REVIEW OF THE SESSION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2837, 18 September 1890, Page 2

REVIEW OF THE SESSION.

(IIY TUr.KlittAPll.— I'HKSS ASSOCIATION). Wkm.inctON, Lust Night. Si'KAKiN'ii on tho motion for tho third rending of llio Appropriation Bill Mr BallMioß referred to the memorandum sent down tn the House, yesterday, by tho Auditor-General, respecting the reduction lately made in the Audit Department, and he could hardly say that the Auditor-General had not been correctly informed as to the proceeding of the House, or he would not liave forwarded such an alarming document as that. If the Auditor-General mado tho reductions, ho indicated he would ho following the instructions of tho House, and ho (Mr Bullance) was of opinion that an assistant Auditor-General was not required at all, and if the Auditor-General reduced the officers of the Department, lie would but be following out the wishes of the I louse. Referring to the conduct of the business in the House, he wished to acknowledge the invariable courtesy exhibited during tho session by the Acting-Premier, but he could not compliment tho Government on the manner in which they had carried on the business. This he attributed, chiefly-, to tho absence of the Premier from thu House. He (Mr Ballnnce) sympathised deeply with the Premier in his present illness, but he felt at t.he same time that tho him. gentleman, who was entrusted with the leadership of the House should have full responsibility in doing so, otherwise the business could not bo transacted in a satisfactory manner. He went on to refer to the failure of the Government to pass several bills which were promised by the Government la-.t session, especially the Civil Hen ice Bill, bankruptcy Bill, and the Charitable Aid Bill, and the fact of these bills not being put through the House showed that the Government had not a troe impression of the necessities of the country. Then, as to the Labour Bills, the Hoii*e showed every desire to pass those measure*, but as the Government pos-essod a large majority in the other house (" Xo '") those Bills were defeated in that chamber. He believed, however, that much of the evil of thu present session might have been avoided if the Government had dissolved Parliament even during the present session. Referring to the proposed defence scheme ho hoped that the Government intended to avail themselves of the services of the country volunteer corps, as if they did so then there would be no necessity for a partially-paid force, which would be the nucleus of » stauding army. As to the question of land administration they were promised a bill to prevent duminyisin, but he asked where that bill was. It was prove' that the law had been evaded in many instances, which in his opinion amounted to duiiiiuyisin and nothing else, and yet nothing had been done to check it. There was nothing to his mind which was more likely to settle the country than by enabling people to get land for buna tide purposes, but liis opinion was that the administration of land for the hut three years had been a inisuratlu failure. Hh spoke strongly again-t tho aggregation of largo estates which had been allowed to take place, and contended that nothing but population and putting people on the land would settle the country satisfactorily. He defended the action of the Opposition with regard to the reduction in the Estimates, and said they were actuated by right motives in making those reductions, and tho retrenchment party were entitled to all credit for combining with the Opposition in otfuoting the reduction. They had saved about itfO.OOO and they had also cxerci-iod a, careful control of the E-tunatos by their action as well as promoted economy in the I'iiblic Service. As to the I'roperty-tax if the Auckland members had been as earnest in their opposition to that t;U as they professed to be, they would suppoit overy proposal to repeal it. He was one of those who believed that property must be a source of taxation, and if thu Property-tax were removed some other impost should bo substituted for it. His opinion w.is that a graduated Lmd-tax was tho more preferable one, and he considered such a tax as that cculd be defended on sound economic principles. Referring to the charge again-.t the Government by tin: member for Waitutara he was not prepared to say whether those charges were true or false, but ho contended that Mr Hutchison showed every possible inclination to establish his charges, but he was prevented from doing so by the action of the Government themselves. Jlu regretted as much as anybody that the (-elect committee was not allowed to pursuit its investigations into this question, hut ho was not disposed to condemn tli'j Government, unle.-s ho had the clearest possible proof for doing s>. Regarding the question of the rcduction.of member! , , which was now about to be tested, he said that the reduction was one of the most serious blows ever iiillicted on Parliament, and was a retrograde movement in every respect. There was no doubt that it was intended to cripple the liberal party in the country, but he hoped it would not have any such clFect for the KiOOO to £ 1000 saved to the country, by the reduction of members, in his opinion was a very small con-idcratiou compared with the enormous injuries inflicted on the colony. He contended that when tins Government found they could not pass the policy measures, which were required 63' the country, it was the ; r duty to appeal to the country at once, instead of pursuing the course which they had done ail through the session.

Messrs Beethan, Taylor, and Verrall also spoke. Mr Mitehelson said he dillerod from Mr Ballance as to tho reductions of the. Audit Vote anil said tho reduction made in that vote, would certainly cause injury to the system of auditing tho accounts of the colony. As to Mr Balance's relleotion on tho management of the business of the House (luring the session ho rosentsd that assertion and said the Government had conducted the business as efficiently as it was possible to do so. If any mismanagement occurred, the Opposition were wholly responsible for it, as their action for tlie first eicht or ten weeks of the session was discreditable in tho highest degree, scarcely any business being done at all until an arrangement was made between Messrs Bryce and Bullance. The member [or Wanganui also twittod the Government with not passing their Policy Bills, but he again asserted that the Opposition, by their systematic obstruction, were wholly responsible for that. With respect to Mr Balance's statement that the Labour Hills, after passing the House, were ejected by the Council, he (Mr Mitc'iclsnn) desired to point out that tho Government had shown every desire to get those Bills passed into law, but the fact was 'that whilst those gentlemen it) the Legislative Council who visually support the Government wore found voting for tho Labour Bills, tho members in that chamber who actually caused tho Bills to b<) rejected, and who strongly opposed thorn were those who were appointed to seats in the Council by lit Balance and his I'l'icniil ■. Respecting the reduction* made in tin- csl.iiiiiileH, lid mill, they amounted to I'H.ISI, leaving Jt".">,iili.i to make up the f>o.ooo. which the Government promised to reduce. The Government- intended to make that reduction out of the public buildings vote, and they still intended to make other reductions during the recess. With respect to Mr Balance's assertion that, the Opposition forced tho Government to abandon the primage duty, ho warned the House that, owing to the recant labour troubles, there would be a deficiency next year of at least £50,000, and he contended, therefore, that if the Opposition had done its duty, the deficiency would not hove occurred. He agreed with Mr Ballance when ho hoped the next election would return ;i Government who were able to carry on the business of the country satisfactorily, b'.it ho felt sure that the result of the elections would be to give the Govornmerit side of the Houso such a large majority as to provide for a strong Government being formed.