PENCILLINGS FROM PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8208, 2 August 1905, Page 5

PENCILLINGS FROM PARLIAMENT.

The New Liberals.

The Financial Debate.

A Political Revival

'(Special to Daily Times.) Press Galleby, Wednesday Morning. Though this is -written in the small hours of Wednesday morning, it is still Tuesday, according to Parliamentary rule. Practically the "'Whole of tHe afternoon was taken up with the production and reading of letters and documents 1 in refutation of the dharges made the other day by. the New Liberal Party; Things look rather blue, for .Messrs Fisher, Bedford, Taylor and Co.; but we have yet to hear from them in reply, and meantime - it, nia'y be as well to suspend judgment.

The (debate: on' the Colonial Treasurer's Budget was: commenced a t 7.30 p.m. by Mr Massey, Leader of the Opposition, who made a'vigorous speech showing considerable research and an excellent grip of the present financial position. "In reference to the last loan floated in London he showed that there had been a considerable sum expended in pre-paid interest to those who had invested in it. He felt sure that the floatation of the loan would prove to be more costly than the Premier - stated. He believed it would cost more than £30,000, and that we would not get more than £97 per £100 for our money. He challenged the Premier to lay the details in connection with the loan before Parliament. Moreover, our stocks were not at nearly so good a price in London as they ought to be, and for that the Government, with their extravagance and very heavy borrowing, were primarily responsible.

Mr Massey's remarks about the bogus nature of the surplus through charging to capital items that should be charged to revenue were very pertinent and damaging. He gave a list showing a total of no less than £138,118 that had been wrongly charged. In concluding he asked what was the use of the Premier's talking about a surplus when he was increasing the indebtedness of the Colony at a rate of over two millions sterling per annum. He said it was evident that the Premier had made up his mind to retain his position even if he had to do so by reckless expenditure and gross extravagance. Moreover, if the Premier's surplus was genuine, it must be apparent that he was taking too much out of pockets of the people in the way of taxation Therefore he was on the horns of adelemma. If his surplus was genuine let him take £300,000 or £-100,000"off our taxation.

Mr; McGowan, Minister for Mines and Justice, was put up .to reply to the Leader of the Opposition, but his speech was not an effective one. Mr Herries followed the Minister, and on his concluding, at 11 p.m., no member on the Government side, of the House showed any inclination'to continue the debate. The Premier rose to reply, but Mr Donald Reid came to the rescue on the Opposition side, and the Premier resumed his seat. Mr Reid commented on the fact that a speech such as had just been delivered by Mr Herries should be allowed to go unreplied to by the Government. When Mr Reid sat down, the Premier again rose, or pretended to rise, to reply ; but Mr Ell filled the breach, and at the time of writing is treating an empty House to a very prosy speech.

The keen revival of interest in politics that has been apparent during the past few months is evidenced nightly by the unusually large number of the public that assembles to listen to the debates in the House of Representatives. The seating accommodation is quite unequal to the demands of the public, and to-night, as on several occasions recently, many people were unable to gain admission. In the Ladies' Gallery very keen interest is taken in the proceedings, especially if there is any chance of a row or of an unusually lively debate. The other evening, after the last seat in the Ladies' Gallery had been taken, some iifty women, who could not get in, clustered about the door, and gradually and reluctantly left for their homes, where, no doubt, they would be able to find employment more worthy of their time and talents. There was a similar crush to-night, and many women had to be turned away.

Mr Massey, in his speech to-night, was severe in his condemnation of the Government, for compelling; their mortgagors to transfer their insurances to the State Fire Insurance.Department. Mr Ell interjected that that was an ordinary business practice, to which Mr Massey promptly retorted that Mr Ell knew very little about business practice, and if that was the kind of practice he was accustomed to, it was very sharp practice indeed.

The' Leader of the Opposition said that to hear Mr Seddon preaching about thrift after the way he had piled up the debt of the Colony was like Satan posing as an angel of light, or endeavouring to lead sinners to repentance.