PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2643, 27 October 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. MOTIONS OF CONDOLENCE. [Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, Oct. 26. The House met at 2.30 p.m. After formal business the Premier moved a vote of condolence with the relatives of the late Hon. G. F. ’Richardson, formerly a Minister, of the Crown, to whom he paid a high tribute as a man and a public servant. Mr - Massey seconded the motion, which was: supported by Mr. Anderson, the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, and Mr. Allen, and carried unanimously. The* Premier also moved a vote of condolence with the relatives of the late Mr. J. F. Kelling, an ex-member of the House of Representatives. . Mr. Massey, in seconding the motion, suggested that tablets commemorative of “deceased members should be placed in the House. ■ ■ The motion was agreed to, and the House adjourned as a mark.of respect to the deceased. THE DOMINION’S FINANCES. In the evening the following Bills were introduced by Governor’s message and read a first time: New Zealand State Guaranteed Advances and Land and Income Tax. _ Sir Joseph Ward moved the second reading of the Public Works and Land Settlement Bill. He said ho bad already explained the object of tlie Bill, and. did not intend to repeat the remarks. The public indebtedness was frequently criticised and figures cited to show the huge increase therein, but it was not fair to mention these, without stating how the money was invested. The Opposition’s attitude of criticising the Government’s finance, while demanding expenditure of public woTks was indefensible and inconsistent. Mr. Massey condemned the unseemly haste shown in bringing in' a Bill providing for a loan of a million when the House had. just been informed of the faiancial position. The Dominion was too dependent on borrowed money. Tliere was too much secrecy observed in regard to the financial operations, of the Government/ He charged, the Premier with misleading the .country in regard, to the recent loan. He was glad to see the Government go out of the country for its loans. He declared that there was a deficiency on the first six months of the year of £125,002, yet the Treasurer, by bringing forward a surplus from last year,.made out a credit balance, which was unbusinesslike. Continuing, Mr. Massey said that he expected that before tbe session ended proposals for increased taxation would be put before the House. He urged 'that something should be done to encourage British investors to invest money in the Dominion. Money had been dearer for the past twelve months than Tor the past‘eighteen years. Mr. -Ell said that the incidence of taxation had been in the direction of lightening the burden on tbe poorer classes _and increasing the tax on the wealthier people. Mr. Massey could rest assured that future taxation wouid not be.upon small settlers. Mr: Allen said that it could not be denied that the public indebtedness was increasing, and that the railways were not productive. He contended that we were not paying interest < ut of ordinary revenue. We had teen boirowing £66,000 a year up £> the last year for the purpose of paying interest. He held that the Government should find out actual needs before borrowing first, and then •illociting me whole amount, which was a b-.d pr.nciple, and had a damaging effort on the credit of the country.. He hoped that the Government would cut down expenditure and make the present han last till March, 1911. Mr. Allen, continuing, said that there was . great waste going on in connection with public. buildings, and it was scandalous, to see the expenditure on the Parliamentary buildings. Mr. Herries, while supporting the. Bill, said that the Premier should point to limitations of future expenditure. “A progressive borrowing policy should be accompanied by a progressive land polic. He criticised the investment ac_ count for using money borrowed for' certain purposes for another. , There was much wasteful expenditure connected with the making of roads. The Hon. R, McKenzie defended the co-operative works, which, he said,' were satisfactory and were giving the country good value for the money. Replying to Mr. Allen’s statement that' the Government should cease borrowing for public works till 1911. Mr McKenzie believed that the' loan would have to last till then; and therefore it behoved members to exercise self-denial in making requests for expenditure. Referring to Mr. ' Massey’s criticism of expenditure on public buildings, Mr. McKenzie held that there were of a highly reproductive character, as they obviated the Government paying rent. Mr. Lang considered the expenditure on roads constructed by co-operative labor as wasteful. Mr. Laurenson opposed the contention that capital had .been driven out of the country. Tliey could, not prevent booms and depressions until the land problem was settled. Regarding the strictures of the Opposition on borrowing, he was prepared to assist in abolishing borrowing if the Opposition agred to taxation, on those able to .bear it. Mr. Laurenson, continuing, mug: gested the adoption of the British Bud-get-principle of taking 20 per cent. of the unearned increment on" Tana, which would produce £1,100,000. . Messrs Wright and Jennings continued the debate. / - ' (Left Sitting.)