THE SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 913, 5 September 1910, Page 8

THE SESSION.

: POLITICAL NOTES. LAND BILL ON WEDNESDAY. With the exception of the Land Bill, which has; been promised for Wednesday next, few matters are engaging tho special attention of members at present. There, is ".'a consensus of opinion that the new -Bill ■.will.-provide for the- freehold with an increment tax. It is also generally beiieyed-thattho' Government intend to introduce,proposals having for. their; object • the acquisition of estates upon/easier terms, and tho breaking-up of large properties, by means of heavier taxation. There is a striking,lack of knowledge-of tho'contents of the .pro-, posed; Land Bill .amongst, members. -

-: ■ THE, LAND BILL/ ■'"'''' ; A SOLICITOUS' ■ - '-Tho: long-delayed Land. Bill was the, subject of, a solicitous inquiry, by -Mr. M'a-ssey ,:in the.; House .of* Representatives on Friday afternoon. "Mr. Massey . reminded tlio.-Minister for • Lands.' (Sir Joseph Ward) that the. measure was to-have been.introduced:this week, and the. political week' was /almost at an ■end.'-.-'. '■;■ '//. ( -,/. : :/ '■■-~//';-.: ',-In reply,' Sir' Joseph ' 'Ward '; stated that-the. Bill would, bo introduced thatevening, or Wednesday; probably Wednesday,: .h6 added. . . /. I "Dealing;- ivith"'the' question.:of tenure in the 'course of. his, -remarks on the Native Townships Bill; the .Hon. /J. Carroll, Minister:for Native-Affairs, saidthai/the".Opposition: had; a stock cry of "Freehold.", For himself, he did not cave a.snap for .the freeHold,. whether It obtained drnot. There was a largo "section:-.of the.' could profit-' •better", under', the™- leasehold • system than under, tho freehold system.';, It.' was'.'. only- tlie' • rich" 'i who. ■ could - buy. A : :rernarkaHe.fact'.lwa-s -that, tho everlasting; cry'.of:/froeHo]d-/ was 'chiefly (trumpeted-by young members; ; .What, required ..'attention most nil New /Zea-' .land; was ■ the.'prevention of jth©: aggrega-,, Won of,|.;land.;' -Hoi doubted whether .the present/ graduated;.tax' went far,;enougli. /■ X ■■•.' ;"'" • '/Speaking, \on/,.the'.': Native. "Townships Bill:past.ievening^.Mr..': .Russell, (Avon), -in this measure/a/leasehold ' Land - Bill ' which was "-recognised: by ■ both. '.'Government ■.an^i.oppMition.'v;.■^Ri;congr'a|lilat'ed;•'th6 , . Government, -the"Opposition; aiid the Hbuse'igeneral.ly■ ?o;r. he ,was':-'mcTih^'r'.t'd.?j'tffie^tti.s. : iißill 'as Va pilpt.'baUobh:' in. 'connection .with-the Land BiU:which:was/being-so-anxiously waited''for.' /This/Bill- he-believed was ■an/ -indication /of what, we, .might. ex- . pect in' the', Land.-Bill; • If the principle, of -the:' -.leasehold. .''applied " in." Connection', iwrtb'-;tne..;Najiv&;tow^ it/not->be applied*/iiii>connection.:with Eurbpean' t6whs ; ,i',a ! ri'd~if-''-sqiind/in _co'nnectiorifjvilih';^ in/.. Connection;, with,';; European." farms. ;Ha'ying : takenithis plunge/in: the -diiec- : tion of a straight-dut/leasehold policy; he- hoped' .they : would/ go" on /.'and," say that.'what- w'as'gbbcl for. the /Maori was good'foT/the.Eiiropeaß!'//' : - ,\. •.;/' : /-/ ■;./'

'■/I , dh/Tuesday.'sdyOraT'ißills ; /will' come',up for' consideration./' First> of ;all■• the '/In-.'. idecerit'P^blicatio'ns./iiliilL'/will;/;.bo ■' put through- its' final stages./.Other measures, at/the-tdp/pf■-theHorde'r/paper'-, are':— Phpsphdrus/" Matches; Bill; {to: {bd .■ com-' ■'mitted); : ;Gdmpaiiies/ , .;Aniehdniolit" Bill '(third;.reading), -Exliibitidns Bill/(tobe committed),/Foreign. /Insurance-vpoiri-'pSniesV/ '•"' Deposits"/' Bill (second : reading)j/andLaw,-Pfactitioners Bill.■/-As'regards''-the Housoi.none;.of :tlie-/measures, in/'the ; Prime' Minister'sname' are. down /for /.'cbnsidcratioii - ..oil Tuesday. .v'- , ..-THp''^nyst ! ''-'meawr'eVpn'..'-ihe order paper : 'is/;the ■'■Native / /Townships Bill.(to: be. committe'd)';';';"Nest-'in order are:—The.' Rivers • -Board'/. Amendment Bijl (to be/committed)'■;■.the -Animals', Protection- Bill'/(to be committed) y ..-'the" 'Stone Quarries /Bill, (to,/be; further, considered /in ' Committee); /and '■ tlio Post; and Telegr'ajph.Amendmßhfc Bill (second "reading)/.-• .//■?//■ ''fi'y-^////'■;■/' / : // ■■

/; LAND yALUATIONSySTEM. ■:.)." \ In'reply'tore'sdiutions':.passed by,the ■Faj'iriers' /Union; /the/Hon; : D;-' Buddo; (Minister,; Hi ; pf/the: .Valuatipn--Deparfment).^staies-'that'in order :,to'still, further/meetjthe'/farmers,'.and to ensure/that'' owners /will; '/'bo. afforded every /•opportunity, j- -'of 'meeting -.' the, valuers -ou/.the''grouiid, "itVhas '.been ;'de- : cided that.the .valtim, shall, in /future .advise by:letter;the' date dfi'their visits'.fn tho /opinion.', /of .the:/ Minister, ; it would be unfl'ise,';td:.pfdvide ( , I foi'. the '.appointment "of/ a^valuer ./by/'the local authority ..to /act -'in/conjunction .with the "Departmental- valuer//. '.■-.The Hon.. D.VBuddo/holds (that it/would not be 'desirable in theintere'ste;of,/either,'the. owners, /the 'locali authorities,'., .or /the Department./to compliance with :a.-.hard' and •iast./'i'iiie'': in'yrcspect /of 'the period'" 'of- revision/ of /Valuations. . - It would bo/impossible;'/ in .';; practice -to comply/with" tlid/suggestionlthat, all loan. ;'■ moneys. / spent' : ■• by. .Jocal / authorities and' money,;:spe'nt ..by,:companies Should r be'dralited/:tolimp'rovoments instead'of; to' unimproved:•values,/as: at present..' The.'present.system was. as satisfactory 'as' aiiy' system'"could'' be which had.-.the ,difficult' ; task;placed'upon it . to. provide. ;• any equitable ,basis 'upon .which'to levy, localVrates; or, other taxa- . tion, a trust ;funds/:to/invest,/': indj; |' r pn -the" other 'haiid,; :to in-; ;</,;, .-'.;,

CIVIL.SERVANTS! SAtftRIES. : A,- return showing- separately'.'for- the •years' 1907 to, lSiO'^the;'number of Civil Servants .employed,. fogetlier.iiwith, the amount of salaries' paid''tlieuj, in each of; the'!four- chief- centre?^o£; the Dominion, is, being ''asked.-'fOTti-'by. Mr. Stalhvorthy. •' -The • sariieiJ. particulars for the, Smith: Island;'Ws'tncts.outside, the'-, centres ' named, and also for : the. North Island districts ';mitside the same centres^'are-also i^ein'gVasked.ij.for.' .-.ln; the, : same';conii(!cti6n, ,-, Mr. Malcolm, is';aikinglfjjf ■;&;; -the individual 'salaries " j bf,v£SQ0 r or'more drawn by A Civil Servants 1 affected at tho date of, the.'.passing of. ,-tho.' Police. Provident Fund 'Act;. 1899,,: the: Government Railways Superannuation Fund Act', 1902, or: tlio-Public Service..Superannuation Act, '1907, T compared' with the ■nalaries dr'awli by .each'.ofHhess officers ; nqw or. at;'tli.e : v : date;,'of,.their. 'retire-, meut. that; tho re•turn be. given ..w'.under.r./ithe.L following heads; (a) Salary. at'''date''of joining superannuation fund (giving.date, when officers joined respective funds), (b) salary now .or' at dato.;,of."retirement, and (c) date of. retirement/, ' . '■;'■

. A CONTENTIOUS'PfIJNT. There 'was 'quite' a little 'Storm in a teapot,in the ..House early .on Saturday morning-" as td; whether -the House had the' right. to .compel a. member to lay ion the table a letter from which.ho had quoted. In-the course of his remarks on tho Native Townships Bill, Mr.Pearco, M.P. for'Patoa,.had .emphasised ;liis contentions; by a.' reference to the views contained in a letter which had been 'written.', by a settler who was well versed in the matter.. When-the.'meas-ure had passed its second reading, the Hon. J. Carroll moved that Mr. Pearco should lay the letter on tho table. During, the, discussion which followed, tho Speaker ruled that from' the . extract which had been made the letter' could pot'bo described as "private," It had .evidently' been-written, he held, b.v a

constituent to Mr. Pearco in his capacity as a member, and tnereiore was —a puclic document." Mr. Massey argued that even so tho whole of tlio loiter need not be laid oli tho table. Against this contention the Hoiis. J. Carroll, R. M'Kenzie, T. Mackenzie, and J A. Miliar raised a united protest. Tho Speaker ruled, however, that only'the extract need be submit-, ted to the House. • ; Tho Hon. J. Carroll: And tho signature. ■.■ .Mr. Speaker: Oh, no. '- .. ' . Mr. Millar, speaking with considerable warmth, then declared that he was glad the ruling- had been taken, for Ministers would. now know where they were. If a Minister wcro called upon to lay a public document on tho table in future ho ; would simply give ..tho -extract which-Ho had quoted/ In view of tho ruling tho Hon. J. Carroll asked leavo to withdraw his.motion,, but the Hon. ' It. M'Kenzie insisted' that .it should .bW put. Upon a division, however, tile motion was ■■ defeated by 28 votes to 17.:'.' ■'.'; The' Speaker, in the course of further ■ remarks, expressed the opinion that there should be a rule to the effect that no member should be allowed to quote from any. document unless he was: prepared to lay it on tho table. It should be mentioned that Mr. Pearce was. all along 'willing to' show the letter to Mr. Carroll. There was a good deal of -merriment', when it. later' turned out that it.had; already appeared in The Dominion over, the of its author. l

LICENSING QUESTION. - During: a- short visit to ChristehuTch last week, Mr. I\'l3. Taylor, M:P., expressed the opinion that the licensing 'question twilH-ake a' prominent position iii .Parliament this-'session: He. stated that there is a. strong, feeling amongst, both, parties in Wellington. They expect, thatthe.question will assume some definite'form, although neither side will .disclose the source, of information-which leads' up. to: tlio expectations;'- 'Mr.' Taylor says that if ilie Land'Bill is brought forward.. again riiembers will■'. have absolutely no prospect .of-getting 'away from Wellington before .November.".' ' ;■'■', WHAT MEMBERS WANT TO KNOW. ,' ■ The' Minister'in/charge of"the Health Department is being.asked:.by Sir -W. J.,Steward (1) why the officers of• that Department. have been "treated' exceptionally,':: increases-: of salary in the ; case 'ofdvdiva/thous'aiiddfficbrs in other Government Departments haying been •■'pro-vided-for', on the/estimates, while an, the Department /.of Public Health-, no : increase, whateyer is: proposed,'in the case ,of any,officer;'and: ; (2),if,'this is ; du6 to .an "oversight, .-will/the matter be- adjusted by provision .being niado', oil the .supplementary-'estimates?- ' - .■'.' .'Mr..-"'.Guthrie':' is : asking/the Minister for.'-Public Works whether'it is a fact that, the. Go'vernhient. Sawmill at Kir kahi, Main Trunk-line, which "was understood, to.be; established , : foiv the puri pbse' : 'of cutting timber''for Government works; alone, .is now. competing with .the local sawmillors • to' secure the:.trade of the. district, /v/ ■Mr.- Hogg ;• wishes '. the .'•''. Po'stniastbrGeneral to Btato';;'whether, ho will "en-, deayour :,to '; arrange- with the Railway Department for .the .'conveyance;'of mails, newspapers, and .-.packets per motor-car service, the Welliiigtou-Wairarapa line, ; . to■;'..take •'■ the :place,; of,.'the-,'early morning, goods-train :which .was' discontinued- some; time ago.:.; .'Mr/Hogg says-.it"is believed that, the; cost of a .motor-car /would : not.be.gr.eat,■'.wHile the be: derived ; ; by.'" the communities and;'country who Would- be; able, to' get their correspondence- and^newspapers' in' the early: part, ,ot the'day,' '.would'be enormous'.. :