PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 175, 15 July 1908, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

Tuesday, jul* u. LEG labATi v E CO (J N CIL. By Telegraph'—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Ihc Council met at 2.30. lion, Findiay, replying to the Ad-drcss-iu-Ueply debate, ~aiu arbitration was the most important question of the day. With a ii u 3 drawbacks, he did not think it advisable to abolish flic system, the many blessings of whicli were some times overlooked. Labor had been beaten in all strikes before the Act and would bo so agaiu if tliu Act were repealed. It was labor wide,, had asked tor compulsory arbitration, and mv. Burr or any other memoe? could not point to a country where labor was better oh" than in New Zealand Labor wanied the Act to protect it, but it must .be loyal to toe Aiitt which could not be one-sided. if it were, the old system must be reverted to. Beyond the interests of labor, was that of the whole community, whicli was dead against tlic repeal and would revolt against it. if the Act were abolished, it would only be to show the real value of it to both sides. Successes must be weighed against failures, Far from showing that the Act nail failed, it showed on the contrary that the condition of labor had improved. Referring to the Arbitration Court, he defended the Judge, and pointed out liis qualifications. He admitted, the. cost of living had increased, and that the family man was the one who felt the burden. The workers could not continue to get advantages they had obtained in former years. He declared it was necessary to have one posessing a legal miml as president. He asked the Council to approve of imprisonment of strikers in cases where life, may be endangered . The, Attorney-General then reviewed the new Arbitration Bill. Referring to uniformity of wages, he said it had reduced productivity of workers by at least 50 per cent. No better change could be eifected than the change proposed, which ultimately workers would consider tlic greatest blessing conceivable. In conclusion, he deprecated class warfare. The paid agitator was a parasite upon the honest workers and was to be utterly condemned. (Loud applause).

The Council adjourned at 5.20 p.m. until to-morrow afternoon.

lIOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington Empowering Bill was read a first time. A week's leave of absence was granted Air. Hall (Waipawa). Replying to Air. MaePhorson (Alb. Ida), the Minister for Railways stated that where farmers had suffered from Iheavy snowstorms, stock would be carried free one way, and fodder free. Replying to Mr. Jennings (Egmont) Air. Hall-Jones said he would inquire into the alleged delay in issuing rolls due to their being published in Wellington. __ The Housc~'adjonrncd at 3.10 p.m. till 7.30 p.m. to enable members to attend the Maori Conference. EVENING SITTING.

At 7.30 the House went into Committee of Supply. Mr. Masscy opened tlie financial debate, complaining that the Railway Department Statement, and the Lands Department report, return of tun State Coal Department, also details of expenditure during the last financial vear and other necessary returns were'not presented to members in time for discussing the Statement. The Dominion had not yet, lie was pleased to say, had signs of a slump, but there was one idea suggestive of caution in the whole Statement. If the electors did not put on the brake, he thought it would be a good thing if the money-lender did. He declared that the gross indebtedness of the colony was £00,453,000, and that the amount of interest and sinking fund annually was £2,593,537. He condemned the telegraph and postal additions, etc., being charged against capital, and railway with railway administration. He declared it was the least progressive of any Government Department, and there was plenty of room for improvement. He complained that money had been borrowed in the Dominion by the Government, ana that had caused money to be scartee and dearer, with the result that every industry from agriculture downwards was in consequence suffering. Coming to taxation, he admitted there had been no direct taxation, but every opportunity was taken to increase the value of [ land, and therefore owners were compelled to pay more than they were entitled to. The Customs tariil' had had many reductions, but there were many increases in articles of necessity in agriculture and mining, which had seriously affected the profits of those interested. Ho congratulated the Government on its proposed improved raiding of backbloeU settlements, but said that of amount voted last year, there was a sum of £185,000 not expended. He claimed that it was only on the eve of an ejection these promises of increased expenditure were offered to the electors as bribes. Dealing'Vitli national annuities, he said if Che Government used the Government insurance Department aud (trovidc subsidies, ho would assist to pass the Bill. He favored the increaso in the amount of the contribution to the Imperial Navy, and strongly urged the Government to give further attention to volunteering and the cadet movement. The Hon. Mr. Fowlds claimed that more information was now given to members than in former years, and t'ho could he fully discussed. He t recognised that the prices of many of j our products were somewhat on the I decline, and said in the Financial State--1 ment the Government preached ipru-, ■ dence and caution. He denied that £250,000 for road-making was an election "vote catch," and pointed out that similar amounts were to he spent over four successive years, which were not election years. Dealing with the statement by Mr. Masscy that interest on borrowed money far exceeded the amount borrowed each year, he con- ' tended that while the Dominion continued a borrowing policy, interest must naturally increase, and he claimed that the amount of interest per head was decreasing each year. The only borrowing foreshadowed was £250,000' v f,br roads. Mr. Masscy had not questioned the existence of a surplus. He denied that the Government had extensively borrowed in New Zealand. In fact, the amount for years was insignificant. He declared that the feeling prevailed among small farmers that their land would be taken at their own valuation. In regard to national annuities, he had hoped the Opposition would have been glad to toxget the bitter opposition of the Party to Old Age Pensions. In concluding, he thought all unbiassed people who read the Statement would come to the opinion that the Government deserved the confidence of the country. Mr. Laing explained that the reason of the Opposition to the Old Age Pensions was that it was considered the pensions should be universal. He said the Opposition were opposed to the Old A<«' Pensions Act lieeauso pensions wore not universal. The value, of land had been -affected by the fall in the, price of exports. As usual at the be■riimiug of the session, there was little business to do, the measures not being ready. He thought the Leader of the Opposition was at a disadvantage with the Ministers in visiting the constituencies. ■ Continuing, Mr. Laing said it was all very easy to show large surpluses. He did not believe in a, large surplus. It was iniquitous that some land should be subject to two valuations. Tno North Island was not getting a fair share of railway expenditure. That the Government's policy was socialistic was proved by its land legislation. He approved the special land settlement policy of the Government, and also the proposed expenditure on backblock roads

Mr. Buddo (Kaiapoi) defended the financial policy of the Government. The dcbalo was adjourned, and the House rose at 11.45 p.m.