HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 144, 16 June 1909, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 11.30 a.m. LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES. On a motion by the Prime Minister that returns showing loans to local ! bodies lie on the table, a discussion arose on the general question. Sir Joseph WARD said that he recognised the importance of the question, and when in London he would try to arrange for loans to local bodies at a low rate of interest, but he could do nothing now. TO GO INTO HANSARD. On the motion of the Prime Minister, it was agreed that the report of the informal meeting of Parliament be added to Hansard. * THE FINANCE BILL. Mr MASSEY asked the Speaker for a ruling on the point as to whether the Finance Bill introduced by the Prime Minister last night was an Appropriation Bill. • The SPEAKER ruled that the Bill was in order. Mr MASSEY said that there were certain proposals in the Finance Bill to which he strongly objected, and would oppose when the Bill entered the Committee stage. In addition to the million and a quarter mentioned in the first part of the Bill £75,000 was proposed to be raised. This meant increasing the debt by £1,400,000. The House had not had sufficient information regarding the financial proposals. He objected to extending the appropriation till the 14th October. The House was given to understand that it- would meet again in September. The proper thing to do was to bring down an Imprest Bill when the House met again. It was proposed to extend the unauthorised expenditure to £200,000. Regarding clause 8, he interpreted it to mean that the Government were empowered to start roads and bridges without the authority of Parliament. The Bill would take a week to consider. It opened up the whole question of administration. The finances of the Colony were not in a satisfactory state. -While' 'we had a surplus of, £184,000 we had liabilities of £287,- ' 132. Parliament »had a great deal more responsibility this session than usual.. Our prosperity had gone. The Government "were not facing the posir tion, but were shirking -their duties. He hoped that no attempt would be made to raise money by short-dated loans, which would seriously embarrass the country. He referred to the exodus of settlers from the Dominion to Queensland. This was caused by the Land Act of two years ago. Whensettlers found that land thrown open for settlement was set apart for endowment purposes they went away in disgust. Mr Massey said that the railways had a capital of £29,000,000 investecl"ln them, but were returning only £800,000; consequently there ! was a very serious loss on the railways.

Mr BUCHANAN deprecated the constant railing at capitalists within the past day or two. People who had money invested in land were called criminals. The Government. placed obstacles in the way of settlers acquiring the freehold.