GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2575, 8 July 1882, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

CnißU ASSOCIATION TBLHQRAM.J C ' 1 - LEGI3LATIYE COUNCIL. i Friday, July .7. I RAILWAY ACCIDENTS, I The Hon. Colonel Brett gave notice that : he would ask if tfco Government would take ■tops to prevent a recurrence of tho railway Accident at Eaitoke on Saturday by not attaching timber carriages to tho passenger trains. POLIOS WANTED The Hon. Mr Robinson gave natico to move that constables should bo stationed on the wharves when steamers are leaving to prevent the use of disgusting language and . breaches of the peace. THE VAGRANT ACT. On the motion of Colonel Brett, a return was ordered of all the charges of indecent exposure in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin during the past year. FISHERIES. The Fisheries Bill was farther considered Id committee. The Hon. M- Nurse moved an amendment, providing that a single license to fish chould bo . available all over the colony. After considerable debate the amendment was carried on the casting vote of the chairman, a previso being added that the fee for lor the whole colony should be 42a, and for a single province tils. EILXS. The Railways Construction and Lind Act Amendment Bills, and the Dog Registration Act Am jndmont Bill were read a second time. The Union Bank Bill, Auckland College, and Grammar School Bill, and Pensions Bill were r read a -first time. The Council rose at 4 15. HOUSE OF KEPRESaNIATIVES. The House met at 2 30. NATIONAL ASSURANCE. The Hon. Major Atkinson gave notice of the following motion for Monday : —“ That, in tho opinion of this House, provision should bo made against sickness and pauperism by compulsory national insurance, to secure the following benefits:—l. Sick pay for every ■ingle person, male or female, between tho ages of eighteen and sixty-five years, of not less than 15s per weak during sickness. 2. A aiok pay for every married man ot not less than 22s 6i, and tor every znamod woman 7a 6i during sickness. 3. A superannuation allowance o£ 10s for every person, malGfor female, from sixty-five years of ago to death. 4 An allowance of 15s per week for every widow with one child, increasing according to scale with size of family to SOa per week, until the children are fifteen yeamjef age.” QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Maoandrew, The Hon. Mr Dick said that tho Government had not sufficient reason to doubt the expediency of importing ferreta as a meacii of overcoming the rabbit nuisance, but as it was understood a communication on tho subject was coming forward from the Otago Acclimatisation Society, they would consider the arguments adduced therein. Replying to Mr W. Green, • -The Hon. Mr Bolleston said that under clause 191 of the Standing Orders, a member absenting himself for one week from hi a Parliamentary duties without leave might bo adjudged guilty of contempt, and under clause 193 a penalty of £SO could be inflicted. Replying to Mr M. W. Green, The Horn Mr Dick said there was no foundation in fact for tbe statement that supplies of clothing, drapery, Sco., for the use of the Dunedin Lunatic Asylum and other institutions had been obtained and forwarded from Wellington. Replying to Mr Oadman, The Hon. Mr Bolleston said he had no intention of bringing in a Bill to provide for the election of members of the Legislative Council as promised by tho late Premier. Replying to Mr Green, The Hon. Mr Johnston said that laud obtained from Mr Fletcher, of Mansford town, to facilitate railway construction between Port Chalmers and Waikouaiti, was a purchase, and the money had been paid to Mr .Fletcher, The transaclion was in do respect of ths character of an exchange, Beplying to Mr Button. Tho Hon. Mr Johnston said ths rule prohibiting the transfer of railway tickets for the use by any but the parson who purchased them was necessary to chock the abuse ot tho return ticket system, and could not be altered. In Victoria the return tickets had been abolished, and it might bo worth coasidering whether this course would not be adopted here. Replying to Mr Iress, Ths Hon. Mr Johnston promised to makeenquiries as to the necessity for extending telegraphic communication to Mothven and Barr Hill. Beplying to Mr Wynn Williams, The Hon. Mr Dick said the onio of Mutsen, under sentence in Lyttelton gaol, was under consideration, FIRST READINGS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time:—Gladstone reserve (Mr Feldwiok) j To provide for the temporary appropriation of Government house, garden and grounds at Auckland to certain public purposes (Sir G. Grey). SECOND READINGS. The following were read a second time : Lunatics, Friendly Societies, Education Districts, Education Reserves, Mining Companies Registration Validation. (Mr Dick ) ALIENS ACT. The House went into committee on theAliens Act Amendment Bill. Mr Sbddon moved that the fee for tho naturalisation for persons resident in the colony for twelve months be reduced from 20s to Is. Lest on the voices. Mr Seddon moved the fee be 2s 6d, which was carried on tbe voices. Mr Fxkb moved the insertion of a clause providing that nothing in the Bill should apply to Chinese. The committee divided on the orjpoaed additional c'auses. Ayes, 40 ; Noes, 16. Mr Bijohanah reminded them of tho motion that if the new clause stand part of tho Bill, the residents of Hong Kong and Singapore were naturalised British subjects, and could come to this colony in spite of any legislation they might pass. Ha strongly op. posed the clause. Mr Fish said the clause just passed was a sad homily on their liberal professions. In Dunedin the Chinese had shown an example worthy of being followed by the Europeans. It was their industry and harmlessneas that made them objects of animosity, Mr Joyce expressed au opposite view, denouncing the Chinese as tho most degraded dais of the community, as shown by their actions in Invercargill and ELvartoa. They were an everlasting curse to a country. _ Mr Pyke explained that tfco clausa did not aim at excluding the Chinaman from civil rights, but to make him pay 20s for naturalisation instead of the reduced foe of 2s 6d, Mr Fish was under tho opinion that it was i intended to deprive them of ail civil rights. I The explanation just made tended to modify < hii opinions on the subject. i The debate was interrupted by the 6,30 1 adjournment. i EVENING SITTING. I The House resumed at 7.30. 1 aliens act. < The debate on the Aliens Amendment Bill f was resumed in committee, and progress was reported. “ 1 TEE LAND ACT. t The Hon. Mr Bolleston moved the 1 second reading cI the Land Act, 1879, 1 Amendment. Ho raid that far off echoes of » older countries taught them that the question d ot land tenure was oao of groat importance, f He had little faith in taking the stories or t facts from other countries, and ha would t deal with what he believed tho natural out- » come of the question aa developed in this u colony. Tho Land Act of 1876 took o grasp n of the question of which they might well be tl proud, and which was highly creditable to «' Mr Donald Beid. Tho Bill of 1879 tended still further to promote a liberal policy. Its it object was to enable persons of knowledge ai and experience to taka up land upon an w advantageous term, but it hod one bad bn feature. It encouraged the deferred payment ifc settler to borrow, and in that way it defeated ol much of its otherwise beneficial objects • id Since then there had been no legis- St lation until the Bill now brought down, so He traced the operations of the deferred bl payment settlers under the Act now in force, th There were tens of thousands of acres of land pc which wonld never have been taken up but for this system. That was his answer to the *n query as to whether or not it should bo conXinuocl. He was quite tlivo to the feet that

it waa susceptible of improvement. What , was wanted was to establish a system that j would create a tenantry under the Crown, j and not a tenantry of the money lenders. He made these remarks .in view of the fact that many of these settlers were now in difficulties Such an arrangomsnt would not supersede the deferred payment system or the cash system, but would simply create a new means for a different class of settlers. This was no revolutionary proposal, but simply a system in accordance with the exigencies or the times. As regards the leasing system, a provision of that kind was absolutely necessary it agricultural settlement was to go on. Oq the goldfields powers i must bo taken to. lease with a right of resumption for mining purposes. The > BUI made special provisions for the I water rights, so as to conserve them for legitimate mining purposes, mining being tho principle industry in those places. Difficulties of i that kind had already arisen, and it wai t necessary that some special prevision of tho kind riiould be made in the mining districts. As regards the general features of tho leasing proposals, they would tend to promot-o actual J settlement ou the very easiest terms. It wo-ald enable men with the smallest possible capital, who knew how to use land, to go to a work at once, instead of working up his capital in the land sr being dependent on the e money lender. No larger area than 610 g acres was to be obtained under the system, e and by that means the large capitalist would )- be excluded from taking advantage of tho Bill. The restrictions proposed were similar to those imposed on the deferred payment it settlers under the existing law. The Bill had n also an application to the endowments made B, for educational and other purposes. It would d bring together the administration of these :t tracts, and place them on a common footing Those reserves would bo brought under the administration of a body responsible to the House, and dealt with in tho same way as other waste lands were. AU the preliminary work in tho shape of surveys, &c., had to bo done by the Government Department, and there could bo no jf reason why they should not deal with -t, these reserves to the fullest extent as Crown a, lands. The West Coast Settlement 1 ) and >y Thermal Springs Act lands would all bo ie beneficially affected by this Act, Ho next 'j referred to the deferred payment settlors’ m rebel question. It would be wrong to adopt at the course which had been suggested of cum2. pading those iu difficulties to go before a ss Court to plead their poverty. What wss >n proposed by the Bill was to make an alterm native proposal before these men in common 5r with others and allow them, whether they h were in pecuniary difficulties or not, to ex- ■ J change one tenure for another with advantage >g to themselves, and without disadvantage to the k, State. In virtue of the common law of tho land, and not as beggars, it would be unfair to the successful deterred payment settler to compel him to follow a course which hi? lest i- successful brother was not required to do. ie The provisions respecting pastoral leases were in next referred to. Unless they could gire it a reasonably long tenuie they could not get h- a satisfactory class of grazing tenants. Io A provision was, therefore, made for a it longer period than ten years. Pre-emptive rights were to be done away with by means of classification, tbe tenant would be enabled er to judge what part of tho lease was likely to er be resumed by the Government. That would iiu be a great boon to the pastoral tenant. If be these lands were taken by tho Crown for b£ settlement, then the pastoral tenant would n- have the same right to get tho land as the outside purchaser. The concluding clauses of the Bill provided for a uniform land diatriot in Hawke’s Biy, Auckland and Nelson, at This wai attempted last session, and would oe bs found to be of great consequence. As id regarded the Lind Boards he did not think r- that in their election they could improve on the present arrangements. Anything that lessened tho influence of the Minister of the io day in relation to these Boards was a mistake. o>’ The Government had invariably ssen that the fo views ot localities were represented in these appointments. Periodical sittings of the Waste Lands Board should he thought be id held at Gisborne. He was most anxious to :d see this Bill pass into law, and he appealed to m- hen. members to help him to make it law, it irrespective of party considerations. Mr J. Buchanan expressed satisfaction 1 with what had just now been stated, as also with tho , care invariably shown by Mr Bolleston to administer the land fairly «nd equitably. They had come to look upon the \ land revenue as no longer forming a portion of the(r ordinary revenues. In that case they might reasonably have expected a more ~ liberal land law than the one now proposed. It would therefore be well to consider in ‘ committee whether or not they would not be able to make terms even more liberal than those proposed. More inducements should be hold out to youths born in the colony ' to go upon and cultivate the lands, and if the 7 settlement was secured he would give the land at a nominal price, merely that of survey and registration, but giving no power of mortgage for a term of years. l, Mr Kelly spoke in support of the Bill. Sir George Grey alluded in the first place to the deferred payment settler, d It was the duty of the Government ;r to have opened up an . extent of land • y for these settlers in advance of the demand, a For such small sections as they were allowed 0 to get they had to compote at auction. All this time there wero great tracts of land closed against them. In these circumstances - thq action of the Government forced them - into giving larger sumo than they should have given. It was the Government who committed the mistake, and these settlers had been unjustly and unfairly treated. In these 0 - circumstances they wore entitled to every relief that could be afforded them. He had a been told that no land should be parted 3 with, but only leased from date. The best 1 lands were held in large blocks, and those who had obtained them by being either legislators or administrators themselves, how could i they now say that “we shall give no more land in fee simple.” By that means the j large land owners would have additional 5 advantages in excess of thoie they had already. Bafore doing that, he asked every I one to abandon their seats and give tho masses an opportunity for being heard in their own defence. Ho would say that the 3 leasehold system could not be carried out. F The conditions to bo imposed on the tenant 1 were harsh and unconstitutional. They wore not to be allowed to dispose of their tenant • rights unless with the consent of the Crown, and they were not to be allowed to mortgage their holdings. The latter was a most absurd proposition, and would find out its legitimate channel no matter what conditions they might impose. It would be much better to get them to part with their land at a fair rate, and invest their money for their own good. Tho whole tendency of the Bill would be to create a feeling of discontent, and inflict an injury to tho Native race. He believed it would bs batter to deal with these lands on the deferred payment under the ballot system. He agreed in the opinion that the land should be opened to tbs youth of the colony. As regards the pastoral lands, they had not gone far enough. Ho would say, read the Bill a second time, and in committee Ist them arouse the Government to a sense ' of the importance of providing a more liberal measure. Let the pastoral lands be opened on similar terms to the deferred pay- 1 ment selection and in small runs capable < of currying a few thousand sheep. What i they should look to for revenue should be the land tax. He counselled them to make a i complete system at once, and not go on < adding to the intricacies of the position, ( Mr VV. M. Green approved of the lease- i hold proposal, and pointed out that this was the policy being pursued by some of the 1 largest oorporated cities in the home country, t All the objections made to the lessee t wero equally open to be made to the 1 deferred payment settler. While ap- f proving of the general policy of the Bill, e there wero one or two minor details he would like to see amended. In clause 3ho t would like to sea “ public auction ” elimi- a nated and tho ballot substituted. By that c means they would do away altogether with n tho excitements and abuses of the present system. « Mr Bathgate congratulated the Govern- II ment on the bold experiment it had made, ti and now departure taken in respect of the li waste lands alienation. If the leasehold proposal achieved no other good tl ifc would check the pernicious system ai of laud speculation. He ioonted the w idea that tenants would not be found in tt Scotland iu that way.' He would therefoie ai support the Bill, believing that it would be a di blessing to the country. Ifc would help on sc the country on a career of progress and pros- ci perifcy. On the motion of Mr Fulton tho debate re was adjourned. to next sitting, ar On the motion of tho Hon. Major Atkin- to

son, it was agreed that the House should meet on Monday, at 7 30, for Government business. At 11,30 the House adjourned.