EVENING SITTING.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 195, 17 August 1912, Page 7

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. DEBATE CONTINUED.

Mr HATMIIS (Waitemata) continu-.' insr the Budget debate, claimed that the Government party was more Liberal than the other side. He <!noted figures in connection with, the graduated land tax proposals. An estate of a value of £34,999 under the old system would pay £109 7s sd, and! under the present proposals £158 7s Id, an increase of 43 tvt cent. An estate valued at £39,999 unimproved: value under the old system would pay £135 8s 3d; under the new: £212 4s 3d, an increase of 57 perseent. In reference to Defence matters, he .■•coir-; gratulated the Government on ihV manner in which they had dealt with the subject. Speaking on Labor mat-

i>ers, he advocated a secret ballot before a strike, and would like to see the wives of the men voice their opinions on the matter. He contended tiiat Native Land affairs were a standing monument to the maladministration of the late Government. Tne Maori should be treated as a man, not as an imbecile. He should be compelled to work his land and pay his rates and taxes. He' condemned the railway management, and favored ■ securing an up-to-date manager from England. Tne Government had to direct its attention €o the crushing of huge commercial monopolies. ivir FORBES (Hurunui) said that I the Government side must be very optimistic if they could come to the conclusion that they represented a majority of the country. The present Government was a _piebald sort of mixture. The Budget had no substance —only shadow. He contended that men with broad acres were behind the Government. If the men behind the Government were as broad--1 minded as those behind the Liberals the country would know exactly where it stood. Ho criticised the Bill for the reform of the Council. He believed that the Chamber should be abolished, and a saving effected of £12,000 to .£15,000 per year. Legislation could be checked by a board of \ experts. He was satisfied that the Bill had been brought down to be thrown out, and then the Government would fill the Upper House with its own nominees. He was sorry to hear irom~ the Minister for Public Works that the co-operative works system was to cease. * No system could be fairer to employer and employee. Referring to the graduated land tax, he said it was not what it seemed. It was no good trying to hoodwink his side of the House; they saw right through those proposals. He condemned the idea to import a railway manager, and advocated the appointment of a man who understood local 'conditions; '

Mr BELL (Wellington Suburbs) said that the Budget which, had been so much criticised was what they had. won the election on. On the subject of the Arbitration Act he said that the Act could never do more than sur-face-work. Thecause of labor unrest was simply that employer and employee had conflicting interests. He criticised the efforts of the Opposition to discredit the Government for not bringing down licensing , legislation, and asked why the late Government had not introduced a Bill. Dealing with Legislative Council reform, he said it was a right principle that those who legislated should be elected: by the people, and not be the nominees of the Crown. The appointment of a Civil Service Commissioner would ] simply mean the avoidance of "graft." So far as the revenue was concerned the graduated tax was high enough, but something had to be done towards the bursting of large estates. . It would be necessary to have some system of automatic differentiation. The House rose at 11.10 p.m.