HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 6, 7 December 1877, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WEHWNafON' H ®ißoember 4 Grey movt-d the second rerdiing of theFwnciial Arrangements Bill.. He ex-i plained 1 ids operation to be to equalise the exp&B/Jiture and income as far an post, siblo. by,, making the L/ind Fund Colonial Eevenue. H)e pointed out the ad'anagetyof this> Twenty ( per cent wouW be saved for local purposes. Nest year steps would betaken to, secure better. Tins per cen-.. tage should be devoted to opening up the. aoujitry. For the present it was thought desirable to distribute it wiithout restriction. Even taking the- L(iud F/und i,Uo Kexenue would at the end of i,he year abo\7 a deficit of £138^000. Taking as correct the estimate of tbo lato Ministry this deficit they hoped to be able to reduce or extinguish by savings in ex* QU,d.ii«Je and similar ways,. '

Atkinson demanded from the Govern* ment a clear and plain balance sheet of the estimated revenue and expenditure for the next six months. He contended theFe waiß really a deficit rof £138,000, and no means whatever were proposed foi* meeting it. Supplementary estimates and provincial liabilities would actually increase the deficit £80,000. This was the way the equilibrium between the revenue and expenditure was to be restored! Although not opposing taking; the Land Fund for the use of the colony, he critised the details of the Bill adrcrsly. Bees replied to Atkinson's figures, and supported the Ministerial proposal. Bowen opposed the seigure of the Land Revenue, and tho proposal to sell laud by auction at a uniform price. Gisborne supported tho Bill recom* mending some alterations iv the details. Douglas opposed raising land to a uniform price as it would stop all sales in many districts. Gibbs agreed with Douglas, and protested against tho price of land. He would support the land being classified, and as this already been done in South* land ifc should be exceptod from the uniform price. He generally supported the Bill. [ Hurtehouse opposed raising the price j ofland, but approved of oalonialising the Land Fund, He would not even leave the 20 per cent, Murray supported the Government proposals. Bectham thought oolonialising theLnnd Fund was only an act of justice to the North, The 90 per ceut shouldalso be taken. Jobnstone supported the Bill generally. He objected to borrow more than two millions. He opposed raising the price of land, Stevens opposed the proposals as most unjust to Canterbury. Taxation extending over the whale* 5 colony would have been a fairer way of meeting the difficulty than robbing Canterbury. Montgomery opposed the Bill, he did not consider the proposals fair or the ar« rangements likely to be permanent, He urged taxation and discontinuance- of sub« sidies to looal bodies, He would not support more than two million loan. Wason strongly opposed the Bill. Ho moved that the second reading of the Bill be that day six months. Eolleston thought tho Government polioy treacherous and illusory. ' Ormond condemned the general policy. Government supported taking the Irtml Fund, and would for tke sessiou support the Mini t"y, because ho was sure ifc wouid get the Colony into a ereat moss befcre next session. He would not support more than two million loan. He opposed raising land, Stout replied to -the carping pnKry criticisms an. jvhieh had wasted the niglit. He supported the Bill. After a few words from Reid, the amendment vvaa lost by 45 to 14. The Bill was read a second time by 41 13, and the House rose at 1.3 a. New Bills introduced : Hating Act Amendment Act» and County Aot Amondment Act (Sbeehau). The House wont into committee on Waste Lands Sales Bill. Lumsdeu move 4 the oiaission of tho words in the clause for raising the price of land by free selection to £2 per acre. After a long discussion an aj&endmeat by Stout giving the Governor power to proclaim as open fov free selection at £1 per acre, land previously offered, a.t auc* ■ tion but not sold was agreed to. A new clause by Montgomery to abolish the Homestead system in Auck* land and Wetland, was lost by 3:1 to 6. December 6, Tue following schedule to the Loan. | Bill was agreed to :— Public Works an^ Immigration, one- million four hundred thousand* Provincial liabilities three hundred thousand. Bedeemiag guaran<* tc<vl debentures, eight hundred thousand, toi'al two. and a half millions} In reply to BarfF, Macandrew safd GoVKntnent agreed that the building known ax Government House. Hokitvka, and reserve* be devoted to the use of the people of Hjoliitika as a public library and m *cum. Enq,uisies would be made to Co, ry this ou,t.. I Sheehant ia, reply said that a -sum wou'," be placed on th?- Supplementary E*fimaie s to make- mesabeis" honorarium £§00 for last session, instead of £150 for session of ordinary length.