TUESDAY, AUGUST 9.

Otago Witness, Issue 2320, 18 August 1898, Page 22

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9.

In the Houso of Representatives on Tuesday he Colonial Treasurer delivered his Financial Itatcmcut, which is much shorter than usual. ;he surplus is put down at £521,144, but tho actual balance of receipts over expenditure j was £166,858. Tho revenue for the present financial year is estimated at £5,023,300, and tho expenditure at £4,743,876. Of the excess of revenue ovor expenditure, amounting to £279,424, it is proposed to set apart £100,000 for old ago pensions and £75,000 for harbour defences, lunatic asylums, and tho parliamentary library; while further deductions will be made by the Supplementary Estimates and loans to local bodies. The feature of the Statement is the announcement of a loan of half a million in aid of the public works fund. The Treasurer states that it does not follow that the whole of this will be raised or expended this year. After the delivery of the Financial State- J nient, questions occupied the remainder of the , afternoon. In the evening the Advances to ! Settlers Extension Bill was passed after some debate. The Municipal Franchise Reform Bill and the Shearers* Accommodation Bill were also passed.

THE LATE SIR F. D. BELL.

The SPEAKER read letters from Messrs H- D. Bell and B. Bell, thanking the House for tho expression of condolence in connection with the death of Sir F. Dillon Bell, their father. On tho motion of the PREMIER, it waa decided to enter tho letters on the Journals of the House.

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

The General Estimates for the year 1898-99 •were introduced, arcl referred to Committee of Supply. The Right Hon. Mr SEDDON (Colonial Treasurer) read the Financial Statement. Captain RUSSELL asked when the debate en the Financial Statement would be taken. The PREMIER said he intended to brin? it on on Thursday, but if that did not meet the convenience of the leader of the Opposition it would bo taken on Friday.

Captain RUSSELL said that as there wore references in the Statement to the finances of years past ifc was necessary that more time should be given to examine it.

The PREMIER said any Sixth Standard School boy could have compiled the figures from the parliamentary records. Under all the circumstances, he thought the Statement po concise that tha debate could connnsneo to-morrow. He did not sea what good would yesult from procrastination.

Mr TAYLOR asked when the report of the Police Commission would be presented, as tho House wished to know if the increase in tho Police department had been recommended by the commissioners. Ho also •wished to know why there was no reference in the Statement to the reserves for technical education.

T?io r Hon Mr ROLLESTON asked when the Lands and Agricultural report would be presented, and referred to the disadvantage members would be under in discussing tlie finances, as there was no indication as to ihow ways and means when granted were to bo expended, lie referred to the scarcity of , railway trucks, and said there would be a block unless preparations for supplying trucks were put in hand at once.

The Hon J. M'KENZIE said the Lands and Agricultural reports had been ready for some timo, but had not been printed owing to press of work at the printing office. Ways and means, ho pointed out, were to be expended on roads, bridges, and public works. The PREMIER said as soon as the Government's financial proposals were agreed to by the House the men who had been engaged in constructing trucks and waggons prior to the expiry of the appropriations for that purpose would be re-engaged. With respect to technical education, he said the amount voted for this purpose last year was still available. The increase in the Police department vote had been decided on upon the recommendation of Commissioner Tunbridge. He was in a position to place the report of the Police Commission on the table of the House tomorrow, but it would not be fair to the commissioners if the statements therein contained were discussed before the evidence was printed. He pointed out that £200,000 was intended to be expended on additions to open railways and providing trucks and waggons. Mr SMITH asked when the Police ComJmission evidence would b8 printed. The PREMIER said of it had not yef. been returned by witnesses. Committee of Supply was set down for .Thursday.

QUESTIONS.

In reply to questions, Ministers stated that 'the position of balneologist for Rotorua had been offered to a competent person at a salary of £800 per annum, but he would not accept the position unless he were allowed to charge fees for advice, to which proposal the Government could not agree, and negotiations for the engagement of a balneologist were etill pending. Some seamen proferrd continuous discharge forms to single forms, but the Marine department has no objection to the issue of the latter.

Tbo police station at Nelson will be shortly removed to the prison lately closed at that place. Tho police have been instructed to give every assistance to registrars of electors with respect to the onrolment and identification vf electors.

ADVANCES TO SETTLERS

The Hon. J. M'KENZIE moved Hie third read in jt of the Government Advance* to Settler.-; Act Amendment Bill. The Hon. Mr ROLLESTON asked the Minister if he intended to fulfil his promise to present a return showing the number of cades in which advances had been made to settlers who .are in arrears of rent to the Crown, and said he had heard of such case.-!. Mr DUTHIE contended that tlio advances to settlers schpme was no longer for the good of the country, ad the necessity for it. did uofc now exist. It had been introduced when the rates of interest were high, but plenty of money was now available at from 4Jt to 5 per cent., and therefore the department should be discontinued. He deprecated tho colony going on the London market, as proposed in the Financial Statement, aa the colony was under a cloud in connection with tho MidJand and Manawafcu railways and the New Plymouth Harbour Board. Referring to Uia accounts of the Advances to Settlers department, ho complained that they were not a credit to the colony, and showed that concessions had been made by other departments ,to it in order to reduce- the Joss on its working to tho colony. The whole scheme xvss an excrescence, and should bo abolished, Mr HOGG said he know of no oflico established by tho Government which had realised to a larger extent the full sympathy and concurrence of settlers, or which had done mm o to promote settloment and civilisation, as tho

Advances to Settlei'3 office. The remarks of the last speaker had shown what the Opposition's attitude to the scbome would be if they held tho reins of Government. Tiro people of tho colony should noto that it was a declaration on the part of the Conservatives that they would close up the department, and that there would be no more cheap money for settlers. Mr GEORGE HOTCHISON said Mr Duthio's speech displayed cautiousness as compared with tho claptrap of the last speaker. He (Mr Hutchison) did not agree with Mr Duthie that the department should bo abolished, as ho had always advocated bringing cheap money within the reach of settlers, but had objected to monoy being raised in London, as there was abundance of money in the colony in tha hands of tho Government departments. At the time when tho loan was raised there had been in vogue a flashy policy of raising money in London, and ho hoped that no future loan would be floated, as that ono had been, by misrepresentation, lie argued that there had been bungling in connection with the department since its commencement.

Mr MILLS said there was no scheme of national importance which bo commended itself to the good judgment of the people of the colony as the advances to settlers scheme While there had been abundance of money in the colony before the inception of the scheme, there had been some very tight hands holding on to it. Settlers all over tho colony blessed the day that the Government came to their assistance.

Mr MASSEY said he was as anxious as the last speaker was that settlers should obtain cheap money, but he looked with alarm on the rapidly increasing public debt of tho colony. Abundance of money could be lent by tho ordinary lending departments of the Government, and if tho mortgage tax wero done away with it would reduce the rate of interest all over the colony by £ per cent. He quoted advertisements from local newspapers showing that money could be obtained at per cent., and under these circumstances the Stale department should be abolished.

Mr FLATMAN warmly defended the department, and pointed out that tho cheap money advertised was lent only in large sums, and those lending it were simply the agents of English lenders. Mr WILSON said it was not fair to compare the State cheap money with that advertiseu, as in the case of the latter loans were only made on freehold security where an exceptionally large margin oxisted. He deprecated the attack made on the ex-Colonial Treasurer, especially in his absence, for whatever his faults in public or private life had been, he had done one sterling act in being the first to obtain a 3 per cent, loan for the colony. Mr BOLLARD considered the bill was unnecessary, and said the Government had injured the workers, widows, and orphans of the colony, as tho rate of interest paid to depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank had been reduced after the establishment of tho Advances to Settlers department. Mr M'LEAN opposed the bill, and objected strongly to further borrowing for advances to settlers. The result of the working of the scheme had been to create competition between the Government Insurance and Advances to Settlers departments. It was absolutely absurd to contend that the establishment of the department had led to a lowering of the rates of interest all over the colony. Mr GILFEDDER strongly supported the cheap money scheme, and contended that as a result of its working the rate of inlerets on thirty millions of indebtedness had been re-d-iced by at least 2 per cent. He pointed out that if the Government stopped advancing cheap money a combination of money lenders would be formed to raise the rate of interest. Mr E. G. ALLEN said one of tho effects of the scheme had been to pause people to put their accumulated funds into other channels, such as buildings in cities, which had given employment to large numbers of artisans. Mr BROWN, whilst in favour of the bill, regretted that the Government should go out of the colony to raise the money. Tho Hon. J. M'KENZIE, in reply, said Mr Rolleston evidently thought the Advances to Settlers department was being made use of to assist the lauds for settlement scheme, which was not the case, and he would bring down a statement by a public servant to that effect. Of 1031 tenants under the lands for settlement scheme only M had had advances, and only one of these was in arrears with his rent when the advance was made. The statements made by members with respect to^tbe department were wide of tho mark, and if it were left alone for a very short time the losses would bo made up, and the -whole of the arrears to the consolidated fund paid. The reason for passing the bill was to give tho Government authority to borrow money in the colony as it was required. Other lending departments of the Govornmcnt could only lend sums over £3000, and it was rarely that sums of that amount were lent under the advances to settlers scheme. Mr Duthie's speech had revealed the real mind of the Opposition on the bill, though the speeches of other members showed that the mind of the Opposition was divided on the subject. He pointed out that if settlers could get cheap money from private individuals on better terms than from the Government they would get it from them, but they knew best where to get money. The motion was agreed to by 51 to 9, and the bill was nassed.

BILLS PASSED.

Tho amendments made in the Municipal Franchise Reform Bill were agreed to after a brief debate.

The third reading was agreed to, and the bill then passed. The amendments made in the Shearers' Accommodation Bill were agreed to, the 4hird reading carried, and the bill passed.

THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND.

Mr Morrison has the following two questions on the Order Paper regarding the Bank, of New Zealand:—" (1) Whether it is correct that the head office expenses of the Bank of New Zealand are: President, £2250; general manager, £2000; assistant general manager, £1500"; (50-.ernmp.nt auditor, £1750; four directors (ucli £500), £2000 ;— total, £9500? Is it also correct that the travelling expenses of the director and head office staff average over, per v«ar. 5400; grand total, £9900? (2) Whether the Mr Butts recently appointed to the portion of .issistant genera] manager of the Bank < I P'Vv Zealand is the same officer who \v;i<- ij 1 of the duties of Government auditoi'' I 'I I lie same Mr Butts who stated in his ewile; m before the Banking Committee one day that £200.000 was sufficient to meet certain" losses n> the bank, and a few days afterwards admitted that another £40,000 was required to mako up the losses in connection with a certain account? Does the Government consider that with the State guarantee behind the Bank ot Now Zealand this officer should be placed in uncli a responsible position at a salary of £1500 per anmiuiZ'*

JOTTINGS. Diving operations to recover the Tasmanian mails cost £560.

A return showing the number of permits to various religious bodies under the Gaming and Lotteries Act gives the following totals; Church of England, 35; Roman Catholic, 32; Jewish Church, 1 ; Presbyterian Church, 2, Tho amount of fines imposed on railway servants during tho timo tho Government havo had the railways under their control is £225. The amount for an equal period under the commissioners' regime was only £155. Silver pine slo3per3 used last year on tho Hurumn-BlurY line cost £9736, and transit expenses came to £2271 ;— total, £12,007. Tho relative coat of matai would have boon £8762, of tolara £10,709, and punri from Auckland £18,174-. But fhese woods were not proem able. Silver pine as against malai is said to be at least 3 to 1 in durability.

Of 467 appeals and protests received from railway employees aa to tho position in which thsy are placed on I lie classification list, 116 only vrere successful. Mr E. G. Allen has presented a largelysigned petition regarding the suggested double line of railway to Port Chalmers.