It was only a few days ago that eighteen members of this House bad waited on the Government and asked them to remove an injurious, oppressive, and unjust tax—the gold duty—which amounted to L'Z.o.COO, includ ing tho North Island. Surely if the Govern ment could afford to reduce the pro perty tax by L 130,000, they could have afforded to reduce the gold duty. H« hoped, toe, that some provision would be made far charitable aid. The most important ques tion of all, however, was that of local govern ment. and he doubted whether many gentle men would have supported the abolition ol provinces if they had known that they were to have such measures as Counties Acts given to them. I.ocal government was reduced to an absurdity, and the curse of Parliament was that roads and bridges, which ought to be con sidered by local bodies, were actually made questions of policy in the House. Mr GRIGG did not think that any pro posals to borrow more than a million and a half were embodied in the Statement, and ho felt sure that the late Government, were they now on the Treasury benches, would not ask for less. ’•. .. Dr. NEWMAN was glad to see that the dis cussion had taken a more sensible turn. Such displays as that of the member for Christ church South were not ennobling to the House, lion, members, leaders and others oocasionally changed their opinions. As an instance, he pointed out that the hon. member for Akaroa, who had set up prior to tho election a non borrowing platform was found, on Parliament assembling, a member of an administration which brought clown tho largest borrowing pro posals over presented to the House. As a young member, lie would have been glad if ho could have introduced a Bill making it penal for any member to refer to what had taken place in 1877. (Applauso.) The Atkinson Government, ho contended, had suffered from tho low prices of produce and wool, otherwise it would have been successful,. p He alluded to the apparent soundness and glitter of the State ment, but suggested that close inspection would depreciate its merits. 