N.Z. PARLIAMENT

Colonist, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8061, 8 October 1894, Page 4

N.Z. PARLIAMENT

(Per United Press Association.) Wellington, October 5. COUNCIL,, The Council met at 2,30 p in It wsg deoided to insist en the Councils' amendments in the Lands for Settlements Bill. The debate upon the second reading of the Government Advances to Settlers Bi 1 to whioh Mr Stevens had moved an amendment that the Bill be read a second time that day Bis mon h°, was resumed by Mr Bowen. He said he jfelt aesuted that if ihe 8.1 l became law it would hava the effeot of making moiey deaier. So far as he was concerned, he also objected to tie Bill because tho eleotors tad not expressed an opinion on it, and becau.-e the borrowing powers it eoafeired upon the Government would lower the credit of tie Cokny at Home, i Mr Kelly eaid he thought Mr Stevens had taken too gloomy a vie s- of the affairs of the Oniony. Tbings must ba bad in the Ecutb Itland, but in tne North Island, business was prosperous. He stroDgly supported the Bill being of opinion that the present was the most opportune time to assist the farmers by a scheme of this kind.

Mr 0 iver cont nded that tbe margin proppß.d in tbe Bill was too small, and tbe prevision for an besu ance fund was not sufuoient to meat losses that were sure to ensue. The Bill would create a large number of sta'.e debfors, many cf whom wou'd nover be able ' o disentangle themselves. He altogether objected to s ate socialism as proposei to be initiated under this Bill, and said so soon as ibe energy of the individual was merged in the State bo torn w.u'd the decadence of the Empire be brought aboct. Mr Montgomeiy denied that the Bill wou d make money dearer He hopei ihe Council would not throw out the B.H which tbe peopla at large were desirous should become law. He objected to tha gloomy pioture3 regarding the ttat9 of the Colony. The Country was daily increasing in prosperity, and tbe people were surmounting the diffioulti a which stood in their path. Mr McLean thought there was much to be said, both in favor and Bgaintt the Bill, and therefore he should r.o~. vote for the amendment. The Bill did not oontain any new principe, as the state was already lending inouey, both from the Government L>fa In" euranoe Department, and Pub!io Trust. He denied that tbe banks were charging ex--01 b tan' rates of inteie3f, end said they were I lending money at 6 per cent. Mr Morris did Lot think tLe Bill would dj ' muoh Im-m, and wmld BUpport iheseuonij reading. { Mr Jennings supported the Bill, and defended the Government from the accusation, that ih?y were destroying the self reliant policy of the lota Mr Ballance. He object d to the prr.poaal to lend monty up to two thirds of tha value of the land as being too high. He regretted the pe-simißjio viewtik cf tha Colony by Mr Bowen. a view he trusted and believed that was not entartiined by many people in New Z. aland. Mr Siewait said there had been na more disastrous business in the Coloay during the las; 15 years than money lending, and therefore he objected to statement of the Colonial Secretary , that the Bill hod been brought in with a view to put a stop to the extortion of money lenders. The debate was interrupted by the dinner adjournment. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr St=wart continued speaking against the Government Advances to Settlers' Bill. He said what the country wanted was a restoration of public confidence and means to induce capitalists to immigrate with a view to enter upon agricultural pursuits. If there waß no loss to the State by the ptoposed lending there certainly could not be any profit. Mr Kerr pointed out that manufacturers by reason of the Protective Tariff aod the timber industry by being granted railway faoilities were being assisted by the State and he failed to see why objection should be raised to farmers being assisted by the State. He denied that borrowers under the Bill would become slaves of tbe State but even supposing this proved ta be true it would certainly be better that farmers should i c slaves of the Stata than slaves of the money lenders. Mr Whjta regarded the Bill aa a zmasure for the wholesale buying and Belling of money by tbe Siate and believing this would vote against tue seoond reading. The Bill was not required beoansa money on anything like good Beourity could be obtained at 4J per oent from private tenders in Sydney and m New Zaaland at s£par oent.

Mr McGregor spoke strongly against th 9 Bill which would create a olass of Bhoftbra, and a o'ass of persona who would e'thsr geek repudiation or a reduction ol their interest. It was the purest sophistry to Bay tbat this Bill followed the example of the Public Trust and Government Lif a Offices. There was no Baying where this scheme would end, for the lendirg ol three millijns woe Id merely prove a sprinkling of water upon thiraty ground. Mr McCullough ia supporting the Bill said he considered the borrowing scheme of the Government wouM not add to the indebtedness of the State. Mr Bolt strongly supported the scheme, which he regarded as much a necessity to be undertaken by the State as the Government railway?, the Governm nfc Life Insurance Department, and Public Trust Office, It was better for workers to serve the Government than to be in the clutches of lending syndic cat s Mr Bonar thought the Bill should have a fair trial, and he would support it at any rate as far as the third reading stage. In (he course of his reply, Sir P. Buckley repea'ed that one of the principal reasons why the Go vestment had trough t in the Bill wag in consequence of the almost un3upportable burdens in the shape of interest that private institutions bad charged to small farmtre. The Council then went to a division with the result that Mr Stevens amendment waß rejected by 14 lo 13, and the Eacond raading agreed t?. Division lfct for the amendment 13— Messrs Seynolds, Stewart, Williams, Farniooat, Swanson, Pharazye, BfacGregor, Aokland, Stevens, Ormond, Boweo, Whyts, Peacook, Agiinst the amendenent 14 - Mesara Baillie, Whitmore, Bonar, MoCallough, Kerr, Kelly, Jeukinson, Taiaroa, Feldwiok, Bigg, Dignan, MoLeaD, Montgomery, Buckley. Pairs for the amendment, Grace, Sbrircski, Oliver, and Holmes ; against the amendment, Bolt, Jenmnag, Morris a<_d Kenney. At 10 p m. the Counoil adjourned till Monday at 2.30 p m, HOUSE. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. la Committee on the Native Land Court Bill clanseß 135, pre-emptive right was atill under discussion. On the motion of Mr Parata, a proviso waa insaitel to the iffect thnt nothing in the Act should prevent the te&sing of land in the Middle I .'land. The clause as amended was r, elded to the Bill by 34 to 19 •»- The remaining clauses passed without materi.il amendment. *