EVENING SITTING.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43353, 23 July 1908, Page 2

EVENING SITTING.

WELLINGTON, JULY 21. £

The Qouse resumed at;7.30 p.m. Mr Poland quoted statistics showing the importance of the mining industry,; ; and pointed out that in the Waihi mine they had the second important mine in ■ the world. But, he contended, not sufficient encouragement, -had ;,;bctn given to . the. industry in.^-the/; colony in the direction, of ,-seiid- /. ing out prospectors to the back try, where fields equal to Waihi may ; be discovered. Neither had facilities, been given for the proper treatment of. ores. He advocated, the establishment, of one, or two batteries, especially in the : Ohinemmi. district, and in respect, of mining leases,' etc., he hoped that' the Minister in the proposed amendment to the Mining Bill would bring down a.more ■;! liberal scale of.charges in that direction. He congratulated the Minister on tho satisfactory condition of the State coal ' mines, but thought ; it ',was time: .he / looked roimd the North Island _ for. a State mine, as coal in the last year had,,, gone up 6s Od per, ton. Anotb er-' matteiti which should receive his attention was to provide a sick and accident miners’ fund, which probably could bo provided by,; charging a royalty oh gold produced* He hoped for improved payment to school teachers. Though not advocating .uniform school books for the Dominion he strongly urged that school books and requisites, which bore heavily on wage earners, should be provided free. The estimated cost "y foi v 'the , first 1 year was £27,000, with . each succeeding year, which was considerable amount for the State to bear. ,r Primary schools were not receiving proper attention, and pupils were noo . receiving the attributes of sound English' education. Much of this could be traced to the poor salaries paid: to teachers.,: He favourably criticised advance to settlers, and urged its; extension to mining districts. He urged the construction of the East Coast railway from Waihi to Tauranga, thence to Gisborne. •

I Mr Rutherford said the Government ‘ had done right in sotting up a Native Land Commission. He approved of the increase of the naval subsidy, but regretted mpre was not spent oh: land defences. The Advances to Settlors Act was the best measure every passed, and was a great success. Labour agitators, if there wore any, were encouraged by the Government, which gave them billets in the Legislative Council and public services. Continuing, Mr butherford sa'/d the fall in wool was only ,temporary. He approved of , preference tq employees. At laud ballots for land for settlements the Act should assist the small man. He approved of the - special land settlement; proposals of the Budget. It was untrue that capitalists had combined to raise the : . rate of interest. He approved of the; visit of the American fleet, but the Maoris shoutd be kept out of the feStivitifcs.J ; Mi" Fraser (Wakatipuj followed with a speech oh ’finance, in which; ho said the; same tales 1 Of record savings whs tol<|g We could not overlook the fact soflong aw; we borrowed. We were living;i jbpyphd our means. Better provision should he made for prospectors^.rand the Mines Department should sutimit a scheme for thoroughly prospecting the country. The Americans should be. welcomed as cousins, not as savages; ?■ He supported'the increase in the naval subsidy. The public debt must increase with ad new proposals. Ho said no combination-of capital could put up the rate of interest. He opposed - socialism, saying the State should control not possess.' /■* ;' f . , ■ v;, - f Mr'Hogg (Mastfertoh) said Mr Fraser was a socialist in that he advocated',, a Government irrigation scheme f for Central Otago. Money was' not scarce, but the ■ money lenders screw press did harm. The country’s credit, had , never better. He set off our assets against the public debt. Ho approved of the expenditure on road? and bridges. regretted the notice of aggregation of estates. He asked for State coal deposits in the North Island. He said a power-’ ful shipping ring was operating in the colony, compelling/ exporters to ship by* certain vessels. ' It was the duty of the ’ Government to break up this monopoly. On the motion of Mr Arnold tho debate was adjourned. The House rose at 11.45 p.m.