PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9098, 5 July 1888, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—press association.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday. The Speaker took his seat at half-past two p.m. COST OF railways. The report of the committee on the cost of railways stated that the economical control of the lines was not possible under existing arrangements. MELBOURNE EXHIBITION. The Speaker intimated that he had received an invitation from the Victorian Legislative Council to attend a Parliamentary banquet in connection with the Centennial Exhibition. FIRST READING. A Bill to amend the Fencing Act, 1881, was read a first time. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING. Mr. Pharazyn brought up the report of Railways under Loan Committee, which recommended that the only line to be proceeded with should be from Woodville to Palmerston ; also that on the lines already opened and not paying expenses the train services should be discontinued unless the residents in the districts could guarantee working expenses. ALLEGED DISQUALIFICATION. Mr. Wilson moved a resolution to the effect "That an address be presented to His Excellency as to whether Sir F. Whitaker, Messrs. Waterhouse, Oliver, and Pharazyn have not become disqualified from voting in the Council by being absent two successive sessions." After debate, the motion was agreed to. The Council rose at five o'clock. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Wednesday. The House met at half-past two p.m. THE C.D. ACT. Considerable discussion took place on the report of the Public Petitions Committee on the petition of Mary Steadman Aldis for the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act. Mr. Fish moved, " That the evidence taken before the committee be printed." Several members objected to the printing of the evidence. Mr. Peacock moved that it be referred to the Reporting and Printing Committee. After further discussion Mr. Fish's motion was lost. Mr. Goldie moved as an addition to Mr. Peacock's amendment, that the committee should also be asked to report whether or not, in their opinion, the evidence should be printed. Lost by 41 to 30. Mr. Peacock's motion was also lost by 42 to 26. THE TARIFF. Sir H. Atkinson moved that the consideration of the report on the Customs and Excise Duties Bill be postponed till half-past seven, as the clause referring to the Midland Railway, which he wished to insert in the Tariff, was not yet printed. Agreed to. THE estimates. Sir H. Atkinson then moved that the House go into Committee of Supply for the further consideration of the Estimates. Mr. Withy moved as an amendment, "That in the opinion of this House the Government should, if possible, during the recess further reduce the public expenditure by £100,000 per annum." He disclaimed any hostile intention to the Government in moving this amendment, but he believed in common with many other members of the House that further reductions could be made. He considered the revenue to be derived from the. new tariff would not be a stable revenue. He also thought the property tax revenue would fall off considerably at the • next valuation. He was a member of what was called " the Skinflint" Committee, but he felt no shame at belonging to that body. That committee believed, in going, through the Estimates, there was considerable scope for making the reduction he moved for. He thought they should carry the reductions to what was stated in the Financial Statement last year, and the present resolution was to. encourage the Premier in making the total reduction of £300,000 which he had promised. He believed the wages in the public service should be reduced altogether. He admitted it was not a popular suggestion, and would probably be resented by the House, but they must face the necessity of the position. He contended, however, that local industries which the new tariff was intended to benefit would be retarded if a fictitious rate of wages were maintained. The question they nad to consider was what was fair average wages, and this would have to engage the serious attention of the Government. A considerable reduction, he thought, could be made in education, and the classification of teachers would promote both economy and efficiency. He also thought the school age should be raised, but the House last session declared against that. He hoped the House would admit his request was reasonable, and would agree to the resolution. « •

Mr. Hobbs supported the amendment, as he was of opinion further reductions were absolutely necessary. Knowing, as he did, the Government were paying more than the average rate of wages,hethought a reduction in this respect was practicable,and should be given effect to. He objected to tying the Government to a hard and fast rule to reduce by £100,000, but should be satisfied if £80,000 or £90,000 were saved.

Mr. Goldie also supported the amendment, and said the country demanded further reductions. The press throughout the colony had largely advocated further retrenchment, and in doing so had followed public opinion instead of leading it. He referred at considerable length to the reductions which he thought were practicable, and said he felt convinced £100,000 could be saved in various departments. He and other members of the committee were prepared to give the Government a loyal and hearty support in carrying out the reductions.

Mr. Reeves (St. Alban's) thought £100,000 was too much to ask for, and although he should support the amendment, he hoped the House would be given an opportunity to reduce that amount to a reasonable sum. He should make a proviso, however, that any reduction that was contemplated should not affect salaries of less than £100 a-year. Mr. Moss thought the question should be postponed till the House was in a better position to consider it. Ho sympathised with the Retrenchment Committee in their efforts to effect economy, but nothing could be done in that direction till certain returns and other information were furnished by the Government. He regarded the amendment as valueless unless the amount were reduced to a reasonable sum.

Mr. Fish thought the amendment a thorough waste of time on Mr. Withy's part, and an utter want of confidence in the Government. Next session the Government would no doubt say it was not possible to comply with the resolution. The Government could not retrench to the extent of £100,000 unless it was at the expense of tho working men of the country, and he should oppose the amendment. Tho debate was interrupted by the halfpast five adjournment. The House resumed at half-past seven p.m. THE TARIFF. The Customs Duties Bill was re-com-mitted. Clause 14 : A proviso was added bringing the alterations made since May 30 into force on the date that such alterations were made. A new clause was added enabling the Midland Railway Company to import plant under the existing law upon entering into a bond that such plant was to be used solely for the railways, and not sold or otherwise employed. Bitters in bottles, jars, etc., 16s per gallon, waa inserted in the schedule. Brass and copper manufactures not otherwise enumerated were increased to 20 per cent. ; cordials, in bottles, jars, etc., 16s per gallon, was inserted ; hessians, not exceeding 4d per yard, 15 per cent., was struck out; liqueurs, 16s per gallon, was inserted ; papier mache ware was increased to 20 per cent. ; silk and silk velvet, 25 per cent., was altered to include satin and plush ; scrim cloth, 15 per cent., was struck out; pearlash, potash, and caustic potash were placed in the free list. In answer to a question, the Premier said that these alterations would not give any increase of revenue. . On the motion for the third reading, Mr. Bektham made a final protest against the imposition of a protective tariff, which he felt, sure would hamper rather than encourage manufactures. There wore many other ways in which the financial balance could be restored without, imposing such a

mass of extra taxation. The proper settlement of waste lands and improved management of railways were among them. Mr. Ballaxce said Mr.Beethams position was anomalous, for he had been a Protectionist a few years ago. He denied that Protection would have an evil effect on industries, as competition would cheapen local manufactures. As to land settlement, the Government's policy had broken down so far as deriving cash revenue from the sale of lands. He took credit to himself for placing more people on the land than had been done for many years previously. He hoped the Freetraders would take their defeat amicably. He did not regard this Bill as final, but considered it would meet the purpose for at least three years. Of course anomalies would arise, as was always the case in such phases of legislation. He admitted that the agricultural industry had scarcely received, fair consideration, and suggested a committee might be appointed to enquire . into and report from time to time what changes were needed.

Mr. Macarthur defended his action, and complained of the language used by the Premier towards the Freetraders. He quoted the statement by Mr. Bruce to the effect that the Premier had promised him during the last election not to introduce any Protective duties. The Premier said it was untrue. Mr. Bruce remarked that to the best of his recollection the statement was true. Mr. Macarthur continued commenting generally on the tariff, and asking how anyone could suppose its effect would not be to raise prices ? He compared the Premier's financial operations to Mr. Micaw ber's practices, and hoped it would not be many years before the inevitable reaction set in. Mr. Fergus replied to the previous speaker's strictures, and claimed that the Premier was perfectly consistent in his policy. The position of the Government had been one of extreme difficulty, and if the members were dissatisfied all they had to do was to give them short shrift. He reviewed the Tariff to show that the bulk of the duties were required principally for revenue purposes, and that there was very little comparatively put on to those who were least ' able to pay it. Mr. Bruce defended the Freetraders, who, he asserted, would yet prevail. He repeated Mr. • Macarthur's statement was correct, so far as his memory served him. For Sir H. Atkinson to give him the lie as he had was degrading to his position as a Premier. He believed his party, though now in a minority, would yet be able to imprint their views on the Statute Book. He had no desire, under the present circumstances, to see the Ministry turned out, as that would be going from bad to worse. Captain Russell said the Government were not pouring oil on the troubled waters. He feared the ultimate result of this 'tariff would not be an increase in revenue at all, though it might be swelled for a year or two. It was his firm belief that if the people realised the enormous amount of taxation put upon them, they would return a sufficient number of Freetraders to 1 utterly reverse the present policy. Moreover the tariff would defeat its "own object, as the ; uprise of local industries would diminish revenue. They would, however, increase the cost. Amongst the reasons he had for opposing the tariff was the fact that the colony had already manufactures to a « very great extent, even more so than Victoria, and he did not see where they were to get an outlet. He quoted from his English experiences to show that the prevailing impression of all classes at home was that our chief products were theoretical politicians and deficiency bills. This tariff would give a still worse impression, and by reducing imports would ruin our shipping lines. Mr, Allen spoke briefly from a Freetrade point of view, strongly protesting against the Bill and the position taken up by the Government. Mr. Hutchison moved the adjournment of the debate.

The Premier made a personal explanation regarding his conversation with Mr. Bruce. What he had really said was that he would never be a party to making a tariff for purely Protective purposes. His remark about the statement being untrue was not levelled at Mr. Bruce, and was not meant to impute such a thing against him. The motion for adjournment was agreed to, and the Honse rose at a quarter-past welve.