HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 59, 24 August 1877, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

' I Wellington, Aqgust 3}. Replying to. questions, th,p. Ministers \ said tha,t Road Boards would be applied with, the. New Gazette. I The government are. making enquiries , regarding means of preventing illegitimate [ speculation on Native Lands till further ■ legislation on wholp subjects t^kes ■ place. r • The Supply ?Ul, No % for 1 was received by Goye.rnpr's message. B^r George, Grey, Reader ' Wood, Gjsbornej, Stafford, and, p.thers i objecte'4 to the Bill being pushed, through aH the stages notice. Major Atkinson regretted that he. bad 1 not given no.tice.. Mr Orß^ond said th^t the money wa» ' wanted to ma.e.t public works contracts. 1 The Bill passed all stages after amendment by Re,es, that tb^e third reading be postponed ti^l to«raorrow. Negatived on the voices. ' 3i^r Murrijf thought ticj\e had come when property, should be. taxed, and [ legerde.main with Treasury Bills , and land revenue cease. The deficiency 9A.uaed by railways, should be made up i by a tax on property, which had enormously benefited by. their construction. Moved thai the. wo.rd •.•.immediately" , be struck o^t of Grey's, amendment, and ! the words Mnext session '■' inserted in lieu . A. long discussion on, a, poin,t of order ensued. 1 ( Murray's amendment was ruled regular,. Mr Reid defended conduct; 0/ tbe Government, and u/ged a prudent, carejful, and, temperate consideration of the groat question which involved, in tlie proposals. He replied at length to the ' speeches of Stou,t, Macandrew, and Grey, and declaring the latter lamentably deficient in sound policy. • The, debate was ijhen interrupted. : August 2§.. The debate, on Qrej's motion w»s continued , Mr Woolcoclc supported the tax, but postponed, action, until next ses- ; sion. ; Mr Brandon opposed a Lnnd or Property tax, bu,fc supported an, Iccotne tax. Mr liUalc urged a revision p t f taxa" tion toadjus^the burdjeus m,oi;a fairly. The Oustoina. revenue, here, pressed more heavily, by one»third p,er head than in the n.eighboriag colonies. This preased heii^ily on tl^oso leasb able to i boar, it, and yeb sufficient revenue was not obtained. He condemned, the Gpvernineo,t propojal to seiz,e a, portion, of the Southern Land i!und, u^ider tbe pretence of refund. This, w.as a , miserable, and illegal policy. The Land revenue should be. used to, open up thp landq of the Colony for.settletnenb, and this should be t,be first , charge upon, it. Government; should declare more definitely what their proposals retaxatio^really meant. If the meaning was identical with^ Grey's, there was no need for;, further discussion. No political rest was possible till the burdens of- the people were satisfactorily adjusted, and tlj© question, of Native lands was settled. Th,e House divided on Murray's amendment on (jkey'a substituting " next session," fpr " imniediately." Eor the amendment there \y;ere 39,; ; against, 40. _ : Carey's amendment in the original for,tn was then negatived on. the voices. Mr S.tout in a long speech moved additional words to the effect " that the. Gpvernmenl; forfeit con'fidenpe of the House, if they did not i prepare ai},d. calculate before the end of the present session, The Bill was intended to,gjive e%ct to resolution next session. On th.js Montgomery replied to Staffpyd's critipism, on bja former $pe§ch f 1 Mr Macanjlre^. urged ( thp sending back the estimates to be reduced to the limits of the. revenue, ;■ Mv Rees sppke as, to, genera) policy ; of ministers. Mr Burns of any change in lpcatipn likejy to injuriously, affect local i^ duatrieg, Mr Fitzrojj said, that, Sou.th, sooner gjve up, taxation, andurgpd the general • system of free, selection, at sufficient price according, to, the. Canterbury system, Sir George Grey urged, that thp Go--1 vernmenfc read the. first representation on fair bases, and imraedjately appeal to the country. Mr Stouts amendment w;as negatived on the voices. Mr Pyke moved insertion, of Y^ords " and income" in the resolution. The Government accepted this. Debate the,n adjourned. The House rose at 12.5, a.m,