EVENING SITTING.

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

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30. LOAN BILL. Sir William Bussell, resuming the debate on the Loan Bill, said that instead of finishing tho main lines of railway, tho Government frittered the money away hero and here—a splendid Way of obtaining votes, but with only a minimum result from tho public works expenditure. He compared the profits onado on the New South Wales railways with the loss shown on the New Zealand railways, and thought this colony could take a lesson from the neighbouring colony in that respect. Mr Hogg said to some extent ho agreed with the previous speaker, that tho colony was borrowing somewhat rapidly. Ho had no doubt a great amount of tho money borrowed had been'advantageously spent, and that .nearly the whole of it was more or less reproductive, but when they considered tho fact that this year, for different purposes, tho Government was borrowing something like £2,000,000 or £3)000,000, ho thought they wore going just a little too fast, especially in vio'.v of our limited working population.

Mr Homes maintained that in regard to its loans the colony bad not got as good terms as it should have obtained. There was necessity for greater speed in tho expenditure of public works votes, and he hoped that during the summer t-hc necessitous works would bo carried out with greater expedition.

Mr E. M. Smith, claimed that with all sources of revenue showing an increase, tho Government could well command tho support of the country. Tho Hon T. Y. Duncan, replying to criticism of tho cost of acquiring tho Flaxbourne estate (£18(1,103), held that I'Taxbourno would be as good a settlement as any in the -Marlborough district, and tho Government was quite ready to take another like it to-nior-row, and .settle it in tho same way. -Mr J. Allen considered that tho Government’s bungling finance had brought New Zealand’s credit from tho top of tho tree to being almost at the bottom. Unhesitatingly, ho said tho reason was the bad administration. Tho whole policy was to live for to-day, and let to-morrow look after itself. Wo had become, instead of a self-reliant colony, the greatest borrower of all the colonies. For tho current year alone the Government bad authority to borrow £4,8-12,000. The Colonial Treasurer and the members behind him did not care—all they wanted was power — they did not care if the colony wont to the dogs. It was time the colony woke to tho fact that it was going down hUI. . Air Seddon said tho Opposition all round asked for increased railway, roads, and other votes, and then charged the Government with borrowing too much. In view of the rapid development of tho colony, what the Government was asking for in this bill was fair and reasonable. Tho member for liruee had supported tho borrowing powers given under the Government schemes for workers’ dwellings, native land, and extension oi land for settlement, and now complained of the Government's borrowing, and that tho Government was adding nearly four millions this year to tho public debt. Whore, then, was the sincerity of the lion, member, who was now injuring the credit of the colony by his attitude t Tho cx'cdit of New Zealand, as a perusal of tho figures would show, was well maintained. It was unfair debate for the member tor Brace to declare that the Colonial Treasurer did not care if tho country went to the dogs. That was an accusation of tho gravest possible character. He (the Premier) cared as much for this country as any member of the House, and his actions had proved it. Tho Government claimed the fullest investigation of the Estimates, when it would be scon that every part of Uic colony had had failtreatment. If they looked at railway construction, they would find there had been a larger expenditure in tho North Island than in the South, and naturally so, because tho South was railed years ago. Since ho had been in office, the Government had endeavoured to do justice to tho North Island. Whoever went through tho Estimates carefully would find that tho loan money had been evenly allocated. He asked members to be fair in their criticism. That tho Estimates had given satisfaction was shown by tho few complaints received from members of the House in regard to them. After further debate the second reading 'as carried by 42 votes to 8. Tho'bill was passed through committee witnout amendment, read a third time and passed. The Hauso rose at 2.33 a.m., to meet again at 2.30 p.m.