HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 259, 2 November 1901, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

1 Thursday, 3ln October. {Continued Jrom yetterday.) Mr Hone Heke opposed the removal of restrictions on the sale of native , lands, and urged that the balance of these lands should be reserved for the remainder of the race. As last year> Act had not been giren a trial it could not be described as a failure. Mr Monk opposed the Bill. Mr Wi Fere said the majority of the ( natives of the North Island desired the , Bill. If it was not passed the Maoris • would again fa!] under the Acts which hud been oppressing them for years, \ Captain Ruesell said that under piop»r restrictions the Maori o uld weD be trusted to look after h J s own Unci ' and become a good eitis-n. He complained that the native legislation of the last ten years had tended to dwarf the Maori in his intellectual growth. Why should it be supposed that the natives were not able to take care of themselves? When the land was iadividualised they found the Maori aba* i and willing to work it to the best ad- ; vantage, and that was the policy they I should follow. He advocated oomMl. ) sory individualisation of titles of* all ' native land, and suggested that a cos tain sunt should be set aside annual)* by the State for that purpose, ; After further debate the motion far , the committal of the Bill was carried , by 25 to 7. In committee considerable diroussiea took place. Eventually, after clause 3 had been passed, progress was reported, and the House rose at 4.20 a.m. FaiDAY, Ist NeVZMBIBt The House met at 2.30 pm. Mr Bollard was granted leave of of absence for the nnuinder of the 'sesiioa on account cf urgent private business. Mr Seddon laid on the table a return showing the amounts drawn by Minis* ters for silaries, travelling allowance* and expenses during the financial ye»r 19001, which were as follows:—Mr Seddon £2259, Sir Joseph Ward £1677, Hon. W. 0. Walker £18«, Hon. Hal Woofs £1465, Hon. J. McGownn £1326, the late Sir J. McKenzie £441, Hon. T. Y. Duces* £85.0, Hon J. Carroll £121&, Hon. 0. H. Mill* £579, Hon. a. J.'OadnunV £67, Hon. T. Thompson £lB. He •*• pl-iined that these amounts inofaded sums disbursed by Ministers in ex* pensea, but which they themselves bad oox received. In bis own case that expenditure anvunted *o£Ws y sotbat the total amount he had drawn Sa salary and allowances was £lttISL j Similar reductions bad to aw' ! male from totals placed opposite to* mmea of other Ministers. He thoagav members would bail this return with pl asure a* being a repudiation of taw statement that he acid Sir Joseph Wird hud each drawn four or five thousand pounds.

I Mr Pirnni contended the return did not disclose the whole personal oost to. ; the the country of the Ministers, j Mr Seddon said itirua eomplet. 'return. r | Captain Ruusell asked tho Premier to state what bu-inoss he proposed B°"* ° n w »f» betbr. the sseaioo closed. | Mr Seddon said he would make an announcement on the subject en lion. day night. Sir Joaepli Ward moved f\* eeeo*4 reading ot the Government Railways Department Olassißcation Bill. H» gave figures showing an imaiersa iscruase in the department ni, ce it was taken over frou> the Rag way Commwsto. ere, turf u.ged that tbo Government. *as j.»*tifird in making th* jiwoa-ea in s.lariea and whieh m round figurea were hy toia Bill being pn-m.im.ntly ioore«m>d to the ext nt oj Jt30,000 a y<nr. The basis, of vmnwimm w.-is generally b* both .iiviaionsas satisfactory. Ha *£ unable, to agree to tho rf qu st thai the demons of the Appeal Board should be fioal, urging that responsibly mtufc fi ally remuin with the Ministerial hud tithe departmeat. A<(o«»ual hands, he proposed t» gfr, thcw of four years Htaudiag the light to go to the App ul Board. A mJU r of th. second dv»isfc» eoald ba tra. aferred to Tbey h,d ft r»ilw.» a.rvioe «aa,nei ym .. n whodid and w1.,, ws* /„„ would give them for i„ an y „*«* to oome a fat.- rite u( pay. ' Mr. Wilford cnnsi.lered the ftll wast j» advance in <h« right .d.,ec ion, bub. be urged that still further iB», W «n«oL »uld be made in the iat«r sltjAihac

Mr. Pirani also spoke. Sir Joseph Ward having briefly replied, the second reading was agreed to on the voices, the Bill being immediately committed. Sir Joseph Ward said in reply to representations by Messrs. Wilford and Millar that a regulation would he framed by which an entry in a man's conduct book should be shown to him as soon as it was made. At Clause 13 Mr. Guinness moved an amendment to enable members of the first division to select persons outside the service to seats on the Appeal Board. This was lost by 40 to 13. Progress was then repotted. Mr. Saddon moved a resolution conveying an address to the Kiog congratulating him on the safe return to England of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. Several members objected to what they described as the fulsome terms of | the address and Mr. Pirani moved that, part of the resolution he struck out. This waslost after considerable discus- 1 sion by 27 to 18 and the resolution as | brought down by the Premier was agreed to on the voices. The House rose at 6 5 p.m.

Evening Sitting The House resumed at 7,30 p.m. j The first business was the consideration of amendments by the Council in the Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill. Mr. Seddon said in view of the action | of the Couccil in sustaining the provision that either party could go direct j to the Arbitration Court, practically' thus doing away with the Conciliation j Board, while he greatly regretted such I action he said the Government had decided the best course it could take was te allow the measure to go as returned to the House, and give it a trial until next session, and if it was then found that it waa not working satisfactorily tt could be amended. He moved, under protes', that the amendments made by the Council be approved. The amendments were a serious departure from the policy of the Government, bat he ho|wd those interested in labour disputes would not ignore the Conciliation Boards, but would en-j deavour to preserve that important feature of settling industrial disputes. Mr G. J. Smith entered a protest against the speech of the Premier, which he saw was simply an appeal to! labour organisations in view of approaching elections. Mr Willis thought the ti me had come when the Act should b* altered in the direction contained in tbe BillMr was glad the P rem ier accepted the decision of the Co,„, c fl. He believed employers were just fig anxious as the employees so settle disputes if they could g®t a proper tribunal which could not be found in the Boards, hence employers preferred tog 0 straight to the Court. Mr G. W. Russell spoke, Mr Millar hoped when the Bill again ratre before the Hnnse the conciliation principle would be reinstate*, j Mr flutcheßon believed in a direct appeal to the Court and the appointment of a special Board in technical; cases. Mr Fisher condemned the Premier's frequent change of attitude on the Bill. The slipperiniss of the ml and tbe diving of the shag was nothing to it. Sir Joseph Ward deprecated the at-1 tempt that had been made to mislead 1 the public in regard to the action of the Premier on the Bill, He expressed himself against the amendment msde in clause 21, but heped it would prove to be of a beneficial character and that nothing would arise to promote bad blood between employer and employed. Employers would bn acting wisely if they took their disputes in the first instance to the Board and not direct to the Arbitration Court. The Premier's motion to agree with the Council's 'amendments in tbe Bill was agre«d to on the voices. The Maori Lands Administration Act Amendment Bill was further con - iidered in commit*ee. (Left sitting).