to-morrow and look at that Market will agree with me, the one way to set things right is not to deal with it on any patch work system. No- thing could be more deplorable than to make existing evils worse by attempting anything short of a radical remedy. The only thing that has induced me to rise is to say that two years ago the Acting Governor, the Auditor-General, and myself, all three of us addressed the Sur- veyor-General and begged him to hold his hand with regard to that Market. We had not got any money, nor could we afford to lose the Market rents. The hon. gentleman says we get from $30,000 to $40,000 a year from that Market. We do, and it is a tax on food I very much regret, but there is this circumstance, that if the Government did not get that money it would be going into the pockets of middle men, and the Government might as well have it as let it go to the hucksters and stall holders who would otherwise appro- priate it. But there is this consideration, that we could not do without that $30,000. We could not appropriate it for the improvement of the Market. When we were delivered from the ab- solute paralysis of public works which had reigned for some years and found half a million to the good we went to work to spend it like a schoolboy spending his pocket money. The Treasury was in a disorganised state. There had been a suc- cession of acting appointments-one man for a fortnight, another for three days, another for six weeks, and so forth, so that really you may say there had for some time been no responsible head of the Treasury at all. I don't know whether, when the hot fit of extravagance took place, I was Treasurer or not, but if I was I had had no experience at all. And therefore what I must call the extravagance of the colony took place at a time when there was practically no responsible Treasurer. We spent all this money, we had one bad year if not two, and we found ourselves in such a posi- tion that we really did not know which way to turn.
Therefore, however much we may regret that the $30,000 was required for other pur- poses and could not be spent on the Market, there was the fact that could not be got over. And I for one went to the Surveyor-General and begged him to defer for another year the recon- struction of the Market. It was very bad, but it had gone on for some time, and there did not seem any insuperable objection to its going on for an- other year; at any rate it had to do so. Now if there is one thing for which one never gets any credit, it is for recommending economy. Every- one has an iron in the fire, a scheme to urge, and every one says his scheme would not cost much, he is sure money might be found for that, surely one could find as much as $30,000 or $50,000. Well, perhaps one could for one particular scheme, but money is wanted on all sides, and we shall never be able to spend money right and left; we shall always have half-a-dozen uses for every dollar we possess. My hon. friend spoke of money spent in ornamentation. There may be some truth in the charge. At the same time I would say this, we never had before a Surveyor-General who finish- ed his work off. A building was left surrounded by boulders and the rough hill side. We don't quarrel with our cook when he gives us a good dinner if he puts a little bit of red paper round the end of the leg of mutton: and I think the colony is glad to see things finished off and the work made to look a credit, instead of the neglect of anything like fancy work which prevailed until ten or twelve years ago.
I am sorry there should be this want of dollars, but it will continue, and we must make up our minds to the fact. We must look at both sides of every coin before we spend it, for when we have a hundred dollars to spend we shall have at least half-a-dozen different claims for it.
The motion for the adoption of the reply to the Address was then put and carried nem. con. The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY moved that the reply be presented to His Excellency by the mover and seconder and said he had ascer- tained that one o'clock to-day (Saturday) would be a convenient hour for His Excellency.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded the motion.
Carried nem. con.
NEW BILLS.
The following Bills were read a first time: An Ordinance for the better protection of Girls, the Legislative Council Witnesses Ordinance, the Commissioners Powers Ordinance, the Cat- tle and Markets Ordinance.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he had much pleasure in stating that the last nam- ed Bill dealt with overcrowding in the Markets.
ADJOURNMENT.
The Council adjourned until Friday next.
87
to-morrow and look at that Market will agree with me, the one way to set things right is not to deal with it on any patch work system. No- thing could be more deplorable than to make existing evils worse by attempting anything short of a radical remedy. The only thing that has juduced me to rise is to say that two years ago the Acting Governor, the Auditor-General, and myself, all three of us addressed the Sur- veyor-General and begged him to hold his hand with regard to that Market. We had not got any money, nor could weafford to lose the Marketrents. The hon. gentleman says we get from $30,000 to 340,000 a year from that Markot. We do, and it is a tax on food I very much regret, but there is this circumstance, that if the Government did not get that money it would be going into the pockets of middle men, and the Government might as well have it as let it go to the huckstera and stall holders who would otherwise appro- priate it. But there is this consideration, that we could not do without that $30,000. We could not appropriate it for the improvement of the Market. When we were delivered from the ab- solute paralysis of public works which bad reigned for some years and fonud half a million to the good we went to work to spend it like a schoolboy spending his pocket money. The Treasury was in a disorganised state. There had been a so- cession of acting appointments-one man for a fortnight, another for three days, another for siz weeks, and so forth, so that really you may say there had for some time been no responsible head of the Treasury at all. I don't know whether, when the hot ft of extravagance took place, I was Treasurer or not, but if I was I had had no experience at all. And therefore what I must call the extravagance of the colony took place at a time when there was practically no respousible Treasurer. We spent all this money, we had one had year if not two, and we found ourselves in such a posi un that we really did not know which way to tur
Thorafore, however much we may ragret the $0,000 was required for other pur- poses and could not be spent on the Market, there was the fact that could not be got over. and I for one went to the Surveyor-General and begged him to defer for another year the regon- struction of the Market. It was very bad, but it had gone on for some time, and there did not seem any insuperable objection to its going on for an- other year; at any rate it had to do so. Now if there is one thing for which one never gets auy credit, it is for recommending economy, Every- one has an iron in the firo, a schome to urgo. and every one says his schome would not cost rauch. he is sure money might be found for that, surely one could find 25 much as $30,000 or $50,000. Well, perhaps one could for one particular schemo, but money is wanted on all sides, and we shall never be able to spend money right and left; we shall always have half-a-dozen uses for every dollar we possess. My hon. friend spoke of money spent in or namentation. There may be some fruth in the charge. At the same time I would say this, we never had before a Surveyor-General who finish- ed his work off. A building was left surrounded by boulders and the rough hill side. We don't: quarrel with our cook when he gives us a good dianer if he puts a little bit of red paper round the and of the leg of mutton: and I think the colony is glad to see things finished off and the work made to look a cradit, instead of the neglect of anything like fancy work which prevailed until ten or twelve years ago.
I am sorry there should be this want of dollars, but it will continue, and we must make up our minds to the fact. We must look at both sides of every coin before we spend it, for when we have a hundred dollars to spend we shall have at least half-a-dozen different claims for it.
The motion for the adoption of the reply to the Address was then put and carried nem. con. The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY moved that the reply be presented to His Excellency by the mover and seconder and said he had ascer tained that one o'clock to-day (Saturday) would be a convenient hour for His Excellency.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded the motion.
Carried nem. con.
NEW BILLS.
The following Bills were read a first time :--- An Ordinance for the botter protection of Girls, the Legislative Council Witnesses Ordinance, the Commissioners Powers Ordinance, the Cat- tle and Markets Ordinance.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he had much pleasure in stating that the last nam- ed Bill dealt with overcrowding in the Markets.
ADJOURNMENT.
The Council adjourned until Friday next.
87
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