PARLIAMENTARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81830, 24 August 1906, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WEDNESDAY, August 22. I'ER. I'K.ESS ASSOCIATION. The Council mot at 2.30. Replying to tin: lion. Mr Bcehan, Die Attorney-General said the Government had under consideration the Question of appointing valuers lo carry out the valuation of friendly societies. The following Hills were introduced by the Attorney-General:—Train-ing Ships Act, Town Districts Act, Firearms Act, Sale of Explosives Act, Fisheries' Conservation Acts Amendment Act . ADDRESS-IN -REPLY.

The lion. Mr Rigg resumed the debate on the Acidrcss-in-Rcply, dealing exhaustively with the question of an Imperial Council and reciprocal trade with Britain and defence. lie complained that nothing had been said during the general election respecting the constitution of an Imperial Council. He did not think anything would be gained by such an organisation, and believed it would be better to continue the practice of holding conferences. With regard to reciprocal trade, he hoped we should have no further experiments in that direction. He asked why it should be considered necessary to bolster up British manufactures at the expense of the colony, and failed to see why we should open our doors to British sweated industries. He went on to deal with the danger to the colonies should British supremacy at sea be checked, and urged the necessity for the establishment of an Australasian navy to protect the colonics and assist the Mother Country. Mr Rigg then entered into a lengthy criticism of the colony's defences, stating, inter-alia, that wo had expended a million and a half on defences since 1897-8, and had little to show for it. He referred to the inadequacy of the equipment of the land forces, and said there should be rifles for 100,000 men instead of for 16,000 as at present. He thought it would be well to borrow a million for reorganisation of our defences, alleging there would never be a satisfactory scheme by maintaining defences out of revenue. The Hon. G. McLean followed, approving in general terms with the several paragraphs in the Speech. He expressed a hope that the time would come when our ships and land forces would be commanded bv our own men. On the subject o'f the land tenure, he expressed the opinion that option of the freehold should b:i given to tenants, and the money thus received should be expended upon further purchases of estates.

The debate was adjourned at 5 p.m. until tomorrowj and the Council rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House sat 2.30 p.m. Mr J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa) raised a question of privilege. He referred to the seating in the ladies' gallery, and the privileges of front scats enjoyed by the wives of hon members, and complained that last night many wives of hon. members not only could not get a from seat, but were unable to enter th • gallery at all. He moved a motion dealing- with the subject. Mr Speakdr, who refused to accept the motion, explained that the matter had already been brought under his notice, and that he had taken measures to confine the issue of tickets to the number of seats available, and to enforce the rule as to the front seats.

Mr Hornsby was very much obliged to Mr Speaker for his promptitude, and would not press the molion which was no longer required. Mr J. I. Arnold (Dunedin South) took the opportunity to complain of the lack of accommodation for members within the Parliament precincts. The Hon. Hall-Jones told the House that he had plans before him to remedy this defect, and promised shortly to have them in the hands of hon. members.

The following- Bills were r;ad a first time: Havelock Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institute Incorporation Act, 1577, Amendment Bill, Marriages Validation Extension Bill Saturday Universal Half-holidav Bill, Farriers Bill, Sandy Point anil Grasmere Domains Vesting Bill Lights on Vehicles Bill, Elthani County Bill, City of Dunedin Lands Vesting Bill, Dunedin District Drainage and Sewerage Act, 1900 Amendment Bill, Coromandil and Thames Counties Boundaries Alteration Bill, Maori Land Claims Adjustment and Laws Amendment Bill Maori Land Settlement Act, 1905 Amendment Bill, Fire Brigades Bill' »-n IV , B r Townsl "P s Act Amendment Bill, Horowhenua Block Act Amendment Bill, Poukawa Native Reserve Bill, Friendly Societies Bill, Prosducts Export Act Amendment Bill Tourist and Health Resorts Control Bill, Registration of Births Extension Bill, Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Act, Adoption of Children Act Amendment Bill, Habitual Criminal and Offenders Bill, Juvenile Offenders Bill, Juries Act Amendment Bill. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Mr A. W. Hogg- (Masterton) complimented the Premier on the wise, selection of his Cabinet, but was sorry ho could not equallv compliment the Leader of the Opposition on his following. He would not say of a once formidable party; he proof a once formidable parly; he preferred to call them a skeleton army. The attenuation of the party reminded him of a wreck, and desperate men clinging to a raft threatened at every movement with destruction. The giants of the party were gone. Those who made the party respected in the clays when there were lugs of war from morning to night, and great reforms were effected, they were scattered everywhere --111 the Civil Service, on the Bench of Justice, in the beef and butter Hade; everywhere, in fact. The result was the isolation of Mr Massey, who reminded him of a trapdoor spider lighting with a straw that has a stronger hand behind it. He was always shrieking for a policy, but they had never heard of a suggestion of any kind of policy from him. lie railed at the Legislative Council, but that body had been considerably amended since the old Tory days, it was no longer the refuge hu political barnacles. In llm.se old days the lands were monopolised. This bad state of things had been changed. Fur himself, he was a linn believer in the leasehold principle, but if the land is settled and the settler given a fair chance, no one need care much., Nevertheless, he opposed the freehold because thai tenure favours monopoly and landlordism. Monopoly still existed largely on lands acquired at a very low value, and was being extinguished by th c payment of public money for the resumption of value made by public expenditure. All further aggregation must be prevented. Another imperative requirement was the diminution of the general taxation, and the increase of the graduated land tax. Developing this subject, he advocated the abolition of the duty en flour, which feeds a big trust with £120,000 move a year than should come out of the pockets of the people. He. commended this abolition and similar ones to the Government.

Mr J. Sl.ilhvrrlhy (Knipara) compbmerllecl Ilic Government on the election of iV ,„,>, Tr ,-,,,(1 seronder -( t'-c The member For WcUl-nd proved himself iht-vr-riV- s"n - f a DT'Vil -ire. TTr> is t> r .-,,|:f fo |,,' s unlirinß-inft-. for be was lv"ufi-M |.n iv t rn n'. r ricl"-p, but nn .-OUirq. There bad murh mvs->-v "b"ut t'c> nvni'-pr for Auric. '„...■ uvc 1,.,, i,„ i l;l ,i „„.,. ],,„„ f |;„.. -1,..:-,1 -•: n C .,-n.,p; ro'itirpl npr-011.11-j ;.,.. T., ,„„i.i , ln , ~,.,.„„ „.;„, , h J '""'''' ~r l],n rrif : nsrr| of the Ministerial personnel, parties'

larly defending- the appointment of Mr Fowlds. Mr Massey had insisted on the private purchase of the Native Lands, but for his part he preferred the Maori owner to the speculator that had in places succeeded him. He advocated aid to the mining industry, lie preferred the Government, which had spent over two millions on roads in five years, to the Opposition which only talked about roads. The lands of the country he would like to see properly and widely settled, and the Tourist Departmtment encouraged with more funds, especially for the development of the traffic in the North; llelensville, for instance, which might be made the Margate of Auckland. He approved of the provision for railways, and thought the extension of the Kaihu railway ought to be added to the list. From personal experience of the Arbitration Court, he endorsed all that had been said in the Speech about it, and would help to remove the anomilies he was familiar with.

Mr 11. G. Ell (Christchurch South) complimented the mover and seconder. He agreed with the policy of large Endowment Reserves, and dissented from Mr Massey's proposition to apply the optional system to them, as such reserves are made essentialtially to hold on to. He thought the ordinary increase in value would in time improve the revenue above the £25,000 of Mr Massey's calculation. The Opposition opposed the State Fire Insurance, but that new departure had benented the country, and that benefit accounted with other Liberal measures for the dwindling forces of the Opposition. Another cause was the establishment of the coal depots; another the building of Workers' Homes. He advocated cheaper railway rates, at the same time acknowledging the great advance made in this connection. Firewood and coal he partir cularly mentioned, declaring it would be better than carrying polo ponies for nothing, at a cost of £SOOO a year to the country. He advocated further reductions of taxation, and felt we would get it, not from the other side, but from the Government, which had already reduced taxation by hundreds of thousands a year. He advocated the principle of State Banking and denounced the ring of bankers in NewZealand. He demanded the withdrawal of the Bank of New Zealand from that ring, and asked that it be ordered to advance moneys at cheaper rates for the development of the country. He read a report showing over fcur millions as the reserve profits of the five banks doing business in this country. He thought it time for the banking ring to get the same attention from tho Government as the insurance ring obtained.

EVENING SITTING. Mr Hornsby added bis congratulations to those already offered to the mover and seconder of the Address. He complimented the Premier on the construction of his Cabinet, particularly defending- Mr Fowlds from attacks made. He read in answer to last night's criticism of the patch- j work of views, from a report of ] Mr Mitchelson at the banquet given to Mr Fowlds in Auckland, in which a list was given of Ministries which had lived in spite of differences of personal opinion: the Atkinson, Vogel, Stout, and other Ministries. Mr Mitchelson, he reminded the Opposition ,\vas defending the appointment of Mr Fowlds, on the grounds of his extreme views. Mr Fowlds, he concluded is a straight and honourable gentleman, and very worthy of Cabinet rank, and the respect of the party. He referred to the great personality of the late Premier, without which the great Liberal measures would never have got on to the Statute book, and he declared that so long as th<s Government followed the lines laid down by the late Mr Seddon lie would follow them. After eulogising the Hon. Hall-Jones' conduct of his administration, he declared himself on the Land Question. He was a freeholder, but with a strongly defined limit of area to prevent aggregation. Until that limitation of area is passed, he would be found against the freehold. History was with him. In France, the freeholders are to-day fewer than they were before the French Revolution, which was largly brought about by excessive land monopoly. With regard to Native Lands, he denounced the iniquity of free trade demands by the Opposition, and declared for guaranteeing the natives of the fruits of their lands. He insisted on vigorous measures being taken to restrict their wastefulness, and to make the young natives work instead of ruining themselves by dissipation. For tariff reform, ,hc suggested a Royal Commission to report next session, and hoped it would report favourably to local industry. In this connection ho advocated the indenture system to which the Swiss had returned and which is in force in Germanyy—forces with which our people must be placed on the best of footing to compete. He would like to see millions more people in country, but he would have them all white, and that was the only way to hold the country against the brown man in the future. The abolition of the Council, and a policy of "tapering off" in finance, engaged him until he concluded with a hope that the Government would follow in the foosteps of the late Premier.

Mr Masaey, in a personal explanation, denied that he had declared last night for'free trade in land. Mr Hornsby said he had observed in Mr Massey's speech an echo of the old "free trade" crv.

Mr Massey read from the report of his speech that he had advocated the individualising of the titles, and every care after, to do justice to the Natives.

Mr C. E. Major (Hawera) continued the debate. He paid his tribute to the mover and seconder. He praised the Speech fcr its optimism, lie declared that the farmers were not uneasy lest the microbe of singltax may prove infectious.

The Premier: "Nonsense." Mr Major hoped it might be so, but ho would say that in his electorate go per cent, of the fanners were for the freehold, and would be satisfied on that point. The extension of roads in the districts was another question of vital importance to them, and it was high time for local government to be put on a better footing.

Mr T. MacKcnzic (Waikouaiti), after the customary compliments, was sorry that Mr Hornsby had insulted the Asiatic people, lie ridiculed as antiquated Mr Hogg's reference to the antiquated state of things represented by the swagger. lie declared absurd the attempt of the member for Hurunui to form a country party without inviting all the country members. For his own part, he had always spoken out without any fear of being carpeted by any member of the House. In the Premier they had a gentleman conversant with all details of commerce, the very man to push the trade of the colony, and he promised him his-sup-I port, provided he did not give way to any hare-brained schemes such as uas propounded by the colony's Commissioner in London. lie had been struck by the reference made by the Member for Westland about the ago limit for free places in secondary education. Reviewing the history of this subject, he himself came to the conclusion, from the last regulation, which declared there is no age limit, that there is none, but the "Otago Daily Times," always judicial in tone, had called that declaration a subterfuge. He would like a pronouncement from the Minister of Education, who he regretted not to see in his place. He went on to object to the centralising tendencies of the Education Department, and g-ave an instance in which an important report concerning the Otago Board of Education was kept from that body by the Department for 10 months. Though a freeholder, he would not discuss the matter till the Ministerial proposals came down, He preached the jjctpel of

work to all young people, as the best state in life. He advocated the fclassification of schools and of teachers. About half-past nine the Speaker took the sense of the Houso aboutf passing supper and going -on to the adjournment, and decided to go on with the sitting. Mr MacKciwie, continuing, made an appeal for the roading of the back blocks for the benefit of the people who had been calld "bush exiles," and of their .children compelled now in cold, wet weather to pass over muddy roads and sit in illwarmed schools, withoijt opportunity of drying their clothes. For this purpose, he suggested car-marking the tobacco duty to pay the interest of a three, million loan, and he associated with it the extension of telephone lines in the back blocks. Pass- \ ing to the Lands for Settlement, he complained that the policy was not even. Otago had been neglected, and the result was that Otago was losing population. He called for justice to Otago.

Mr J. C. Thompson (Wallace) referred sympathetically to the doath of the late Premier, eulogising his public spirit, high enterprise, and even-handed courtesy to all the members of the House. He also added to the compliments proper to the occasion. He gave the Speech a general approval, and said the Government would have to be judged by its works. He advocated increased aid to agriculture and mining, and thought the State school education ought to be less literary and more practical. He urged the encouragement of volunteering by substantial payments to men who devote their time to the public service. He agreed with those who insist on a limit of freehold holding, and favoured the optional system. He thought a graduated tax above a, certain limit would prevent aggrega-"""' tion. On the whole, he believed in the sincerity of promise and purpose behind the Speech, but would like to see private enterprise enabled by legislation to engage in public works.' He advocated the introduction of persons with means and a proper proK portion of labour, which he held to be indispensable to the progress of the country. He urged a large introduction of agricultural labour, finding fault with present restrictions. He took the opportunity of expressing his satisfaction at the reduction of drunkenness as shown in the report of the Police Department. Referring further to the report, he approved the principle of the indeterminate sentence, and thought well of that and hypnotic suggestion, by which power of lofty human thought is exercised over the inferior mind. He was disappointed that the Speech omitted to announce the betterment of teachers' salaries. The hope of Democracy lies in the education of the people. At 10.50 Mr Seddon rose to reply. He thanked the House for the compliments paid him, and particularly thanked the Premier for the kindly' appreciation he had expressed ,and the Leader of the Opposition for the • interest he had expressed in his career. He defended the the "no policy" criticisin7 % 'wnicli seemed to apply to all Governor's Speeches, and urged that only the outlines can in the nature of things be given. It had been said the Premier had got a coat of many colours, but he had blended those colours a harmonised whole, which, could be deended upon doing excellent work. He was encouraged to believe this as the Speech had been well received on the whole. It was a good omen for the permanency and usefulness of the Government, and the good work of the session began by the motion he had had. the honour to move. The House adjourned af 10.55 p.m.