AFTERNOON SITTING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5728, 25 October 1905, Page 7

AFTERNOON SITTING.

•The House, resumed at 2.30 p.m. LOAN BILL. The Hon W. Hall-Jones moved the cocond reading of the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill, making provision for the raising of £1,000,000. In framing the Public 'Works Estimates, he explained, consideration had been given to the most urgent needs. Dealing with such a largo number of demands it was only natural that some should bo overlooked. In only asking for a million, ho ■thought tho Government had shown caro and prudence, especially considering the pressing requests for public works from all parts of the country. Mr Massey hoped that tho Government, in going on tho London market, Would be able to borrow at a lower rate than 4 per cent. Ho regretted that our stocks were still falling in price, and that the Premier’s prediction that they would rise had not been realised. He could only account for that to the fact that tho bond-holders had lost confidence, not in the country, hut in tho Government. The Hon O. H. Mills referred to tho prosperous condition of the colony under tho present Administration, and instanced tho fact that, whereas for many years people disputed the Government’s surplus, now it was generally admitted.

Sir William Bussell complained of *ho small public works expenditure in tho Hawke’s Bay district, as compared with districts of lesser importance, notably Marlborough and Westland. It made ouo pause to ask whether it was wise to borrow so lavishly, in view of the manner in which this borrowed money was allocated. The House adjourned at 5.30.