SESSIONAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9611, 8 September 1894, Page 5

SESSIONAL NOTES.

b BY TBLEGRAPH. —SPKCIAIt CORRESPONDENT.! J i _ Ellington, Friday. . During the debate upon the Railway Bill > Captain Russell pointed oub that during ' the twenty-three years thab the Public 1 Works policy had been in existence there had been no less than twenty-five readjustments of the Ministry of Public Works, nob that there bad been twenty-five Ministers of Public Works but thab many readjustments of the portfolio. Gentlemen of almost every profession had occupied the position, but nob one of them except, perhaps, Mr. Edward Richardson, could be considered as an experb in railway management). Bankers, journalists, farmers, and civil servants had been tried, and now they had Mr. Seddon himself. Could any of these be regarded as qualified to manage the railways ? "He knew all aboub them now," interjected the Minister for Lands. Captain Russell retorted that the Premier, had no right to have all this information. lb showed thab he had been unduly interfering in the management, and that the Commissioners had become tools in his hands,to which Sir R. Stout responded with a distinct "Hear, Hear 1" There is no leading idea or guiding principle in this measure," were the opening words of Sir Robert Stout's powerful and brilliant speech upon the Railway Bill. He went on to contend thab the Bill was neither one thing nor the other, and as he believed in State control he seconded Dr. Newman's amendment re vesting the railways in the Queen. Ib was nob, he said, appointing Commissioners ab all when their term was limited to twelve months; it was Ministerial control without Ministerial responsibility. The measure was a mongrel Bill, and had the effect of reducing the whole tiling to a farce. Sir Robert made some serious charges of unfair dealing with railway employees during the present management, and urged that it was entirely unfair that men should be promoted or punished according to their political j opinions. It was just as wrong as to punish men for their religious beliefs. The member for Wellington gave several instances of such unfair treatment, and stated that, as he understood the majority of the House were in favour of State control, a division should b-3 taken upon that point. However, according to Dr. Newman, the result depended upon how the following were to be permitted to vote, and so the doctor implored the Premier to graciously allow his team to have the same liberty in dealing with this measure as in their action upon the Liquor Bill, the liberty to vote according to their consciences. This, however, was nob permitted, with the result that the doctor's amendment was rejected by an overwhelming majority. The question of Mr. Pirani upon the banking amalgamation came on to-day, and was answered by the Treasurer in the wordy and inconclusive way thab is too common with that hon. gentloman. The Hon. Captain Russell was dissatisfied with the reply, and upon his motion of adjournment a lively discussion followed that lasted for nearly two hours. The result was upon the whole nob unsatisfactory. Bit by bib the Treasurer abandoned his attitude of passive resistance to the reasonable demands of his opponents, and finally gave all the assurances asked by Mr. Pirani in the first instance, and the promise of legislation if found necessary to protect the public interest. 1

The member for Nelson to-day raised a question nearly touching owners of real property, in asking if the Government would make any necessary alteration required to insure that in the land tax its exemption from improvements should be so in reality as well as in name. Mr. Graham pointed out that at present, in assessing the value of mortgages for taxation., face values are charged, and these include improvements. What he desires is that these improvements shall nob be liable bo taxation, go that the tax shall become a land tax pure and simple. The Treasurer gavs a reply of a favourable nature, and stated that the hon. member would find that the reform he desired would be included in the provisions of the Land and Income Assessment Acb Amendment Act introduced bo-day.