PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1169, 27 July 1894, Page 28

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

THURSDAY, JULY 26. There was a storm of opposition last night when the Colonial Treasurer proposed to defer four private Bills at the head of the Order Paper and a Government Bill in order to propose the second reading of the Land Tax Bill, which enables the tax to be collected by the end of August, so as to meet the payment of £600,000 interest in London. Sir Robert Stout said the Bill had been introduced only the previous night, and that it ivas unprecedented in any Parliament to propose the second reading of the Bill until supply had been voted. However, the Orders were postponed by 35 rotes to 19. - When the Treasurer moved the second reading of the Bill several members urged that it would be a grievous burden to settlers to collect the tax four months too early, Mr Duthie pointing out that the months of August, September and October were always the tightest months of the year in financial matters. Mr Ward explained that the Tax Department would not press anyone who wanted time to pay. He ridiculed the professions of sympathy with the settlers, coming from the Opposition benches. If members on that side

of the House were sincere they would cordially support the Government in their proposals to give cheap money to settlers. The only reply to which was derisive laughter from Sir Robert Stout. The proposal in the Financial Statement that Native lands leased to Europeans and land mortgages belonging to Maoris shall be subject to the land tax is not to be carried into effect until next year. Sir Robert Stout’s opinion of the Budget is summed up in the one word “monstrous.” The proposals, he saj's, simply mean the pledging of the Colony’s credit for five millions. Questioned as to his opinion of the cheap money scheme, “ You might as well,” he says, “talk of cheap sugar.” The consols scheme will draw money from the banks and cripple commerce for the sake of what the late Mr Maeandrew used to call “ the maelstrom of colonial finance.”

What the Opposition think of the Statement is pretty well voiced in the following opinion given by Mr Mitchelson :—“ The Budget, in my opinion, is so full of wildcat proposals that it will require a good deal of consideration before its far-reaching effects may be firmly grasped. I look upon it as being by far and away the most extraordinary Statement ever delivered in this or any other Colony, and I shall be very much surprised if it is not utterly and completely condemned from one end of the Colony to the other. The magnitude of the borrowing proposals is simply appalling, and are such as never would have been attempted by Sir Julius Yogel in his most sanguine days.” A city member, Mr Pinkerton, is favourable to the Budget, but does not like one or two details, notably the proposal to allow local bodies to levy rates on Crown lands. This he considers practically an increase of the subsidies out of revenue. The proposals for raising money are, he maintains, protected by safeguards quite sufficient; and mainly the Budget has his support. Here is the tersely-put view held by Mr Duthie:—“ The Treasurer is fond of Yankee terms, such as ‘ bed-rock.’ These Budget proposals might similarly and fairly be described as mere * spreadeagleism,’ based on the fallacy that colonial credit i 3 inexhaustible.”

The opinion of a member who knows how the proposals will affect country settlers will be of interest. This is what Mr Hogg 1 says“ The Statement on the whole is one likely to give satisfaction to the country settlers. Absolute borrowing by the State is extremely limited, while on the other hand the facilities proposed to be given land settlers for obtaining cheap money are simply invaluable. The utilisation of our railway system for encouraging fruit growing and small dairy farming, &c., in the country is likely to have a most beneficial influence on the labour market.”

Mr Duncan says that though the proposals may at first be considered startling, when one comes to consider them there is nothing in them that has not been threshed out before. He believes the cheap money scheme will be exceedingly valuable to farmers.

“ That popularity-hunting Budget ” is Dr Newman’s description of it. In reply to a question raised by Mr Meredith regarding the Metz case, Mr Cadrnan told the member for Ashley that he must not believe all he sees in the papers. He read a letter from the Justices concerned, who stated that the information was a private one; that as counsel declined to offer evidence the case was dismissed, in accordance with the law laid down by one of the Supreme Court Judges, and that Mr Martin had since approved their action. They pointed out that the inspector, who objected to wliat was done, was recommended to lay an information at once and arrest Metz, still in Court, but did not do so.

The Postmaster-General, replying to Mr Wilson, stated yesterday that the Upper Hutt would be connected with the Wellington Telephone Bureau if the residents contributed a subsidy of £SO. The second petition from Auckland, largely Jsigned, in favour of the Vaile railway system was presented yesterday. Another petition from Auckland with numerous signatures asks for the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act. The Budget proposals mean lasting prosperity to the Colony, thinks Mr Carnell. The first member to bo subjected to the rule regarding the time limit happened to be Mr Bell, in committee last night. In committee no member can speak more than ten minutes at one time, and Mr Bell was pulled up by the Chairman amid much laughter, when ho had talked for ten minutes without noticing the clock. Soon afterwards Captain Russell had to meet a similar fate.

The protest entered by Sir Robert Stout and the Opposition against the Land Tax Bill was described by Ministers as a plea on behalf of the large land-owners. Sir R. Stout replied that there were only 3835 who owned land of more than £2500 value.

With delicate irony Mr Pirani proposes to ask the Minister of Justice if any Courthouses in the Colony have lawn-tennis grounds attached, for the benefit of a limited number of persons ; and, if any, will the Minister have any objection to the prisoners in such localities participating in such privilege ? “ You are going to borrow five millions,” declares Mr Earnshaav, to the Government. “We are going to do nothing of the kind,” declares the Colonial Treasurer, in reply. Mr Buddo wants a bonus on glass manufactured in the Colony. Mr O’Regan says the three members for Wellington take the cake as the three most talkative men of the House.

“ What we want is more direct taxation,” declared Mr Duthie last night. Mr O’Regan at once was all attention. “Hear, hear ! good man !” he exclaimed, recognising another single taxer, possibly. The Government propose to appoint two accountants to examine the Public Trust Office accounts —one of them chosen from outside the service.