MR. MASSEY’S VIEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2047, 26 November 1907, Page 2

MR. MASSEY’S VIEWS.

SOME CANDID CRITICISM. I '• (Special to Times.l WELLINGTON, Nov. 25. Before leaving for the North Mr. Massey granted an interview to > your representative. ___I.ANr.'D_TJCJCIXTiT(’ . 5? and very wearisome,” said Mr. Massey, “hut a lot of very important legislation has been placed upon the Statute Book, though whether muck of it wild be for the benefit of the. Dominion remains to be seen. My own opinion is that there is a great deal of it the country would be better without. The Classification and Superannuation Bills I approve of, also with the Stock Act Amendment Bill, and the Bill reducing the rate of interest to local bodies, and some others of more or less importance; but there are many provisions in the Land Bills and the Taxing Bill of a retrogressive character, which I believe will discourage and hinder closer settlement. That the Acts referred to are not nearly so Objectionable as the Bills when introduced, or as tho notorious Land Bill of last year, I- willingly admit; hut we must recall that by the Endowment Bill freehold tenure is made impossible over an area of somewhere between 7,000,000 and 9,000,000 acres of Crown land, so that a 33 years’ renewable lease takes the place of the lease-in-perpotuity on lands to be settled under tho Land for Settlements Act; that the option of the freehold has been extended to settlers lidding Crown land under l.i.p. oil terms which in many cases are unjust and in others impossible, so that the option of the freehold has been refused altogether to settlers holding land under tho Land for Settlements Act; that a cunning device has been provided for by legislation to compel many . landowners to either increase their own taxes or run the risk of having their land taken by the Government below its real value. .These are matters for very serious consideration, and they show very clearly that the sympathy; of the present Administration is not with the . people on the land, but very much the reverse. LAW-MAKING MANIA. “I noticed through the session more than ever before a sort of craving to interfere by legislation with everybody and everything, whether such interference was desirable or not—ia craving for a huge Statute Book—almost a mania for law-making-— oil tho pant of Ministers; and, in consequence, the session has been, as I think, unnecessarily and needlessly prolonged. NATIVE LAND BILL UNSATISFACTORY. “No, I do not think Dio Native Lapd Bill is any improvement oil previous legislation,” said Mr. Massey. “It still treats tho Natives as if they were children. It proposes ■to hand over their surplus lands to irresponsible Boards, who are expected to administer them without any necessity to consider tho wishes of the Natives themselves. It seems to me that the first factor for success in connection with Native matters is to individualise the titles

wherever possible, and by so doiu<

give the Natives a feeling of responsibility; but there is absolutely nothing in the Bill of the present session to encourage self-reliance or the other qualities - which make for good citizenship.” PROSPECTS OF SOCIALISM.

The frequent mention in the House of Socialism was recalled. Mr. Massey said: “Yes; there is undoubtedly in Parliament at- the present time a section of members who desired that legislation should proceed on Socialistic lines, looking forward to nationalisation of land and to the na-tiou'alisatdon of industry. They -are not very numerous, but they have undoubtedly influenced the proposals of the Government, and they have been more outspoken and persistent in their demands than in any previous session of my experience. Whether this particular section null be strengthened a>t

the next election it is impossible to say, but I am inclined to think the indications point in that direction.” BADLY-CONDUCTED BUSINESS. Replying to a further question.

Me Massey said: “I think the manner in which tho business of ...tho session lias been conducted, highly obieefeion:\ble in this way: D-uring the first weeks of the session very little business of any importance was brought forward by the Government. The House was practical lly oncouraged to waste time. "Jio result has been that during tho last month Parliament has been driven at high pressure, and measures .have been rushed through without being properly considered, and I have no doubt have reached tlio Statute Book in a form which will givo lots of work to tho lawyers, and cause <inv amount of trouble later on, when tlio Acts of tlio present session are tested in the Law Courts.”

.SOLIDITY OF THE OPPOSITION. > ‘As Leader of tlio Opposition I think it. is only right that I should .acknowledge the esprit do corps and loyalty of the Opposition members throughout tlio long session. There has not been a single noto of discord, and though it is sometimes insidious to mention names of individuals, I am suro the members of ■the party will be pleased rather than’otherwise if I express appreciation of tho hard work which has been done and tho support which 1 .have' received from my lieutenants, Alessis. James Allen and Lorries. That tho Opposition lias very considerably inliuenced the legislation of the session will, I think, bo generally admitted, and 1 can only regret that when divisions took place we were not able to show a larger number of voters.”

NTERVIEW WITH THE PREMIER

Silt JOSEPH WELL PLEASED WITH WORK. DONE. , (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON. Nov. 25. There is probably no ono in New Zealand who is more pleased that the session is at an end than Sir Josejili Ward. Ho must have felt the strain of tho last three or four weeks. Nevertheless, both he and Lady Ward were not too tired to go down to the Manawatu railway station on Sunday morning to say “Good-bye” to the Northern contingent. ADVANCE IN LAND TENURE* The Premier considers the session unique in the history of New Zealand. He considers the land legislation passed to be of primary importance, and thinks that a feat lias been accomplished in this respect, especially in a House that was so divided on the question of tenure. SMOOTH-WORKING TARIFF. 11l regard to the tariff he considers that another feat has .been accomplished, and ho is of opinion that the new tariff is the most workable we have ihad. A Government when it tackled the tariff touched one of the most thorny subjects it was possible for a representative assembly to handle. “For obvious reasons,” said Sir Joseph, “it is tho one class of legislation that touches directly and indirectly every portion of the community, and to have got a tariff measure upon the Statute Book in addition to the other important policy Bills is a big feat. Then there was tlio measure dealing with gambling—a subject around which there was very strong feeling on both sides of the House —farnl to havo passed tliis Bill, which would have the immediate effect of concentrating betting on racecourses, adds further to the programme I have already described as heavy.” INFANT LIFE. In regard to infant life protection a subject of very great importance to the country—the measure passed should do a great deal of good. Apart altogether from the value from a monetary point of view it was to a country to have its population physically strengthened, in earlier years, there was the humane side—the prevention of deaths from avoidable causes —which, the Bill sought to accomplish. LENGTH OF THE SESSION. The sessional work, continued the Premier, had been extended to a longer period than usual, but when it was remembered that, from causes entirely beyond the control him-_ .-ZclL -uwa^n-rr-acciTmulation of work at tho beginning of the session that re-

jeginning 01 me session quired to be dealt with, it was complimentary to the members of both sides of the House that they had got through. Considering also the unusual bill of fare put through, and that it had been done without any unnecessary friction or unusually long sittings, dt was in this respect a. record session. Speaking for himself he could not feel other than pleased at the outcome of the sessional work, “and I can only hope,” he concluded, “that upon the whole it may prove to be useful and valuable to the citizens of the Dominion.”