THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1214, 24 August 1911, Page 7

THE HOUSE.

FIRST READING. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. AND SOME COMMENTS. In tho House yesterday afternoon tho following Bills were read ft first time :— Dunedin City and Suburban Tramways and Water Power Amendment Bill (Hon. J. A. Miliar). This was referred to tho Local Bills ■Committee. Dunedin City (Waipori Falls) Land Vesting Bill (Hon. J. A. Millar). Land and Income Assessment Amendment Bill—by Governor's Message (Hon. J. A. Millar). Kaikoura Hospital Site- Bill—by Governor's Message (Hon. G. Fowlds). .Referred to the Lands 'Committee. NATIVE LAND RATING. Mr. T. H. DAVEY (Chcistjhurch East) moved the adjournment to discuss tho printed Ministerial replies to questions. The debate on tho methods of the Press Association, which was then opened by Mr. Davey, is reported under anothc-r leading. In. a question by Mr. Field, attention was drawn to statements made by Mr. Marsland on tho subject of Native land rating, particularly tho statements that in certain districts the Native Minister 'had always declined to Rive his sanction to tho prosecution of any judgment obtained against a Native by a, local body, and that the Act of 1910 was rendered useless by th» practice, of lesrnl tribunal? insisting'on tho service- of notices of jmlgment on every Native owner, irrespective of their numbers and scattered places of residence. Sir J. CARROLL, Native- Minister, sai.l Mr. Maryland's statement* were entirely at variance with fact. Tho Hating Act, Itlifl, only camp into operation a; from December's, and it was somewhat premature- to cendemn this Act (no lne.nl body havins possibly struck a. rate) before an opportunity had been given for carrying out it* provisions. Mr. MASSEY said ho thmiaht Mr. Maryland's statements were well founded, and Im was of opinion that tli-n now Act wns not lilcplvto I>e of mniT u=c than tho ono which was repealed last year.

WHY NO LEGISLATION? Jlr. Massey asked the Government "whether they intend this session to Rive effect to tho recommendation of tho comiiutlte.onthciil!e<.'ationsmade by the honourable member for Stratford, as follows: 'The committee is of opinion that legislation should bo passed making it ille»iil for a member of Parliament tn act on his own behalf or on behalf of any 'other person in negotiating the sale of an estate to the Crow!!." , Sir .Tames Carroll replied:—"The intentions of the Government regarding the legislation of thb K»sion will be made iisown in due courss."-

Mr. Jfassey said this reply was vtrjr unsatisfactory, and he considered it was not courteous to the House. The recommendation ho had quoted was endorsed by the Honjft last session, and they were given to understand by Sir Joseph Ward that legislation would be introduced. The recommendation was moved in the committee by the I'rimo Minister himself. There was admittedly not time for this legislation last session, but it should bo passed during the present session. . There would be no difference of opinion about it in the House. He never expected there would'bo any hesitation on the part of the Government in this matter.

The Hon. T. MACKKNZJE said he was sorry such a law had not been in force before last session, because it would have saved the country a costly investigation, which absolutely failed to attach any blame at all to the Government.

REGISTRATION OF LAND AGENTS. Mr. G. W. WITTY (Hiccarton).moved the' second reading of the Land Agents Registration Bill. It was intended, ho said, not so much to safeguard tho land i agents, as to safeguard the public. Thero was no doubt that the public were trom time to time systematically robbed by unscrupulous land a&euts. He had received letters not only from legitimate land agents, but from magistrates, asking to to do all he could to get a measure of this kind placed on the Statue Book. He intended to a?k the Government, to take up the Bill after the second reading. In Committee ho would move to exempt licensed- land brokers as well as licensed auctioneers from the obligation of taking out a license under this Act. He would ask the Minister for Internal Affairs to take up this Bill and assist to carry it through. . ~ ,' The MINISTER said he would speak later on. . , , , Mr. Witty said he desired to know at that stage" because if the Government would not take it up, he lvould move that it be referred to the btatutes Revision Committee. Mr. Witty repeated his question. ~ . ~ . The Hon. D.BTJDDO said again that he would speak upon the Bui. Mr. Witty complained that unless the. Minister stated his decision he would lose his chance of referring tho Bill to the Committee. Mr. Buddo: "Oh, no, you won t. Mr. D. H. GUTHEIE (Oronu) said they must acknowledge that the Bill had come from.the land agents themselves. Mr. Witty: "Oh, no it did not. §i Mr. Guth'rie: "Well, in my district it did." Ho would not go so far as Mr. Witty in criticising la.ud agents, but a Bill of this kind was certainly required. No provision had been made for dealing with firms of-.agents which had branches all over tho country. If it passed in its present form the Bill would kill all tho small agents, but the Act : was really required in a modified form. Mr. C. H. •POOLE (Auckland West) remarked that the request that the Government should take the Bill up was reasonable. For tho benefit of those who wore -carrying on a legitimate commission business, a measure of this kind was absolutely necessary. Mr. H.'J. 11. OKEY (Taranaki) promised to give the Bill general support. A measure of this nature should have been introduced by the Government. He hoped tho Minister would take it over. Tho land agents of tlrf) Dominion would welcome some measure to regulate their biiM-, ness, but a clearer distinction would have to be drawn between the land jobber and tho land ngont than had been drawn in tho Bill. What the Bill would do was to alwlish the "pocket-book" agents. The place of business as well as the agwit should be licensed. Tho license feo should bo .£2O. Mr. G. W. FORBES (Hunuiui) hoped tho Government would take up the Bill and placa it -upon tho Statute Book after a few necessary amondments had been made.

Mr. J. P. LUKE (Wellington Suburbs) expressed surprise at tho neglect of Hie Government to bring in a measure of this kind befovo that time. The inflation of land values in this city might have been preventible • under proper control'. Tho Government should take up this Bill. i Mr. E. NEWMAN (Manawnhi) advised Mr. Witty to take heart.---If- the -Bill was likely to be popular in the country, tho Government would probably annex it without asking his leave. Ho hoped that some, check would bo'put upon the practice of exchanging land, which had attnined considerable- headway in the country. Tho custom wa* a pernicious one, mid led to undue boomine of values. Mr. Newman promised tho.Bill his support, and pleasantly suggested that in exebango Mr. Witty might support his Bill (Hereditary Titles). Mr. A.E. GLOVER-(Auckland Central) supported the Bill. • Mr. J. STALLAVORTHY (Kaipara) said he could not see much to admire in the Bill. It was a. funny procedure to ask a Minister of the Crown on tho spur of tho moment to take up ai Bill, as Mr. Witty had done on this occasion. Mr. G.-W. RTJSSELL (Avon) said he saw no reason why land agents should ba .licensed any more thtfa stock agents or ttock brokers. The Bill would make no difference to tho big land agents, who drew heavy commissions, but it would handicap hundreds qf me.n who now earned a few pounds a year. The evils of tho present state of > affairs had beon made fo evident that legislation of some kind was required. Registration of land agents might be advisable. Ho would vote for the second reading. .

Tho Hon. D. BUDDO, Minister for Internal Affairs, said he might admit that Hid Government had had this matter under consideration during the , past few years, with a view to placing a Bill upon tho Statute-took. He did not desire to rob his hon. friend of any credit. The land agent was to some extent responsible for the use of laud values, but tho owner was in the first instance responsible. He did not think that a very largo fee should be. exacted from agents. A feo which would be a moderate burden to large agents would drive smaller man out of the market. Consideration mighty be given to tho question of giving a wider significance to tho definition of land agent. In his opinion a land broker should not bo a land agent. It was to the credit of land agents that they hud remained so long clear ef legislation. It was fifteen years since they had become distinct as a class from auctioneers. Had any scandal of magnitude appearsd during that time this House would have given land agents short shrift. As to what Mr. Newman had said about exchanges'of property, it was inadvisable to limit anyone's right to dispose of his property. As to whether tho Government would take up the Bill, the Government had contemplated the- introduction of a Bill of this nature for soma years. This particular Bill had many merits. If the_ hon. member did not succeed in getting it past this reading, lie would undertake, on behalf of the Government, that a Land Agents Bill should be introduced, and they would admit that tlioy were indebted to tho member for Riccarton. He would support the second reading. Dr. Tβ Eangihirca (Northern Maori) hoped that tho Bill would apply to tho M He" rTj'J JLANAN (InvoTcargill), E. H. Clark (Chalmers), and E. B. Ross (Pahiatiiai also ?poke. Tho Hon. G. FOWLDS (Minister for Education) said he would nave to oppose E. H. TAYLOR (Thames) in'd R W. Smith (Haniritikei) had spoken, ' Mr G W. WITTY (Ricearton) thanked hon 'member? for the criticism they had levelled et the Bill. Much of it had been hnnnst criticism. "A good deal of the rest," said Mr. Witty, was to try (o keep back one or two Bills that were, behind it." < Member*: Oh! no! no! The Bill was read a second time ou the voices.

HEREDITARY TITLES PREVENTION. Mr E. NEWMAN (Mo.iuiratn), when the Hereditary Titles Prevention Bill was called for second reading, moved, that, in view of tho absence of the Prime Minister the second reading of the Bill bo postpened until that day week. This was agreed to on the voices. The House' rose at 11.20 p.m.

MOTOR-CARS AT ELECTIONS.

Replyiiiß to Mr. Field, who appeared to bo anxious ibout tho "influence of wealth" on election days, the Actiuc-Premior said: "Section 220 of the Lesislatiire Act, IDOB. definitely provides aeainst payment being made for the hiring of carriages, etc., for the conveyance of olectore lo or from the poll for the purpose of promoting the election of any candidate. The matter of ie(,'ulatin? or restricting by lecislntion the fieo use of motor-car? for tho conveyanco of electors on potling-day is under consideration, but it is not proposed to amend the electoral law in that direction this session. ,.