PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

THE COUNCIL. MORE ABOUT IMMIGRATION. MOTION BY SIR G. M. O'RORKE. Tho Legislative Council met at 2.30 yesterday afternoon. Tho Methodist Chnritablo and Educational Trusts Bill was received from tho House of Representatives, and was read a. first time. STATE BANKING. The Hon. T. Kelly gave notice of motion that a copy of tho report and evidence taken' by tho Stato Banking and State Currency Committee last session bo forthwith supplied to both of Parliament, EMIGRANTS AND LAND GRANTS. Tho Hon. Sir G. 31. O'Rorko (Auckland) jnoved, that in the opinion of this Counpil it is desirablo that tho Government should appoint two emigration officersone'in Ireland and one iu Scotland—to facilitate emigration from thoso countries to New Zealand, such officers to be under the control of the High Commissioner, and not to exceed iu any ono year N tho number of emigrants he might have authorised; that each emigrant of 21 years of age should receive 10 acres of freehold land in New Zealand, and half that amount of land for children over ten years of age." Tho mover said ho lookod upon New Zealand as tho rotreat for people from home, but after hearing tho discussion on his motion of the previous day, ho was not sanguine that the present motion ■would pass. . ~ The Hon. S. T. GEORGE (Auckland) seconded tha motion.

The Hon. C. M. LUKE. (Wellington) iaid ho agreed with the principle of the motion, altuough he might object to soino ef the details. Speaking on emigration generally, he thought to were in a sorry plight if we hart to ring-fence the country tor the present population. We should have four times tho population of to-day. Unless wo awakened in tho competition for population, and attracted some of the people from the congested areas of the Old World, wo' would take up a fifth-rato position. Tho publio works should bo carried out more rapidly, so as J:o ennblo tho whole of the lands to oo settled. Ho was in favour of immigration officers being engaged, but ho did not think' thoy should be confined to Ireland and Scotland, but. rather extended to cover tho whole of Great Britain.

Tho Hon. W. W. M'CAKDLE (Auckland) agreed that closer settlement must be effected if tho country was to prosper, but this"'was to bo done by. .subdividing the largo estates. . . ' The Hon. J. 13. CALLAN (OtagoL. re- \ marked on tho fact that thero were hundreds of pcoplo in. New Zealand hungry for tho land, and this being so it would be impossible to bring people, hero and givo them presents of land. If such a proposal was made law, thoro would be, such an uproar'that no Government ' could stand against. Ho must vote.against the motion, but he recognised that tho country required immigrants, and if tho words' after "authorised" wero deleted he would support tho motion. Tho Hon. W. BEEHAN. (Auckland) agreed that wo could not pres?nt land, to immigrants. Ho would support tho motion if the mover deleted tho last part as suggested.' Tho Hon. J. ANSTEY. (Canterbury) agreed,with tho necessity, for settling tho land, but thero was no land to givo away. Tho Hon. J. M'GOWAN pointed out that the High Commissioner had an officer in his Departineujb who did work such as was suggested. He could not support the motion. The motion,:,wn's ..lost 1 ou the ■