PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7267, 20 July 1893, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(BY riLBGKAPH.)

WELLINGTON, July 19. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.10 p.m. HANSARD.

Mr Richardson referred to the Hansard reports of members* speeches daring the present session. Some of those reports, be said, were very good, bat others were simply execrable, and be thought that some steps should be taken to ascertain who was responsible for this state of things The Speaker said that he should bring the matter before the Reporting Debates Corn* mittce without delay. I THE MINISTRY. The Premier said that ho desired to inform the House that the Hon. Mr Montgomery had accepted a seat in the Executive Council, and had been sworn in that morning. As to the other two Portfolios, those of Justice and Native Affairs, be might say that Mr Beeves would take charge of the Justice Department. As to the Native Department, the Govern* ment were still of opinion that that Depart* ment should be abolished, but they bad come to no definite conclusion on the subject. Mr Carroll, however, would look after Native legislation in the meantime. Mr Pish asked whether that meant that Mr Carroll was now a full Minister. The Premier said that the whole end of the Government policy was that no distinction should be made between the two races. Mr Bolleston asked whether Mr Carroll now held the Portfolio The Premier replied in the negative. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. Replying to a question Mr Reeves stated that the Friendly Societies Amendment Bill which passed the House last session, or a modified Bill, would be introduced this session, and he hoped that it would bo passed into law. MOTION TOE ADJOURNMENT. Mr Fish moved fcbo adjournment of the House to refer to the action of the Government in regard to the Otago Central Rail* way. A long debate ensued, the discussion eventually drifting to the question of the employment of labour on the co-operative system for painting Wellington police station and the Supreme Court buildings. THE FINANCIAL DEBATE Mr Duthie resumed the debate on tbe Financial Statement. He said that it was impossible to understand tbe condition of tbe colony, and no assistance was given to members in the Statement to enable them to master the accounts. The surplus bad been stated, and sn exaggerated account bad been sent to England, there being already an attempt to deceive tbe London market. The Government also claimed to be a non-borrow-ing and self-reliant Ministry, but that was one of those fairy tales which tbe present occupants of the Treasury benches were in the habit of telling for the purpose of misleading tbe country. Tbe fact was that they were spending a large amount of borrowed money, and were largely increasing the public debt. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p m, adjournment. The House resumed at 7 30 p m. Mr Dutbie condemned the co-operative system of labour, and said it was the height of folly for the Government to continue their present rate of expenditure. He did not agree with those who argued that there should be a reduction in taxation on the I necessaries of life. The so-called land settle* ment was a sham, and be questioned whether 25 per cent, of the original selectors became bona fide settlers on the land. He also referred at great length to several matters in connection with the Government policy, his criticism being generally of an adverse character Sir Robert Stout said that in the course of this debate reference bad been made to the past and be was proud of it. It had been eneeringly said that when a Liberal Government was in office their finance was always weakj but he repudiated that assertion. He defended the administrate o of tbe Grey Government of which be was a member and I said no Government had ever been in office that was more saving in ordinary departmental expenditure than that Government. Notwithstanding tbe tremenduous drop in tbe land fund in 1879 the deficit of the Grey Government was actually only £BI,OOO. He admitted that owing to the land fund tbe Atkinson Ministry that succeeded them were placed in great difficulty, but be blamed that Government for overstating the liabilities left by the Grey Government. He showed the position of the finances of the Stout-Yogel and Atkinson Governments, reminding the House that ia 1888 taxation was imposed by tbe Atkinson Ministry to the extent of nearly £30,000 and £3 600,000 was borrowed although they posed as a non-borrowing Government. Coming to the present Financial Statement he disagreed with the exemption of improvements, as it was the duty of tbe Ministry to make their finance us strong as possible, and they could not afford to make the exemptions. Members of the Opposition appeared to be very forgetful on this point, for only three of that party voted last year against the exemption of improvements. He also opposed tbe inerca e in the graduated tax, although he believed in the principle of progressive taxation, if it were not made penal. He denied that the farmers were being treated more severely than other people under this new form of taxation. They should now begin to have a sinking fund. Sneers bad been cast at the Government with regard to the increase of the public debt, but as a rra ter of feet they had paid £200,000 off the public debt, and paid £230,000 into the Public Works Fund, from consolidated revenue, which practically meant that £430,000 had been paid off in two years He considered that the time had come when 1,000,000 acres of laud should be set apart as a permanent endowment for hospitals and charitable aid, tbe land to be held on real perpetual lease with no right of purchase wbaterer. He believed that tbe Government should have tbe entire control of the railways, and submitted that £15,000,000 to £20,000,000 of property should not be banded over to irresponsible men The present system of management had utterly failed, and he contended that the railways could not be properly managed without political control. After a passing reference to the Cheviot purchase, he went on to explain and defend fchp term “ new Liberalism," which they heard so often. New Liberalism did nothing to interfere with the self-reliance of the people, and on this account he suoported tbe co operative principle, as it taught selfreliance. There were two things the State would have to face in the future, viz., to preserve the good name of their statesmen, and pay them properly for their work. If they kept their finance strong and went on moderately with their public wor«s j if they kept up the efficiency of the Oivil Service and made it a credit to the colony, he believed that there was a great future before the colony.

Captain Bussell congratulated fir Robert Stour, on bis speech, and also complimented the Hou-e on Mr Montgomery’s accession to the Cabinet. He felt sure be would strong then the Government. Captain Bussell was sorrv that he could not compliment the Treasurer pn the JfinanpiaJ for there was very little finance in it at all. Ho advanced several arguments in support of the prepent system of management of the rail-

ways, bolding that if the Minister for Public Works had a seat on the Board the continuity of management would be destroyed to the detriment of the service. The profits on the railways had enormously increased since the Commissioners took them over, and he failed to see why the control should be taken out of their hands. He disapproved of the proposal to remove the taxation from improvements as it would relievo those who could well afford to pay. He explained his views on taxation generally. He did not object to reasonable taxation, but what was objectionable was the uncertainty as to what might happen owing probably to the ill temper of particular Ministers. What the country man objected to was that an undue amount of taxation was being placed on him in order to relieve the man in town.

Mr Meredith, while agreeing with the Statement on the whole, regretted that it did nht make more detailed reference to questions of social reform and woman suffrage. He warmly complimented the Government on the Cheviot purchase, and having an intimate acquaintance with that property he could say that the colony had secured a great bargain. Mr Allen moved the adjournment o£ the debate. The motion was agreed to. The House rose at 1.20 a.m.