PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 44, 26 May 1916, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

WAR PENSIONS BILL. Fee Press Association. Wellington, May 25. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. An amendment was introduced by Governor's message to the War Pensions Amendment Bill, providing for an increase in the amount for children from 5s to 7s Qd per week. Mr Massey said that another amendment to be proposed was that widow., wit!) ucomes of £OOO yearly Mould not he entitled to n pension, but their chii I-

ren would receive pensions. Tlm> Bill was then considered in committee, and discussion on the lines of the second reading debate followed. The motion for the reading of the first clause lasted until the S.flQ adjournment.

In reply to objections, Mr Allen I pointed out that the pensions proposed [were insuperably superior to tho-e offered by Australia, also that it might be possible to further improve them after the Avar, when the full responsibility had been ascertained. Mr Ell remarked that he thought the country was wealthy enough to do more in regard to pensions than it Mas doing. Mr Witty asked what right they had to conscript married men unlets they were prepared to make full provision for their wives and families in ease of death or disablement. Mr Webb strongly' argued in favoi of more liberal pensions. Mr Brown made a strong' appeal that the pension for widows should he increased, and urged a further increase of death duties to be devoted to widows. He regretted haggling |over'an extra five shillings for women deprived of their husbands by the war. ' wa

j Mr Massey suit! the Government was !not being treated fairly by the discussion. Ho suggested that the Bill be allowed to go on, as amendments could be made, if necessary, in committee. If they wanted further timo for consideration let progress be re-

ported. At 9.30 the first clause was 'passed in Clause 9. - '• ■ • '■ An amendment, which was proposed by the* Minister, if debarring widows with of ;£6(X) per year 1 receiving pensions, was agreed to. A new clause was proposed providing that a person of notoriously 'had 1 character should be refused a pension. Mr Massey agreed to have the clause worded to meet-certain* representations by members. ■'■KiO d*\ ;M< : "H 4 i The remained of the Bill was passed. ■ V. '-.' ,\ ':. '■■ ti .: : >: i i The House rose at 10.45 p.m.

LAND FOR SOLDIERS. The Government annqunceirum.t, that 98,122 ares in the Taranaki land disjtrict had 'soldiers drew a strong'criticism from Mr Wilkinson (Egmont), whq described tneT land' 'as"the"' worst? and'most broken in that district, J Ml- Jennings: Tt is absolutely unjSiiitabk? for soldiers, j Mi\< Wilkinson': 1 It'U absolutely |nsuitable for men without means. The land is only fit for settlement in ikrsp areas by men with fnh means. The remedy was 'to be found in the pur chase of good'areas of land ill the' same province, than which there was no better field available for a soldiers' settlement. Anyone travelling from WaHganin to Haw-era by train could see most of the best farming land for' small settlements in New Zealand. He urged the Government tl /U m.K. +„

|tako individual farms, but to acquire [whole slices of country, and go at it j wholesale by cutting it up into 50acre farms. They could settle thousands on this land, assuring returned soldiers of a.regular income, instead jof sticking them 10 or 50 rrtiles into | the buck-blocks, where they had no .roads. The particular area mentioned by the Premier did not contain enough level land' in a thousand acres ■ to build a house on.

Mr Jennings : It would break their hearts. Mr Wilkinson: It is almost criminal for the Government to send men away back to settle on small pieces of wild country. We .should drive back people with capital and large holdings near the railway, using the latter areas for returned soldiers.