PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 140, 22 September 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. , #1 i {'. 'it By Telegraph.— Prera Association. , i !^ Wellington, Last Night. *'<% The House met at 2,30 p.m. ,$ LAND FOR SELECTION. ' .'$ Replying to questions, Ministers atafr» ,»"jj ed that it is proposed to open 4000 acre* . Vj of land in Hauraki Plains for selection ~<3 in December next, and, if all goes well, ; another 4000 afcres will be opened in til* . -'* autumn, whilst a further 6000 acres may, ',, be opened a little later if the drainage, * works are completed ;\nd in satisfactoiy '•' working order, to enable this to be done; i, i that consideration w.ll be given to the ', \ question of making it compulsory for ~ *, sawmillers, especially in country dU- ", tricts, to have means of rendering first aid in case of accidents, if such k not ' " already provided; that the Public Work* ' Amendment Bill, dealing with the regula- \ tion of water power, is now under con« ■'•] sideration. ' *b UTILISATION OF WATER POWER. '• \ A Bill authorising the raising of money \ for the establishment of electrical powet " works and the utilisation of water powet ~ f was introduced by Governor's message. £ Replying to Mr. Taylor (Christchureh), \> Sir J. G. Ward said the Bill had nothing J« to do with the irrigation schemes of Cen- "< tral Otago, but was entirely devoted to '* the utilisation of the water fund. Th*. i!i Bill was read a first time, and the rest *

of the sitting was occupied in the dis> *ls cussion of answers to questions. On ft ]'■'. formal motion for adjournment, the ','" House rose at 6.30 p.m. •''' v, STATE GUARANTEED ADVANCES. '*J In the House in the evening Sir Joseph! ' Ward moved the second reading of the) iState Guaranteed Advances Amendment ■ Bill. ? Mr. Massey gave general approval to) ) the Bill, which, he said, was almost en* t 4 tir'ely a machinery one. \,' Mr. Poland regretted that Sir JosepK * -' Ward's proposals of last year to amend the Advances to Workers Act in the di- . ' rection of enabling workmen with £-10 1 to purchase a home, if able to get a i second mortgage from the vendor, had not been given effect to in the Bill. He '- regarded the Bill as a retrogressive one, ' giving no chance to a poor man to acquire a home for himself. The principal > : Act was amended so that instalments had' h to be paid on due date and not at any ' time. This amendment seemed to be 'f framed out of consideration lor the CM, \ Service/ He condemned the administra- 'J tion of the Advances to Settlers Office; h and advocated reform of the Board. '" Mr. Ross subjected the Bill to consid- ' i! erable criticism on account of its not'" '■ making provision for giving settlers on ■' Crown lands full value for their im- ' provements. It was a common thing foe' y! a man to go on to Crown land and, afl • v ] ter a few years, apply for a loan, only "'-' to be told that the improvements be-" . longed to the State, and that he had i ''■ no security for a, loan. Another mattes v. 1 which the Minister had ignored was the '>i inability of leaseholders to borrow on 5 their holdings. The Advances to Settler* ! Act had been administered in a very con- j servative fashion of late. The House was . allowing the Civil Service to dictate such ' t< legislation as the Hill now before the • House, and this should be put a stop to. Mr. Taylor (Christchurch) quite agreed' with Mr. Poland as to the necessity of srendering it easy for a poor man to get / a home. Owing to the Government not assisting workers, they fell victims to - estate agents and jerry builders. Thousands of homes throughout the Dominion ' had no decent conveniences, and were unfit for habitation. The problem should be faced by the Government, notwitb* standing its difficulties. Mr. Herdman agreed with Mr. Taylor that there was no question of greater importance than the housing of the working classes. Various estates in the vicinity of Wellington had been bought by, the Government for the purpose of erecting workers' homes. He would like to know if the Estimates had been devoted to this purpose. . , After further discussion Sir J. G. Ward replied that the Government would not yield to the bounce of members who cri« • ticked the administration of the Department. Mr. Poland was asking the country to lend an unlimited amount on mining properties, which were uncertain securities, to the detriment of other classes in the community whose securities were freehold and improving every year. Members of the Board were honorable, capable and painstaking men, who would not yield to abuse in regard to the loan* to local bodies referred to by Mr. Massey. Over one million sterling had been advanced under the State Guaranteed Advances Act, yet the professed friend* of local .bodies wanted a reversion to the old system. A provision would be made whereby local bodies who had taken up " loans prior to the passing of the Act would be able to take advantage of it

FOR THE WORKERS. Referring to the proposal that a man with a £lO note should be assisted to provide a home, the Premier said that a clause to give effect to this would be. inserted in the Workers' Dwellings Bill. The Government was providing "half a million pounds yearly to assist workers in acquiring homes. The Bill was read a second time on the voices. LAND SETTLEMENT FINANCE BILL. Sir J. G. Ward moved the second read* ing of the Land Settlement Finance Bill, which amends the principal Act in the direction of extending the area to 500 acres, with limitation of value to £2OO. If the Land Purchase Board is satisfied with the proposed agreement between owner and the Association, the transaction could be completed after survey, but if an agreement was not come to the matter would be referred to arbitrators. The Bill provided also for Land Settle- sment Finance Commissioners being appointed in various parts of the country. In order to assist people desirous of acquiring land under the Act, the.Commissioner of Crown Lands and another responsible Civil Servant would be chosen for this post. He believed a great future was before the scheme as amended, and it would be availed of from end to , end of New Zealand. J Mr. Massey heartily supported the Bill. He believed the Act would be largely availed of, and be of great advantage to the people of the country. (Left sitting.)