PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 405, 2 July 1908, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

housk of representatives. WKUJNCTon, Tuesday. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time: — Tapanui County Bill (Mr Fraser), Westport Harbour Board Loan Bill (Mr Colvin), Public Woiks Act Amendment Bill (Mr Izard), Duty on Flour Abolition Bill (Mr Hogg), Oamaru Town Hall and Gasworks Sites and Recreation Reserves Bill (Mr Duncan), Quackery Prevention Bill (Mr Hornsby), New Plymouth Harbour Board Empowering Bill (Mr Okey), Musicians Bill Municipal Corporations Act, 1900 Amendment Bill (Mr Sidey), Oamaru Harbour Board Loan Bill (Mr Duncan), Licensing Rolls Absolute Majority Bill (Mr Laurenson), Christchurch City Sanitation Empowering Bill (Mr Gray), Marriages Validation Act Amendment Bill (Sir W. J. Steward), Auctioneers Amendment (Mr Witty). The Imprest Supply Bill for ,£726,000 was introduced by Governor’s message and put through all its stages. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Dr Chappie (Tuapeka), in moving the Address-in-Reply, referred to the march of Liberalism since it was introduced in 1890, and what it had set itselt to correct. The land monopoly meant land idleness, and land idleness was a curse to any country. The Ballance policy of land taxation had been the cause of bringing land into the market and removing much of the cause of evil resulting from land idleness. The ,£SOO taxation exemption to farmers, Lea'se-iu-Perpetuity Act, Bush and Swamp legislation, free carriage of manures, etc., on railways and concessions to school children by train, had all been concessions to farmers. Then, in later periods, scientific methods of treating the soil as the result of experimental farms, were not only of benefit to the farmer but to the whole of the country, and the Liberal Government had never lost sight of that fact. Alter dealing with what was being done for the dairying industry, he contended that New Zealand had products equal to any other country in the world, and he asked, did the farming community recognise that the Liberal Government were their best friends ? He wisiied to tell the small fanner that the policy of the Government was in their favour and would be greater so in the future.

He referred to the Arbitration Act as a humane measure, designed to abolish sweating and made for a peaceful settlement of disputes. The discontent which arose as to the working of the Act should not be used to condemn the Act, as it was impossible at first to make a measure perfect, but the Government had promised amendments which would improve the Act and be the means of bestowing greater advantages to the workers.

Mr Greenslade (Waikato) defended the pe r egrinations of Ministers and claimed that the recent visit nf the Prime Minister to the King Country had given ample evidence m the necessity for reading the back blocks, and the speaker believed that half a million would be little enough to spend annually for road making. He gave the pieseut Government credit for having done more to open up lands than any previous Administration. He also gave credit to tiie Government for the forward movement made in opening up native lauds. The Government, too, had done their best to assist mining—in fact, had assisted every industry in tue Dominion. In congratulating the Government on their ed.icatio.i policy, he thought that sufficient attention bad not been paid to teachers’ salaries, and he tru-ted the Minister would look into the matter. Mr Massey claimed that there was a lot of discontent throughout the country, despite the virtues of the Liberal Government, as set forth by the mover and seconder of the Address. He combatted the advantages which were claimed for the land legislation, and asked what was the use of the Advances to Settlers Act while they had the Colonial Treasurer going to all the financial institutions of the colony for money. The Prime Minister: Name s me.

Mr Massey; The Auckland Savings Bank and the A.M.P. Society. In fret, he added, there was no financial institution bat what had received attention. As to the value of the experimental farms, he believed in the theory, but they were of little use to the practical farmer unless he could follow up the results and get at the actual cost of such results, and then he would know where he was. Dealing with Socialism, he declared that land nationalisation was socialism and those who supported it were socialists. Referring to the Governor’s Speech, he thought the Government should not throw the responsibility for a new Parliament House on Parliament, but the House should have been erected on the old site, and the work begun soon after the fire in December. Heifailed to see any reference in the Speech to Docal Government reforms so long promised. The Opposition had been challenged to mention one of the liberal Acts that it would repeal, and he said he would go for the repeal of the Arbitration Act if it were not amended. A Bill to amend it had been brought down last session but because it was opposed in certain directions, the Government had not the courage to force it through. He said that the blot

on laud settlement was ihat the area was too large for the small man, who was the man who should be assisted- He thought that more might be done to improve the mail service with England, and he believed that members would vote for an improved Vancouver service, thus avoiding sending mails via Australia. He saw no mention of intention to amend the Old Age Pension Act. He thought more provision should be made to encourage thrift. The Gaming Act should be amended, so as to remove the blot which compelled racing clubs using the totalisator to license bookmakers. He would also like to see an amendment of the Legislative Council, so as to make it more representative of the people. THE PREMIER REPLIES. The Prime Minister, dealing with the speech of Mr Massey, said the latter, in referring to the ,£SOO exemption to farmers, had not mentioned the exemption of improvements that were made in the Land Tax. He denied the allegations that he, as Colonial Treasurer, had gone to financial institutions borrowing money. This was a statement made iu and out of season by detractors of the colony. He denied that he was a single taxer, and had said so from every platform. There might be some member of the Government who held single tax views, but these had never been advanced as a Minister,

Dealing with housing of Parliament, he stated that he could not have gone on with the re-erection of a new Parliament House without calling Parliament together. It was the only legal course open to the Government, and he thought he had done the best under the circumstances. When the Address-in-Reply was out ol the way he proposed to explain to the House the Government’s proposals on the matter. The only other buliding in Wellington which was available was the Town Hall and the rent for that would have exceeded the whole cost of altering Government House and providing for the Governor’s residence at Palmerston North. He rediculed the statement by Mr Massey that the reinstatement of Parliament House was to cost ,£250,000 ; in no instance had the Government under consideration a larger sum than £150,000. He claimed the undoubted right to visit the various parts of the country in the interests of the community and would continue to do so if necessary, without consulting the Deader of the Opposition or anyone else. As to the Chinese, he asked members to see the effect of the Bill to which the Royal assent was recently given. If the effect was not as desired, then he could consider the question of an increase of the poll tax. As to local Government, he thought it should be on a wider basis, especially as to financial matters. He was prepared to leave the important question of post audit for the further consideration of members and the country, if the House thought it necessary. When the Government’s amendments to the Arbitration Act were brought down, they would be what he conscientiously thought would be a solution of the defects in the present measure. As to the mails, he believed he without the co-operation of the United Kingdom to get the Vancouver service, New Zealand could not initiate it.

The debate was adjourned until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow, and the House'adjourned at n. 30 p.m.