PARLIAMENTARY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5808, 15 July 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

GENEKAL ASSEMBLY OP NEW ZEALAND. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Toesday, July 14.— 1n tho Legislative Council, tho Postal Notes Bill was read a second time. The other business was unimportant. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, July 14. — The House met at 2.30 p.m., when Mr. Ivcss, Member for Wakanui, took the oath and his seat. In replying to questions, it was stated that steps would bo at once taken for including tho compound known us " Rough on Rats " under tho Poisons Act, 1871. LOOAL BODIES FINANCE AND TOWERS BILL. Major Atkinson resumed the debate on the second reading of the Local Bodies Fioanco and Powers Bill. He said he regretted the Government had decided to make it a party measure, as he considered it was especially a bill that should be considered free from party bias. Ho thought tho main principle of the bill was, that roadu should bo constructed out of tho consolidated fund; but he considered the chief cost of the roads should fall upon tho landed property of the country, and tho only way to make them would be i by capitalising special rates. Ho hoped tho Government would not thrust the bill on an unwilling Houao. Some temporary arrangements should be made this year with tho view of the whole matter being more fully considered during the recess.

Hon. Mr. Stout congratulated the leader of tho Opposition on the attitude he had taken up on the Bill, but he contended that, by the speech he had just in ido, ho had altogether given up tho Roads and Bridges Construction Act. He denied that tho Government had made any proposals for constructing the roads out of the consolidated fund ; they merely told the people they must tax themselves before the Government assisted them. He objected to the otatements that Government freed property from taxation, since exactly opposite was the case, lie did not think

they would have any satisfactory system of roads construction till they had a large board of works to deal with each road, and to allocate the money for it. He hoped tho Government supporters and Opposition would discuss the bill free from party feelings, and do their utmost to make it a good measure.

Messrs. Beetham. Richardson, Lance, £ore Lake, Buchanan, Hurst, Cowon, Walker, Pyke, Fisher, W. F. Buckland, llursthouse, Holmes, Menteith, Dodson, and Duncan also spoke on the question. . Mr. Montgomery would vote for the bill, his reason for doing so being that the principle was to repeal the Roads and Bridges Construction Act.

Mr. Iress supported the bill. Mr. Hobba, Colonel Trimble, and Mr. W. White opposed the bill. Messrs. Fitznerbert and Barron also spoke against it, but would support the second reading, and endeavour to amend it in committee. Sir J. Yogel, in replying, explained in regard to the bill that the Government would divide the subsidies where the counties and Road Boards existed at one place. After combating the arguments against the bill, he said the colony was not the distressed and impoverished country that it was represented to be. He found they had a surplus of £127,000,000 in value, and, reducing tho amount in proportion to population, it made this the richest colony in the world.

At 1.15 a.m. the second readiug was carried on the voices, and the Houße adjourned.