PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 19, 4 September 1894, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

HOUSE of representatives-

Wellington, August 28 THE ESTIMATES.

The estimates of the Colonial Treasurer’s Department was considered. In reply to a question, Mr Ward said the Income Tax would be levied this year, as, soon as the requirements of the Treasury warranted it. There was no desire to unduly push the tax this year. Under the heading of the District, Magistrate’s and Wardens Court, some discussion took place as to insufficiency of salary paid to District Judge Kettle, of Wanganui. Mr Seddon said this matter had not been lost sight of by the Cabinet. Two offers to better his gwition had been made to Judge ettle, bat he had refused them. The total votes for the Colonial Treasurer’s Department are; £26,722; Justice Department, £122,574 ; Postal and Telegraph Department, £312,503. These were passed without alteration. Customs and Marine Department—£64,B4s. Passed without alteration. Lands and Survey Department—ln reply to Mr Pirani, Mr McKenzie said the Government had no intention at present to provide for elective Land Boafds. The whole vote, amounting to £138,000, was agreed to without amendment. Defence Department—The whole vote of £98,188 was passed without alteration. Wellington, August 29. -■ vaile’s, SYSTEM. ■ Mr Pirani moved that it is desirable that effect should be given to the report presented to the House in 1886 : that a trial of Mr Vaile’s system should be made on some section of our railways under the direct supervision of Mr S. Yaile. The Hon J. G. Ward admired the plucky manner in which Mr Yaile had so persistently advocated a trial of his system, and he (Mr Ward) thought it was on the right lines. At the same - time, be could not help thinking the proposal was inopportune, and if the proposal was to be given effect to the district in which it was tried should be called on to make up any loss that might result. He could not support the motion. Several other members having spoken, the motion was pat and lost by 27 to 20. ’fkisco mail service. In reply to another question, Mr Ward said the ’Frisco mail service would be continued as at present. GAMING BILL. Mr Bell moved that the amendments mad» by the Legislative Conncil in the Gaming Bill be agreed to. Mr Lawry moved an amendment that they be agreed to with the exception of a new clause inserted by the Conncil, to the effect that the president of a representative racing club may issue totalisator licenses. After some discussion, Mr Lawry’s amendment was carried, and a committee, consisting of Messrs George Hutchison, Bell, and Lawry will be aopointed to draw up reasons for disagreeing with the amendment made by the Council. . referendum. Mr O’Regan moved the second reading of the Eeferedum Bill, to refer to the electors of the colony certain questions or Bills for their decision. He explained that the Bill was in most respects the same as that introduced by Mr O’Connor, the late member for Buller, and embodied the great principle of Government of the people by the people. Among other things, the Bill provided that whenever the House shall have passed a resolution in favor of referring any measure, which has been twice passed by the House, and twice rejected by the Council, to a vote of the electors, then such reference to the electors shall be made. He held that at present the colony had not a representative Government at all, and they never would have it unless they had proportional representation on the Hare system, The Hon Mr Beeves said that under some circumstances he might be found voting for this Bill, but those circumstances had not yet arisen. He believed himself to be a democrat, but

he did not think he would forfeit his right to this title by opposing this Bill. They held that they had sufficient checks already, and it was not advisable to burden themselves with another check, in the shape of the referendum. If the people of New Zealand bad not complete control over their representatives, he would support a proposal of this kind, but as they had such control, the Bill was not required. In theory it was a backward step, because it took from Parliament the right of legislating, and gave it back to the people, who had not studied measures in the way Parliament had done. If the Upper House pfersisted in thwarting the will of the people, and it was found necessary to abolish that branch of the Legislature, some such check as the Referendum would be necessary, and he would support it; but as long as they had a revising ChambSr he did not thiak the Bill at all necessary. The motion for the second reading was lost on division by 24 to 19. Wellington, August 80. IMPREST SUPPLY. The Imprest Supply Bill for £BBO,OOO was read a second time and committed. • CUSTOMS REVENUE. In reply to Mr George Hutchison, the Hon. J. G. Ward said that if possible he would furnish to the House the amount of Customs revenue for July. At the evening sitting Mr Hutchison expressed his dissatisfaction at the nature of this replj, and a discussion, lasting upwards of two hours, took place. Several Oppostion members complained of their inability to get from the Colonial Treasurer information respecting the public accounts, but Mr Ward asserted that there had never

been a Government which put fuller information before the country than the present one, and ho had received letters and telegrams from all parts of colony which bore out this statement. The Premier referred to the extraordinary course adopted by the Opposition in intercepting the Imprest Supply. Mr Hutchisom held that the circumstances were extraordinary. Mr Ward pointed out that there was certain information which it was not proper to give the House. Eventually the Bill passed through all its stages. DAIRY BILLS. On the motion of the Hon. J. McKenzie, the Dairy Industry Bill was read a second time pro forma , so that the Bill oould be sent to the Agricultural Committee forthwith. The debate on the Bill will take place when the Bill returns from committee. RAILWAY BILL. The Hon. Mr Seddon asked the House to read the Railway Bill a second time pro forma , as he desired to send it to the Railway Committee, but if members did not concur in this course, he would postpone the second reading. Mr Mitoholsou said the Opposition thought that a Bill of such importance should be debated on the second reading, and they could not agree to let that stage go pro forma. The Premier said that in the face of this he would ask to postpone the Bill, whieh was agreed to. A REPLY. On the motion that the House go into Committee of Supply, Mr Ward said he would now reply to Mr Geo. Hutchison’s question respecting the Customs revenue. The amount collected fo£ the month of July was £180,343 15s 9d, an increase of £14,600 as compared with the June returns. DUTY ON COAL. Mr McKenzie (Buller) moved an amendment to going into Supply—- “ That the time has arrived when an import duty should be imposed on coal." A number of members took part in the debate. The Hon. Mr Ward thought that the discussion on the amendment would do good. His opinion was that if a duty was put on Newcastle coal, the price of coal in this colony would not increase, but he thought they should wait till they saw wbat the policy of the Ministry in New South Wales was to be before they took any steps in the matter. Hitherto be had been opposed to an import duty on coal, but he now thought that the time had arrived when, if the hostile tariffs of the other colonies were kept up, it was their bounden duty to put very heavy import duty on products from those colonies. With regard to wheat, he must say that if he had his way, and found that the continued importation of Australian cereals into New Zealand affected local producers, he would favour an increase of the import duty. He contended that even if this were done it would not cause an increase in tlm price of bread, and he gave reasons for this contention. Mr George Hutchison said he had heard with much regret the speeches of the Premier and Colonial Treasurer, which, he held, must cause great alarm. It might be a serious thing for the colony, especially as there was an implied threat from the Treasurer that an import duty would be put on cereals. A duty of that kind would make bread dearer, and he challenged the Government to go to the country on a proposal of that kind.