GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2854, 13 August 1895, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tho Council mot at 230 p.m. on Friday. IULL .I'ASSB». The Evidence Further Amondmont Bill passed its linal stages. MINING (,'OMI'ANIKrt HILL. The Mining Companies Act Amendment Bill was considered iu Committeo. Anew clause, proposed by Mr McCullough, to prohibit stockbrokers from doaling in shares on their own account, was thrown out by 21 to 9. CO- OI'EUATIVE SETTLE.UGNTS. After further debate Mr Bolt's motion affirming that tho State should fouud coopurative settlements for poople out of work was negatived on tho voices. MUHIOIFAL KISSBUVKS. l'he Waimato Municipal Reserves Bill was road a second timo. The Council rose at 5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. THE FINANCIAL DEBATE. Mr G. W. Russell resumed the debate on the Finaucial Statement. He was followed by Mr Morrison and Mr Buick, who was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. On resuming at 7.30., Captain Kussoll Baid the Brenner's speech in the Budget debate was not a defence '?? the Budget, but a long dissertation on a: history, aud an endeavor to show thai the borrowing policy of tho Stout- Vogel Government, whom he had supported, was greater than that of his own Government. Tho Premier had led the House to believe that tho actual increase to tho public debt during his term of oifico was only £1,500,000, whereas the return* laid on the table showed that the actual increase was £2,291,109, and this amount by no mean.s showed the liabilities incurred by the Government. The Premier altogether forgot to tell the House of the liability of £2,000,000 incurred for tho Bank of Now Zealand. It might be argued that that was not borrowing, but it was a promissory note which might have to be met some day, although ho h -ped that day was a long way off. There was also a liability of £1,500,000 for advances to settlers. Ho asserted that the gross liabilities incurred by this Governmeut sinco they took office were actually £6,511,109. As to the tariff, nearly every member on the Government sido of the House had spoken against Mr Ward's proposals. Tho Budget was both l>ng and dreary and contained no reliable information on any subject. Mr Pirani had referred to the great progress of the colony for the past three years, but that progress had been backwards. Both the Customs aud railway revenue had considerably decreased. Next year the surplus was to be made up by imposing £IO,OOO on the necessaries of life and getting £20,000 from the widows of the colony. He asserted that the finance of the Government had completely broken down, aud if it were not for the two items he h;.d mentioned, tho predictions of tho Opposi tion that tho Government were galloping to a deficit would have been completely fulfilled. As to the banking legislation ho warned tho Government that th y would not be allowed to forco any Banking Bill through tho House this session without giving the fullest information tho mattor. The Opposition were determined to take a firm stand on this point. The Government boasted that they wero instrumental iu loweriug tho rates of interest, but be had seen an advertisement in the Australian papers that huudreds of thousands ef pounds could be got there at 4 per cent, on good security. The amount of trade with South Australia and Canada did not warrant the proposed treaties. As to the tariff, no attempt had been made to remit the duties on the necessaries of life, and ho asked why the Treasurer had not put an extra Id on New Zealand beer, and so get a revenue of £20,000. He should not now propose any amendment, but would on a future date propose the following resolution :—" That tho Colonial Treasurer bo requested to withdraw tho proposed altera.ions of duties of Customs, on the ground that by them no simplification of the ta; iff is effected; a few existing anomalies are abolised, but no appreciable relief is granted to anybody, while extra burdens are imposed on tho many, and the estimated increase in the revenue (viz, £10,300) is not commensurate with tho general disarrangement of trade which will ensue. He would give tho House a fair opportunity of discussing tho whole question, and ho would move the resolution in no antagonism to tho Governmeut. Mr J. McKenzio said that the leader of the Opposition had shown nothing to prove that if he were in office tho colony would be better off. Tho Premier had been accused of goiug into ancient history, but tho Government wero not afraid of ancient history. He thought mat Captain Russell had shown questionable t.stein dragging in tho Bank of Now Zealand. He asked who it was who had caused tho bank to bo in its pros :iit condition ; certainly it was not tho Liberal party. Tin; Government had acted last year in this matter to prevent a crisis, and had been supported by tho loador of the Opposition. As to tho Advances to Settlors Act ho io minded tho House that ono million of that money was lying iu London yet. Looking at the low prices of produce he thought that tho Government wero to bo congratulated on tho position of the colony, especially considering tho state of tho otiitr colonies. Tho Government had never claimed to bo a non-borrowing Government, but contended that they had not borrowed in tho samo way as had gone on iu the past. Tho Government had plenty to show for tho money they had borrow ed, and if tho Opposition thought differently lot them go to their constituents and they would see what tho verdict would bo. ll u defended his land settlement at pome length. Tho Government had spout £500,005 on roads and bridges, and it matterod not to him whether a member was of tho right color or not so long as the necessities of tho district required tho vote. Ho referred at length to Cheviot, and contended that tho Government had done good work for tho money they had borrowed. Mr Eraser adversely criticised the Budget. Ho referred to the exceptional severity of tho weather in the south, a.id expressed the opinion that tho Treasurer had not made sufficient allowance for this emergency. Many of the runholders would be absolutely unable to pay their rent, so severe had been their losses. Mr Montgomery generally approved of tho Government policy. Tho debate was adjourned on the m >ti -n | of Mr Millar. I Tho House roso at 12.10 a.m. I