PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 10, 7 October 1919, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

WOMEN'S RIGHTS

COUNCIL AMENDMENTS REJECTED

LAND AGGREGATION

Tlio House of Representatives met at 7.30 last evening. The -BIGHT HON. W. F. MASSEY (Prime Minister) gave notice of the Expeditionary Forces Votin? Bill. ■ Four days' leavo of absence was granted to the Hon. A. M. Myers, two day«' leave to Mr. E. P. Leo (Oamaru), and tlireo days' leavo to Mr. J. .A. Nash. Mr. SPEAKER made the customary announcement made always towards the end of a session, thnt. in futuro "new" business may bo taken alter 12.30 p.m., and that Bills already carried one stage may forthwith bo advanced through all stages at the same sitting. ; Tho Wairoa Harbour Board Emnowering and Loan Bill (Sir John Findlay) and the Taieri Land Drainage Bill (Mr. Scott) wero introduced and road a first . tims.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS BILL LOWER HOUSE REJECTS AMENDMENTS. Tho Women's Parliamentary Eights Bill was received back i'roni tho Upper House "with- amendments." Tho PRIME MINISTER moved that the amendments be not agreed to. It will he remembered that tho Council altered the Bill so that it should makb women eligible So sit in tho House of Representatives only. ' Mr. J. M'COMBS (Lytteltop) congratulated the Prime Minister on having decided not to concur in tihe amendments made in the Upper House. The right honourable gentleman had promised the women' of this country that ho would do his best to secure for them "full Parliamentary rigihts," and if the House of Representatives were to agree to tho amendments those full righte would not lie conferred. Mr. M'Combs quoted precedents at some length, • '

The Prime Minister's motion wns carried.

A committee, consisting of tho Prime Minister, Mr. ,T. M'Combs. and Dr. A. I£. Newman (Wellington East), was appointed to "draw up reasons why the amendments should not be agreed to.

Tho Prime Minister later in tlio evening presented tho reasons for disagreement with tho amendments of the Council.'

Sir Joseph Word asked what would happen if the. Council persisted in the amendments and the deadlock could not be - loosed. Ho apprehended that the Bill would be killed.

Mr. Massey said that this was so. Sir Joseph .Ward said ho would like to seo women lmvo full rights for both Houses, but lie would not like to see the Hill killed.

Mr. Massey said that when' tho Legislative Council Act of 19U became operative, as it must soon, women would have the right to be elected to the Council, but that Act did not give them the right to nomination.

COMPANIES AMENDMENT. The Companies Amendment Bill was received from the Upper Houso and was read a first timo.

LAND QUESTIONS Tip RBAGGREGATION PROBLEM. A debate ensued oh the presentation of the report on ianu settlement. Mr. H. G. ELL. (Ohristchiirch South) suggested as a means, of restricting tho l'iso iu the prices of land, «nd to check reaggregation, that the. Land Board bo given power to review all .transfers. . Mr. J. A. YOUNG (Waikato) asked that tho right to acquiro land -under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Legislation Act should be extended to widows of deceased 'soldiers, and to South African veterans. '

Mr. C. H. POOLE (Auofcland West) supported Mr. Ell's proposal that land should be brought within tho cognisanoe of the land boards. Ho advised tho Minister to get legislative authority to resume land not being put to full use, but being held simply tor tho unearned increment. Mr. G. Wrm (Riccarton) said he wished to give credit to the Minister for what he had done for the Teturned soldiers. Tho Minister had done his best, bu.t he had not had a sufficient staff to onablo him to get tho work dono. Ho said also that in his experience people were demanding, too high prices for land and also for houses being purchased by returned soldiers.

Mr.. W. J. DICKIE (Sclwjn) said that aggregation was going on in Ashburton district, and ho mentioned tho cases of somo of the back country runs, and gave him some advice about tho closer settlement of these areas. Tho MINISTER OF (LANDS (Mr. Guthrie) said that members had discovered what ho had discovered, that land aggregation wa6 going on. Three attempts Jiad been made by. legislation to stop aggregation, but all attempts to date had failed. This session ho would introduco another Bill containing more drastic provisions ev.'r before for the check, of reaggregation. Mr. Guthrie said that the settlement of soldiers was not the only operation causing the price of land to advanco. Ho had long ago held the opinion advanced, by Mr. Ell that the land boards should bo given this power to check reaggregation, but there wero insurmountable difficulties in the way of giving effect to it. He denied that soldiers wero being placed on too high-priced land, or that foldiers wero simply displacing an equal number of other settlers under tlio Governwtnt scheme. There had been considerable subdivision for settlement. Replying to Mr. Young's suggestions he said that provision was being made in the Bill coming down to give widows of soldiers and also nurses' rights to acquire land. Ho believed' that the Bill would givo satisfaction to the Houeb.

MARINE MATTERS ' CREWS' QUARTERS ON SHIPS. Discussing the presentation of the report of the Marine Department, Mi.-. C. H. POOLE (Auckland West) urged that in the development of its mercantile marine the country had a magnificent, opportunity for'bettering its transport services. The Aniokura had done excellent work as a training ship, and probably it would be possible to select a vory suitable vessel to take her place; Many harbours in the Dominion lacked proper shelter for email boat 6, and for this reason the bent use was not mado of tlio training thai; many young men who had a. natural inclination for sports on tTie waterfront might receive. The Marino Department should co-oper-ate with our coast defences and the Defence Department geiu-rally to encourage the young people to train for, sea servico. Bettor lighthouse provision ■was needed on the coasts.

■Mr. T.-M. WILFORD (Hutt) referred to the Tainui disaster, observing that within a weok of tlio burning' of tlio vessel another vessel which was bolieved to be tlio last word in oil-carriers was burned in other waters. He agreed with Wio previous speaker that tho had done good work, but ho hoped that tho Government would make soino provision f'Oir enabjiug the boys trained upon tho vessel to go further than at present, nnd get tlioir males' certificates. Tho Government, ho contended, should appoint at a high salary a first-rate marino engineer, whose services would be available to tho harbour boards throughout tho country. The salary of such an official would be repaid by I'lie sums that tho boards would bo prepared to pay for his export advice. Nothing that might be dono for tho fishing industry of New Zealand would lie eifedire unle.-:s cool t,t -r.igt' was providc-d*

Mr. Cr. V. PMIiCE (Paioa) was strongly in favour of Air. Wilford's proposall to have a first-class marine engineer appointed. Tlio Government would not so often be asked to talc-! over the liability upon harbours tlmt liad proved bad propositions if such an engineer were cnlled in to consult with harbour boards. The New Zealand Government must see that something was <lono to prevent Ihe American Meat Trust from controlling our shipping. If a private concern .like a freezing company could buy a suitable ship, surely it was possible for the Government to do so, Thoro should

bo no difficulty in chartering ships so as at least to reduce'freights in general. Mr. \V. T. JKNNINIr.-ij (Tnumarunui) drow attention to "tne preferential treatment that had always been given the large harbour boards in comparison with tlie smaller boards." The former received- valuable endowments, but the latter always had difficulty in getting assistance from the Government—not from tile present Government only, but from New Zealand Governments. Mr. M. G. ELL (Christchureh South) asked thu Minister whether tlio officers of the Department wero in tlitj habit of inspecting somo of tho oversea vessels that visited Now Zealand, and of noting tlit; provision made for the comfort and liculth of tho men, Hon. Mr. Hemes: They do so. ■ Mr. Ell pointed out that conditions on some of the oversea vessels wero far in advance of those on tho coastal vessels. Mr. A. E. GLOVER (Aucklivnd Central.) said he believed that the lighthousekeepers of the Dominion were among the worst-paid of the public servants. He wished to see their pay improved, and tlio coast 'better lighted. Mr. I'. FnASEIt (Wellington Central) urged tho provision of certain safeguards against accident on tho waterfront. The Department should havo a hotter office for tho engagement of crews. At present it was impossible to sign on a whole crew at once, and men hud to stand about in tho cold because thero was no waiting room. - , Dr. A. K. NEWMAN (Wellington Eust) spoke of tho need for better quarters for men on ships. He pointed out that the question was ono of importance to New Zealand because men who developed diseases in bad quarters and came to this country wero a menace to the public health. He suggested that the very danger ho had referred to was to be seen in tho Niagara incident which, preceded tho influenza epidemic in New Zealand. The Hon. W. H. HERIUES, in reply stated that tho engagement of a marine engineer was already being arranged for. He believed that if the House was ready to agree to a good salary, n good officer could be obtained.- 'j.\ie Government wero expecting to hear any day from Captain Hooper that a vessel had been chosen to take the placo of the Amokura. He did not think it would be advisable for the

Government to try and dictate, through the members it nominated, what tho policy of the harbour boards of the country should be. Everyone would acknowledge tlio valuo to the country and to the Empire of yachting clubs, but it was rather tho business of tho .< larger harbour boards than of the Government to nssist them by the provision of boat harbours. Moneys that the Marine Department could spare should go chiefly to benefit tho fishing industry. Most of the dangerous places on the New Zealand coast wero already lighted, and each year the Department added fresh lighthouses to those already erected.

GOVERNMENT BILLS INTRODUCED. The following Bills wore introduced by Governor-General's Message and were read a first time: Public Health Amendment Bill, Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Amendment Bill, Post and Telegraph Arnendi&nt Bill, Pishing Industry Promotion Bill. The House rose at 0.10 .i.m.