GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 5020, 18 December 1877, Page 6

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, fPRESS AGE.NOV.] Wellington', Dec. 8.

STATEMENT BY SIR G- GREY. Ok going into Committee on the Appropriation Bill, , , Sir G. GJREY said he wished to make a few remarks at the closa of the longest session ■ ever held in New Zealand, to point out the important results achieved, lie desired to thank the House for the large support given the Financial Arrangements Lill, whicli was a measure of great -importance to the future finance of the couutry. -The Government would do its utmost to use the Act beneficially for the interests of the country, and show the confidence of the House was not misplaced. He thanked the House for the liberal funds placed at the disposal of the Government. 'I hey would most carefully use the large discretion left in their hands by exercising the utmost economy and frugality. He thought a sentiment which had beeu urged last night, that certain outposts and settlements would be better broken up than maintained at a large cost, was a great fallacy. In the circumstances of this colony such settlements must be maintained. The settlers must not be allowed to leave them, but must be generously and sympathetically assisted. He regretted the absence of defined parties in New Zealand politics, as such distinctions were essential to good government. Next year he would try to amend this, by bringing forward great and important measures which must create public opinion. One of the first would be the Representation Bill, which would enable the will of the majority of the people to be really and fully felt. Government would also so revise taxation thac every man should contribute to the revenue in proportion to the advantages he derived. Iu doing this certain burdens might be taken off the people. Another thing would be, such a system of laud laws as would enable everyone who desired it to obtain with facility a freehold for himself and his family while any Crown lauds existed. Such reforms as he poiuted out were easier to make here than in a country like England, where iu the State, Church, and other ways, the Crown exercised great checks on Parliament. Here these checks did not exist, ami were not required. All that the Crown here wanted was to retain the affections of the people, and cherish in tliem feelings of being part of a great Empire. There was complete liberty here for most liberal institutions, and iu aiming at them no obstruction was to be expected from the Crown in attaining these institutions. He relied on the support of the House of Representatives. Major ATKINSON said it damped the satisfaction with which such high aims would otherwise have bjen heard, to know that Sir G. Grey had entertained them for 30 years, and when the aims he proposed were compared w'ith what he had done. He was ratiiar given to abstract , theories than to practical legislation. He | (Major Atkiutou) did not think it was possible at preseut to create two great permanent parties. Certainly none of the points Sir G. Grey mentioned could create them. Good government might be easier with two parties, but was not impossible without them, and they should not wait for it until they had such parties. He would look back and see what Sir G. Grey had already done since in office. Sir G. Grey had professed a desire to immediately cease the system of hand-to-mouth finance, and put it on a sound basis. How far had Sir G. Grey done this since he took office 2 They had heard two months ago of a complete scheme to give securitv to the public creditors, render taxation satisfactory, and establish peace and prosperity. All this was, they were told, intercepted by a vote of want-of-confidence, yet since they had only had a Financial Statement which was absolutely inaccurate iu its figures, calculated to blast the credit of the colony if true, and which had since been abandoned in almost every point by its authors. Even with the Land Fund as a coineion revenue Government would not simplify the public accounts further than he had himself done. He had shown that to equalise revenue and expenditure ■— 107-000 was required, and this he had intended to take from the Otago and Canterbury Land Fund. His proposals were suilicient to meet all claims of the year. His Supplementary Estimates would not have been above £00,000, and he would then have had a sufficient margin. He reviewed the objections taken to his proposals, and then contracted these with the proposals of the present Government. They showed a deficit in June of £135,000 without £124,000 Supplementary Estimates being provided for. There was no provision for this £240,000 either by taxation or any other way. This wa3 what Sir George Grey no doubt thought putting finance on a thoroughly sound and satisfactory basis. He did not see where this money was to come from. Even if, as was possible, they spent £100,000 less than was voted them, there would be a large deficit; and if the revenue fell off at all, either (Government would be stopped, or Parliament have to be called together. This was a poor beginning in the way of reform. He regretted Government had not gone on with the Public Revenues Bill prepared by their predecessors. The bill they had introduced, even as amended, was a far inferior one. As introduced it would have caused serious disaster. Government were men really in almost hopeless confusion of mind on the subject of finance. He urged them still to consider whether they had a sufficient margin to meet the liabilities of the current year. The responsibility would at any rate be off his shoulders when he drew attention to the mistake before the Appropriation Bill passed. They had really asked for less money for provincial liabilities than he thought absolutely necessary. lastead of the £000,000 at first spoken of they had only taken £327,000. Almost all the measures of the late Government had been taken up and carried without material alteration. The Inscription of Stock Bill, the Land Bill, the Education Bill, and other measures, had thus been taken up and carried through. The only great change in policy had been in finance, and that was to create a deficit of £247.000, for which no provision was made. If Government, by taking off burdens next year —to remove the tea and sugar duties —the deficit next year would be far greater. A property tax could not makeup the half million, which would be required if these duties were taken off. A property tax of Is in the pound would only yield about £135,000 a year. Sacrificing the land was the only way of getting revenue, and he did not suppose Sir G. Grey would propose this. He wished Sir G. Grey would deal more with practical matters, instead of indulging in disquisitions on things iu general, the whole liumau race, and what posterity would think of us. He urged even yet making provision for the deficit he had pointed out, and which would be largely increased if a bad harvest reduced the spending power of the people.

Sir G-EOKGE GHIiY replied. He had been accused of having done nothing in 30 years. Had he not constructed what Major Atkinson and his friends had destroyed—a Constitution the freest which any country ever possessed ? Who here, in Wellington, had commenced the reclamation in land, opened up the Wairarapa and the West Coast, and induced the natives to devote themselves to road-making? Yet, he was here accused of never having done anything. If he had not done much since in office, what opportunity had he ? Had not Major Atkinson constantly attacked and threatened him ? while even outside he was denied the assistance he had a right to expect, and was refused the right to appeal to the verdict of the people. This, however, would not last much longer. If he had not obtained sufficient means to meet the provincial liabilities, it was because he could not get more, and that was owing to Major Atkinson's own opposition. If more ".v.'.s found necessary, he knew, however, that it should have to be voted hereafter. 11 they asked for more now, Major Atkinson would he the first to refuse, and attack. He declared that the present Government found the country in a state of financial darkness. They were only yet groping in it. Neither he nor any one had yet fully mastered it. He and his colleagues had done their best to do this, but it would still take months to do no. The apparent deficit would probably be reduced or done away with by the exercise of the discretion placed in the hands of the Government not to expend votes for certain works unless money wag available. -Even in the bills of the late Government,

which the present one had taken up, great | changes had been made to improve and render them safe. The Education -Bill had been completely altered ao as to free it from the deformities it was full of, and render it free, fair, and useful. The Inscription of Stock Bill he had carried through m defer-; ence to the wishes of others, although not himself altogether approving of it. It was a concession to the wishes of his party and colleagues, and involved no sacrifice of principle. The finance of the future would rest, with the people to determine. It would be for them to say what the policy of the future should be. If the duties on tea and sugar were removed, the Government would be only following the example of the greatest statesmen of England, not making revolutionary proposals, at which Major Atkinson was so shocked. He was quite aware that such .proposals as equalising burdens would meet with strong opposition from the great and wealthy, of which Major Atkinson was the leader, but he relied on the sympathy and support of the people, and he knew he had a, strong and generoua following. He hoped to steadily and steadfastly pursue his ends until success was achieved despite all opposition. The bills were then read and committed, and read a third time.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT. Wellington, Dec. 10.

Parliament was prorogued by commission, today until the 29th January. The Commiaaionera were Sir John Richardson, Sir I' 1 . D. Bell, and the Hon. Colonel Whitmore. There was no-speech, and the usual return of business done was not laid before the House. All the bills passed were assented to by message, except the Seamen and Shipping Bill, which was reserved for the Queen's assent. The attendance of members and the public was very small. Just before the formal prorogation Sir G. Grey advised the Governor to veto the Land Bill, which had not been sent up for the Governor's assent with the other bills. The Governor refused point-blank to take such an unconstitutional step; the Government themselves having carried the bill through both Houses without a hint, while Parliament was assembled, that they intended to prevent the bill becoming law.

The business of the session of 1577 is shown by a return of bills passed and otherwise dealt with. The public bills introduced in the Legislative Council numbered 25. The public bills brought frc.m the House of Representatives to the Legislative Council were 155. The public bills, introduced iu the House of Representatives, and rejected in the Legislative Council were 2S. Those introduced into the House of Representatives, pasted the Legislative Couucil, and rejected iu Bouse of Representatives, 2. Public bills i'roir: the House of Representatives amended by the Legislative Council, 7S. Public bills passed the Council unamended, 49. Public bills rejected iu Legislative Council, ~'S. Total number of bills passed, 142 ; being public bills 140, and private bills -.