PARLIAMENT.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 44, 2 December 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WELLINGTON, Nov. 27. The House met at 2.30 p.m. lA'TTELTON ELECTION. In reply to Sir J. 0. Ward (Leadoi of tli<! Ooposition) Hon. W. F. Mawwy (Prime Minister) said thai the writ for the Lytteltou election had been issued, and could not be recalled. The rolls, therefore, had to close. Sir J. 0. Ward suggested that a short Hill be put through extending the closing of the rolls until December 5 and that the. election be held on tinloth. He understood there were large numbers of people shut out, while it was freely stated that the Government party know that the writ was going to be issued, and had boon able to -et many of its party on the roll. He did not '.surest thin the Prime Minister wished to jerrymander the election,'and therefore lie hoped that his suggestion would bo adopted. Hon. \V. J l '- Massey i>oint(-d out thai if a w-cond ballot, were held it would make it too late for the return o! the writs. His difficulty was that il he ru.slied the election ho wan accused ol preventing tin* people from enrolling and if he held matters back he would bo accused of delaying until the .second ballot was repealed. He would give Sir J. G. Ward'w suggestion every consideration, but eould not give him a de-

finite answer at once. Hon. \V. F. Massoy read a telegram from Mr David Jones (Reform organiser) denying the statement winch be (Mr Jones) was said to have made rollecting upon Sir Joseph Ward. Sir .). G. Ward thanked Mr Massey for the prompt steps taken to ascertain the truth of the matter. MUTUAL FIRE IXStRANCE. The Mutual Fire. Insurance Amendj ment Rill was received from i ho Legislative Council and road a lint tune. RIVER HOARDS. The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the River Hoards Amendment Hill were agreed to. EDUCATION AMENDMENT. The House went into committee on the Education Amendment Hill. The Minister (Hon. J. Allen) moved an amendment giving Hoards power to approve ol lodgings provided lor junior national scholarship holder*-. This wa»carried. In connection with the change in the existing law extending the- date on which householders' annual meeting might bo held, the Minister <-x|)lained that the change was to enable committeeis in the country districts to lis. a moonlight night for the uurpo.se. A number of new machinery clauses were added. On an amendment moved by Mr Lu.-.-sell (Avon) affirming the principle ol one committee one vote in the election of education boards, the Minister stated that he was going into the whole question of the election of education Hoards during the recess. The amend-' ment was lost on the voices. Mr MeCallum (Wairau) moved an amendment giving the committees I power to reduce school hours by halt and hour, during which religious and " moral instruction might be given. 'I his >.-«• loci on tlin voices.

was lost on me voices. RAILWAY BILL. Tlic Railway Construction and Land Amendment Bill was further oonsidor--011 in committee, the Opposition discussin;; the Hill on Hue, hostile to the construction of railways by local bodies and private coninanies. In reply to Sir J. (i. Ward (Loader of the Opposition) the Minister (Hon. W. H. Hemes) declined to put a clause in the Hill providim.'; lor the borrowine; of money for the nurposo ol acquiring private lines within the IJO- - iu ion. Thf House resumed at , .IK) p.m. Mr Kus.sell (Avon) advocated ~eltii)o up an independent Commission to investigate and report upon the payal.ilitv of the railways proposed to he constructed under the Act before they aie sanctioned. Hon. W. Eraser (Minister for Public Works') pomte<l out that bclore any contract could he entered into it must he laid on the table ol the Hou~e. when it would be discussed, by members. Mr Ell (Christcluirch South) contended that the contracts should he referred to a committee of the House for investigation, otherwise thw House was powerless, The Bill ffaw reported. STAMP DII'IKS. The Stamp •Duties Amendment Pill passed the committee stage and the Hill was read a second time. WELLINGTON, Nov. '3. The House met at 2. HO p.m. THE NAVAL BILL. The Naval Bill was introduced hy Governor's message and read a first time. The Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) stated that it was proposed to take the second reading debate on Wednesday. Sir J, G. Ward (Leader of the Opuogition) drew attention to the fact that the Bill did not set out what sum .vas to be expended under the Bill, nor did it sav what number of ships was to be provided. All he could see was an open powet to the Government to expend such amount as it thought lit. Hon. J. Alien (Minister for Defence) in reply said it was proposed to expend exactly the same amount next year as had been spent in yenrs past—viz... £IOO,OOO. The money would he voted on the Supplementary Estimates, and the vote would limit the powers of the Government. Bv this means the House would have the'opportunity of discussing the naval question every year. Instead of paving the money over to the Admiralty it would he utilised in the upkeep of a traininy; ship, and the surplus of this would be paid over to iho Admiralty. • NATTVK LAND AMENDMENT. Hon. W. H. ilerries (Native .Minister) moved the second reading ot the ' Native Land Amendment Bill He said there was it considerable difference in the nojicv as compared with that of the prev'iousGoveniment. It was proposed to allow the Maori the ri«lit. to take his land out of the hands of the native land i hoards, so tlhat they could deal with , them unfettered. At the same time it , was intended to restrict the riL'ht of private purchase and increase, that of ' the Crown, as it had been found that to iiivc" private peoplo greater rights > than the Crown was not m the best iu- * terest* of the natives. A more judicial system would he, Riven to th* Maori r land hoards by nmakamatina thorn with * the Land Court, with a judg<i« we- * sident over the new body. Partition weuld b« mad* more ©a*y by as Jaitru*

Ition to the judge to report on ;niy U 5( suitable for partition. If no Miccossj), order were applied for within six month of the death of a native then it \> VVii l the duty of the judge to make tion, after due notice, to all the parti-.,* concerned. The limit of the area i„ >' held in future was .">OOO acres, :i> ni f | case nf European land. The piiii<-jpa{ clauses were 101 and l o.">. r-jvinir tl )e Crown greater power to pniehase, " fjj, party had always contended t )| ' greater use 1 should be made ( ,f (L vacant Maori land which was doinj; no , thing hut growing noxious kvhlh. difficulty had been to find ;| svs , which would induce tin- Maori to vo|' a „_ tarily sell 'his useless land am! sr, vide capital to buy horses and plou,,],* wherewith to cultivate his better ] am j He was not in faror of eoinpuUo,, ' chase, but he thought the provision J Claiue HOI fair to both race. *,, lt lowed the Crown to purcha .-.<• individy interests, even in vested lands. \ so purchased would hci onie <iidin ;i | T Crown land, and in c.w- ol ( |j a J l( * the European tenant would , iIV( , ( - right either to continue his |e.i M . o| . (|ilire the Ireehold at valuation, j, h|(| ] ■ vided in the Hill. There was. biu< V( . r " ' to be no compulsion on the iuuv.' i:ui i there was no possibility ol a ii.iliv ( . |, e . coming landless. Power vas a!-,, to enable Ihe Maori to lea-c :,; s |, lll( j I to the Crown if ho .still desiie,! «i 1(v lain his inana over it.

Sir .1. G. Ward (Loader of :l„. sition) deprecated the desiie ;f) riij j such an important Hill thronr/di m lato stage of the session. lie out that originally the Hill that trustees of aii estate i -n' I estate without reference to Now it proposed to give ih„ i^ lieiaries the right to sell nolioiii n .j, it , once to the trustees. There fail n,.v, lf been Slicll depot 1c power to i-t!;iole the home of the. Maori to lie di.s; NMX | ,„• The Hill was a measure ;o dhjri.yjj the natives, oven in t-ire ease <,; estates, and pan el their land oil! ~im i, Europeans on the freehold p'-u.< a,;,, Hon. A. T. Ngaia (Extern M a ,; m quoted the speech made b\ Mr Hvrifu in Ii.KIO to show that as Minister )|<. not carrying out the policy he advoeat. od as a privale member. The Kill a bail. one. and he could inn support it The Hill increased tile burdens <>> •;,{, I natives in connection with the lito* of their land*, and tile Miin.-t-T lilidtf-l the native* when lie said that tlicy y not, expedited the partition nf 'tj,,,,, lands, when hi- well knew !i 1(l : t f ie courts were not able to cope lilting application*, lie proposed to iiiovv an amendment at a later ;;i []» direction <>f assisting the isiini tM cultivato their own lands. The House, resumed at ~.:io n.ni. Mr llaedonald (Hay of ['h-nlr mk| I hat under the Hill now h, ■!<,[■<■ •.»,,, House the dooli Was opened nidf. jvj the native*' lallil could he diMHWx] of easily either to the State or to pnui, purcliflserw. The people who would pro. jit were r-olieitors and hind :i;viit< Hon. M. I'omaro (\\,-;i;, Jhej sup)iorteil the Hill, hoc;,iwe j- ,||,| with i he.system of nllowin- the nafre land hoards to hike native land w:t!if>m the natives' consent. The liiil pi.e,;ritated tin- pailition of their iaiai, wIA meant liidividii.-ilisafion am! did a»aT with eoiiimuniMii, which na-i,.; the death ol the native race. l)r To Rangihiroa (Noriheni Ma.-ii) said t-hi' settleinc-nt of n-it n e )aiid.\««lt

rra« understood n >\\ w n H IJ if the pakeha u iuti\ I i Mr Varata (S 1 h I l M i M hut. to put ill Mill i ! if aim. The poll \ f lli ( <it os to lake th 1i t i le Maori, and let him di I< in a I lie streets. Hon. W. 11. H in * ' i if i« had been aeeu I >t n «r iUioiifXh, but In u i h f the nativei-.' int i m 1 doit'.e: .«,) as tai is it li\ n i- 1T i He was liiviut: th m i h i »l their lauds ba< k i un m in« • 'i'he second i idn ] » division whiek i ult t 'in I i '4 io. The House th II U lit ii n * oil (he liill. 1 i -l i " M tflv reported, a d th II * A 12.10' till 7.1(0 pn mil t