NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 885, 3 August 1910, Page 6

NEWS AND NOTES.

LAND LEGISLATION. ' "TOO MUCH CHOPPING AND CHANGING.". A strong plea against new lnnd legislation was made by Mr. Forbes in the House yesterday. Ho said that already there had been too much chopping- and changing about in connection with tho land policy. Tho present land legislation comprised a reasonable policy, and it should stand for a few years at any rate. Owing to political parties holding out inducements in the wny of proposed concessions to' Crown tenants, the effect was very unsettling.. "It cannot be' expected," added Mr. Forbes, "that new legislation will be satisfactory, because the land question'will never be settled—it will always be a. political question." ■■ ■ .

"We don't want a Land Bill," declared Mr. Witty, member ' for Riccarton, last evening. "Let. the, thing have a. rest." "It doesn't, worry me'a bit,"'added Mr.Witty, in reply to an Opposition interjection, "but wo get Land Bill year after year, and what is-the result? .Only dissatisfaction afterwards. It would be far better to leave it rtlone. See how the one. wo, have ' got works out." Mr. Witty stated that he believed in the optional system for the Crown lands,' biit not for Native land, and he,would not pell an acre of land purchased by tho State for closer settlement, or of endowment land. .: ■

INDETERMINATE SENTENCES. A new use is proposed to bo made of the indeterminate sentence by a Bill which is to bo introduced'in tho Legislative Council by the Hon. .Dr. Findlay this afternoon. Hitherto tho sentence has been used only for tho purpose of enabling tho Government to confine for' an indefinite period habitual criminals whom it would not bo, to the interests of the community to set at large. The new Bill proposes to apply the indeterminate sontence, under suitable safeguards, to young and first offenders, in order that they may bo released after sufficient evidence of reformation has been ehown. Dr. Findlay regards the Bill as tho central basis'for his new prison' reform scheme.

THE TRAMWAYS BILL, Tho chances,are a hundred to ono against , the Tramways Bill passing into law in its present farm, in the opinion of tho Leader of tho'Opposition, Mr. Massey. "Members generally,"' he , states, "are opposed to the centralising tendency displayed, and I think that such proposals as those contained in Clause 12, where tho power to license carriages is taken away from the local body, and conferred upon the Minister,' is a very serious interference with local government, and ono which I do. not think will be tolerated. As a matter-of fact, there, is too much Minister all through the Bill. Whatever is necessary for the . safety of the travelling public and the men employed will be agreed: to by Parliament, but these frequent, and, I think, unnecessary, interferences with the rights and functions of local governing bodies have become irritating, and I am confident will bo resented." ' ' , THE DENTISTS,ACT. A petition has been presented to Parliament by Mr. Dillon (Hawke's Bay) praying that the Dentists Act, 1908, may bo amended so that persons who entered into articles of apprenticeship whilst the. Dentists Act, 1850, and amendments.wero in force may not bo debarred from registration, or may, be given other relief.

A STRIKING COMPARISON. A comparison .which ho said appeared to. him to bo absolutely astounding ■ was quoted by Mr. Fisher (Wellington Central) last evening between New Zealand and Victoria for a period of eight yeais. In Victoria in 1900, he said, tho National Debt was 48 million pounds, and in 1908 it had increased by .£4,400,000. The New Zealand National Debt in 1900 was 46 millions, and during the same period it increased by \Q million pounds! It was a rather curious thing that: last year the Now Zealand debt was increased by as much' in one year as the Yictoriiiu debt increased in-eight years. It might be thought that- we were proportionately increasing our volume of trade, but that was riot the case. Eeveiiue-producinsf loans formed 93 per cent, of the Victorian debt, and only 64 per cent, of the New Zealand debt. Victoria, with a very much larger population, had only to find interest on 7 per cent., while New Zealand had to find it on SH per cent, on a very much larger debt. The position was extraordinary. Imports and exports in Victoria had. increased. out of all proportion, and land settlement and bank deposits had gone ahead without tho borrowing that New Zealand had found necessary, simply because the Victorian Government, had invested 97 per oont. of their loans in reproductive works.

. THE LIQUOR PROBLEM. . The report as to the likelihood of licensing legislation, -this session is occasioning a good deal of .discussion among members. That there mil be.a Licensing Bill dealing with a number of urgent matters is taken for granted, but doubts are expressed as to whether it will contain any proposed fundamental changes in the law. Per instance, there was the question of restoring the law as to tho licensing feo to be paid in respect of public-house'licenses in town districts. It is stated that owing to an unintentional change made by tho Consolidaitng Commission the fee in question was reduced unto a fraction of what was intended by law. There will also bo some legislation to make clearer tho boundaries in connection with electorates and NoLicense districts. It will be remembered also that the Prime Minister eome time fcsojjromised to bring dowa Issisl&tioa

providing for local option in the King Country. As in the case .of other controversial matters it is doubtful, however, whether it will bo allowed to bo discussed this session.

DESTITUTE PERSONS BILL. It is understood t'nat many important matters are to be dealt with in the Destitute Persons Bill. Desertion by husbands and absconding on the part of fathers of children, legitimate and illegitimate, where the absconding is for the purpose of avoiding the responsibilities of relationship, is to be treated much more seriously as an indictable offence than under the existing law. This obviously will be carrying out the determination expressed by the 'Minister for Justice in his Auckland speech that men who leave this country, leaving their . wives and children in destitution, should be regarded as vory serious offenders. CHAIRMANSHIP OF COMMITTEES. The ' awkward position in which the Government is placed in regard to the pending contest with reference to the Chairmanship of Committees is fully realised by the'candidates as well as by members ■ generally. Speaking to a Dominion reporter yesterday Mr. Davey, the Government "nominee," stated that it was not true that he had already withdrawn from the contest. Although he did not say as much, Mr. Davey hinted that he believed, in view of the split in the Government party on the subject, that-- neither Sir William Steward nor himself could win the position. It will thus be seen that if Mr. Fraser is to be beaten a Ministerialist who could secure a .larger Government vote than either Mr. Davey or Sir William Steward -will have to be nominated. Several' Ministerialists are mentioned as likely to be chosen as the Government , "nominee," including Mcssts. Graham, Russell, Field, Hanan, and Laurenson.

TARANAKI HOLDS ITS OWN. A.gibe against Taranaki was made by Mr. Witty (Riccarton) last evening when, in reply to an interjection about the progressiveness of that province, he replied that the poor little. children are all. overworked. They have to travel backwards and forwards to school, and then go back to their milking. Mr. Hine (Stratford), replying warmly to those aspersions, claimed that 'the children of Taranaki compared very favourably with the other children of tiio Dominion,

Mr. Witty: They're very healthy-look-ing, I don't deny that. Mr. Hine said he had milked fifteen cows himself as a boy, and he did not think he was any the worse for it. Mr. Buchanan (Wairarapa): You could take the member for Riccarton under your arm.. (Laughter.) . -. Mr. Hino instanced Sir Harry Atkinson, Professor Rutherford, > and other eminent men who had been natives of Taranaki, as evidence that the dairy industry had not proved detrimental to the people of that province. .' ' . ■

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL The legislative ■ Council will meet today, and will adjourn almost immediately out of respect to the memory of the late Hon. H. Scotland. To-morrow the Council will probably be involved in a discussion on a State Bank.. The Hon. J. Kigg has given notice that a committee be set up to consider the advantage or .otherwise of: (1) A State Bank of issue and deposit; (2) a State paper currency; the committee to consist of the Hons. Anstey, Callan, Findlay, Jenkinson, Kelly, Luke, M'Cardle, Wigram, and the mover. -

AN APPEAL TO ANCIENT HISTORY. Some new and startling facts in regard to history were'revealed in'the course'of Mr. G. Witty's speech in the House last night. F/arlier in the debate Mr. David Buick, M.P. for Palmerston Nor,ch, had likened Sir Jossph Ward to the Joseph of old, who was associated with a coat of niany colours. Joseph of old, said Mr. Witty, was a good man,' who saved not only his own family but also his own people. Solemnly Mr. Witty proceeded to assure hon. members that Joseph of old led his people into a land of plenty and through the Red Sea,.where he was "washed out." It was easy, Mr. Witty pointed out, to play' upon-one's name. Looking over at Mr. Bnick he said, to the accompaniment of a-hearty laugh,-that David of old was a Goliath, but he quickly explained that he meant to state that David killed Goliath. David, too, was a great man, but what did he do ? He fell away and dwd a miserable old man. Mr. Buick the while appetired to be very interested in the new ; light. that Mr. Witty had been able to: shed on Biblical history. WHAT/ MEMBERS WANT TO KNOW. Mr. J. Duncan is to ask the Government whether they will,:when considering the question of appointments to - the Legislative Council, give due weight to the fact that Marlborough is without resident representation in the ■ Council, and make such recommendation eo that this anomaly may be remedied. Mr. ; Buchanan will ask the Minister of Agriculture whether it is true, as stated in a newspaper called tho. "Scottish Farmer,".' dated. June i, that, a Mr. Archibald Whytc, of Inverquharity, acting onybchalf of the New Zealand Government, lius bought. from Mr. W. Whytc, an Aberdeen . Angus • bull ■ and two heifers for export to this Dominion. It has been stated in the press of the Dominion (Mr. Buchanan adds) that the Government were purchasing Jersey and Holstein dairy cattle, not Aberdeen Angus. ' ________ ' i ''. THE RETRENCHMENT SCHEME. CRITICISM BY MR. FISHER. ~ Some interesting remarks on the Government's retrenchment proposals were made' by Mr.' Fisher in the House last night. 'Mr. Fisher declared that .if was impossible to beliove,-as the Prime Minister had affirmed, that there.had been a saving in the Departmental expenditure of .£3-14,000. He ■ would take a few Departments for example. In the Internal Aifairs Department it was claimed that there had been retrenchment to the extent of .£BB,OOO. As a mntter qi fact .£77,000 of that amount was made up of non-recur-rent items such as general election expenses £60,000 (only once every 3 years) and •Vmei'ican ileet 'visit .£9200, contribution, to earthquake fund in Sicily .£500.0, Quebec centenary JBIQOO, :nd Seddon memorial So it-would be seen that there was really only a net saving in that Department. Then again take the Native Department. It was claimed that in this Department there had been a ing of Among the expenses of that Department last, year was .£SOOO odd for a Native Laud Commission. Another instance be would like to give was the Lands Department where a saving of «C 27,000 was claimed. This year, however, there would not be a recurrent item/in the shape of a voto for .Effl.OOO for reliefowing to bush fires. There was no more rpal retrenchment than there was iu a piece of pumice-stone. (Laughter.) If there was any retrenchment, it was strange that there wero 286 more civil servants at the end of the year than at the beginning. He noticed also that tho Civil Service was estimated to cost £216,000 more,this year than last year. That meant , that either more officers were to bo appointed or that 'salaries had been increased to nn i enormous extent. A glance at the Estimates led him to favour tho latter view. Ho hoped that when the Estimates wcrti before tho House the. increases on large salaries would be reduced. It was singular that after tho Prime Minister had claimed to have effected retrenchment, first to tho amount of .£98,000,- and afterwards to tho amount of £300,000, his own Estimates revealed that tho Departments .were to' cost JSIG.OOO more than last year. Tho Prime .Minister:. That is very incorrect and misleading.

Mr. Visitor: Then your own Estimates are wrong. Tho Prime Minister: It is very misleading the way you .iro putting'it, . Subsequently the I'rimo Minister denied the statement niado by Mr.' Fisher that tho Civil Service, was- going to tost £216,000 morn this year, Despite tho fao.t that there wcru increases in the Departmental Estimates in regard to railways, post and telegraphs, and education, re-trenchment-hail been effected as lie htul announced . .