PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3682, 21 July 1886, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

, [By Telegraph.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Whixts'*tok, July 20. i The Wellington-Manawatu Railway De- \ bentures Validation Bill was read a second time. Leave of absence was given to Mr Taiaroa for a week. Mr Mantell moved that Government print a vocabulary of English and Maori terms m official translations. The motion was agreed to on a division — ayes, 28 ; noes, 10. The New Zealand Bible Tract Society Bill was read a third time and pasßed. The recommendation from the Government of an amendment of the Justices of tbo Peace Bill, agreed to by and roceived from the Bouse, was ordered to be considered tomorrow. The Municipal Corporations Bill was read a third time and passed. A message from the House was received announcing that it disagreed m the Council's amendment of clause 38 of the Local Bodies Loan Bill. Mr Buckey moved that consideration re the message be taken to-morrow. The motion waß agreed to. A message was received from tbe House stating that it agreed with the Council's amendment of the Wellington Harbour Board Leasing Bill. The Salmon and Trout Bill waa received from the House and read a first time. The Destitute Persons Amendment Bill was further considered m committee, and amendments agreed to. Progress was reported, and leave given to sit again. Tbe Native Lands Administration Bill was committed. A number of amendments were agreed to, and progress reported. The Native Lands Court Bill waa further considered, and progress reported. The Council adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The Council resumed at 7.30. Mr Reynolds moved the second reading of the Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill. He believed the measure would make local bodies more self-reliant. 'After discussion the motion for tbe second reading waa agreed to. The Counties Bill was committed and 1 several amendments made. A number of clauses were postponed; progress was reported and the Council rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. , The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Hutt and Petone Gas Companys' Bill ' was read a third time and passed. Mr Hamlin moved that the report of the » Joint Committee on the Standing Orders, on 16th July, relative to the Wairau Gat Bill be agreed, to. The motion was agreed to. . Replying to questions, it was stated that the rompUation of the Maori History was still far from being completed, and Mr White expected to finish by 1890 j the amount elready paid for the work was £ 776_ ; that ihe question of modifying the conditions of ) Government contracts where there were causes of discontent was under consideration ; that no reduction could be made m the proportion of passage money now required to be paid by the friends of nominated emigrants ; that abeut two-thirds of the Waimariri block had been already acquired for the North Island Railway, but a positive answer could • not be given when tbe whole block would be required ; therei were over 1000 owners m the block. Mr Ballance said tbat the latest telegrams received by bim from the West Coast were - that all was quiet, and that there had been no farther attempt at forcible entry. He also stated that Te Wbiti was arrested this morning by tbe instructions of tbe Government, -" and be was now at Opunake under a strong guard. - He might state again that the criminal law would be sufficient to deal with tbe matter. I Mr Larnach moved tbe second reading of the Strbowrs Act Amendment BUI, tbe

object of whioh woe to dissolve the harbour boards of Caatlepoint, Foxton, Sakauui, Moeraki, and Whangarei. The powers of those boards are boreafter to vest m the Government or m the Governor-in-Council. The bill also allowed boards to expend money to keep tugs, etc. Tbe Minister read a short statement with respect to the operations and conditions of harbour boards m the colony. The second reading was agreed to. Sir Julius Yogel moved the second reading of the Loan Bill, authorising the loan of £1,600,000 for stated railway purpose*. The Cabinet had come to the conclusion that £800,000 would not as at first calculated, be sufficient for miscellaneous purposes for two years. £100,000 would have to be devoted to the purchase of land along the North Island Trunk Line, whioh had not been calculated upon. The sum of between £200,000 and £300,000, already paid for rails and rolling stock, would also be transferred to the new loan, which, with repayment of the first" mentioned sum would, it was hoped, give margin enough. He wished to say that he had never proposed an extensive loan as bad been alleged, but only to sketch out a series of proposals extending over a number of years, and he read several telegrams and other documents which had passed between himself and the AgentGeneral m support- of bis statement. He deprecated remarks which had been made as to the unsoundness of tho colony's finances, and said that the losses sustainei m New Zealand were small compared with those experienced m other colonies, and any loss by drain of population to Kimberley would only be temporary, and an outbreak of a goldfield there must benefit all the colonies. It was not certain m his opinion, however, that the field would be to profitable as anticipated He mentioned that the triennial property tax valuation just made, showed an increase m value of borough property of £4,769,000, and of county property of £1,830,000. On the motion of Mr Bryce the debate was adjourned till 7.30 p.m. The Beer Duty Act Amendment Bill was partly considered m committee, and the House'— djourned at 6 30 p.m. When the House resumed at 7.80, Mr Bryce continued tbe debate on the Loan Bill The Government's change of front m regard to the £800,000 was no surprise, but he failed to see how the means proposed by the Treasurer would make the deficiency good. Sir Julius Yogel certainly had led the people to believe he was going m for large borrowing. Mr Bryce then entered into the question of the borrowing policy at great length, and argued that no one realised the extent to which the colony . was committed. He insisted we were paying interest out of loan, and were going too fast. He argreed with the Premier that too much money was spent on publio' builoings. Expenditure on open railways required careful consideration m so young a .country. So long as a line was adequate to tbe requirements of the country that was sufficient, and further expenditure was undesirable. Referring to the Heretaunga block, he said the money for that was paid Dr Buller for tbe Maoris m June of last year. He condemned the purchase by Government from private' individuals of the Ngaire swamp which purchase could not be denied, and he critioised several other land transactions of the Government. The system of purchasing native lands by commission, which had been abolished by an act some time ago, was being revired m its. worst' form. Under it the Government would only get waste lands. Government had not only abandoned their policy,. but had also broken down m their administration. He ended by stating that the amount of tbe loan was too large, and ought to be reduced. Mr Ballade said he had never heard so much distortion and misrepresentation as m the preceding speech. All were agreed that borrowing must be continued. It waß only a question for what works they should raise loan*. Government were not going beyond tbe limit of law m regard to the purchase of land by commission. They had taken that means to procure land for the northern trunk line ; it was Very fair land, and thi* course had been taken at tbe express : wish of the House. He defended the other p_ rbhases referred to by Mr Bryce, and added tbat Dr Buller had rather worked against than for the ' Government. ' The money referred to was voted by the Houso m the ordinary way. He contended that Mr Bryce's criticism did not carry very great weight, and if their administration was to receive no more serious attack than that it would not be much damaged. Mr Ormond did nat consider the borrowing policy m excess of the requirements of tbe country at present. Tbo bill proposed a new departure by " ear-marking" the loan, but it did not give the fullest effect to principles. He regarded the Publio Works Statement as empty and unstatesmanlike, and that it failed to grasp the requirements of the colony. He proceeded to deal -with some of the railway proposals mentioned therein to show tbat tbe progress promised when Government took office had not been carried out. Their road policy was impossible and impracticable ; the railway board proposals had been passed over m silence, and no proper provision had been mado for school buildings. There was a great deal unsatisfactory m the Government land purchases, but he did not blame tbe Government for buying land along the northern trunk line. Their action with regard to immigration was not satisfactory. He contended Government had not f ulfllled any of the pledges which they gave when entering office. 'Ihe House was demoralised, and party government was a failure, and for this the Government was responsible. Captain Sutter quoted a large number of statistics to Bhow what we have to borrow upon, and finaUy found that we had borrowed too much, drawing a gloomy picture of our finances generally. Mr Duncan said if Mr Ormond's ideas were carried out, we should have to spend at least three millions next year. Mr W. J. Buckland was disappointed with the publio works policy of the Government, and the general waste of money. 'I hey did not know exactly how money was spent, nor how much it cost to keep a majority together for a Government. Parliamentary Government wasrapidly becoming a farce. ' Mr Moss also took an unfavourable view of our finances, and quoted the prices of the various colonial stocks, with a view of showing tbat New Zealand bonds were not m good reputeAt 12.10 a.m Mr Mitcholson moved tbe adjournment of the debate, which was agreed to. The Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill was further considered m committee. In answer to Mr Bu-kland, the Premier said that he considered Mr Pearson's resolutian for throwing the cost of charitable aid on property tax, passed last week, was impracticable, and he did not intend to take any notice of it. Clauses 8 to 10 and 14 were struck out with tbe view of inse.t.ug new clauses. The consideration of tbe latter was postponed, and the rest of the bill passed. Progress was reported, and the House rose at 1.45 a.m.