PARLIAMENTARY. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 214, 23 September 1873, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, j Vorty-seven members met at the Hon Mr Vogel's caucus to-day. iWty-four pledged themselves to'suppoH fche Government 'in .the present action. ' It was also decided to send to the Upper House" the Provincial Loaiis Bills separately, | retaining all the principal features of the former bill, but j striking out' the rating" clauses. It is the intention of the Government to' tesf the question,' whether the Lords w i\l allow ihe provinces to borrow. If the Lords will "not support this measure theGovermnent will introduce a property tax, rating all descriptions of property, 'and will endeavour to raise further loans upon the security of the tax' Properties under ' £500 in value will bo excluded fro,m the operation of this tax. the Upjper Hou3O rejects th,e Government measures, the Government will appeal ~to the Home Government for power tQ reconstruct the, Tipper House. Messages from the Governor, were received recommending a provision being made for the leasing of land for Ministerial residences in Wellington ; for a loan of £750,000 for various ] purpose's ; for the purchase of land in the North Island, and j enclosing the Immigration and Public Works Loan Act No. 2, and the' Civil List Amendment Bill. Mr Vogel is to move, "That the question of Webbs penalties be*pqstponed till Tuesday." The Government, are inclined to leave tlie matter till next yoar. Mr Vogef said he would mako the Ministerial statement a question which would allecfc not only the financial proposals df the Government, but the relations between the two brandies of the Legislature. The Provincial Loans Bill waa thrown out by the Upper House. It involved a question of works constructed by borrowed, money, and by Provincial Governments, and of and by whom the money should bo borrowed. Its relations lo the House were unsatisfactory. A radical change in the constitution of the Upper House waa wanted by the country. Acting on this the Government had introduced into the Upper House a bill to initiate a change. They had acted on Parliamentary etiquette, and out of consideration to the Upper House. It ought not to be rashly rejected, and it showed that'the Upper House could not deal at all with the question. If necessary the Imperial Parliament should be appealed to. The Council imagined' that they represented the property of the colony, but thia was a mistake. Members of the Lower House represented the property in reality. The Uppor House was not similar to th* Lords. The Lords represented landholders and large lords. The Legislative Council were merely large tenants. — Mr Stafford interrupted by saying that Mr Vogri, under the guise Of a Ministerial statement, was making an attack on the Upper House without their having any chance 'of replying. — Mr Vogel said that Mr Stafford had proposed to. swamp the Upper House some years ago. — Mr Stafford said lie should insist on the standing orders being adhered to, if Mr Vogel continued importing debatable matter into his speech. — Mr Vogel said he would conclude, if necessary, with a motion for the adjournment of the House. He regretted thai some members who opposed the Government had taken a course which was, in reality, an attack on the colony. The Upper House had thrown out bills, and of course they had a right to do so. Tlioy had thrown out the District Courts Bill and the Provincial Loans Empowering Bill. This was an attack on the Government, and showed a want of conciliation. The Government did not propose anything unconciliatory. The question was a serious one, and had been for some time culminating. The House would be justified in using 'all constitutional means to give effept to the expressed wishes of the majority. There 'wero many ways of constitutionally inviting the Council to reconsider their decision. A number of bills had already nearly passed the House. Under the Provincial Loan Empowering Act the Government propose that they should be made to stand alone, End give provinces pow or to borrow against 15 per cent, of land fund. The question of who was to borrow remained. If the Uppeu House objected to the provinces borrowing, they were brought face to face wish the difficulty that, for the colony to borrow jbr the provinces, would embarrass the Government in borrowing for the colony. The only course left was to form a special fund by means of a tax on all property, \» bother leasehold or freehold. They intended to omit the rating clauses of bills, as too much importance was ati ached to those clauses. The bill of 1871 provided the machinery for Provincial Councils to boirow money for certain pnrposes, such large powers were givon by tho bill that the U mse could almost afford to allow the step of tho Council to remain unnoticed. He would propose that these bills should go up. The Government, « hile agreeing to the principle, retain the right to consider the object and extent of the bills. If not accepted ' by tho Council, tho Government would ask the Council to | reconsider tho first bill modifio.d. Another session might be j necessary, and it would not bo unconstitutional, for there is nothing against another session being held immediately after tho close of one, or after a short interval. He hoped extra taxation would bo unnecessary. He moved the adjournment of tho House, iu' order to afford the members an opportunity i of speaking.