THE LOAN BILL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5667, 11 September 1896, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE LOAN BILL.

The Legislative Council was quite within/ its rights in deferring the motion for the committal of the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill. The Upper Chamber has no power to amend the measure, batit is entitled to full information with regard to the proponed expenditure. It is a pity this information was not afforded to.

the House of [Representatives, but we trust the Minister of Education's readiness to defer the committal may be taken as an indication of the Government's intention to repair the' omission. There is not, of course, the slightest ground for the Opposition assertion that the Premier wishes to employ the money in purchasing support during the approaching general election. It must be clear to everyone who knows anything of the temper of the constituencies that it would have been far more politic, from a purely electioneering point of view, to have withheld the loan proposals until next year, aud to have gone to the country in the meantime with a well-con-sidered scheme for the resumption of public works. The great bulk of the honest opposition to the present measure does not arise from any distaste for borrowing, but from a general feeling that the electors should be. consulted upon such an important departure from the self-reliant policy initiated. by Mr Ballance. At the same time, ther Council has taken.up a perfectly constitutional attitude, in asking for more information . thanks supplied in the schedule to the Bill. The Vilf - million set down for public works is divided into only three items— development of goldfields £200,C00, development of thermal springs and natural scenery £50,000, and railways £250,000— and even with the assurance that details will be furnished in the Public Works Estimates, it seems scarcely prudent to vote such large sums without knowing something more of their destination. The Hon W. Montgomery has stated the position very fairly, and we hope the Premier will see the propriety of acceding to the request of the Council. He need have no fear that the country will regard his compliance as a surrender to the nominated Chamber. The arrant hypocrisy of the Conservatives in clamouring against a loan, which is less than half the amount they proposed raising themselves, is evident to everybody, but it is no reason for withholding information that should have been supplied to the representatives of the people.