PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 308, 24 September 1919, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

THE KAURI GUM INDUSTRY

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The Legislative Council mot nt 2.30 p.m. yesterday. BOARD OF TRADE BILL. The Board of Trade Bill was received from tho House. It wag rend a first time, read a secoud time pro forma, and referred to the .Statutes Revision Committee.

LAND AND INCOME TAX. The Land aud Income Tax .(Annual) Bill was put through all stages and passed.

PAYMENT OF JURORS. The Payment of Jurors Bill, which makes provision for the remuneration of jurors to be iixed from time to time bv Ordor-in-Council, instead o: by statute, as at present, was put through all stupes and passed. ■

Xho Council adjourned at 2.45 p.m. THE HOUSE The House of Representatives met at U. 30 p.m., . | ■ The Kight Hon. W. F: Massey (Prime Minister) gave notice to move that on ami after Monday next the House.sit at 7.39 p.m. for Government business. Two days leavo of absence wore granted to Mr. A. E. Glover, and five' days' leave to Mr. J. C. Thomson.

FIRST READINGS. The Betterment Bill (Mr. R. M'Callum) and the Compulsory Kesidence on State-owned Leaseholds 8.1 l tJi'r. Buddo) were introduced and read a first time.

INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE, The Prime Minister gave notice of liiotion to reinstate tho Industries Committee. . Sir Joseph Ward: Does the right hon. gentleman intend to eeiid the committee over, the country. again? Jlr. Massey: -No. "Sir Joseph Ward: Because, if so, I should suggest that we wait till after the election before making the selection of.members of the committee. It was agreed' that the motion be taken forthwith. It was so taken, and carried by the House.

KAURI GUM INDUSTRY, The Hon. D. H. GUTHRIE (Minister of Lands) moved the second reading ot "the Karfi'i Gum Industry Bill. Ho explained that the Bill was a simple measure rendered necessary by a development of the industry. One <tf the new developments was the possibility of extracting oil from gum swamps in the north. Eor this a considerable amount of machinery was necessary, but the tenure was not sufficiently long to warrant heavy expenditure on plant. Tho Bill proposed to provide for. a lease for 21 years as now, but to provide also for renewals for two periods of 21 years; but' never providing for an occupancy ill this way for more than 63 years. • SIR JOSEPH WARD (Awarua) said he was not opposed to the granting oi long enough tenures to-make enterprise possible, but ho suggested that there should be some safeguard in view of the possibility of utilisation of peat from the swamps for fuel, in the same way as compressed peat was being now used in Ireland.

Mr. P. MANDER (Marsdan) s said-that in his opinion the Government should impose a tax on gum and.oils to nrovide for the reading of the north. Up till the present the wealth of the north had been stripped from it, \and nothing retained for the roading of the north. Ho intended to move to this effect in committee. -

Mr. C. H. POOLE (Auckland West) talked first of all of the sins of the National Government, laying them all at the doors of the present occupants of tho Treasury benches. Ho declared that the Jugo-Slavs should .. have been compelled to render service in the clearing of bush lands for settlement by returned soldiers. This would have saved the soldiers from.having to buy "land at fabulous prices. Mr. J.- A. YOUNG (Waikato) said that, the Jugo-Slavs hnd done much useful work on drainage, and other undertakings. Mr. Poole: At what pay? Mr. Young: At current rates of pay. Dr.-Thacker: The soldiers did it in. France for five bob.

Mr. Young said that he did not wish to be put in the position of special pleader for the Jugo-Slavs. All he wished to say was that many of them had done their duty under the circumstances. He said that the Government had come to the rescue of the kauri gum industry during the war.bv making advances against gum produced. "This had saved the industry, and the Department, still in existence, was doing very valuable work for tho country, and especially for the gum producers of tho north. The Minister of Lands (Hon. D. H. Guthrie)'; in reply, said the kauri gum industry had produced Xi 8,000,000 since its inception, ■ and of this amount ,£15,000,000 had gone back to labour. The industry' was worthy of, consideration, and the Government had done its best ; during the war to help the diggers. The Government became the purchaser of j much gum when no ether market was ■ and although a market had been found in Amorica some of this (jum was still in hand. The labour of the ; Jugo-Slavs, removed from the gumfields j during'the war, had not been wasted. In. facT, very good use had' been made of the services of these men. The Minister added that the Government was-going to keep control of the gumlields by means of licenses. The Bill wjas read a second time. AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY SITE. The PRIME MINISTER' moved the second reading of the Auckland University College Site Bill.' He said he agreed with the Auckland people that it would bo an act of vandalism to remove r' 1 ' old Government House in Auckland. It was probably the most historic buildinp in New Zealand. The old building and an area of land adjoining would be reserved, and other adjacent land was being made ayailable for university purposes. SIR JOSEPH WARD (Awnnia) said he was glad that a very important work was now to lie allowed to proceed. He felt, however, that tho area of land now being provided was inadequate. It was only o matter of time, he thought, when it would be necessary to go out into tho'-conntry to make proper provision for a university/ with all its appurtenant buildings. He supported flic Bill, however, because he considered ithat it met'present requirements. «!v. C. J: PARR (Eden) supported the Bill, but thought that l:i: • example of Amorica, which appropriated to its univorsitfe's hundreds of acres of land, ought in the future to be followed. Where agriculture we.? to bo an important subject thero should be plenty of land for' experimental purposes. Though tho proposals in the Bill would meet prpsent, needs, the securing of n large extent of land for the future should bo looked to. The Hon. A. M. MYEPS '(AurVland East) believed that a central silo for a university was desirable. The site proposed would be very suitable. The Bill was read a second time. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The Minister for Finance (Sir James Allen) read the Financial Statement. Sir Joseph Ward.(Awurua) asked when the debute on the Statement would be taken. The Prime Minister agreed to allow tl/o discussion to be opened on Tuesday nest. The House rose at 9.:!0 p.m.