PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 107, 13 August 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. DESTITUTEPKRSONS. By Telegraph.-—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30. The (Hon. Mr. Callan, continuing the adjourned debate on the Destitute Persons Bill, urged that the new definition of "near relative" was altogether too wide a one. An improvement that might be made would be to provide that a relative maintaining children should have the right to recover from a parent when the latter got into better circumstances, however long a time may elapse. The Hon. J. McGowan doubted whether they would be wise in going to the lengths proposed in the Bill in respect to maintenance of relatives. He would "go for" parents so far as they had anything left, but when it came to' uncles, aunts and cousins well—he did not know where they would get next. ' The Hon. C. M. Luke particularly ap-j proved of the provisions for securing- xe-1 ciprocity with Australia, but questioned whether the general extent of the bill was not too great. Liability imposed by the bill should stop before uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters in half blood. The Hon. Mr. Paul said the bill struck him as a very honest and laudable attempt to grapple with a very difficult question and the framer deserved commendation for it. i Hon. Mr. Jenkinson pointed out a number of objections to which he directed the attention of members of the Statutes Eevision Committee.

The Attorney-General (Hon. J. G. , Findlay), in the course of his reply/ pointed out that there were three parties concerned in the matter of destitute persons' relief; viz:—The destitute person, the near relative and the State. The fundamental principle which ought to be established was that a near relative who is able to help the destitute ought to be compelled to do so. As a matter of fact there were very few cases in which the burden would fall upon a cousin, an uncle, or aunt. He was in a position to say that wealth did not discharge its burdens and was not discharging its burdens in New Zealand today. There were many wealthy people j whose near relatives were to-day a bur-j den on the State, because of the ab-, sence of a law to compel them. In regard to making it a criminal offence for ; a person deserting a wife or children, and leaving the Dominion, Dr. Findlay pointed out that its chief effect would be deterrent. I The Bill was read a second time and. referred to the Statutes Revision Com-' mittee and the Council adjourned until, Wednesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. BIG ESTATES SUBDIVISION. The House met at 2.30. The debate on the Financial Statement was resumed by Mr. Dillon, tfuo said he had always been in favour of i opening up lands for settlement, ana es- | tates already subdivided in his district' ' had proved successful. | i Mr. Greenslade declared himself in. | favour of a closer settlement and opcionlal scheme. Referring to lands in Hawke's Bay, he said he had visited Napier recently in company with Mr. Brown and had been surprised to find that miles and miles of land were occupied by one individual. This stave of affairs would not be tolerated in any other part of the Dominion, fle was in agreement with Mr. Brown in urging on the Government the desirability 01 acquiring land in Hawke's Bay for cioser I settlement.

Mr. Jennings went into figures showing the increase in the national debt during the various administrations, and quoted Coghland to prove that the wealth of the Dominion was very widely distributed. He objected to the utterances in regard to "Tammanyism." The talk about "Tammanyism" was fustian. Innuendo was not in the interests of the House or public life generally. He hoped in any land measure introduced by the Government that full consideration would be given to the settlers on the bush and swamp lands.* While in favour of limitation of area, he considered that this was sometimes carried to extremes in the case of back-Mocks land. He considered something ought to be done to prevent gambling at land ballots, which was systematically carried on. He complained of the treatment of the men employed on the Main Trunk Line, who should have been given the opportunity to settle on the land opened up in the King country. COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING;.

Mr. Clark deprecated compulsory training of married men over 21 years of a"e, as proposed under tlie defence system. He hoped rifle clubs would receive every possible encouragement. The Government might supply themwith ammunition free or at a nominal charge. More should be done in the way of rural education by the State, and he hoped the Minister of Agriculture would take the matter up. The House adjourned at 5.30. VIGOROUS SPEECH BY HON. R. McKEXZIE.

In the evening, the 'Hon. R. McKenzie continued the debate. He alluded to the fact that there had been little criticism of the Public Works and Mines .Departments during the debate. This was •an-indication that the administration of the departments uncter his charge gave satisfaction. He announced that 135 miles of new railwa-> would be opened during the year. This, of course, would add to the expenditure, and the estimates would accordingly be increased next session. He denied Mr. Massey's claim to have influenced legislation. Replying to Mr. Buchanan's allegation that the Government had increased its expenditure on public works just previous to the elections, he quoted figures to prove the contrary. The raining industry was never in so flourishing a condition, the mines products for last year having reached the record figure of £3,791;0d0. Touching on questions of franchise, he said plural voting on local bodies would have to be abolished. Referring to Mr. Hine's allegations of "Tammany ism," the Government, he said, was read'v to meet his charges, and would deal"with Mr. Hine in a proper way. The member for Stratford would be a marked man until he disclosed the names in connection with his allegations. He proposed to ask for further assistance for the School of Mines, which was proving verv successful. The proposal to borrow £ 500,000 for the development of water power was probably the greatest ever submitted to the House since Sir Julius Vogel propounded his railway spheme. Every class of the community would (benefit by this scheme, which would do more for the progress of the country than any other one agency. The question would have to be regarded from a broad national standpoint and with a view to the needs of posterity. In America there was a huge trust exploiting the water power of the continent. The object of the Government in appro*

printing half a li-iliion yearly for so»e years was to p-cvent any sUch operations in the Dominion. The Publie Works Department had all the reporU necessary in regird to tlio harnessing «■> of Lake Colerilge, wHich would lost \ £1150,000 and aevelon 30,000 horsepower. He was satisfied that the devel- ,-' opment of the water ptjwera of the North and South Island wj>nld make • New, Zealand a manufacturing country for export purposes. The South Island would be the chief manufacturing territory of the Dominion. In future, electricity could also be used for railway locomotion, it being cheaper by 24 per cent, than steam. He hoped that before the proposals came before the House members would acquire information on the subject. 'He would be pleased to place such data as he had at the disposal of members. In conclusion, the Minister predicted a reverse for the Opposition in tl»e near future. "A STRAIGHT GO."

Mr. Hardy said that if the Government only bring down a reasonable 'Land Bill and stick to it, the Opposition would give them a straight go, and the result, he believed, would be the defeat of the Government. He averred that "Tarnmanyism" still reigned, and ought to. be stamped out. The Government would not accept Mr. Hine's challenge to set up a commission. THE MAORI AND THE PAKiBHA. The Hon. Ngata said that Mr. 'Henries' policy to-day was to place the Maori, on an independent footing, and to sever him from his land. Mr. Ngata went on \ to refer to the motions standing in the name of Mr. Massey affirming the necessity for complete equality of both races. He affirmed that there was no law on the Statute Book perpetuating the difference between the Maori and | the pakeha as such. The debate was adjourned till 7.30 on Tuesday evening ' next, and the House rose at 9.30 p.m.