PARLIAMENTARY, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY'S SITTING. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Yesterday. THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1246, 24 June 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY'S SITTING. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Yesterday. THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.

The no-confidence debate was resumed by Dr. Wallis, who strongly urged the admission of females to political privileges, and protested against the growth of protection under the guise of encouraging Native industries. They should insist on free trade, and all the other items of the Liberal programme, which Sir George Grey was the proper man to carry out. Mr Gisborne criticised the various political charges whi<h had characterised the career of the member for Waitemata (Mr Wood). In crying up the credit of the Ministry he cried down the credit of the colony. His speech, read on the Stock Exhange of London, would operate seriously agaiust the colony. Because the Railways and other public works undertaken did not return a certain percentage, were they to be put down ? The natural result of such a process of reasoning would be that such a system, social and political, would be put down as educational schemes &c *;"and, in fact, the hon. member would end in putting down humanity itself, "simply because it did not return 5 per cent. Whatever errors there were, or accidents in its administration, may have occurred, the Public Works policy of 1870 was a great statesman-like policy, and had done much towards the advancement <Jf the colony. The colony itself, whatever its temporary depression might be, was sound at heart, and would yet rise superior to the temporary difficulties. A saving meant a reduction m the permanent cost of the Government,' and not a refusal to spend this or that vpto authorised by Parliament. He criticised the items set down in the Estimates, to show that the saving foY which tbe Government to»k credit was chiefly of this class. It meant that certain subsidies had not been paid ; but the subsidies would have to be paid, we might just as well grant a promissory note for this debt. The real saving did not exceed some £7000 or £8000 in departmental expense. That was all despite' the great amount of credit Government had taken to itself. He was not prepared to say the terms for the conversion of the 5,000,000 loin have been too great. The Government was not jusified, however, in ita arrangements for future loans. The arrangements made with the Agent-General wore reprehensible. It was not to the interests of the colony that persons holding no official position should be employed in the conversion of loans. The whole fiscal policy Gf the Government was shadowy and unsubstantial, and not what the colony needed at a period like this in its history. Mr Murray defended the property tax as being even less inquisitorial than an income tax. He likewise supported the proposal tor local finance on the econpmic principles. Localities, if left to their own resources in that way, would take good care not te tax higher than was absolutely necessary, and would expend money to the very best advantage. He approved of the native lands being taxed; but he did not approve of the tax proposed to be levied on Crown lands. The inscription of fetock was a most injurious procedure. It was another scheme from the fertile brain of Sir Julius Vogel. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m.

NEW MEMBER. Mr George Jones was introduced by Sir George Grey and Mr Shriraski, and J took his seat and the oath as member for j Waitaki. j

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION. The debase on the no-confidence motion •was resumed by Mr Murray, who threw out a suggestion that the Government should be empowered to receive proposals for the purchase of the railways and sections of railways, and suggested a number of proposals by which he thought the financial position of tho colony might be improved Mr. Montgomery said that one point at least was plain from the Financial Statement, that there was a deficit of £250,000, which the Treasurer proposed to turn over till next year. He regretted that a Suestion of such serious moment should be ealt with in a party spirit. Last year the Government professed that it had not had time to frame reduced estimates, promising to do so dnriug the recess. Now they said that the thing would occupy them until next session. All the Treasurer's promises of financial reform made last session had been broken. He very strongly condemned the manner in which the Government proposed to treat local bodies, He differed from many of his party, in thinking that all real property, including improvements, should be taxed. An income tax would be preferable to either the land tax or the property tax, as at present, ; but if the latter were enforced, then certainly the incomes of those whom it did not reach ehould be taxed also. Refering to the beer tax, he said he had voted against it two years ago, as an attempt to introduce an excise, and he would vote against it again. The objection to it was, that a tax on local industry was initiated. The amount proposed to be levied was excessive, but he would not vote for it or any other tax, unless he saw very considerable reduction made in the departmental expenditure. Not £50,000 but near £200,000 would have to be struck off, irrespective of personal or party feeling. He regretted that such a false issue as the present motion had been raised, but at the time when the motion came to the vote he should feel bound to vote for it. Mr Hurst took a very gloomy view of the financial position of the colony, and agreed with Mr Montgomery that all party considerations should be thrown aside in trying to find a remedy. He attributed the depression under which the colony labored, largely to the two succeeding harvests, which had turned out bad, the low price of wool, together with an indiscriminate system of free immigration. Ministers had an onerous task cut out for them, and he believed that it would be found that the seats on theOovernment bench, which they had all been striving to gain, would not be found so comfortable a position as it was supposed. He had been taunted with having deserted his party. On that occasion his conduct was dictated by a deep sense of dutyi and he said now as he said then, that he was deeply impressed with the *©jition of affairs. Imputations were m«4e against him on that occasion which were most unjustifiable, and unmerited on his part. , . Mr Saunders said he sympathised with * the amendment, and would espouse it it he could divest his mind of the idea that its real object was to bring about a change of Government. With the financial proposals bronght forward he disagreed, and he hoped they would be in many respects modified. What he desired to see was an honest, earnest desire to remedy the evils brought on by past extravagances. What he would advise was that, as a Parliament, *hey should vote a moderate amount, and say to the Government, you must make that suffice for departmental purposes,, TUe po^tiM

of the colony was such that any Treasurer who would bring things right again deserved the best thanks they could give him. As far as possible they should aim at utilising the taxing machinery they had at their command A Their land tax" cost as much fo* bringing- tha Act into-*! operation as they got from the tax altogether. He was still of the opinion that an income tax would be preferable to the property tax they had. He had hopes the days of borrowing were over. They must not tax the spring of industry. They must be careful that they did not drive away their farmers, their sheepowners, and their miners from their shores. , Regarding what they could tax, he ! mentioned land so as to make it touch the improver as little as possible. Then again they might tax accumulated wealth, furniture, carriages, &c, but when rhey attempted to tax machinery the agency by which wealth was produced, they attempted a very dangerous experiment. He believed in taxing the professions. They would be all the better if there were fewer lawyers amongst them, and also fewer parsons, so .that they might be all able to meet for devotional purposes without being: pestered by tho^e nice theological discussions by which they were kept apart from each other. There were the doctors. He thought they would be better if there were none of them afc all. Of course he did not refer to surgeons. Another feature he did not like in the proposals wajj that 1 the subsidies payable to local bodies were nof resolutely put hands upon to bo used by the colony in its almost penniless condition. These subsidies were certainly promised for five years, but he did not care although they had been promised for fifty years ; they could not possibly be afforded. He did not like the proposal to tax Crown lands. They should bring down honest proposals for retrenchment otherwise they would drive the wealth-producing classes from their shores, and the end would be repudiation and general disaster. It would be easy to drive half the people out of the colony, and the other half could not bear the burden to live here. Mr Reid said that, instead of seeing the property tax continued, he would be in favour of an income tax, or even an extension of the Cußtoms duties on luxuries. It was said that the teudency of increasing the Customs would be smuggling, but he certainly did not hold that opinion. It wonld be a mistake to think of reducing Minister's salaries. Any change should be in the direction of reducing the number of Ministers The property tax was condemned by all political writers. It was opposed to the progress and general welfare of the colony. It was a tax on industry, and the agencies by which industrial pursuits were carried on. The tax was one calculated to drive away capital from our shores. Those who suffered by the tax were the men of enterprise and the men of thrift. He next referred to the various Commissions. At first ho thought these appointments were wrong. Since he saw the report of the Civil Service Commissioners he had changed his mind. The Government was bound to follow that report. There was a great number in the service who could well be dispensed with. He also believed the.Native Industries Commissioners' report would be a valuable one. He had faith in the Railway Commission. He complained of the gold-mining interest being neglected. The Grey mouth and Hokitika Railway was not even kept steadily in view, and the other West Coast works wero similarly ignored. On Mr Macandrew's motion the debate was adjourned until after a question had been replied to to-morrow. The House rose at 11.15 p.m.