PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 106, 25 October 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1911. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Yesterday. The Council met at 10.30. Amendments made by the House in the Death Duties Amendment Bill were agreed to. The Council then adjourned till the afternoon. The Council resumed nt 2.30 p.m. The Local Elections Bill in committee was amended on the motion of Sir John Findlay by striking out clause 3, relating to days to he fixed for a poll when it falls on a public holiday. The AttorneyGeneral said it was likely to result in confusion. The Bill was reported and passed its final stages. The Legislature Amendment Bill was amended verbally in committee, so as to make clearer the meaning of its provision. The Bill was reported as amended, and passed. The amendments suggested by the Attorney-General in the Widows' Pensions Bill, which were brought down by Governor's message to the House and submitted to the Council for approval, were agreed to. The Auckland University College Amendment Bill and the New Plymouth High School 'Bill were discharged from the Order Paper, and several local Bills passed by the House yesterday were put through all their stages. The Council adjourned until the following.morning to consider the remainder of the local Bills.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met at 2.30. Amendments to the Widows Pensions Bill were introduced by Governor's message. One was a, machinery clause. The other provided that no widow in receipt of a pension should receive more than £IOO annually. The latter amendment, it was explained by the Minister, was for the protection of the fund against widows drawing fairly large incomes. The amendments were agreed to. PRIVATE RAILWAY WANTED. The chairman of the committee which heard a petition from the Taupo-Totara Timber Company for the right to acquire 200,000 acres; also to construct a railway from Tanpo to Mohi, reported that the committee had resolved that the matter be held, over for the consideration of Parliament next session, and further that the Government should consider the question of opening the country referred to in the petition. Mr. Forbes said he thought the company should be at once informed it had no chance of getting a monopoly over a large area of native land or a private railway.

Mr. Isitt moved that the prayer of the petitioners be not entertained. He could see no use stringing the company on. Mr. Myers said the committee was of opinion there was not sufficient reason adduced for granting the prayer of the petition. In answer to Mr. Fraser, Sir Joseph Ward said the Government did not favor private railways. Mr. Macdonald contended it would pay the Government to give away every acre 1 of land in the Taupo district to keep down the rabbit pest. Mr. Massey was opposed to the issue of Oi-ders-in-Council in regard to the disposal of Crown lands. He did not believe that such orders were in compliance with the spirit of the Act, or the Native Land Act. Regarding branch lines, he thought if the Government would not make them, settlers should be allowed to construct them on the understanding that there should be no monopoly, oiul the Government could resume the line at, a fair price. Sir Joseph Ward said he was dead against private or district railways being established in this country. It did not matter what the recommendation of the committee was, nothing would be done in the matter without the authority of Parliament. The Government would not allow any large areas of land to be taken up without proper conditions for settlement purposes. The question was talked out. The House resumed at 7.30. RAILWAY BILL. Aii amendment to the Government Railway Bill was introduced by Governor's message. The amendment provided for an increase in salaries in the second division, restoring the relative positions of various classes, which were destroyed by the increases proposed in the Bill. Mr. Malcolm asked if the amendment affected the first division. Mr. Miller said no. He knew there was dissatisfaction because all the railway servants had not got increases. The increase provided for would run into £70,000, and was all for the second division. The Government intended that no married man in the service should receive less than 8s fid per day, with a minimum of Bs. Mr. Massey asked if the Bill could be amended to provide that there would always bo 50 per cent, of the engine drivers in the first division. Hon. Millar replied that this was done as far as the revenue warranted. If it were made a permanency there would be immediate trouble, as wages had to be paid whether the trade warranted it or not. The increases in Hie Bill came, into force on November 1 next. The amendment was agreed to. NATIVE LANDS. Hon. Ngata moved the second reading of the Native Lands Adjustment Bill. He stated that a clause would be moved in committee to prevent the aggregation of leases of native lands in consequence of a judgment given yesterday in the Court of Appeal, which nullifies'the limitation clause of the Act of 1909. Mr. Herries said he objected to the Government asking the House to remedy a supposed abuse after being beaten in a judgment. He hoped the clause to he moved would not be made retrospective. He wished to remove a general impression that the Opposition wanted to conli-'ciitc the native lands.

Mr. Parata said the natives desired their hinds to be individualised."and also rated, hut not rated before individualisalion. The natives h.ul an idea that the Opposition would take all their lands fro"i them. i Or. Uangihiroa said the lm'ives should | be allowed to iudivui'ialUe (iieir lands. The putting of I he Maori on the same footing as the pakeha was'a consummation devoutly to be wished. Hon. Xgata. in reply, said apparently 1 the Opposition had two policies in connection with native lands. Mr. Herries expounded one in the House and another outside. He then read a memorandum from the Solicitor-General in connection with the amendment proposed to be moved in committee, which pointed out that under the present law, there was no limit to the amount ot Maori leasehold land that could be acquired, and that the Maoris paid no land tax, as would be the case with European leasehold. This was against the land settlement policy of the Government, and called for immediate legislation. Dealing with the matter of individunlisatinn of native lands , he said such a course would lend itself to the speedy disposal of land. A judgment delivered by the Appeal Court on the previous day defined a "lessee" in such a strict manner that it was feared by

the Solicitor-General that Hit whole of the limitation provision in the native, « land statutes would be Bet aside. - •The motion was carried. THE OIL INDUSTRY. , Hon. R. McKenzie, in moving the comI mittal of the Mining Amendment Bill, : said the measure provided for the im- -■ portant industry of oil boring Provision ' ■ was innate than ho compensation shall be '• payable in respect of the value of minera) v' oil or natural gas, or in any land taken .'» under the provisions of the principal Act ■*. lin respect of which the owners of land i' have consented to a issue of a mineral ) prospecting warrant. The Government ''-< has power to make regulations for the r <. efficient control of t heoperetions in con- '■* nection with the prospecting or mining " for and storage of mineral oils end- '< natural gas, and for the prevention of "■ unnecessary waste of those materials. ,' Messrs. Okev and Boss protested that the Bill should not be hurried through -J this session, but that members should '**. have an opportunity of digesting it. '■':'•'•> The motion was carried. ° ' '■£ Sir Joseph Ward, in moving the sec- - i\ ond reading of the Public Reserves and \ Domains Amendments., said thut the obi' <* Ject was to bring into profitable use with i. proper protection of the lessees public . '■• reserves not required for the purposes - for which they were set aside. The Bill was read a second time. The Postmaster-General, in moving "- the second reading of the Post and Tele- '■' graph Amendment Ball, said the purpose -i was to remove restriction of the use of - 'i stamp value impressing machines. An amendment, introduced by Governor's " J message authorised the , Postmaster-"' \ General to issue .licenses for wireless "; stations on ships registered fa'Xew Zea- '-' la,nd. • '. ' The Bill was read a second time. Hon. J. A. Millar moved the second -'\ reading of the Government Railways' ' Amendment Bill. The main clause of. '. the Bill provides that every person who is first appointed to the permanent staff ' '. of the railways after the passing of the '•' Act and who has had a period of con- . tmuous service precedent to such date, such person shall on being so appointed ; pay contributions to the railway superannuation fum'(is from January 3, 1003 or the date on which his precedent period ', of continuous service commenced, if ', later than the date mentioned and shall be entitled to count such continuous service for superannuation purposes.