PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 33, 2 August 1911, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1911. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph —Press Association. Wellington, Last Night

The Council met at 7.30 p.m. The Hon. Mr. McGowan made a personal explanation as to his position as Acting-Leader of the Council. He had, he said, been asked by the Prime Minister and Acting-Prime Minister to carry out the duties of Sir John Findlay, owing to the latter's absence, as well as he could. He had accepted the position, feeling it to be an honor, and was perfectly satisfied to get every assistance from the Council. (Hear, hear.)

The Hon. Jenkinson considered the Hon. McGowan's experience in the other chamber warranted his being placed in the position he had been, and he congratulated the lion, gentleman on his appointment as leader. The Hon. Hogg said the Standing Orders made it clear that a Message from tlie Governor could only be presented by a .Minister of the Crown or some person only appointed by the Minister. The explanation given by the Hon. McGowan was necessary, but it was not yet clear to him that a more formal communication should be received. The Hon. McGowan said no more formal communication was necessary than he had made. The Hon. Sinclair moved the Address in Reply to the Governor's Speech. He dealt exclusively with Imperial questions, upon which he spoke for an hour and twenty minutes. He laid down as an axiom that Imperial unity must necessarily and absolutely be preceded by ! preferential fiscal treatment within the Empire. He complained that although three previous conferences had passed resolutions in favor of preferential treatment within the Empire, the question had been entirely ignored at the Tecent conference for the reason that the Mother Country was not in a position to put it into effect. He commended Sir Joseph Ward's' views, but said the day of its consummation was not yet. It was not necessary for an Imperial Council to be composed of Premiers, but men, wise in knowledge and sound in judgment on colonial affairs, should be appointed, and their opinions would be equivalent to a verdict of an inter-Im-perial jury on Imperial questions. The Hon. <!eorge seconded the motion, lie remarked that any debate on the Governor's tSpeech was a pure waste of time. He miased one thing from the speech, and that was the enunciation of a bold, forward policy. He would like to have seen a bold policy brought down for completing the Main Trunk railway system. It was going on now, but going on very slowly. He thought it would be wise to raise a loan to complete these lines at the earliest possible moment. An Hon. member: They would cost £20,000,000.

The Hon. George: Even if it cost that it would not matter. They would all pay. He would have them all constructed at once. Increased population was also necessary. He pointed to the importance of the fullest consideration being given to any legislation which may have an effect on restricting the introduction of capital.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House of Representatives met at 7.30 p.m. Sir James Carroll gave notice to ask the Speaker at next sitting day to issue a writ for the Christchurch North byelection. The Seeds Control Bill was read a first time. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Mr. W. T. Jennings moved the Ad-dress-in-Reply. He wished to refer to the honor conferred on Sir Arthur Guinness, who, by unfailing courtesy, had won the admiration of everyone in the House. With regard to His Excellency's speech, the last paragraph but one claimed most of his attention. That paragraph expressed a desire that the session should be a short one, so as to allow the general electioa to be pro-j ceded with. He did not like to see Parliament made a matter of perpetual t i tion. With regard to the local gover ment reforms referred to in the Speech, this was a matter which required a great deal of attention. With regard to military training, there Was a want in New Zealand boys of the present day of discipline. He hoped the young men of the future would be proud to belong to the New Zealand Territorials. In connection with the settlement of lands in the Dominion it was astonishing tho amount of settlement that had taken place in the Taumarunui district, and he claimed that it was a standing credit to the land settlement policy of the Liberal Party that in the Taranaki land district 40,000 acres had been held back for climatic and other purposes, 95,000 acres of Maori lands were being surveyed, and would be opened for selection in September. There were only 825,000 acres of Maori land left in Taranaki. In regard to the operation of the Maori land Board 31,000 acres in the Taumarunui Maori Land District were to be opened on the 14th prox. One of the great dangers to be grappled with in future was the limitation of area of land.

Mr. Witty, in reply, wished to congratulate Sir Arthur Guinness upon receiving the honor of knighthood. He also wished to congratulate Sir James Carroll, the honor being more significant in a measure, .as it was an honor conferred on the Maori race, as well as on the Acting-Premier. A Local Government Bill was, he said, badly needed, and! would be needed for a long time to come. With regard to the prospects of the farming community, he mentioned the fact that the grub in the south had made such ravages that feed would be scarce and stock would bo dying in thousands later in the season. He was not wholly in favor of the Compulsory Training Act passed last session. He was more inclined to encourage 'the training of cadets in schools. He wished to congratulate the Prime Minister on the work he had done in the Old Country. There were a number of people who were continually telling the country that the Dominion was not prosperous. This was not loyalty toi the country. The increase in New Zealand for ten years was 125,000, which

compared very favorably with two of the largest States in Australia. The J public debt had, he admitted, increased \ to a .great extent during the past 21) years, but the question was not how I much was borrowed, but what was done 1 with the borrowed money. Forty-two' million of public debt had been spent on > reproductive works. Mr. Massey wished to congratulate the Speaker on the honor received from the King. So far as tho Speech from the Throne was concerned, ho did not propose to discuss it at any length, because it was not worthy of discussion. The present state of affairs in New Zealand did not say a grert deal for the administration of the lah ! twenty years. The member for Taumarunui was hopelessly wrong when he quoted figures regarding land. There were only 16,7(5-2,000 acres of freehold land in New Zealand. He controverted Mr. Witty's statement that only one of Mr. Hine's charges had been proved. With regard to valuations, he had complaints from all over New Zealand of excessive valuation. The difficulty in connection with valuation was the higher the farmer improved his land the more he was taxed. He would like to suggest that the more the land was improved the less the owner should be taxed. A lot of people were leaving the country because they could not get land. During recess he had travelled from one end of New Zealand to the other, and he could say there was enough Crown and native land in New Zealand to keep tho present population going for ten years.

Mr. Massey, continuing, said, despite the Acting-Premier's statement of the amount of land opened for closer settlement, people were leaving the country because they were .unable to get land. Regarding the Mokau transaction, lie was going to have an enquiry. An Order in Council for land to be sold at 10s per acre was contrary to the limitation clause in the Native Land Act. The land should have been acquired by the Crown and settled in the ordinary way. He complained that nothing was known as to what was being done by the Electoral Boundaries Commission, and he wanted to know the date of the general election. He considered amendment was urgently needed in the law providing for the complete independence of the judicial bench. He advocated compulsory insurance against sickness and unemployment, and said the heads of friendly societies should be consulted by the Government in this matter.

Mr. Massey concluded by unreservedly withdrawing a statement made by him in the heat of debate last session which referred to the late Mr. Taylor. The Withdrawal was received with applause. The Hon. 0. Fowlds, who followed, said he was pleased at the withdrawal, and congratulated the Speaker on the honor conferred on him. Referring to land matters he said there were 18,591,583 acres of rural land and 45,008 owners of these lands. In addition, there were 300,000 acres of Maori lands leased ' to Europeans , and 43,000 acres in cultivation by Maoris.