HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6049, 10 December 1897, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, Dec 9. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. TECHNICAL EDUCATION. The Premier brought up the report of the Special Committee on the Technical Education Bill, and said that he disagreed with the amendments made in it. He explained that he had been prevented from attending the committee, owing to his notice not having reached him through being sent to his private house. Sir E. Stout, as one of the committee, said that a> messenger was sent to the Premier, but he could not be found. He added that the Minister of Education was present at the committee, and agreed to nearly all the amendments made. The Hon W. Eolleston said that there were no material amendments made in the Bill, and what had been done was to improve it. ' The Hon J. G. Ward regretted that the element of denoininationali3in had been introduced into the Bill by Sir 11. Stout, and said that this was out of place in a Technical Education Bill. Sir E. Stout said that all he had done was to move that no religious creed should be taught in a technical school, which was in accordance with the English Act. After further discussion it transpired that the amendments made by the committee were not correctly forwarded in the report to the House. The Premier moved that the report should be referred back to the committee. • Mr Montgomery moved an amendment that the report should be referred back in order that the amendments made by the committee might be properly stated in the report. The Premier's motion was carried on the voices. QUESTIONS. Eeplying to Mr Pirani, The Hon W. Hall-Jones said that he hoped to bring the Public Works Statement down on Tuesday. Eeplying to Mr Morrison, the Premier said that tho attention of the Government had not been called to the proposal of the banks to charge customers 10s 6d for opening an account and 10s 6d every six months for keeping it. This was a question of bank administration which mightbe referred to when the Government brought down the promised Bill next year dealing with the matter of the assets and liabilities of banks in the colony. Eeplying to Mr Taylor, The Premier said that the Parliament of New Zealand had no more to do with the drunkenness that took place at Earotonga than in the State of Maine. The inhabitants of that island had self-govern-ment, and New Zealand -had no control over them. The Resident Agent was appointed by the Imperial Government, but was under the control of the Governor of New Zealand. The only thing was that New Zealand paid the agent's salary. He was not keeping back any information at all, but again stated that the Government had no power over Earotonga. Eeplying to Mr M'Gowan, if" the Government intended to grant the relief to gold-mining companies asked for by the Chamber of Mines, in regard to increased taxation under the Land and Income Assessment Bill, The Premier said that the question was i -—————^— =—«___.

dealt with by the Public Accounts Committee. If a mining company 'confined itself solely to mining, it would not have to pay an additional tax, but il it cariied on other business as well, the additional tax would hava to be paid. It was only proposed in the Bill to pnt mining companies on the same footing as other companies which paid income lax on their profits, and the total amount involved was -E3OOO. Replying to Mr M'Gowan, The Premier said that after the disaster at Johannesburg it would be the duty ot the Government to take steps to preserve life and property from the danger that might arise from explosives landed in the colony. Replying to Mr G. Hutchison, Avhat step? would the Minister of Agriculture take to meet the cases of stock destroyed by the order of inspectors; which stock have been found to be free from disease, The Hon J. M'Kenzie said that he wanted to make some provision for cases of this sort in last Stook Act, but the House would not agree to it, but if time permitted this session he woidd again bring dov/n a Bill dealing with the whole matter. He had asked for a vote of .£IOOO last year, and a large portion of that had been made for cattle unjustly destroyed. He would ask for another dSIOOO this year. Replying to Mr Bollard, whether, the Government will set up a Civil Service Board for the purpose of making all appointments to the Civil Service of the colony, The Premier said that this opened up a most important subject, and the law was " very defective in the matter. It would be absolutely unfair that all candidates for the Civil Service should pass an examination, as it would preclude the children of poor people from entering the service. He admitted that if such a board were set up, it would relieve members and Ministers from a serious responsibility. Replying to Mr Holland, The Premier said that if those persons who really suffered loss in the matter of Customs duty by the recent fire at Auckland wharf would send a general petition to the House, and if a committee reported favourably on it, a sum would be put on the Supplementary Estimates to meet the case. MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT. Mr Lanci moved the adjournment of the House, and referred to the importance of encouraging the beetroot sugar industry. He was glad to hear that some compensation was to be given to settlers whose cattle were destroyed without being diseased, and he hoped that the Government would accede to Mr Holland's request by giving some compensation to those people whose goods ware destroyed by the fire on Auckland wharf,' as otherwise they would be receiving double Customs duty through the misfortunes of others. Messrs M'Gowan, Montgomery, Flatman, Monk, Meredith and Sir R. Stout also spoke on the adjournment on various matters. The motion for adjournment was lost. FISHERIES ENCOURAGEMENT. The Hon W. Hall-Jones moved the second reading of the Fisheries Encouragement Act Amendment Bill, and explained that the Bill was simply meant to extend for two years the bonus paid for the export of fish. The motion was agreed to. CONSOLIDATED STOCK. The Premier moved ihe second reading of the Consolidated Stock Act Amendment Bill, explaining that the Bill was of a technical character. Clause 2 provided that moneys now helct by the Public Trustee should be conserved, and that no sinking fund under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act, 18S(i, should be set free by' the conversion of any loan under that Act. Mr Allen said that this was much more than a technical Bill, lt meant the creation of a New Zealand debt, and provided that the Sinking Fundof local bodies should be different from other sinking funds. The Bill was brought in to smudge over the last few years, and would not conserve the funds held by the Public Trustee. Mr Montgomery contended that the House was entitled to more explanation of this Bill, and the necessity for its introduction, than Mr Seddon had given them. He held that Clause 2 was most obscure, but it meant that the Local Bodies' Sinking Fund 'was to be a permanent debt. As they now had such a satisfactory surplus, he advised the Premier to pay out of it the moneys taken from local bodies in this manner. He proposed to move in committee that Government loans to local bodies should in future not become a permanent debt on the colony. Mr Fraser would not oppose the Bill. It made no difference as far as the colony was concerned, as it was saddled with the liability. He should also support the Bill, because it gave Mr Montgomery an opportunity of moving his amendment. Mr Pirani condemned the practice of using loan money to augment the consolidated revenue, and said that it had been a scandal for years past the way in which the proceeds from the sale of Native lands, bought with loan money, were added to ordinary revenue. Mr Richardson said it was an unfair thing that local bodies should be compelled to contribute sinking funds which were not appropriated in the manner provided by the Act. The Premier denied that this Bill was meant to create a new debt, and said that there was no secrecy in the matter at all. He asserted that the late Sir H. Atkinson frequently used sums in aid of revenue, sometimes amounting to .£250,000. (MiAllen : Sir H. Atkinson never used released sinking funds.) It seemed to him that Sir R. Stout and himself would have to set up a school, and give such members as Mr Allen and Mr Fraser a lesson on finance. They at any rate know nothing about this question. He declared that there had been no concealment or seizure by the Government, and the Auditor-General had stated that they acted according to law. Mr Pirani had stated that the Government had purchased Native lands out of loan money, but that was according to law, and all previous Colonial Treasurers had done the same thing. He said that he would accept Mr Montgomery's amendment, as it might facilitate the passage of the Bill. Motion agreed to. The House rose at 5.30 p.m.