PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 60, 16 July 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

TUESDAY, JULY 15,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The Hon. Jas. Allen gave notice* to set up a committee to enquire into the working of the Defence Act.

The Hon. A. L. Herdman gave notice to introduce the Police Offences Amendment Bill.

The Defamation Bill (Mr Herdman), and Napier Harbor Board Empowering and Loan Bill (Mr Campbell) were read a first time. The Prime Minister laid before the House the report of the Forestry Commission.

The Land and Income Assessment Act Amendment Bill and Police Force Bill were received by Governor’s Message and read a first time.

address-sn-reply.

MR J. B. HINE SPEAKS

Mr J. B. Hine continued the debate on thoAddress-in-Reply. He contended that what New Zealand wanted was settlement of the people on small areas. ' The Government was doing that. The weakest spot in the present and past administrations of the settlement of lands was the pace at which roads providing access to backblocks were made, and the condition of the roads. These were a disgrace. He hoped that the Government would make strenuous efforts to find more money for settlers in the backblocks, and to find a system for the provision of medical comforts for peopld in isolated places. Ho regretted that the Minister had not fulfilled his promise of last session with regard to nurses for tho backblocks.

Mr Hanan; The Government wants stirring up.

Mr Hine: They do want stirring up. Dealing with labor matters, lie thought it should be made, compulsory that a majority should rule in connection with the formation of unions. Dealing with banking matters, he hoped that the Government would safeguard the ■lnterests of the bank of New Zealand, The bank’s functions should be extended towards the State. If the Government were wise they-would make provision with some bank, if not the ‘Bank of New Zealand, so that available funds could be invested at. calk hhiey should also have an agreement With a bank under which they could, When emergency funds were needed, draw on the bank without incurring tjhe expense of underwriting. Mr H. G. Ell followed, referring especially to suggested banking legislation which he hoped would bo watched Carefully. i

Mr F. Mander advocated placing a tax on theatre and totalisator tickets.

THE PRIME MINISTER

At the evening sitting the Hon. W. F. Massey spoke. He said that the place to lind the policy of the Government was not in the Governor’s Speech, but on the second reading of policy measures. Speaking of land settlement, he claimed to know as much of pioneering as anyone, and he was not afraid of the result when his administration could he examined. He had found that there was a shortage of surveyors, and had met that shortage. The policy of the Government was to put a settler on every acre of land fit to carry a settler. So far,as the administration of the Land for Settlement Act was concerned, he could say that, with two exceptions, every acre that had been bought had been disposed of, and he had telegrams in his possession offering to re-purchase at a profit of 25 per cent, the much[criticised purchase from Mr Beetham at Masterton. One of the mistakes made in the past in connection with land settlement was that they had not made sufficient distinction between the man who made good use of his land and the one who merely held it for speculative purposes, and if he were at the head of. affairs when the next change in the incidence of taxation took place he would see that that mistake was remedied, because the main purpose of the Government was to increase the productivity of land of every class that was available, and some of the finest land in the Dominion was to be put on the market in the course of a few days. Replying to Mr G. W. Russell, ho claimed that ithe Government had carried out its pledges by giving the freehold, by abolishing patronage in the public service, by giving pensions to the Maori war veterans, by putting the finances of the country on a sound footing, and by promoting settlement. He anticipated that in four years large estates of over 10,000 acres would be reduced by at least 50 per cent. They had now placed full information before the members on the finance of the country through the Finance Committee. He admitted that the expenditure had increased during the year. This was due to the growth of big departments, such as the old-age pensions and education. The revenue had increased at a much greater ratio. He denied that there was any bargain between the Government and the Hon. T. Mackenzie in connection with the High Commissionership. He characterised as a mean slander the state‘ment that the Government was fostering financial, stringency in order to play into the hands of the money institutions. Aggregation was not going on under the legislation of the Government. Ho defended the Government for sending police to Waihi. .and read a letter signed by over 800 residents endorsing that action. OTHER SPEAKERS. i Mr Gen, Laurenson claimed that the land placed on the market for settlement had fallen from 400.000 acres under the Liberal regime to 150,000. The recent loan was one qf the great-

est blunders ever perpetrated. Mr Massey, when in opposition, had condemned the appointment of political rejects to the Council. When in office, three of the four gentlemen appointed were rejects.

Mr I). Buick commended the Government’s proposals. At 11.10 p.m.,

the House rose,