PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3816, 1 July 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OP BBPEBSBJJTAIIVES,

i The House met at 2.89 p.m, NEW MEMBERS. Mr Pratt, Member for the Southern Maori Electoral District, took the oath and his seat, BEPLIGS, Eeplying to Mr O’Callaghan whether 1 it is the intention to abolish the tolls now levied on stock travelling from Cunterbury to Westlond, and whether the Government will give to the House information with regard to any negotiations which have taken place on the subject with the Westland County Conn-

oil, the Hod. Mr Richardson said the Government intended to deal with the question this session. Replying to Mr Macandrew if the attention of the Government has been called to the operations in the United States of America towards deepening the channels of rivers and tidal estuaries on the system introduced by Captain Bades, and seeing the immense saving that might be effected in the expenditure of Harbor and River Boards in New Zealand if the allegations respecting Captain Eades’ system are correct, will the Government take any steps towards securing the advantages of such system in this colany, the Hon Mr Larnaoh eaid the Government would consider the advisability of moving in the matter, A report had already been received. NEW BILLS. The following Bills were introduced : —The Law Practitioners Act 1882 Amendment Bill, No. 2 (Mr Fisher) ; Mines Act 1877 Amendment Bill (Hon Mr Laroacb) ; A Bill to Amend the Police Offences Act 1884 (Mr Fisher) ; The West Coast Settlement Reserves Act 1881 Amendment Bill (Hon. Mr Ballance). BBXUBNS, Mr Turnbull moved for a return showing the quantity of tea cleared at the Customs Houses at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, from the Ist May, 1885, to the present time, also the respective values per lb for which entries were passed. Agreed to. Mr Stewart moved that there be laid before the House a return showing (1) the total cost of all “institutions” as dein section 4 of the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Bill for the year beginning on the Ist April, 1884, and ending on the 31st March, 1885, within each of the districts defined in the first schedule of the said Bill; (2) the population of each County, Eoad Board Districts, Borough and Town District within each such district; (3) the rateable value of each County, Road Board District, Borough and Town Dietrict within each such district. Agreed to. MINIBTEEIAL STATEMENT. The Hon.'Mr Stout said he desired to make a Ministerial statement. In consequence of the motion of want of confidence in the Government given by the member for Auckland City Bast, he said it was only due to the hen. gentleman’s position in the House that the House should adjourn till the matter was disposed of, and with that view be moved the adjournment till 7.30 p.m., when the debate on the Financial Statement would be resumed. IN COMMITTEE. On the motion that the House go into Committee of Supply, Mr Dargaville said be should best consult the wishes of the House if he gave way to the Member for Auckland City East. He reserved to himself the right to speak later on in the debate.

Sir George Grey said he wished to explain the position he then occupied. He desired to say that in the action he was taking he had had advice from no one, and felt in a manner in an unfriended position. He thought there was no doubt the Financial Statement bad excited great discontent, not only without the walls of Parliament but also in the House, and in that discontent be most express his entire concurrence. The Colonial Treasurer, in his speech the other evening, had put before the House one set of figures and the Member for Egmont another set, but he thought the speeches of both were misleading. He characterised the taxation that had recently been put on as of a kind that would press heavily on all clases ip the colony. There was no necessity for adding $o the burden of the country by appointing so mapy new members to the Legislative Council. He dented that the present was a coalition Ministry, as party arrangements bad been made between the Premier pnd Treasurer before the late Government was defeated. This Ministry was a New Zealand Agricultural Company Ministry, and be contended that Ministers should have no connection with public companies. Only last session a million acres of land were taken from the colony and banded over to a railway company. The Colonial Treasurer had himself , a concession for sixteen million acres in Western Australia, and be con. tended that if that million had not been parted with last session it would 1 have been saved for the inhabitants of New Zealand. _ He had read the financial statement in despair, and considered i that the survival of the fittest alluded to l by the Treasurer was the most terrible misfortune that could befall a nation, The Treasurer’s proposals to continue the property tax because the people were accustomed to it was a most extraordinary one. Referring to the reports that were constantly heard that the present ministry were not to be put out of office at present, he said that the determination meant the passing of a number of laws that would ruin the country. He thought that those who considered the Ministry should be ejected from office should put them out, and if necessary a coalition government shonld be formed that would pass just laws and not the laws of public companies, and he thought an inquiry should be instituted as to who were the promoters of the New Zealand Agricultural Company, and what claims that Company had upon the colony. If the Government were sincere in their statement that they preferred a land and income tax, why did they not bring in such a tax and stake their existence on it? The Government sacrificed all their professions for the purpose of keeping the member for Egmont out of office. He did not think there was a single member of the House who did not Relieve with him that the Financial Statement should be absolutely scouted. He would not go ip to of all the small errors of the Government, bgt'he i should not stand by and see the country ruined without lifting up his voice against those that were bringing it to such ruin. He implored the House to unite to form a true coalition Government instead of the present one. He included by moving the amendment— That His Excellency be informed that his Advisers'do jjof possess the confidence of this House.*' The Hon. Mr Stout said he would not have risen to speak to the amendment had it not been for the position the hon, member held in the House. As a criticism of the Financial Statement, be thought the speech be had just heard was worse than weak, ' Tbo- honorable gentlemen had referred to certain things which occurred before the present Parliament was elected. He said that the statement that any arrangement exrated previously between the Treasurer and himself had not a particle of hrujth in it. When the member tor Auckland Oitv East was in power, and it was represented po him that be was in a hopeless minority, gad that there was no option hot coalition, he distinctly refused to give up office. As for the "charges about public companies, (Mr Stout) had not a single pharre in company referred to. When thjs Agricultural Company started, the Member for-Auckland'City East was asked to join it as a director, but he only refused begause he had pot sufficient time to attend to its He deprecated bringing op person®! ‘

matters. They were not all like the Member for Auckland City East in receipt of a pension; they had to work for their families. Since ho (Mr Stout) came into the colony as a lad be had never concealed his views; could the bon member say the same ? He thought it was no reproach on any one member who accepted a position in a public com* pany. As to the tariff proposals, those who opposed them most vigorously supported the increase in the tariff in 1879, in some cases as much as 10 or 15 per cent. It was no pleasure to a Govern* ment to put taxation on the people. The finance of the past was detrimental to the interests of the country, and the present action of the Government wag the first honest attempt made for years to make the people face their difficulties. Ho said the colony would _be ruined if it had to go on borrowing for the construction of roads and bridges. The Government only borrowed for works that would be directly reproductive. With reference to the Defence Vote, the Government thought it better to charge that out of the Consolidated Revenue. The member for Egmont had not criticised the tariff unfavorably, as he had himself increased the duties year after year. He contended that the tea was Ajd per lb cheaper at the present time than it wag in 1879. In 1673 boots and shoes were taxed ten per cent ad valorem . The duties now proposed did not exceed 15 per cent, which he considered not excessive. He thought It was not fair that whilst they interfered with the manufacturers on one band (hey should not give them some protection on the other. As regards the coal duty there was a continual claim from owners of coal mines to reduce the railway freights. The tax was put on because it would in some way compensate for the demands that were made on the Government for the redaction of freights. They intended to take the sense of the House on the tariff as they considered that a proper course to pursue. The Member for Egmont bad alluded to the circumstance that the expenditure under twelve clauses of the Estimates had increased by £50,000 during the year, but since 1881 the increase in the annual charges under the hon. gentleman was £150,000. If the defence preparations had not been necessary this year the saving would have far exceeded the estimate. Then as to the taxation proposals. About nine-tenths of the House told the Government they could not construct their works and bridges without Government aid. Aid to roads and bridges in the past had been given solely on political principle, and the members that got the largest amonnt under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act were Government supporters. He (Mr Stout) was as independent as the Member for Auckland City East and was more ready to give up office in 1878 than that gentleman. He was also prepared when the present Government was being formed, to stand aside and assist in the formation of the Ministry to the best of his power. He.thought therefore that the remarks of the Member for Auckland City East as to his having a desire to cling to office were entirely unwarranted. He considered it unfair to attack the native policy till the Native Minister bad an opportunity of explaining bis Bill. He did not wish to hold office if there was a majority against them, and he would do as be had done once before, resign at once if the House desired it.

Sir G. Grey made a personal explanation. He said that the Premier said he (Sir G. Grey)lwas asked to become a director of the New Zealand Agricultural Company, but he was surprised when the proposition was made to him, and he expressed the opinion that no Minister should be a director of it. He also asked the House to compare his Local Government Bill with that of the present Government to see if it were not more liberal than the letter. Mr Bryce said he did not rise to support the amendment of the Member for Auckland City East, not because he had confidence in the (government, as he had hone, but he thought tfie time was npt come for them to bo removed from office with advantage to the country. He said it was unreasonable to expect the House to discuss the administration of the Government on the Address-in-Reply, as the Address was so framed os to mahe it impossible to discuss the Government policy, He objected to the Premier always declaring one set of opinions in words and another set in actions. Government undertook last session to bring in local government proposals, and be noticed that the Premier and Treasurer had said that the proposal to allow local bodies to borrow need not be allowed, os it was a “fair subject for condemnation.” If the local bodies were not allowed to borrow, however, where did their “ assured finance ” come in P He thought if the proposals were carried the local bodies would borrow all they could, and then come back to the House lor more. One fatal objection to the proposals in his opinion was that there was no provision whatever in them for opening up the interior of the country.

The Hon. Mr Ballance said he thought he would be able to make it clear that |;he fifembep for Waitotara had made several misstatements. 4.8 to his remark that the time was hot ripe for Government to be removed from office, he contended it was bis (Mr Bryce’s) duty, holding .the opinions he did, to rote for the amendment pro* posed by the Member for Auckland City East, and endeavor to displace the Government at once. Beferring to the bon Member’s statements about granting a million of acres of land to the East and West Coast Railway, be thoeght that there was no abuse of power in giving the land for the purpose of pro* moting settlement. It also bore no comparison with the action of the Hon. Member for Geraldine (Mr Rolleston) who had given 200,000 acres, worth £2§Q,QOJ|, to the Manawatu railway. He' thought the setien of the’ Government in appointing nine Legislative Councillors was justified if only on constitutional grounds, to counteract (he vote of the majority left in that Chamber by the “Continuous Ministry." Beferring to Native Affairs he said the natives during his (Mr Ballance’s) administration bad shown the utmost desire for friendliness, and both Tito Eowaru sn4 £eWbiti advised their people to maintain' the pehce, Jn regard to the Parihaka scare, he asserted that it was got up by interested Europeans on the West Coast, With reference to the member for Waitotara’s statement on the North Island Bailway Question, be (Jesiyec) to gay that the surveys were completed, bbt’ tbe process ot putting the land through tho Court was of a most tedious character, as was well known by that Member. He contended that the Government had enormously reduced the expenditure during their nine months of office. As to the tariff proposals he asserted that the working clapscD would not pay the whole of the duties**imposed', and dhe Treasurer had given a good reason for increasing tho duties, namely, the raising of a revenue. Ho thought they should in every way in their power foster the growth and enterprise of colonial industries, Mr M. J. S. Mackenzie moved the adjournment ot tfye debdtq till half-past tiyo o’clock to-morrow, and {be House rose (tag*