PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 214, 15 October 1909, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL - ADDRESS-IN-KEPLY DEBATE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Council met mis afternoon. The usual sessional committees were set up. The Hon. Sinclair resumed the debate oa the Addresa-iu-iU-ply. He dealt solely with the labor problem, and contended that great care should be taken tnat no law should go on the statute book that would have a tendency to dry up the natural sources of industry, and we should keep our employment for our own people, and not depend upon other conn ( tries. If our work be kept for our own workers it must be under conditions that will enable it to compete with I other countries). His point was that

there should he uo levelling-down process, such as our present system must impose, and that good workers should be enabled to receive good wages. This could not be done by arbitration further reducing hours of labor and increasing wages. He pointed out that the laws behind production were not laws of Parliament. What was wanted was

great energy and greater production. The labor laws were responsible for forcing importation? of articles which should be manufactured here. He was .satisfied that it was necessary to amend these laws so that there should be no tendency to make a minimum wage the standard wage, and so that every en couragement should be given to exertion. It was hopeless to look for prosperity unless capital was encouraged to

a reasonable extent. The Hon. John Rigg, referring to the decision of the Defence Conference, re marked on the enormous expenditure to which the country was pledged, and for which it gained nothing. They would get seven small vessels, which ■would be taken away in time of war, and they would be left defenceless >"■ future as they were in the past. Britain's navy was primarily for the defence of Britain. The annual charge for our Dreadnought would be £152,000, in addition to our subsidy of £IOO,OOO. It seemed to him that this would necessitate further taxation. In addition to the naval scheme, we were '- promised an internal defence scheme, which would probably cost another quar ter of a million; and how was the money to be raised? He contended we should combine with the Australian navy. Tie Hon. Anstey congratulated the Premier on the way he represented the. dominion at the Imperial C'onferenc ■.. He did not agree with the idea of joining the Australian navy. In reference to the labor problem, he was an upholder of the Arbitration Act, but it had been prostituted in South Canterbury in » most unworthy way. He uuged tnat the law should be amended, and blamed labor agitators' for being responsible t<> a large extent for the accentuation of the unemployed difficulty. The debate was adjourned at 4.40 and the Council rose.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ADDRESS! N-RF.FLY DEBATE. The House met this afternoon, when the debate on the Address-in-Rcply was continued by Mr. Ngata, who said Mr. Masscy had stated that the result of the Commission's work was disgusting. He (Mr. Ngatn) said the cost of the Commission was £1570, and this expense was fully justified. TJie Leader of the Opposition should recognise that valuable work had been done which would affect not only legislate i, but also our whole system of land sett! :- nient. The Opposition had staled that no effect would be given to the recommendations of the Commission. Already several sections, amounting to nearly a quarter of a million acres), wer • being dealt with under the recommendation. The total area dealt with by ih> Order-in-Oouncil was 991,880 acres, which went to show that the Commission's work had not been fruitless. Mr. Ngata stated that the Main Trunk line prop^ r went chiefly through European lands. The royalties on timber in the Waiinariuo bloek would pay for the line. Tlie Maoris got half-a-crown per acre for over 300,000 acres sold to the Crown. It had been said by the member for Manawatu that no Maori should be h charge of Maori affairs. Any slur east on the Native Minister was) a slur on the Europeans who elected him to the House. I

HISTORY OF THE WARD GOVERNMENT. Mr. Malcolm said he was* unable to come to the conclusion that when the House asked for a policy on Native affairs thev got a speech. He reviewed the history of the Ward Administration, which he described as being barren of any legislative results worthy of admiration. The Cabinet was out of touch with the people, as shown by the fact that the majority" of members' in tin House favored the freehold, yet the Government had no land poliev to put before the country. Mr. Malcolm refcrred in severe terms to the educational policy, and affirmed that the whole system was regarded with contempt by parents throughout the eoiutry. THE FINANCIAL DEPRESSION. Mr. McDonald followed. He dealt chiefly with the financial depression, which he attributed to a fall in the price of mutton and wool, and not to any maladministration of the party m power. MR. ROBERT McNAB AND THE LAND ' QUESTION.

Mr. Anderson, referring to Mr. Laurenson's remarks re the Mataura elections, stated that he (Mr. Anderson) ■would never have opposed his friend, Mr. Robert McNab, but for the fact that the ex-Minister for Lauds had gone back on his freehold principles. He would not accept Mr. Laurenson's chil- . lenge for a debate of the land question at Gore, but would be jfl«»l to stand against him for Mataura at the next ] general election. He hoped that Mr. Ngata's forecast regarding the settle- , ment of the Native lands would be carried out. He regretted the absence of local g-nrnmciit legislation in the Governor's speech. The House rose at 5.50 and resumed in the evening, when Mr. Anderson continued the debate. THE DOMINION'S REPUTATION. He was followed by the Prime Minister who eaid he never heard anything like the speech of Mr. Allen for wilful misrepresentation. He had been invited to give specific instances of attempts made to injure the credit of the country. The statements made by pub.ic men, though perhaps not intended to have a bad effect, bad undoubtedly dama«ed the reputation of the Dominion. The Leader of the Opposition, speaking in the House last year, said If the Government did not feel inclined to ()U_t the brake on. he hoped the money-lenders would. T".'.- Svdney Bulletin had state.l that tin- lic'fn- had been knocked oat of Maoriland. aid the member 'or Bruce had said U'u tlr Dominion had drifted into smb. a position that a flu ancial breakdown was imminent. AH these statements were sufficient proof that the idea had been disseminated that New Zealand waa on the verge of ban iruptey. He denied that the country ha 1 ever been in financial difficulties. Tin member for Bruce had in a speech com- i mended the Government's financial fo ] licy and expressed »ati»iaction at tin n rplus and the provision lor sinking JitH-K The methods pursued by the 0;i- ---•■■■,-■■ '■ -i for the purpose of obtaining po- ' •! ;i>: "ndancy were • )•. L'TELY UNJUSTIFIABLE. \)-i-... .vith Mr. Allen's speech on tn; .•• '•;essin-Rep)y, Sir Joseph Ward aci ,;»ed the member for Bruce of inaccurate statements in regard to finance. Much had been said of the Government's borrowing money in the Dominion, but the fact was that only £31,750 had be.m borrowed. It had been stated that £824,900 from tile Post Office Savings Bank had been appropriated by the Government, but £IOO,OOO of this sum was. Treasury bills. A portion of this sum had been also devoted to advances to settlers. The member for Bruce ,vas one of those financial cormorants w'in approached the Treasury tor funds. anJ had publicly said that if "any pfhadcr -.was going he would have his share." He defended the Government's action in connection with the Midland railway, which was the only possible course open to it. THE REVENUE FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

As to depression, for the six montas ending 30th September the total revenue was £3,805,000. and the balance for the same period £50,380, which compared very favorably with the corresponding period of last year. On the Bame date the Government had £280,00.) available for lands for settlement. Rev garding borrowing from the A.M.P. Society, it was said that the Government liad taken large sums which otherwise would-have been available for ordinary purposes, but the fact was that the iu-ney-had come from the Australian office, v' He was gettins? tired of the cry about jg^. i, <lrivjnj( capital out of the country." Slli§6&tfnlyj>eople who were taking money

Some of the men who had reaped the reward of public policy in this country were those who took capital away to earn larger profits elsewhere. THE LAND QUESTION.

The member for Wairarapa had urged the Government to buy a large estate which would only support half-a-dozen men. This was not the policv of the Go. verument, who would have the land question threshed out this session. The Government had no intention of buyng estates at enormous nrices which would mean ruin to unfortunate sec tit it. The Premier defended the expenditure in 'tonne; .ion with the visit of me imeii-, can fleet.

OPPOSITION DENIALS.

| Mr. Allen denied that he had stated that the Dominion was on the ver"e of bankruptcy. What he had said was°that under certain conditions thev were bound to make default. That"was to say, unless the Government raised auother loan to carry on the .Midland railway.

Mr. Massey complained that the Premier was quoting a part of a former speech without reference to the conte.t and defended his remarks on the Government's borrowing policy. THE PREMIER (.ONGISATILATKI). Mr. T. Taylor (Christchiireh) congratulated the Premier mi Ids speech, "specially on the st.itenmu re tne land question. This was a more .inipuaani ami .iiiicemciil than any to be found in the Governor's speech." If lice Premii-i settled the laud question he wioulil deserve better of the country tba.i aliy man who ever occupied his position. Parliament had no right to endeavor to discharge duties which ought to be performed by local bodies. An immense saving could lie cll'ected by reform 'in public works administration in the direction of creating local boards. Public works should be paid for out of local taxation. This would reduce the number of demands for expenditure. Mr. Eraser spoke on the financial position, traversing the Premier's remarks on the Opposition attitude. Mr. Reed continued the debate, and the House rose at 11.20.