HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3800, 19 June 1880, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Fhidat, June 18. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2 30 p.m. LOCAL BILLS. Mr Setjiottr brought up the Local Bills Committee's report on the Oamaru Harbour Bill, finding that the Bill was a local one. He also brought up a report on the Invercargill Drillshed Commissions Bill, finding that it was a local Bill. The Committee could see no objection why the Bills Bhould nob bo proceeded with. A VIGOROUS PETITION. The Chairman of the Native Affairs Committee brought up a petition directed to that Committee from Natives in the North Island, threatening to kill certain other Natives unless they obtain redress in connection with certain lands, that being the custom followed by their forefathers under similar circumstances. He drew the attention of the House to the language of the petition, with the view of preventing the presentation of such petitions. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Stewart The Hon W. Rolleston said he agreed in the opinion expressed that the Police Court building in Dunedin was nothing better than a perfect dungeon. Government had intended to appropriate another building for the purpoßOj but an accident by fire prevented their doing so. He had not been able to get any suggestions as to a suitable building, and if the member could offer any, he would be obliged. Replying to Mr Shanks, Mr Rolleston said that Government had under considera.ion the question of the action to be taken for the purpose of exterminating the rabbits upon bush and other Governmf nt reserves. Replying to Mr Bain, Mr Rolleston said that a quarterly instead of half-yearly session of tne Supreme Court, Invercargill, was a question which partly involved the convenience of the Judges. They would be consulted on tho point, and an arrangement of the kind carried out if possible. Replying to Mr Stevens, Mr Kolleston said that the Waste Lands Boards had authority under the 48th section of the Land Act to withhold from tale 17,000 acres of the Te Aroha block, for the purpose of selling it to Messrs Grant and Foster, or persons to be brought to the Colony through their efforts. It required the Governor's approval, and that had not yet been given. The block really waa yefc available for any one. Replying to Mr Reid, Mr Rollkston said that in any future appropriation for the purpose, the claims of the Westland Educational District in regard to its want of teachers' residences, would be fairly considered. WANT OF CONFIDENCE DEBATE. Mr Moss resumed the debate on the noconfidence motion. He said that the present condition of the Colony was what they had first to_ consider. In the expenditure for the last nine months a deficiency of £861,000 had arisen. The deficiency of the Grey Government was £133,000, making a total of £995,000 in round numbers. To make good that deficiency the Treasurer had recourse to the Public Works Fund. When that fund failed he wished to know what was to become of the country. What would have been the consequences if the Public Works Loan had not been floated ? The country was literally bleeding at their feet. With such a 6tate of matters as that tho Government ought to welcome an organised Opposition, and meet them as men honestly desiring to face the difficulty. That, 'however, they had not done. They desired to stamp all appearance of opposition out of existence. They sat upon these benches silent, as if they were quite indifferent to consequences. They might go on piling up new taxation, but the more they did that the loss he believed they would get. The taxation was mow being taken from men's necessities, and the natural, consequence was if they paid an one way they would have so much the less to contribute in another. The gross "total now was as much as tho people were able to contribute. The expenditure in excess of the revenue, apart from taxation, was £583,000; then adding the new taxes even, a deficiency of £233,000 still remains. To meet this, £50,000 was to be taken off the salaries paid to departments. That meant that poor and ill-paid servants would be still further oppressed, but the wellpaid heads would escape. The remaining deficiency of £170,000 waß to be manipulated in some extraordinary kind of way, so as to transform it into a surpluß of £41,000. The plan proposed was a mere subterfuge, and he called upon them to face the position fairly, and admit at once that there was a deficiency. They were told that great savings were to be made in the expenses of the country, but would the Government tell them where that saving was to be effected ? No real information on the point had as yet been given. Regarding tho great Native difficulty,' he had no hesitation in saying that tho member for Rangitikei (Sir W. Fox) was greatly to blame, and he wesalso tobebkmed for eziafcing (financial difficulties. The > Government had taken £100 oK the allowance of £200 to the Chief Paul, ofOrakei, a man who, like his father, had rendered signal service to the European population in the early days ; and, on the other hand, a -similar sum was proposed to Hbe added to the salary of the Chairman of Committees. Again, it was alleged that thero were 600 men employed on the Waimate Plains for weeks making a raid, now found to lead into a swamp, and which was, .consequently, utterly useless. The" Hon J. Bbyoj: denied that the sfcnro--1 ment made as to tbe value ofithoroad in question was correct. Major Atkksson did the same. Mr Moss proceeded to criticise the action of tho Government in connection With Native affairs on the West Coast, and of Native lands generally. It hod been asserted that the late Governaent had spent.olll the loan,'but as a matter of fact the present Government had fcutl £3,200,000 to -deal with. Tho North had long known tho corruption of ihe Native Department, but when in 1863 the Auckland Provincial Council /took tho matter up, tho Govercment of Sir Donald M'Loan shirked enquiry. It was tiic Southern members' faith in Sir Donaid M'Leun which had prevented reform long ago. ] Culcuel Trimble spoke in favour of Government. He beliovad that two-thirds of tho agitation throughout tho country with roHjioct to the repeal of the Property tax, waa simply ii device got up for party purpoaeg. .As ii mutter of fact, theso agitations were curried on by myn who could not in any way bo •

affected by its operation. A groat deal of absurd talk had been indulged in about the Land tax and the state of affairs in the Home country wa9 quoted in support of the absurd theories. The cases, however, were quite different. At Homo the lands were originally held for services military or otherwise, and when the state oF the country no longer r quired those services, it was only fair that they should be compounded into a money consideration. Here the case was quite different. Tho lands had been all along treated as a marketable commodity. They were put up to auction, and full value got ; in a word, land here was disposed of for its full value, just the same as any other commodity, and it was absurd to say that it should bear the tax, while other property waß exempted. The debate was interrupted by tho 5 30 adjournment.