PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7268, 22 July 1893, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY.

{By fsiisßiJ'H.) WELLINGTON, July *l. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. MAHOTAOITOBB and indubtbibb. On the morion to eet op a Select Oommifeteo to consider how the manufactures and Stattta of the colony may be cnooumged, - ignethy disonssion arose on the whole question of freetrade and protection. Eventual!* the motion was carried. 3 OUBEHSI7B WOSDS. Mr O’Connor called attention to a matter which, he said, affected the dignity of the House. He referred to the charge madelast night by one member against another, to the effect that that member’s hands were reeling

with corruption. He (Mr O’Oonn that statements , of that kind should allowed in the House, and that t J have escaped the Speakers notice, opinion was that, in a oasa of this kind, Speaker should instruct the Hansard to omit such an offensive en g*. The Speaker said that he certainly had hoard the remark in question. «he nan n should not have allowed it to pass, could not, however, undertake to gw instruction suggested by'|Mr O’Connor, would be too much power to place » hands of the Speaker. THE EINAHOXAL DEBATE. Mr Oamoross resumed the debate 0° __ Financial Statement. After congratulating Mr Ward on the straightforward charaetaros this Budget, be went on to refer m terms of praise to the speeches of Bit John Hall the Minister of Education, expressing regrw at the approaching retirement of themetao for Ellesmere from active polities. Ttw otuer speeches during the debate were not soon reflected much credit on the House. W» regard to the surplus he hoped that vn# House would do its best to assist the Treasu e in seeing that the amount was not considerably reduced when the Supplementary »•“* mates came up for consideration. He ties one of those who had a feeling of antagonism towards the Bailway Commissioners, hot n seemed to him that a touring company os loos* haliers or bowlers received more attention an their hands than tha working classes. As to Uolonel Fox’s report, he thought it was just snob as the colony required, and Colonel box deserved their thanks. JHe did not advocate the abolition of the Bailway Commissioners, but ho though some scheme should bo devisee by which the House would bavo more control over the railways. He urged a reduction in medical fees. . Mr Mackenzie (Clutha) complimensed Mr Oamoross on having made a sound commonsense speech, and his conetituonte might well be proud of him. The point which Mr Camcross had raised with regard to the reduction of medical fees was worthy of every consider tion. The question would have to be deal with seriously before long, as it was of vito interest to the poorer classes in the colony. He believed that the Minister of landswas doing his beet in the interests of the Agricultural Department, but his office had not practical experiences. He strongly supported a Minister having a seat on the Bailway Board, but without the right of veto. Them was plenty of room for improvement in tha management of the railways, less red tape and more commercial knowledge would hava a beneficial effect.

The debate was interrupted by the 5.80 p n. adjournment. The House resumed at 7 30 p m. Mr Mackenzie continued his remarks. Ha said that so far as Mr Ward could break through officialdom, he believed he had endeavoured to tell the truth, and lay before them an honest statement of the affairs of the colony. He strongly condemned tha income tax, and said that there was certain to be a great loss by that form of taxation. After referring in detail to several recent speeches by Mr Seddon, and Mr Beeves, many statements in which were both reckless and incorrect, he congratulated the Minister for Lands on the businesslike way in which be had purchased tha Cheviot estate. He also spoke strongly in defence of the Atkinson Administration saying that the charges of jobbery and extravagance made against Sir Harry and bis colleagues were ungenerous, levelled as they were against a man who was no longer present to defend hia policy and one who had given his life to the colony. As matters now stood the workers of the colony were now paying the balk of taxation and a premium was offered by the Government to the effluent middle classes in order to receive their votes at the General Election.

Mr Pinkerton thought that Mr Ward should congratulate himself upon the feet that Mr McKenzie and other able men on that side of the Bouse should have been able to find so little fault with bis Statement. It seemed to him that criticism of the Financial Statement bad been entirely lost eight of in an effort to attack the co-operative system of the Government which bad been referred to in a very reckless and misleading manner. He defended the purchase of the Cheviot estate, and held that it would be very suitable for close settlement. It had been frequently stated that the unemployed cry was hoard more now than previously, but as far as his district was concerned be proved the fallacy of this assertion. In respect to railway management he considered that the Govern* ment of the day should have control of the railways of the colony. He congratulated the Premier on the efforts be had made in the direction of reciprocity, and he trusted that be would be successful in bringing it about. Mr McGuire thought the results of the year were very satisfactory, especially com* pared with the financial crisis they bad lately seen in Australia. He was not altogether satisfied with what had been dons in the way of purchasing native land, and he hoped more would be done in this direction during the coming year. The West Coast Settlement Besezves Act of last session had dona a great deal of good and opened op over 10 000 acres of land for settlemant. He thought that the co-operative works did not give a proper return for the money expended, and that the system was causing men to loose all feeling of self-reliance by teaching them to rely ou the Government tor everything. He warmly supported the exemption of improvements from taxation, but thought it would be a thousand pities to hand over the railways to the Minister for Public Works. Mr Buiok said that they most all be struck with the moderate tone of the Budget and of the absence of anything to create alarm, and that being so, they should feel that the finances of the colony were perfectly safe in the Treasurer’s hands. He warmly supported the Cheviot purchase, which be felt sore would turn out a profitable investment; but be did not favour the proposal, which he understood would be made by the Government, to resell a small portion of the property. As an abstract principle he contended that the Government should hold all the land in the colony. He was opposed to a graduated tax on principle, and thought that the Treasurer should instead have rather reduced or. abolished exemptions. Mr 0. H. Mills moved the adjournment of the debate. The motion was agreed to. The House rose at 12.20 a.m.