GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 4 August 1880, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, July 31. On tbe motion- to go into supply, Mr Moss said that their revenue should enable- them to meet all their liabilities witboiit making all the panic tbafc had been made" about monetary affairs. Then they proposed a Pro--1 perty Tax, wbich, in its present form, lie apprehended would be most obnoxious. If they arranged it so as it would be locally, applied, it would be | popular. To do- that it would be necessary ti euTafge the committep. With only a month.nr so at their disposal, it would be impossible to face the work of'^ extending local selfgovernment. That was what they had to face, but he was afraid all the Government desired was to relieve themselves as much ks possible of the work, and get members away home. He looked upon tbis question of local government as a most important question, and ope which they ought to face afc once, vile believed this was one of the principal questions which was at the very root of all their difficulties. It wns a popular opinion that if native offers had been handed over to the care of local government, large as the question was, there would not be the difficulty they had experienced. Thea.a^ain, tber = c was tlje question as to who was to manage railways. . He questioned if they would not he better managed by : local bodies. That waa the subject lie proposed to denl with, and he jioped they would approach the question without anything like party bias. The resolution he wished to propose was thafc a Koyal Commission should be appriinted to consider the moßt suitable fpnmof local government for this Colony, such Cotnmissiou to consist of nine members, to be elected by the registered electors of tbe several Provincial districts. He felt BtroDgly tjjeV. importance of this question. If I hey could separate local from general finance, a very great work would be achieved. They would get rid of tuuchjof the log-rolling and other difficulties they had at present to contend vvith^,,, He would say, 'let these local bodies be so constituted that they would not be responsible to the House, but to the people amongst whom they resided. Ifc was one of the most important questions to which their attention could possibly be directed. He hoped the House would view it; as such. r Mr HaU said the Government should have bad an intimatiou thrt a question of so much importance was to be introduced, so that they could have come down prepared to say what they thought of the proposal. Speaking on the spur of the moment, be would say, if such an enquiry was to be made, the House of Representatives was the best body that could be got to make it. Therefore aJ proposal about a Royal Commission vvas not one that recommended itself at first sight. He did not follow Mr Moss with his statement of finance, but he did not th?nk the proposal was one that would re* commend itself to f tbe House. c y had been taunted with Government by Commission, and this was a proposal to perpetuate thatisystem. Mr Macandrew said he was favourably impressed will the general idea but was not prepared to discuss the question at present.:, The motioD was withdrawn for the time being. There was no material reductions in Estimates yesterday, except £5000 on vote for Government Insurance. Several members spoke in favour of abolishment of the Department altogether, and others for getting rid of the Commissioner, iiuckie. The objections were overruled. The Sergeant-at'- Arms forwardel his resignation to the Speaker yesterday in consequence of the House knocking £100 of his salary.