PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 181, 22 July 1908, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

TUESDAY, JULY 21. HOUSE OF KEWtESEN'J'ATn ES. By Tulegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Wight. flic. House met at 2.30 p.m. The Minister of Labor stated Unit tlic report Hint the (iovcrnmcut, did not intend to pui into operation tlie Agricultural Laborers' Accommodation Act was absolutely untrue, and regulations under Hie Act were under consideration. I'liu i'rime .Minister said the (lovcrnnieill had never proposed to pay the travelling and hotel expenses of'members visiting Auckland during "fleet week."

The Minister for Defence said the • Defence report would be brought down shortly. The linancinl debate was resumed by Mf. Sidoy (Caversham), who expressed approval of tin? IJndgcl, which was a record one. it would have been wiser not to have exceeded (he usual expenditure of one million per annum on pulr-i lie works. It was remarkable that in spite of increased expenditure in Old ' Age pensions and education, and remis- ' sions ill railways, telegraphs, and Cus- ! loms, thei-e had been no increase in the rate of taxation. The Advances to ' Workers' Act was a useful socialistic ' measure, bringing the Stale into compet.ition with private money-lenders, lie approved the borrowing policy, and referred to valuable concessions'given to settlers by the .Railway Department, lie said the time was coining when a( comprehensive education scheme in the direction of granting more attention to children after leaving school, both i:i regard to technical instruction and physical training. -Mr. J)avey (C'hristehurch East) criti fiartl at considerable length Dr. Chappie's speech on industrial arbitration, and said that it was a mass of theories and contradictions. Competition was lauded by Dr.-Chappie, but in the past it had done much ihurm,' Tile norma! effort of a laborer coulil not be deduced from the work he did in one-quarter of an -hour. ]f Parliament were not to consult the employer and worker ia framing industrial legislation, whom were they to consult? lie strongly supported the Advances to Workers'' An, but thouglit the Land for Settlement'. Act was assisting the wrong class o\ people. He instanced the resources of those who recently applied for the Culverdon estate, some of the applicants possessing from £2500 to £BOOO. Mr. Okey strongly supported the Special Land for Settlement Act, and hoped tlmt the Government would place on the Estimates this session avote for the Opunukc-Eltham railway, which would be of -great interest to tlie Taranaki district. He also strongly advocated the opening up of native hinds. The speaker pointed out the delay iii dealing with applications for land and advances to settlers, which at one time took three to four months to complete, while with' private firms matters could be settled up in a few days.' These delays caused much dissatisfaction. Dealing with Old Age Pensions, lie said they should encourage thrift. Men who had been a little careful through their lives had been told they were not entiteil to a. pension because they were possessed of a little property, though not sufficient to keep them. Something would have to bo done with the Aribtration Act this session, but he contended that the Act should not ailed farmers. Any union which supported a strike ought to be made re.-' i-ponsible for any damage caused by that strike. The House adjourned at 5.10 p.m. On the House resuming, Mr. Poland unoled statistics showing the importance of the mining industry and pointed out- that in the Wiiihi mine they had one of the most important mines in the world. lie contended, however, that sufficient encouragement had not been given to the industry in the colony in the direction of sending out prospectors to the back country, whore fields equal to Waihi may be discovered; neither had facilities been given for the proper treatment of ores. Ho advocated the establishing of one or two Stale batteries, especially in the Oliiuemuri district, and in mining leases, etc. Bjb hoped that the Minister, iu the proposed amended Mining Hill, would bring down a more liberal scale of charges in that direction. tie congratulated the Mini-lev on the satisfactory condition of the State coal mines. Another matter which should receive his attention was to provide a sick and accident miners' fund, which probably could be provided by charging a royalty on gold production. lie urged imp'roved payment of school teachers, '.though not advocating uniform School books for the Dominion, he strongly urged that school books and requisite's, the cost of which bore heavily on wage-earners, should be provided'frce. the estimated cost for Hit! first year was £27,000.,) with .€IO,OOO for each of the succeeding years, which was no considerable amount for the State to bear. The primary' schools were not receiving proper attention, and pupils were not receiving the attributes of a sound English education. Much -of this could be traced to the poor salaries paid id teachers. He favorably criticised th« advances to settlers and urged its extension to mining districts. He urged the construction of an East Coast railway, from Waihi to Tauranga, thence to Cisborne. Mr. Rutherford said the UovernmcnE had done right iu setting, up a .NatiWe Land Commission. He approved of the increase of the naval subsidy, and regretted more was not spent on land defences. The advances to settlers was the best measure ever passed. lleferriug to labor agitators, he said they were encouraged by the tiovermncnt, which gave them billets in the Legisla-, live Council and the public service. The fall in wool was only temporary. He approved of preference to employees at land ballots. The Lands for Settlement Act should assist the small man. Heapproved of the special laud settlement' proposals of the Budget. It was lin. true that eapilalists had combined to raise the rate of interest. He approved of the visit of the Americana, but th(e Maoris should be kept out of the festivities. Mr Eraser (Wakntipti) followed with a speech on finance, in which So saidthe same talcs of record savings, were told. Wc could not overlook the faqi.' J that so long as we borrowed we were living beyond our means. Better provision should be made for prospectors, 'tlie Mines Department should submit a scheme for thoroughly prospecting the country. The Americans should be welcomed as 'cousins, not as saviours, lie supported the increase iu the naval subsidy. The public debt must increase with all new proposals. Mr. Hogg set oil' oui/asscts againsjt our debts. He approved of the expenditure on roads and bridges. He re- ; gretted to notice (he aggregation of estates.

Mr. Frasor said no combination of capital could put up the rate of interest, lie opposed socialism, saying t',w State should control, not take possession.

Mr. Hogg said Mr. Fraser was a «>■ [ eialist in that he advocated the Go-' vernmenl irrigation scheme for Centra:' (Hugo. Money was not scarce, but the moneylenders' screw and press did harm to the country's credit, which had never been better. .Mr. Jlogg asked for more State coal depots in the North Island. He said a powerful shipping ring was operating in the colony, compelling exporters to ship by certain vessels." ft was the duty of tho Government to break up this monopoly, On the motion of Mr. Arnold, the debate was adjourned. The House rose) at 11.45 p.m.