to force any Banking Bill throngb the Honse this session without giving the fullest information about the matter. The Opposition were determined tn take ft firm stand on this poiufc. The Government had boasted that they were instrumental in lowering the rates Of interest, bat be bad seen advertisements ie Australian papers that hundreds of thousands of ponnds could be got there tor 4 per cent on good security. The amount of trade with Sonth Australia and Canada did not warrant the proposed treaties. As to the tarrlff no attempt had been made to remit the duties on the ntccseariea of life, and he asked why the Treaenrer had not pnt an extra penuy on New Zoiland beer, and so get a revenue of £20,000. He should not now propose any anieudment, bnt would on a future date propose the following resolution :— "Thnt the Colonial Treaenrer lfe requested to withdraw the proposed, alterations of Customs duties on the grounds that by them no simplification of the tariff is eff'cted, fow existing anomalies ere abolished, no appreciable relief is granted to anybody, fthtie extra hardens i.ie imputed npon many, and the otlmated increase of revenue (viz , £10,300) is not commenpurato *i<li the pener^l disarrnngeiuei.t of rrnde which will ensue." Thic would give the House n fair opportunity nf dißcunii g thu whole question, and he would move tho retolu tion la no spirit of antagonism to the Government. j Mr J. M'Kenzlesaid the leader of tho Opposition hnd sbnwn nothing to prove that if be were in ofßce the colony would be any better off, Tho Premier had be?n accused of going into ancient history, but tho Government wore not nfraid of nncient history. He thought Captain Russell had shown questionable taste in dragging in the Bank of New Zealand, but he asked who it was who had caured tho bink to bo in its present condition ? Certainly it was not the Liberal party. Tho Government had ante;] l»?t yesr ia this matter to prevent ii crisis, find hid been supported by tliu leader of tbo Opposition. As to l'.,t> Advances to Settlers Act ho reminded the Honse that £1,000,000 of thit mom y wi>s lying in London yet. Looking it the low price of produce he thought ■ ihc (iovernmeot wern to be cnngrninl urrt i;n tho position of the colony, especially c i.cHoring the state of other colonies, "'i.e. Government hnd never claimed to be <i von blowing Government, but had contended they h«d not borrowed in ilw s.ime way as It had gone on In the pusn. fho Government had plonty to show for the money they had borrowed, and if the Opposition thonghb differently let them

go to their constituents and they v ivilil ppb what their verdict wou'd h:>. lie ik!" ided hi*, land settlement policy it inwa Ibugth, nnd hoßskcd howseltHmP'.v conl.l go ou ui.|ps<i there was money 'o carry It on with. X.ie Gvor»:ment had spent on roads and bridges si- •.■- they hod boon in nifhc— £so6,66s, oud it mattered i.ot to him whether v member was of the ri^ht color or not, so long as the nec<sisities of bin district icqnired a voto. I 1 was tru.;r colonisation to open up roads than to make railways. The Government) were actiug strictly within the law iv tlu'ir de/ilinr>B with tho sinking fund. Several of the railways undor construction in the colony had been assisted by tu'.-.ar.* nf the fluking f nail. The Cheviot purchase had been innde with horrowr-d nnwey nnd ha ventured to sny them wm not a sounder balance-sheet in the colony than wm preheated by Clievio'. Hn quoted figures to bhow to what extent thti Government bad f.ssisted the auwll settlers of the colony. If the present Opp'>-Hio;.' got on the Treasury bmichea a uuro lrinn would be floitcd. Ha contended the Governmenr had done f*ooi work lor the ramify they luu! borrowed, nnd it w.s ridicu.'ouß to talk of no borrowing whon Bolnulsntion Imi been eoiug on soiupidly. Mr Fraper adversr-'v criticised the Budget, tie said the Opposition did not 1 n'tngetiier eomplaio of :ia lrceasn of debt or the way in which borrowi-d money wns spout, but they ot,jrfettd to the «.»«r---'ioiM of tSi-a Government that tho debt had nor been increased and r,o money been borrowed. He rrferred to thf 1 exception^ soverl'y of the wiuter in tho and expreseed the opinion that the Treasurer hud not made sufficient allowance for this emergency. Mm; 1 or tho ruuholders would bi; nnable'to pay their r-ile^ co severe had been their lo=sua through the weather'

Mr Montgomery generally approved of the Government policy as disclosed In the St-il'-ninnl), and gave the Government) crpilit fur being pelf reliant. Tim ('phitH w.s adj 'lirnel on the Dint inn nf Mr Millar,

Tho lloii^o rose at 12,10,