PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 255, 3 December 1909, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

THURSDAY, UKCliMUiill 2. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph- Press Asmm-iiiimii. Wellington, Last Jsiglit. In the Council this afternoon ttic Wangauui lloinan Catholic Land Bill, the Roman Catholic Archbishop Kinpuwering Bill and Tokonmru Freezing Site Bill were read a third time ami passed. Tho Hospitals and Charitable Aid Hill was committed. At clause 8, fixing the number of members of the Board at not less than eight or more than 20, exclusive of any members appointed by me Governor in pursuance of section 22 of this Act, the Attorney-General moved to strike out the words from "exclusive. This was carried.

j Considerable discussion occurred on section 12, dealing with the method of j election, a number of members opposing the main principle of the clause—the popular franchise. The Attorney-Oneral declared that it was the pivotal clause of the whole Bill) and if it went the Kill would have to ,40 too. The clause was adopted by 21 to 11. An addition was made, on the motion of Mr. W. C. Smith, debarring a paid oll'icer under any contributory local authority from being elected to the board. The committee adjourned until the evening. In the Council 111 the evening the Uwcuseion was resumed on the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill m committee,

Considerable discussion occurred over section I of clause 55, giving a board power to sell or exchange any land vested in it other than the land held in trust for any special purpose. Fo'n. Jenkinson moved to eliminate | the words "permitting the sale of land." The Attorney-General explained that certain lands might be unsuitable for lease, and tne section had been inserted at the ljequesf of the conference of hospitals and charitable institutions. The amendment was rejected. Clause 57—"A board may borrow -'pon security for building and other purposes" was amended by the omission of j suh-clause 2, and the substitution of a I sub-clause that the Board may borrow

by way of Bank overdraft for ordimuy expenditure to the extent of the total amount of the contributions payable to the hoard by the contributory local authorities during the yea. 4 , and then' unpaid with the estimated amount receivable by the Board during that year by way of subsidy. At clause 72, providing that a board may make agreements for special terms as to maintenance in hospital of members of friendly societies, the Attoiv.ey(Jeneral moved that the term "children" should mean children under eighteen years of age, instead of as m the Bill.

After a long discussion, ilie clause was postponed. ! The Attorney-CJenera! moved to amend clause 128 bo as to limit the hours of employment of uncertificated nurses to 5G per week in hospitals of over 100 beds. The amendment was carried, and the Bill reported with amendments The Council rose at 11.55. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES lu the House this' afternoon, the Me* Lean lustituta Bill was read a third time. Tlie report 01' the committee on the LAND LAWS AAIENDMJ&NT BILL was brought down. It recommended that the Bill be allowed to proceed, with amendments aa attached. The chairman of the committee moved that the report lie on the tabic. Mr. Taylor remarked that if, as had been said, the Bill had been shorn of all its freehold clauses in committee, things had come to a pretty pass. The Liberal party warf practically a coalition party, and its policy was only maintained by a combination of votes on both sides. Mr. Taylor proceeded to denounce the fibbing away of private members' rights, and the reticence on the land question shown by the Premier. Members were being trwited with absolute contempt with regard to contemplated legislation and the personnel of the Cabinet. Ten days ago only the Almighty and the Premier knew what the land policy was. Tlie Dominion should at least have two months to understand the position. The men who were howling for the freehold were Influenced by selfishness, begotten of well-doing founded on the State, and the leasehold was the only system under which the poor man could become a farmer. The whole of the Liberal principles on the land question, which were absolutely sound, were being sacrificed to the exigencies of party warfare. He hoped tlie Bill would meet with .such a protest from tlie House nnd the country that the {Jovernment would he forced to give the people six months' to consider it. Mr. Hemes moved as au amendment that the minutes of the committee's proceedings lie on the table, and be printed. Mr. McLaren supported the amendment.

Mr. Massey said hi* party believed m the freehold, and also in giving the freehold tenure to leaseholders when they were able to pay lor the fee simple. In 10 cases out of 20 country lauds became valuable, not 011 account of public expenditure, but owing to the energy and labor of the settlers.

Sir Joseph Ward said it was extraordinary that leaseholders wero ready to grasp at any straw to prove sinister designs against the Government. He repelled the remarks of Mr. Taylor and Mr. McLaren, and denied the Opposition's statement that he drove his followers. He asserted that every measure introduced 1 by the Government had been before the people, and every opportunity gnen to discus,' it. The Premier, continuing, asked how many leaseholders recognised the position of land tenure, since for tlio last thirty years it had been one of endeavoring to hold on to portion of the Crown lands. The critics of the Government proposals did not realise the position. The great majority of the leaseholders on the Crown Land's had turned right round in favor of the freehold, though they could never have got on the land but for the leasehold System, financed by the State. 'I he will | of the majority of the people must prevail. Leaseholders lost sight of the fact that under the Land liill the freehold is only granted under conditions that conserved the right, to the State to a share in the increased value of the lands.

IMPREST SUPPLY, In the House 111 the evening the Imprest Supply Rill was introduced iy Goveniur's Message. STATEMENT I!Y Tllli I'KHMIK':. Tile Premier, replying to Mr. M tssov, -aid the Naval Defence Bill would i'e circulated to-morrow and a tsummarv of the proceedings at the Defence Conference would be placed before the Ho,re in a day or or two, also that opportunities would be given the Ilonse to discuss the reports of the Timber and l\>. lice Commissions. Ml. Millar, replying to Mr. Ilcrilman and Mr. Hevries, said the railways could be made to show equally as 1 good returns as those of New South Wales if feres were increased to the level of those of the latter State, which paid much lower wages than the Dominion.

Sir Joseph Ward, answering Mr. llerrios, denied that there had been delay lin the work of the session. Xiueteen ibills had been circulated. If the railway charges for sheep were increased to those of New South Wales, sheep farmers would have to pay an extra ;C!)0,()IIU a year over the present charges. Mr. Ilerdman's remark on the State mine trouble were unwarranted and calculated to cause trouble, instead of allaying it. ' |