PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 83, 28 September 1911, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 2.30. The Prime Minister, replying to questions, said it Is hoped to be able to announce the decision of the Government respecting the question of increased pay for the rank and file of the police force before the end of the session. That it is not proposed to introduce this session >a Betterment Bill dealing with increased unimproved land values, but the question of what is the l>est course to adopt to obtain further land for people is receiving earnest consideration. That it may bo necessary to review from time to time the rentals charged for railway houses occupied by employees. That railway employees receive pay for Dominion Dsiy holiday. That provision is being made on the Supplementary Estimates for increasing the pay of mental hospital attendants. DEATH OF CLERK OF HOUSE. The Speaker announced the death of Major Campbell, who was clerk of the House for 35 years. On the motion of tho Premier, a motion of regret was recorded in the journals of the House. CIVIL SERVANTS AND SUPERANNUATION. The Premier, replying to Mr. Allen as to the right of civil servants who had served in provincial governments to include such services for superannuation purposes, said the proposal involved an important question, involving the stability of the whole superannuation fund. He promised careful investigation of the matter. The remainder of the afternoon sitting -wan occupied in discussing answers to questions.

EVENING SITTING. 'Die House resumed at 7.30. The House went into committee on the Administration. Amendment Bill. Objection was taken to a new clause moved by the Minister which provides that three months be allowed to take legal proceedings to enforce the claim. Mr. Allen moved that the period for the proceedings bo six months. He pointed out that absentees in England or America could not possibly move within three months.

On division the amendment was negatived by 35 to 24, and the Bill reported with the amendment.

The House considered the report on the Hauraki Plains Amendment Bill. Mr. Fisher moved tliat the Bill be recommittted for the purpose of reconsidering the clauses authorising the Minister to levy taxation without the people concerned being consulted. The amendment was lost by 44 to 18. Sir Joseph Ward, speaking on the motion for the third reading of the Bill, said that the area of land settled during the past ten years was 4,844,805 acres and the selectors numbered 10,715, which meant that 60.000 people had been put on the land within the decade. The Government had lent millions of money to those men to go on the land. If they had doubled the amount lent, as suggested by the Opposition, there would have been a financial crisis. After midnight, Mr. Allen, continuing, said the statement of the Premier concerning the settlers put on the land was misleading. He wanted to know if the figures quoted included pastoral leaseholders. The Government had no land policy and very little other policy.