PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 212, 13 October 1909, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. DIPREST SUPPLY BILL. The Council met at 2.30. The Imprest Supply Kill from the House passed all its stages. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Hon. A Loughnan moved the Address-in-Reply. He dealt at length with the naval defence work of the Conference ■pnd the success attending the visit of tie Premier at the Conference. tie jrent on to say he was not quite certain the time had not arrived when a compulsory system of military trainingshould be adopted in the Dominion. If there were not to be such a system what was the use of asking Lord Kitchener to report on the forces? He felt sure the people would welcome compulsory training. (Voices: No! No!). Dealing with the land question he indicated that- assessment might be adjusted in such a way that it would need matter jittle what the tenure was. Referring to the Timber Commission, he said the most im portant recommendation was afforestation.

Hon. J. Bnrr, in seconding the motion, eaid while he agreed that we should individually and collectively defend the Empire there were tilings nearer to the people than the problematic defending of the Empire. The land and income tax had increased without conferring an injury upon anyone. He held that the tendency of the Governihent was not to put things into the hands of a few 'out ■was towards a more equitable distribution of wealth. He quoted statistics to show that much had been done j and was being done by the Government lor the people in advances to settles and looked forward to still more being done in the future. He alluded to the labor laws, and pointed out that whi'e they had done much for the workers there were hundreds of men and ' in the Dominion who worked early and late 365 days a year with no half-holi-day or Sunday rest, and it wa6 essential to amend the law to give relief to these. On the question of unemployment, it wa& for the Government to take Bteps to prevent the annual recurrence of going to the public for charity for honest men who were unable to find Work during a certain period of the year. His suggestion was .that the question might be dealt'with (1) by labor exchanges; (2) a scheme of insurance; (3) special Government and municipal Works; and (4) labor colonies.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES . The House met at 2.30. A QUESTION OF LEAVE. On the question of leave to introduce the Canterbury College and Agriculurnl College Amendment Bill (Mr. Craigie) •Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) asked th" Speaker to rule if this were a local Bill. The Speaker said he could not do "0 until he had seen the Bill. The Premier referred to the extraordinary fact that no copy of the Bill wii*» in the hands of members. This anomalous state of affairs revealed a weakness in the Standing Orders. -Mr. Massey said he was glad the Premier saw the necessity for a member to explain his position in regard to the Bill. He hoped he would re consider bis decision to amend the Standing Orders, so as to prevent members speaking on a motion for leave to introduce a Bill.

M. T. E. Taylor (Christchurch North) said the rights of private members at present were so slight that it was necessary to resist any attempt to further restrict their powers. The Bill passed its first reading. LOCAL BILLS. Kaitake County (Mr. Okey), WaipukuTau Reserves, and the National Sick and Accident Insurance Bills (Mr. Guinness) were read a first time. . ACCOMMODATION FOR FARM HANDS.

Mr. Millar, replying to Mr. T. E. Taylor, said it was impossible to have inepectors going round each farm to 1 that farmers provided suitable aeeommo. dation for their workers, but any breach of the law would be immediately followed by prosecutions. HOSPITAL BILL.

The Hospital and Charitable Institutions Bill was introduced by Governor's Message and read a first time. ADDRESS-IX-REPLY. The Address in-Reply was moved by M. R. Smith (Rangitikei), who referred to the Governor's visit to the. Islands and the possibilities of commerce therewith and to the visit of delegates from the Chambers of Commerce and the probable effects on Imperial trade. The finding of tic Timber Commission wis considered unfavorable by «U who desired to see progress in the industry in the Dominion. He read a telegram from the millers of Ohakune commenting adversely on the report. The loan raised by the Premier was clear proof thit New Zealand still had the confidence of the Old World financiers. The loans to local bodies arranged for by Sir Joseph Ward would be grateful to many bodies throughout the Dominion. He hoped o see the native lands dealt with on the same principle as European lands. Hi announced himself as a staunch believer in the optional tenure, coupled with the limitation of area.

Mr. T. Buxton (Geraldine) seconded the Address, and referred to the agricultural prospects, which were hopeful. The late financial stringency could not be attributed to the Government's legislation, which had rather gone to reduce the effects of the depression. He advo cated a scheme of compulsory military service. He touched on land legislation and the Old Age Pension Act, which re quired amendment by removing property disqualifications. Funds could be rais ed by a graduated income tax. This would be as just as the graduated land tax.

Mr. Massey, referring to Mr. Smith's j speech, said it was a good Opposition i one. The party Mr. Smith now support | cd had done its best to kill the optional tenure. He agreed with the mover of ithe Address-in-Keply that the TimbT Commission had not treated the industry fairly. The.report not worth a tenth part oi its cost to the country. He would suggest a commission to deal with the Piin.'miifi silting, which would be beneficial to agriculturalists and others. Regarding Mr. Buxton's speech, s[r. Mnssev held that the recent financial depression was largely owing to lo cal borrowing and to the legislatim which caused- large sums to lie carried out of the country. Referring to _ tile Governor's Speech, Mr. Massey eaid this contain, d n creat many subjects. If a'l these wei- dealt with, it would be impossible to finish the session before Christmas. He deplored the absence of any provision for local government legislation. The Speech contained more soothing syrup than sound legislative proposals. Ho hoped that some of the ground lost by the postponement of Parliameii! would be gained beioie Christmas

The House ro-e :t .>2O. On resuming, Mr. .Mawv his speech. He deaft with the inr *tion of defence. He had not th.- sligh.est intention of miking this a party question. He was sorry the subject of land defence had not ro ceived more attention. He believed Xew Zealand would eventually evolve a satis factory scheme. At the time of the general election nothing was said about re trenehment. People were asked to look a t things through rose colored spec I eles. It was a matter for congratula l' i that we had got through tie peri'.l o? -nession without more hardship ■ v-1 been experienced. He wa< • ' 1 !■. -t when prosperity returned an - sundering and -waste would he j.i,. condemned bringing immigrants ■••> .iie country at a tiae when there

v. .is no work for them, and hoped this state of things would he remedied dur ing the present session. Referring to the charges of slanderous statements against the credit of tlw country, ascribed to the Opposition by the_Premier, he challenged Sir Joseph Ward to name the persons responsible for the statements. The Opposition had played the game fairly afid intended to do so, but when accused; unfairly "would hit bac:. He condemned the pamphlet eirculat-'d under the title, "Lest we forget," and bearing the signature of Sir Joseph Ward, which boasted of prosperity. a time when the Government was in financial difficulties. Sir Joseph Ward: We were never in financial difficulties.

Mr. Massey; Yet you were sacking hundreds of men. Referring to the Natlre Land Commission, Mr. Massey sai l he was disgusted with the report. Judging by past experience the land recommended for settlement would never b( opened' jn the present generation. The only way out of the native land difli eulty was to place the natives on the game footing as the Europeans, subject to certain restrictions to safeguard the native interests. The present state of tile mail services was unworthy of the country. He considered arrangements shpuld he made with the Union Com pa'fl.v to have a connecting steamer wita the Suva mail boats. --j; Mr. Geo. Fowlds (Minister for Educa.notwithstanding Mr. Masse y's IS^^rimgtion. of tho Advances to Settlers and three

vanced. He ridiculed Mr Massey's statement that there was as liiucli poverty in Wellington last winter as in Britain. It could not. be denied that many loan companies had given up business in New Zealand, but that was because the Government had lowered the rate of interest. Consequently capital had gons where it could get more remuneration lie referred at length to the Second Bui lot and Absolute -Majority Bill and Mr Massey's attitude thereon, which -e held to be inconsistent. The Government's retrenchment scheme was justified. The expenditure hail «rnwn to such an extent that at a tinie'vlien r'- I venue was falling off it was nSccssary ' to retrnch. The Opposition made to effort to assist the Government in cut' ting down expenses. Everything possible should be done to keep down gambling in land. The Government valuations were 30 to 40 ,per cent, below the actual selling value all over the Dominion. The great increase in landed ya ues was owing to improvements made by the State in making roads and bridges.

Mr. Fisher (Wellington), twitted Mr. Icwlds with sinking his views on ti' land question. He said the only method bv which satisfactory valuations could be secured was to impose a trans fer tax on land transactions and thus hinder speculation. Messrs Poole ami Fisher bavinu spoken the debate was adjourned and the House rose at 11.25 p.m.