PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4140, 21 July 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. [By Telegraph ] Wellington, July 20. private bill. The Wellington-Manawatu Railway Debentures Validation BUI was read a second time. LEAVE or ABSENCE. Leave of absence was given to Mr Taiaroa for a week. A MAORI DICTIONARY. Mr Mantell moved that Government print a vocabulary of English and Maori terms in official translation; The motion was agreed to on a division —ayes, 28 ; noes, 10. THIRD READINGS. The New Zealand Bible Tract Society Bill was read a third time and passed. The recommendation from the Government of an amendment of the Justices of the Peace Bill, agreed to by and received from the House, was ordered to be considered to-morrow. The Municipal Corporations Bill was read a third lime and passed. MESSAGES. A message from the House wa ß received announcing that it disagreed in the Council’s amendment of clause 38 of the Local Bodies Loan Bill, Mr Buckley moved that consideration of the message be taken to-morrow. The motion was agreed to. A message was received from the House stating that it agreed with the Gonncil’s amendment of the Wellington Harbor Board leasing Bill. FIRST HEADINGS. The Destitute Persons Amendment Bill was further considered in committee and amendments agreed to. Progress was reported, and leave given to sit again. The Native Lands Administration Bill was committod. A number of amendments were agreed to, and progress reported. The Native Lands Court Bill was further considered, and progress reported. The Council adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The Council resumed at 7.30. BILLS. Mr Reynolds moved' the second reading of the Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill. He believed the measure would make local bodies more self-reliant. After discussion the motion for the second reading was agreed to. The Counties Bill was committed and several amendments made. A number of clauses were postponed; progress was reported and the Council rose.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Hutt and Petone Gas Companys’ Bill wbb read a third time and passed. Mr Hamlin moved that the report of the Joint Committee on the Standing Orders, on 16th July, relative to the Wairau Gas Gill be agreed to. The motion was agreed to. . QUESTIONS,

Replying to questions, it was stated that the compilation of the Maori History was still far from being completed, and Mr White expected to finish it by 1890 ; the amount already paid for the work was £1775 ; that the question of modifying the conditions of Government contracts where there was cause of discontent was under consideration ; that no reduction could be made in the proportion of passage money now required to be paid by the friends of nominated emigrants ; that about two thirds of the Waimariri block had been already acquired for the North Island Railway, bnt a positive answer coaid not be given when the whole block would be required. There were over 1000 owners in the block. THE MAORI DIFFICULT!. Mr Balianoe said that the latest telegrams received by him from the West Coast were that all was quiet, and that there hid been no farther attempt at forcible entry. He also stated that Te Wbiti was arrested this morning by the instructions of the Governments and he was now at Opunake under a strong gnard. He might state again that the criminal law would be sufficient to deal with the matter. HARBOURS BILL. Mr Larnaoh moved the second reading of the Harbours Act Amendment Bill, the object of which was to dissolve the Harbour Boards of Castlepoint, Foxton, Kskanui, Moeraki, and Whangarei. The powers or these Boards are hereafter to vest in (he Government or in the Governor-in-Couuoil. The Bill also allowed Boards to expend money to keep tugs, etc. The Minister read a short statement with respect to the operations and conditions of harbour boards in the colony. The second reading was agreed to. THE LOAN BILL. Sir Julius Yogel moved the second reading of ibe Loan Bill, authorising the loan of £1,500,000 for stated railway purposes. Tho Cabinet had come to the conclusion that £BOO,OOO would not as at first calculated, be sufficient for miscellaneous purposes for two years. £IOO,OOO would have to ho devoted to the purchase of laud along the North Island Trunk Line, which bad not been calculated upon. The sum of between £200,000 and £300,000 already paid for rails and rolling stook, would also be transferred to the new loan, which, with repayment of the first mentioned sum would it was hoped give margin enough. He wished to say that he had never proposed an extensive loan as had been alleged, but only to sketch out a series of proposals extending over a number of years, end be read several

telegrams and other documents which had passed between himself and the Agent-General in support Jof hia state* ment. He deprecated remarks which had been made as to the nnsoundnesß of the colony’s finances, and said that Jibe losses sustained in New Zealand were small compared with those experienced in other colonies, and any loss by drain of population to Kimberley would only be temporary, and an outbreak of a goldfield there must benefit all the colonies. It was not certain in bis opinion, however, that the field would be so profitable as anticipated. He mentioned that the triennial property tax just made, showed an increase in value of borough property of £4,769,000 and of county property of £1,880,000. On the motion of Mr Bryce, the debate was adjourned till 7.30 p.m. IN COMMITTEE. The Beer Duty Act Amendment Bill was partly considered in Committee,and the House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. DEBATE RESUMED. When the House resumed at 7.30, Mr Bryce continued the debate on the Loan Bill. The Government's change of front in regard to the £BOO,OOO was no surprise, but he failed to see how the meaoa proposed by the Treasurer would make the deficiency good. Sir Julius Vogel certainly had led the people to believe he was going in for large borrow, ing. Mr Bryce entered into the question of the borrowing policy at great length, and argned that no one realiaed the extent to which the colony was com mitted. He insisted we were paying interest out of loan, and wore going too fast. He agreed with the Premier that too much money was spent on public buildings. Expenditure on open railways required careful consideration in so young a country. So long as a line was adequate to the requirements of the country that was sufficient, and further expenditure was undesirable. Referring to the Heretaunga block, he said the money for that was paid Dr Buller for the Maoris in June of last year. Ho condemned the purchase by Government from private individuals of the Ngaire swamp which purchase could not be denied, and be criticised several other land transactions of the Government. The system of purchasing native lands by commission, which had been abolished by an Act some time ago, was being revived in its worst form. Under it the Government would only get waste lands. Government bad not only abandoned their policy, but bad also broken down in their administration. He ended by stating that the amount of the loan was too large, and ought to be reduced.

Mr Ballance said he had never beard so much distortion and misrepresentation as in the preceding speech. All were agreed that borrowing must be continued. It was only a question for what works they should raise loans. Government were not going beyond tbe limit of the law in regard to the purchase of land by commission. They bad taken that means to procure land for tbe Northern Trunk line. It was fair Isnd, and this coarse bad been taken at the express wish of the House. He defended tbe other purchases referred to b? Mr Bryce, and added that Dr Buller had rather worked against them for the Government. The money referred to was voted by tbe Honse in tbe ordinary way. He contended that Mr Bryce’s criticism did not carry very great weight, %nd if their administration was to receive no more serious attack than that it wonld not be much damaged.

Mr Ormond did not consider the borrowing policy in excess of the requirements of the country at present. The Bill proposed a new departure by “ear-marking ” the loan, but it did not give the fullest effect to principles. He regarded the Public Works Statement as empty and unstatesmaolike, and that it failed to grasp the requirements of the colony. He proceeded to deal with some of the railway proposals mentioned therein to show that the progress promised when Government took office bad not been carried out. Their road policy was impossible and impracticable ; the railway board proposals had been passed over in silence, and no proper provision had been made for school buildings. There was a great deal unsatisfactory in the Government land purchases, but he did not blame the Government for buying land along the northern trunk line. Their action with regard to immigration was not satisfactory. He contended Govern ment bad not fulfilled any of the pledges which they gave when entering office. The House was demoralised, and party government was a failure, and for this the Government was responsible. Captain Sutter quoted a large number of statistics to show what we have to borrow upon, and finally found that we had borrowed too much, drawing a gloomy picture of oar finances generally. Mr Duncan said if Mr Ormond’s ideas were carried ont, we should have to spend at least three millions next year. Mr W. P. Buokland was disappointed with the Public works policy of the Government, and the general waste of money. They did not know exactly bow money was spent, nor bow much it cost to keep a majority together for a Government. Parliamentary Government, was rapidly becoming a farce. Mr Moss also took an unfavourable view of our finances, and quoted the prices of the various colonial stocks,with a view of showing that New Zealand bonds were not in good repute. At 12.10 a.m. Mr Mitchelson moved the adjournment of the debate, wbiob was agreed to. in committee. The Hospitals and Charitable Institution Amendment Bill was further considered in Committee. In answer to 'Mr Buokland, the Premier said that he considered Mr Pearson’s resolution for throwing the cost of charitable aid on property tax, passed last week, was impracticable, and be did not intend to take any notice of it. Clauses 8 to 10 and 14 were struck out with the view of inserting new clauses, !jDhe consideration of the latter was postponed, and the rest of the Bill passed. Progress was reported, and the House rose at 1.45 a.m.