HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9122, 1 July 1891, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, Juno 30.— The Spoakor took tho chair at 2.30 p.m. In replying to questions, it was stated tliat Judge Richmond did not sit on Judgo Edwards' case at tho request of the Government; that tho Government did not wish to insult professional men in tho colony by sending to Victoria for an engineer to report on the facilities in Central Otago for the storage of water for irrigation purposes, and he thought qualified men could be found in Now Zealand for that purpose.

DEBATE ON FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Mr Hutchison (Djnedin) resumed the debate on the Financial Statement. While he approved of tho general policy of the Government, he hoped to see some modification in the details of their proposals. Mr Thomson (Bruce) fully concurred with the remarks that had fallen from the last speaker to the effect that the Financial Statement did not provide in any particular for relic ing the hard-working classes of the colony. The Government proposals with respect to the farming class were, ho considered, eminently unsatisfactory. Ho felt sure that in future the people who now condemned the property tax would be very sore, indeed, about the income tax.

The debate was interrupted by the. 5.30 adjournment.

Oa the House resuming at 7.30 p.m., Mr Fish ijaid tha action moved for reducing the Postal Rates waa utterly indefensible. It wui not asked for, and it was not a fair proposal, as it was confeiu-ing almost the whole of its benefit upon tho mercantile class. Although he was supporting tho Ministry, if any nntnbsr proposed a resolution subverting this part of tho Government proposals, he woul 1 vote for it. The graduated land tax proposed was, he thought, utterly insuffijiout, and under it large land holders would ba batter off than they are under tho property tax. He moved the following amend ment-", "That the financial proposals of the Government are in accordance with the general wishes of the people, providing as they do for a repeal of tho Property Tax, and substituing a graduated laud and income tax ; that the principle of chango in the incidence of taxation is satisfactory to the House, and will promote tho wellbeing of all classes of the colony." Mr Carncross seconded the amendment.

Mr Richardson accused some of tho present Ministry of betraying Cabinet secrets, and gave instances where this had occurred. After going through the estimates he was in a position to assert, and be challenged a contradiction of the statement that notwithstanding all they had heard of so many officers being dismissed from the Civil Service, there were now eleven more officers in the service than when the Government took office. He asserted a great wrong had been done to tho colony by sacrificing so many officers and replacing others with new men who had no practical experience at all of tho places they were removed to. He stoutly defended the administration of tho Stock Department from the aspersions which bad been cast on it by Mr McKenzio on his taking office.

The Hon J. McKenzio moved tho adjournment of tho dobate, which vnra-agroscT to. The House rose at 12.20 p.m.

History is simply repeating itself, as witness the followiug extract from Thackeray's " Sketches of Manners, Morals, Court, and Town Life " (George IV ) :— " Play survived long after the wild Prince and Fox had given up the dice box. The dandies continued it; Byron, Brummell — how many names could I mention of men of the world who have suffered by it! In 1837 occurred a famous trial which pretty nigh put an end to gambling in England. A peer of tho realm was found cheating at whist, and repeatedly seen to practice tho trick called sauier la coupe. His friends at the clubs saw him cheat and went on playing with him. One greenhorn, who had discovered his foul play, asked an old hand what he should do. 'Do,' said the Mammon of Unrighteousness, 1 back him, you fool.' The beßt efforts were made to screen him. People wrote him anonymous' letters and warned him, but ho would cheat, and they were obliged to find him out. Since that day, when my lord's shame was made public, the gaming table has lost all- its splendour. Shabby Jews and blacklegs prowl about racecourses and tavern parlours, and now and then inveigle hilly yokels with greasy packs of cards in railroad cars. But Play is a deposed goddess, her worshippers bankrupt, and her table in rags." It is only another revolution of the wheel that will go on spinning till the millennium. THREE CENTURIES have rolled by since Bacon said, " Coffee comforloth tho brain and heart, and helpeth digestion." l)so Creases A. I. Coffisb. Sold only ia lib and 21b tins; If you value your good name, ao not put it in jeopardy by soiling counterfeits of Wolfe's Schnapps. PERSONS OJf DELICATE CONSTITUTION, who are obliged to abstain from ordinary Coffee, Bhould try Crease's Takaxaow or Dandelion Coffee, which is rocomui ended by tnedical authorities as a vory valuable beverage tot persons who suffer from weak digestion, flatulency, and nervousness. {Sold in lib and 2lb tine, Is and 2s. Koithor triokery nor competition nan boon able to aflxofc fch.e, reputation, of