PARLIAMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 407, 25 October 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

j LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ' | 117 TKI.IMHriI.--i 1 !-: - ASSOCIATION.] I Wellington, Last Night. \ The Council resumed at 2.'M) p.m. ! The L..cal Elections Mill,in committee, was amended cm the motion of 'Sir John l-'mdhiy by striking out clause '.'•. relating to the day to be fi.\< d i'cr a poll \\hen it falls on a ;.-i;::i:c holiday. The. Attorney-General said i'.. was likely to result in confusion. ; The Bill was reported and passed ils final stages. The Legislature Amendment Kill i was amended verbally in committee so as to make clearer the meaning of its provisions. The Hill was reported, as amended, and passed. Amendments suggested by the Attorney-General in the Widows Pensions Bill, which were brought down by Governor's message to the House, and submitted to the Council for approval, were agreed to. The Auckland University College Amendment Hill and the New Plymouth High School Bill were discharged from the order paper. Several local Bills passed by the House yesterday were put through all stages and the Council adjourned until Wednesday morning to consider the remainder of the local Bills. !

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TAUPO TIMBER RAILWAY. COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Amendments to the Widows Pensions Bill were introduced by Governor's message. One affected the machinery, the other provided that no widow in receipt of a pension should receive more than ,£IOO annually. The latter amendment, it w;»s explained by the Minister, was for the protection of the fund against widows drawing fairly large incomes. The amendments were agreed to.

The chairman of the Committee which heard the petition from the Taupo Totara Timber Company for the right to acquire 200,000 acres, also to construct a railway from Taupo to Mohi, reported that the committee had resolved that the matter be held over for the consideration of .Parliament next session, and further thai, the Government should consider the question of opening the country referred to in the petit ion.

MrG. W. Forbes said he thought the company should lie at onci informed it, had no chance of getting a monopoly over a large area of native laud or a private railway. Mr L. M. 1.-it.t. moved that the prayer of the pe.t.iGonors he not entertained. He could sec no use in stringing the company on. Mr Myers said 'he committee was of opinio:! ihire was not sufficient reason adduced for granting the prayer of the petitioners. in ans.ver to Mr W. Frase-r, Sir Joseph Ward said the Government did no! favour private railwavs. Mr W. P. S. Macdc-nahi contended that if would pay the Government to give away every acre oi' land in the Taupo district to keep down the rabbit nest. Mr W. F. Massey was opposed to the issue oi' Orders in Council in regard to the disposal of Grown Land, lie did no! believe such Orders were in compliant'!.' with the spirit of the l,and Act or t.!m Native Laud Act. Regarding - branch lines, he thought if the Governnn'iit would not make them settlers shook] he allowed to construct them, on (lie 1 understanding that there should he no monopoly, ami the Government, could resume the lines at a fair prtee. Sir .!. G. Ward said be was dead against private or district, railways being established in this country. It did not matter what; the recommendation of the committee was. Nothing would be done in the mailer without tin l authority of Parliament. The Government v, on id not, allow any large areas of land to he taken up without proper coiuiit inns, for settlement purposes. The question was talked out.

KVKXIYG SITTING. An ammidmeni, was introduced in the Oovernment Railway Mill, providing for an iiiiT'-ase of salaries in the second division, ami ros-toring the relative positions of various classes, which is (Uslroye'd by the increases proposed ni the Mill. The amendment was agreed to. The 1 lon A. T. Ngaia moved ih icommittal of the Not.i v<■ ham' Claims. Adjustment. Mile He :-'Ui\ he intended to insert, an amendment to prevent, ihe accumulation o'i nsi pee lands by Kuropeans :m shown by :. recent decision of the Appeal Court. Mr W. i!. iieia ie- eipeci-M (o bringing in an amendment to upset the derision of tin- court, and hoped the proposed clause w.re. Id not. he retrospective, lie de-ii-oii to state that the idea that the Opposition desired the disposal by m;Mves of their lands was an erroneous one. Mr Unniehpoa. said natives had a feeling tna! the Opposition wished to take their lands from ihem. lie hind that piecing the Maoris on thu same Jon! inc. as Kurnp< ans was a consummation dcve.miy to lie wished. The. motion was agreed to. The Horn R. Meg eimie moved the committal o"< tin- Mining Amendment Mill, providing; for tie' industry of oil bo: ing. The motion was agreed io. The Middle deserves and Domain Amendment Mill to bring, info profitable use, with p-opi-r precautions, of leases of public reserves no; required for the purpose- ;or which, they were sot aside, was read a second time. The Most, sen dddegrsnh \nu ndment. The Hon. d. M Ida - Piev. d the second reading of the Covnrrm. Nt Railways Amendment Cd'. In e.e.mmi'.tet on the Xal ive Lands Adjustment. Mill ihe Hon. Ngata moved a new clause bringing lessees

and sub-lessees under the. provision of the Native Land Act relating; to the limitation of areas, that the limitation should refer to leases already in existence, that in case of instruments which had been confirmed by the Maori and Board or the Native Land Court, the district land registrar shall not register any lease or sublease of native freehold land, or any assignment of such lease or sub-lease, or any transfer of a freehold interest, unless the instrument has attached thereto a statutory declaration made by the party to the instrument., to the effect that no person acquiring any interest under the instrument was at the date of execution prohibited from acquiring that interest by the Limitations of Native Lands Act. The second reading and this amendment was agreed to, and progress was then reported on the Hill. The House rose at o 35 a.m.