HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11149, 23 August 1899, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday.

The House met at half-past two p.m. WELLINGTON-PETONE ROAD TRUST. On a motion by Mr, Wafon, for leave to introduce the Wellington-Petone Road Trust Bill, objection was raised to the Bill until it was printed, and the debate was adjourned. THE BUDGET DEBATE.

Mr. Tanner resumed the debate on the Financial Statement. After the exhaustive way in which the Statement had been discussed, he did not think he could say anything new on the subject. A dominant note in the debate was the desire for more borrowing and lavish expenditure, but before going in for further borrowing he would like to know how the money was to be expended, and they should ask whether the people would stand the further taxation which further borrowing would necessitate, The Budget also indicated that the Government were feeling their way to a large borrowing, and while lie would oppose anything like the extended borrowing policy of 1876, that nearly brought the colony to ruin, he did not see how they could very well do without a moderate amount of borrowing. He referred in satisfactory tones to the labour legislation of the Government, and denied that the previous Government had been really earnest in theii efforts to put upon the Statute Book legislation in the interests of workmen. The Conciliation and Arbitration Act was a measure that had changed the industrial strife of 10 years ago into the harmony that now exists amongst the labouring classes. Referring to the Customs duties, he thought that too much money was raised by this means. Before any reduction was made, however, the House should know exactly its position in regard to the tariff, and at any rate he was of opinion that it should not be tinkered with, but that the duty on one or two leading articles should be abolished altogether. He advocated that local government and social legislation should receive more attention at the bands of the Government, and urged that the Government should give the House an opportunity of expressing its opinion on the federation question.

Mr. Sligo contended that when Parliament voted Government money for specific purposes it should not proceed to spend that money at their own sweet will. Speaking of labour legislation he claimed that the Tate Government should be credited with initiating that class of legislation. He blamed some of the present occupants of the Treasury benches with being the cause of preventing such legislation becoming law. With regard to railway construction lie described the Midland railway as a barefaced swindle, and said it would be a good thing for the colony if the lino were handed over to the debenture-holders. The North Island Main Trunk railway he would not oppose, although he believed it would reduce the average earning power of the general railways. As for the Otago Central he contended that the construction of that line was warranted, and its completion should be pushed on more vigorously. He approved of a reduction ol interest to settlers under the Land for Settlement Act and to local bodies, but he would oppose a concession to Crown tenants. With reference to the suggestion of Mr. Millar, that a Marine Board should be appointed to deal with certificates and other matters, he urged that to prevent scandals there were other Departments of the public service that could also be controlled by nonpolitical boards, with advantage to the public.

Mr. Joyce was surprised that Mr. Sligo had characterised the Midland railway as a lmge swindle. The biggest swindle that had ever been perpetrated in railways was the Otago Central, which on account of selfishness had been diverted from the Oamaru route at an increased' expense of half-a-million. He looked upon the Budget as a very satisfactory one, and considered the surplus of about a-quarter of a million a reality. True, the debt had increased by nearly two millions during the past year, but looking at the direction in which the money had been spent in reproductive and interest-bearing works, lie considered the money well spent. He characterised the seizure of local bodies' sinking fund as bad financing, and urged that it should be the aim of the Government to sweep away the public debt of the colony. On the railway question he considered the management of Mr. Cadman satisfactory, but he condemned (lie loading placed upon fares and freights on the Lyttelton-Christehurch line. Referring to the question of federation he considered that the Australian Commonwealth was but the prelude to the formation of a Republic there, and the cutting of the painter with Great Britain. He considered that the best attitude New Zealand could assume towards the subject was one of refusal to join, but to cultivate reciprocal relations with the Federation.

'ine House adjourned at half-past five p.m. The House resumed at half-past seven p.m. Mr. Crowther continued the debate.

Major Steward said that had the debate been properly arranged it could have been completed within a week. The time was when a few members well up in finance, would say all that could be said, either for tie Government, or for the Opposition, but a practice had grown up of late years whereby each member felt it his duty to speak during the debate. He congratulated the Government on the success of their land policy, and although there was a strong feeling in favour of the freehold tenure there were objections to Crown tenants acquiring that tenure, lest there should again be an aggregation of large estates. With regard to the progress of the railways he thought the Government was making a great mistake in carrying on the great lines so slowly that it would be 25 or 30 years before they were completed. In the meantime a great loss was being sustained by loss of interest on the capital so far expended 011 uncompleted lines, and in the deteriorating of the work. The Auckland line should have been completed years ago, indeed, there should have been a through line from Auckland to the Bluff, via Blenheim and Culverden. The Otago Central should also been pushed on more vigorously. If the proposal to take that line via Oamaru had been adopted, it would have been running as far as Clyde 10 years ago. If the Government come down with a proposal to borrow £5,000,000 for these and other lines, he would approve of it. Mr. Heke addressed himself principally to an explanation of his absence from the House.

Mr. Meredith, referring to the proposal that had been advocated that a large loan should be raised, twitted Mr. Guinness and Mr. Lawry, who advocated that policy, with to the skinflint party in 1888, who urged Sir Harry Atkinson to reduce the Estimates by £150,000. Referring to railway construction, he advocated that £750,000 of the proposed million loan should be expended on completing the lines already partly constructed, including the North Island Main Trunk, the Otago Central, the Midland, and the Waitara and Cheviot lines. He was glad to see that the Bank of New Zealand had now attained a good position, and he wished there was reason -for similar Regard to Jibe

Board. He congratulated the House upon passing the Old Age Pensions Act, characterising it as one of the most beneficient measures ever passed by any Legislature, and setting an example that was being followed by other countries. Speaking on the question of federation, he expressed himself in favour of joining the Australian Commonwealth. He admitted, however, that there was no haste, and that public opinion required to be educated on the subject. On the motion of Mr. Kelly, the debate was adjourned. The House rose at five minutes past twelve a.m.