THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1817, 1 August 1913, Page 6

THE HOUSE.

The Houso of .Representatives met at 2.<io p.m. Tho following Bills were read a first time andreferred to the local Bills Commi Foreshore Vesting Hill (Air. Ma.nder); Western Tnieri Land Drainage Board Enabling Bill (Mr. Scott). lour days' leave of absence were granted to Dr. liangihiroa. NEW LYNN COLLISION. Mr. J. H. BRAKNEY (Auckland West) asked tho Minister for Railways whether there was any truth in a report that tho engineer in charge of one of the engines which figured in tho recent collisioji at New Lvnu had been discharged Tho Hon. W. H. Horries: Both tho engineor and tho tablet porter. COST OF LIVING COMMISSION.

Mr. G. lAUIIENSON (Lyttelton) asked whether the Prime .Minister had yet mado up his mind as to what would bo a eouVL'iiient time to discuss the report of tho Cost of living: Commission presented to the House last year. The PRIME MINISTER said that lie was not yet in a position to fix a dato, l>ut ho would arrange to set aside an afternoon for tho purposo later in tho session. ' llr. G. W. RTJSSELL (Avon) remarked that one afternuon would be a "very short opportunity" to dismiss a groat report of this kind. If the honourable gentleman gave tho House a whole day for the discussion of the report it would be only reasonable.

l'ho Prime Minister said that unless tiie House made, bettor progress with business than had been done lately it would be impossible to accept tho suggestion of tho member for Avon. "The plain truth is," he added, "that wo have six months' business in front of us." . Mr. Ilussoll: So far as the Opposition is concerned, thero has been no delay. (Government laughter.) Feed us with good stuff and we will put it through.

COOLIE LABOUR. _,Mr. W. D. S. MACDONALD (Bay of rlenty) said that he had received a telegram to tho effect that Indian coolies were being employed on tho State plantations at Itotorua, and that thoro was a good deal of feeling over tho matter. The PRIME MINISTER said that this was (lie first he had hoard of the matter. If the report wero correct ho would give instructions that Indian coolies were not to bo employed on any of tho State plantations in tho Dominion.

NATIVE LEASES, A NOT UNREASONABLE REQUEST. Mr. J. A. YOUNG (Waikato) presented tho report of tlio Native Affairs Committal on tho petition of G. T. Phillips and 21 otlicrs, praying for the right to pnrchasc the freehold sections leafed to them in t.ho Moriknn ami Whararungi Blocks. The report stated that, as a question of policy vrns involved, the committee had 110 recommendation to make Jlr. R. W. SMITH (Waimarino) said flint the report of the Committeo mado it inoumbent on the Government to clear np this matter. Tlio lessees did not want to tnko any unfair advantage of the Native owner?, ami (liil not feck to vary the contracts into which they had entered. What they desired to do was to arrive at all understanding with the Native owners in a businesslike way. Tlio lessees had been, hampered by the want of roads, and it was almost impossible to pet financial assistance from outsido in the present condition of the leases. What the lessees wanted was that the Government should go into the matter and see what could be done to improve the position in tli>: interests of both lessees and lessors. They asked that the Prime Minister, as Minister for Lands, should take tho matter up. The lessens wauled to buy tho freehold from the Native owners, provided the Native owners wero willing to pell. Mr. C. K. WILSON (Taumarunui) said that he was sure that this matter was going to l)e dealt with in a statesmanlike ami comprehensive way this session. It was of no use petitioning on behalf of this or that block of Nativo land. When the Government measure came down, ho

would gladly the member for Waimarino to obtain justice for the settlers. Mr. ,T. A. l'Ol'NG (Waikatoj, speaking in reply, said that the Committee could not have reported in any other way, as the -matter was one of policy. At the sumo time, he considered that the petitioners had asked for nothing tlmt was unreasonable. Mr. Smith said that ho recognised that the Committee could havo taken no other eoui'ie. What ho regretted was that there seemed to bo a prospect of another delay in thu matter. MEMBER FOR GREY. The SPEAKER read a formal communication from tlio Clerk of Writs (Air. J. llislop) notifying that Mr. P. C. Webb had been returned as member for Grey. Mr. Webb was present, and was sworn in immediately afterwards, his sponsors being Mr. J. Payne (Grey Lynn) and Mr. J. Robertson (Otoki).