PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 154, 3 July 1903, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

PBB FBESS A3BOCUTION. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, July 2. T he Council meh at 2,30 p.m. The Hon. T. Kennedy Mac Donald moved the Address-in- Reply. He said, in connection with Mr Chamberlain's propo -al", the Premier vm entitled to the tharks of the colony for i moving the resolution at the Coaferecci hich had since b csmo a world "ide subject of distu<sion. There could be no doubt about the eventual verdict of the Empire. The question of the Bank of New Zealand control would require great care, and tf<i >vernmt»jt control must be continue' a some sh.pe or foim, as the Bin). nust never Dgiin be allowed to drift into a polidcil ra»chine. With regan* i o tho Assets Board a limit of time must be placed when the realisation ol •s-ets shiuld take plac?. Never was h more opportune time for realisation, tod the Legislature must insist upoi. it. With regard to bush lands, reform was i e essavy in the direotion of free rent 9 for two or three years. In somt cases it was more profitable to clear the land of timber by the sawmi'ler than the busbMler, and land boards sboul • have large discretionary power in this espect. There should aho be power to ivoid compulsory residence, and t< mb'e a ci'y man to make a home for his boys. The electoral system, both general and licensing, was deftctive. There should be a second billot in ordei to get a real expression of opinion by the electors. Partisan committees, whether in the interests of brewers or prohibitionists, must ba abolished, and the administration of the licensing laws placed in impartial hands. He referred to the imperative necessity for roading Grown lands. The legislature hid broken faith with the settlers, and should repair the breach. It would cost two millions to do this, but if t> vote of the people was taken they would say yes. The whole system of lands for settlement required amendment. He quoted statistics showing the enormous development; of New Zea'and, and said there was no fear for the future with fair legislation. The Hon. Seymour George seconded the motion, concurring generally with the views of the mover.

g. The Hon. H. Scotland deprecated the tie tendency to the itiflated language it a the Governor's epaech and to the re ve ference to the Judioial Committee oi te the Piivy Council. he The Hon. P. Traek spoke on the con of tinued prosperity of the colony, rt The Hon. Rigg moved the adjourn n- ment of the debate till to-morrow afterly noon, which was agreed to. :st. ' D HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES > _^___ V' Thursday, July 2nd. sr, sd The House met at 2.30 p.m. '' FIRST HEADINGS. > The following Bills were read a first us tim<):— Oantert ury College Powers Acl 6 s 1898 Amendment Bill (Mr Lewis), Wellington Harbour Board Reclfma IC " tion and Empowering Bill (Mr Wood), S e Wellington Harbour Baard Empowera' ing Amendment Bill (Mr Wood), Uni- *? versal Saturday Half-holiday (Mi Lauwnson), Divorce and Matrimonial 1 c Causes (Mr Laurenson), Supreme *' Court Judges (Mr McGowan), Civil ot Service Board (Mr LaurensoD), Conbe tagious Diseases Act Repeal (Mr Lau®s renson), District Courts (Mr Hogg), lir Rating on Unimproved Value Act "> Amendment Bill (Mr Milk) "° CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. Qt In moving that Mr Millar be apQ8 pointed Chairman cf Committers oi a " the House, Mr Seddon said he thought ce that the hoo. gentleman could be relied 3 S upon to act' fairly and impartially to all, and that he was in every reepeot * s well qualified to-fill the position. Mr' Witfaeford seconded the motion, Q * and after a short discussion, in whioh re the only dissentient voice oame from v Mr Houston, who thought other moms'' bers had greater qualifications for the >d office, the motion was agreed to by 64 *y votes to 2 (Messrs Houston and Moe' Lichlan.) 18 Mr Millar, in returning thanks, said * the honour had been unscught by him, **> as he recognised there were Beveral ri other members who were befer quali- '" fied than he to fil the position. V SESSIONAL COMMITTEES. '' The remainder of the afternoon was occupied in setting up the usual Ses- '< sional Committees, whioh occasioned a > good deal of disoussion. The list was > not completed when the Houss took '» the dioner adjournment. The House resumed at 7.80. e ADDBESS-IH-BAN.Y. a Mr E. li. Smith resumed the debate i on the Address-in-Reply, and spoke in g praise of the Governor, especially for B bis work in establishing the Veterans' , Home. The Opposition, he said, had, . prior to the election, endeavoured to poison the minds of the eleotors to the belief that the Government intended to take all the freehold tenure away. The i Government did not want to take the 1 freehold from those who held it. The s freehold would react injuriously on s many of those who clamoured for it, and the Government should pause be- ' fore making any alteration in the pre--1 sent sjstem. He thought that those ' applicants who wanted freehold should begiven it on condition that they shoul.l 1 not re sell it for 20 years, and that it should go to their heirs or successors. ' He complained that sufficient had not been done to properly develop the re- ' sources of tha olooy, and this question ' should be s'rongly urged upon Pailia- ' monr. Toe local bodtes should b.j ' authorised to devdop minerals in their own districts, whereby they would ' strengthfln the'r revenue. He would ' support the renewal of the 'Friso mail ] service. ; Mr Duthie, commenting en the reonciliation that had taken place between the largo land owners and the j Pcvmier, Migrated that ic was due to f Mr Setdou'rt association with titled ' magnates during his r.oenti trip to j Great Briain; trie result bfing tint \ he had returned to New Z=al<nd wi'h i a preferential rrado scheme which I would chiefly benefit that class. He ' drew attention to several of Mr Sed- 8 dou's actions and utteracces at Home, l which hid made him tbe jibe of the v Press. Was it, he asked, calculated to ° give confidence to the colony la the ficanci.l world when the Premier I made himself i idiculous in that fashion ? He adversely critcUed the action of the Governmfcn'; in regard to the Mid- * land Kailw.iy debenture bdJers, and s quoted from English pipers to show 5 that the treatment had doae the colony b a good deal of harm at Home, He oi said the while system of land settle- cl ment was in a very unsatisfactory [£ condition, snd it was regrettable toj »etd of the way in which settlers were! harra6Bed, The Premier had far too ni maoh power in regard to purchase of 0

eata'c: for close settle meet, and bffl'k" urged that these purchase! should fiwfl'' I be reviewed by the Hoas*. Ha «id»»sidered that if Mr Seddon's name wwfJL ]|| kept from the English publip for a fe*jjj| ) E years it would be better for tgliw finances of New Zealand. tlllfH Mr McNab was glad that an amani||ffjfM mont of 'the fhipping laws was OOuKfflß templated. He would support a PMJHmH posal for making a final court of *ppe**H» vithin the shores of the colony. HfjHjH urongly urgfd the establishment of MM .xpe-imental s'a'ions for educatingVH [ farmers. He believed i would nnver IJB be to the advantage of the colony to part with the 'Frisco mail service, bat ]H he did not approve of..that service re*. JH ceiving extra terms for cairiage ti 'jM 'nail rottti-r. He thought if the lA- ,' perhl OL.vcrr.in'-lit could persuideljh 'JJ jeo[)l« of Britain to t*x thema jrdei to give preference to tbsrra4e ' >f color.ie.*, 'ho oloniis should cot re* i fuse to r. ciprocate. ' Mr O'Meara said he bad previously • idvocated the giving of an area of knd <, x> th f tber of six children or over, & tnd he thought this would enoounge ". - young persons to face the future wad t, f would wnudy the declining birthrate, & If Mr Dutbie was not more arourate mi than he bad been that evening he 'mm would lose his sobriquet of u bonsai 3p John." Despite what Mr Duthie bad jS said be (Mr O'Meara) ooosidered Mr if Seddon had done exceedingly well at 91 Home. Mr Duthie's attack XSeddon was u&fair, uouunlyTtmniis*nj honorable, and Mr Dittos apologise. Mr SeddoD, in the course of a per- t sonal explanation, said he bad taken the first opportunity upon bis arrival <n Australia of setting himself right in regard to the Papawai speech. He explained how he bad been mis* reported, and said it was en intuit to J him and to the colony to pat in his 9 mouth words he had never uttered. m He added that the British Press had 1 oommended the warning *he had given in regard to reception of the Botr Generals.

The debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr Flatmaß, and the House rose at midnight.