HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2061, 12 August 1875, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON.: This day. The Abolition Debate. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr Luckie addressed the Hous.e at considerable length, and ridiculed the puerile attempts of Provincial Councils to imitate Parliament, but at the same time admitted they had- performed some good work. He referred to the second Taranaki war, and paid a tribute of praise to the policy of Sir George Grey (then Governor) who advocated the very best policy' regarding the deajings with the Natives, viz., that of temporising. Reverting to Provincial Governments he said the first blow was the .New Provinces Act; the second, the Consolidation of Loans ; and the third and greatest of all, the Public Works Policy. He considered the old Parliament better able to deal with the Abolition question than the new one. Those who objected appeared to him like asking a child to perform the duty of a man. He was supported by the opinions of Disraeli, Gladstone, .Todd and others on this point. Re the Auckland province, it was true the Provincial Government had discharged its liabilities and had a balance to its credit, but at the expense of stopping all public works and merely paying departmental expenses. He deprecated delay in passing the Government Bills, and considered nothing could be gained. He combatted Sir George Grey's argument, that because the average taxation was £4 12s per head, therefore the laborer with a wife and four children paid £27 per annum of taxation. This was perfectly delusive. Though £4 12s might be the average, the poor labourer did not pay that amount. Re the Upper House and its want of affinity, with most people he was surprised that Sir George Grey who framed the Constitution, and who, therefore, provided for a nominee chamber, and who himself nominated many of the present members should now sneer at his own creation. He was surprised a£ Sir George's bad taste. With regard to the supposed programme of Opposition, he had an objection to a property tax, especially where it affects absentees. He concluded by saying that from his twelve years'colonial experience he had come to the conclusion that it would be impossible to -carry out their great policy to a successful issue if subject to all the antagonistic influences of Provincial Governments.

Mr Montgomery followed. He considered the Bill an imperfect measure, though it contained many good provision's, and he doubted the possibility of the general revenue yielding pound per pound to local boards. If the land fund has to pay interest on the loan, how will it be with ; provinces .Having; no land I fund ? About flus* they had hot sufficient information. He-did not think Municipalities would have, been so enthusiastic in favor of the Government proposals if such large inducements had not been held out to them; The. policy of the Government looked like a sapping of the Provinces: it was an attempt on their land fund. • He then gave a calculation tending to show the Bill was nofc one to meet Me requirements of outlying districts, andinstanced Bank's Peninsula, which last year received £9252 from the Provincial Government, but under the provisions of -this Bill would only have received £20CD. Other boards would be treated similarly. He concluded by saying that while fully convinced that a constitutional change was necessary he thought a bill of this importance should be relegated to the decision of the people, and he would vote against the second* reading ; and if it is in committee endeavor fc> effect amendments.

Mr Tribe had somewhat changed Hs views since last session, but not in the same way as Mr Wood. Last session he said he thought it sufficient for the Government to bring an Abolition Bill to a second reading and then. to let it go to the country, bub since then, and from what he knew and heard of the feeling of the country generally, he was now

convinced the Government would be-ab-solutely criminal if they did not during, the present session push on to completion their several measures. The country was ripe for them, and a great injury would accrue from any longer delay. . $Tr Gibbs would jyote for thei&ecpnd reading, preserving liis right to vote as he may deem fright in what the Government propose J», substitute in their place. Abolition wHI-be a boon to the colony, for Provincial Governments have fulfilled their destiny. (From his remarks apparently the speaker does not approve of all provisions of the Billf FuTffopcs it'wiir be amended in committee.)

The debate was adjourned, to be resumed on Friday at 2.dQn^. ?mm , , v .. .

(FEOM A COBEEsi/o&tVENT.)