PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 107, 21 September 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1912. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington. Last Night. The Legislative Council met this after noon.

The Prisons Amendment Bill was passed, and the folowing Government Bills were received from the House and read a second time. The Gold Duty Amendment Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improvement, Agricultural and Pastoral Societies, and Hake's Bay Rivers Amendment Bills, were read for the third time.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 2.30. THE WAIHI PRISONERS.

Mr. Payne asked the Minister of Justice if be would take steps to release the men imprisoned in connection with the YYailri strike. If they were not dealt with reasonably, he said, a great deal of trouble would ensue. The men had not assaulted anyone and had done nothing unreasonable. He believed that if the men were released, there would be no further trouble.

Mr. Herdman said that he did not propose to recommend to the Government that it should interfere with the proper administration.of justice. (Hear, hear). The men, to whom Mr. Payne had referred had been found guilty of a breach of the law. They had been ordered by the Court to find sureties to keep the peace, and if they took the necessary steps to find sureties they would, he understood, be immediately released.

LAND AND SURVEYS.

The House went into Committee for further consideration »f the Estimates. Land and surveys £304,974—Mr. Eil contended that land along the main lines of railway should be "held by the Crown and revenue therefrom used for old age pensions and other purposes. Mr. Forbes urged the desirability of holding a conference of land boards, 'with a view to bringing about uniformity of administration. He suggested that applicants for land under the ballot system should be examined as to their financial position and fitness.

Mr. Russell pleaded for laving off of town lands as endowments for the benefit of the coming generations. He held that the financial element should not enter into the question of who should have land. In too many instances the sons of wealthy men prevailed in the ballots. If a man were prepared to work and with the assistance of his brothers and sisters, he should be allowed to do so.

Mr. Witty contended that there was an urgent necessity for more surveyors and more land valuers. The settlement of land should, he said, be pushed on more vigorously than at present. Mr. Wilford hoped that the cutting up of town areas would be on the freehold tenure. He moved a reduction of the vote for the Under-Secretary's salary by £l, as an indication that the optional tenure was the only tenure for this country, excepting for endowment lands.

The motion was negatived without division.

The Prime Minister, replying to the debate, said that his information was that people would not go in for township sections, on lease in the first instance. He intended to convene a conference of Crown Lands Commissioners every year, and to be present at that Conference. He thought such conferences would bring about valuable results. There was, he went on to say, a scarcity of good surveyors, but the Government hoped to be able to secure the servicer of additional men this year, and the sum of £6OOO would be placed on the Estimates for that purpose. He was also taking steps to see that the laud was roaded before being opened for settlement. It was proposed to make the Crown Lands Ranger an Inspector of Noxious Weeds, and so far as possible to prevent tovedapping. Preferencco at the ballot to married men with families, wid ,men, .who- had been successful at previous ballots would be provided in the Land Bill to be brought down this session.

The ITouae adjourned at 5.30. The House resumed at 7.30. The Estimates were further considered.

Mr. F. If. Smith moved an amendment to the motion that as an indication that the settlers should not be called upon to pay more, rent than they could possibly afford the amount of the salary of the Under-Secretary for Lands should be reduced hy £l. y Mr. Massey said thai) provision would be made in the Land Bill to be introduced for the granting of remission of rents to anyone in difficulty, on the understanding that anyone who sold at a profit would reimburse the State after such a sale.

Mr. Davey said it was an extraordinary thing that an incoming tenant should pay a price for his land and then ask for a remission of his rent.

The Prime Minister mentioned, as an instance, that a remission of rents of the Kietieke settlers would amount to £8770. Eventually the amendment was defeated by 37 votes to 17.

The vote was passed unaltered. VALUATION DEPARTMENT.

The next vote discussed was that off the Valuation Department, £32,05!). Mr. Pearco complained that nianj r of the valuers had a very crude idea of what constituted improvements. He did not think they could get properly qualified men at a £IOO to £l5O a year.

The Prime Minister said that £l5O was merely a ••etaining fee. His information was that the work of valuation was right up-to-date at the present moment. The vote was agreed to. THE AGRICULTURAL VOTE.

The next class taken was the Department of Agriculture, total vote £103,079. Mr. Witty thought the Government should make its intentions clear with regard to experimental farms. They wanted farms to which their boys could go and receive successful education. Lincoln College was degenerating into a class institution.

The Prime Minister, replying to the debate, said that the photographer was chiefly concerned in work for "the agricultural journal. After the session he was going to inspect the various sites for an experimental farm in Canterbury. There would be no opportunity of getting the Pure Seeds Bill through this session. lie would endeavour to get stall a Rill through next session. The rabbit difficulty would lie most easily got over by encouraging settlement. The total vote was passed unamended. STATE COAL MINES.

The next vote taken was State Coal Mines, £244,331. QUESTIONS. l'n reply to questions the Minister said that he intended presenting to Parliament shortly a report upon the history of the State mines and their prospects. Then! was no prospect of the S'eddouville mine lasting move than a couple of years, unless some quite unexpected developments occurred. At present, owing to the demand for soft coal it was paying. As the No. L Point Elizabeth Mine, there was not much hope of it lasting more than a year. However, there was a very large qiiantitv of coal at the Port Elizabeth" No. 11. Mine. The manager estimated it at VM million tons of which 47 millions were available. The mine would reach the output stage at

the end of this year and could produce 500,000 tons per annum for 99 years at least. The vote passed. OTHER VOTES .

The Pubiic Trustees Account and Scenery Preservation Account were .passed without discussion.

The Lands Settlement Account also went through with little discussion.