A CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2585, 6 October 1915, Page 7

A CONFERENCE.

A. Message was received from' the •Legislative Council that the Council insisted on its amendments in tho Mortgages Extension Bill, and giving reasons for so insisting. ■

On the motion of the Hon. A. L. Berdman, the Hansa disagreed with the reasons, and appointed Messrs. Herdinan 7 Lee, and Wilford Managers to represent the_ Honse at a conference with representatives of -the Council concerning the amendments.

WEST COAST SETTLEMENT. The Hon. .TV. H. HEEBIES (Minister /of Native-Affairs) moved that tho "West Coast Settlement Ecserres Amendment Bill (read .a second time pro forma) be committed. Explaining the details of "the_ BUI, 1b said that there -was no policy matter in it. The motioii Tfas agreed to. ; /•"' — ■

NATIVE "WASHING-UP" BILL. , The Hon. TV. H. HURRIES moved irhat tae .Naiir© Laaid Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill (read a second time pro forma) be committed. Hs said that he had to confess that in the Bill ho had done something -which he had always condemned in past years himself—he had incorporated the Native land Amendment Bill in the Na.tive' "Washing-up" BiH.: Tho stago of 'the session most be his excuse. Mr. L. M. ISITT (Christchurch North) appealed for some consideration for the Natives of the South Island. He thought the appeal should be met by the National Government • 5 It. C. PA RATA (Southern Maori) contended that tho Maoris had been robbed of millions of acres, and tho "pakeha" had not kept his compact. The Hon. A. T. NGATA ; (Eastern Maori), speaking -with regard to the general Native question, said that it was recognised that this was not the session Y-'hon much could be done- to - improve their legislation, and the Minister, in bringing down a Native Washing-up Bill, met the needs of the moment. As to the settlement of the Maori on the land, he thought that the only, district where this could be" effectively carried out was in the AVaiapu district, between Gisborne aindihs East Capo.. He urged the Native Minister to look to that district. AH the talk about putting the Maori on the-same footing as the

"pakoha" was very good on the platform, but no man did that in business. He was the first to recognise that the Maori liad a big leeway to make up before .they coula in practice put bim on 'the sanio footing as tlio "pakoha." Dealing with the Bill, he commended the clause empowering Maoris to sot aside, for patriotic purposes, part of the money paid them through the Maori Lane] Boards.

The Hon. W. H. HEEBIES in reply, said that he had not touched on the general question in the Bill, but as some members had touched on those matters ho would deal with them. The member,for Eastern Maori had said that the Maoris were not on the same footing as the pakehas, but those who heard the Native members in • Parliament 1 would not agree with that.' To those • who aspired to the 'dizzy position of being Native Minister be would say that the position was a most peculiar one. ! He looked behind on the Maori legislation'and saw the wrecks of policies, and was then told that he had got to go and make a new poilcy. To the averago pal-reha the Maori legislation was a sealed book. One of the faults of the Native guestion was that it had been made the sport of the parties. During the time that be had been Native Minister he had looked upon himself as the protector of the 40,000 Natives who were most interested in his office. Ho would always endeavour to keep in view the wants of the Natives, and lie hoped that by/the time lie laid down the office . of Native Minister some of the Natives would say that he had done good. He did not think it was right to havo constantly stated in the House that we had not done, well by the Native race. They would not find any Native race in th'e world so well treated. Of course it was recognised . that the Maoris were a superior race. A member: There was "the scrap of paper." Mr. Herries: I have always respected that scrap of paper. It wa3 true that mistakes might Save been made in the past, but he diddepre'cato tlio continual stories that wa had robbed the Natives. As to the Southern Maoris, he was awaiting' reports from the different Crown Land Boards as to what blocks of laud, set apart for the Natives in the first place, could be leased to Europeans, so that the rent could go to the Natives. The question of monetary compensation was ono that staggered Ministries, but some attempt at compensation had been I made in setting • apart large blocks of land for landless Natives. It was true that the attempt had riot been quito a success.' . v . The. motion was agreed to. NATIVE BILLS PASSED. The West Coast Settlement Reserves Amendment Bill (the Hon. W. H. Herries), and the Native Land Amendment and Native "Land Claims Adjustment jBDI (the Hon. W. H. Herries) were put through Committee with amendment, read a iaiird tim'o,- and passed. COUNTIES AMENDMENT BILL. The Counties Amendment ' Bill (the Hon. G. W. Russell) a technical measure, was committed, and a large number of new clauses were added to it.. The Bill was' read a' third time and' passed: FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. ThV Friendly _ Societies Amendment Bill was committed, and amended to meet the objections raised on the second reading. The Hon. J. A. Hanan; referring to the proposed repeal of Section 40 of the principal Act, dealing with special funds, said that there was no danger of special funds being misapplied. The schedule of the Act provided a safeguard. The Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) said that there were 16.000 members who did not want'the section repealed. '■ Mr. C. J. Talbot (Temuka) said that he ivaa satisfied the section was standing I in the _ way of < consolidation... The section was repealed. The Bill was reported with amendments, read a third-time, and passed. EDUCATION RESERVES. lie Right Hon. W. F.' MASSEY (Prime Minister) moved the second reading of the Education Reserves Amendment Bill,, which allows tenants holding -lands under educational leases to Tegister under the Land Transfer Act. The Bill was reaS a second time, put through all other stages and passed. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS. _The Hon. G. W. RUSSELL (Minister of Internal Affairs) moved the second reading of the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill, a short technical measure. The Bill was'read a second time, and the Bill as it stood was put through Committee, but progress was reported on it in order that new clauses might be added to it. LAKE COLERIDGE SCHEME. The Hon. G. W. RUSSELL (Minister of Internal Affairs) moved the second reading of the Lake Coleridge Water-Power Bill, which gives power to local bodies to enable them to avail themselves of the current generated under the scheme. The Bill'was put through all stages and passed. THE APPROACHINC END. The Right Hon. W. ! F. MASSEY, before • moving the adjournment, suggested that all committees should endeavour to conclude their business on Wednesday morning. If the House was to oonclude its business at Friday's sitting, it would be necessary to sit on Thursday morning, perhaps to deal with Local Bills. It was pointed out that committees had not had notice of this, and they had not been summoned for Wednesday but for Thursday. The final suggestion was that the House sit at 11 a.m. on Thursday to give committees an opportunity to deal with business before the sitting. The House rose at 0.12 a.m.