PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 140, 31 October 1912, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1012.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph—Press Aseociatio*. Wellington, Last Night. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. LAND LAWS AMENDMENT BILL.

The Lands Committee reported on the Land Laws Amendment Bill, recommending that it he proceeded with, with certain amendments.

Mr. Bell explained that the amendments by the committee were merely formal. He moved the committal of the Bill, and proceeded to explain its provisions and the objects sought to be attained thereby. I Mr. Ormond contended that the Bill i would l>e an absolute failure to deal j in any way satisfactorily with the great j question of settlement. He held that' the subdivision proposals would be in-1 operative, for lie had been unable to I see what benefit an owner could gain! from them. The native proposals also! would not do a great deal. The Maori had a great idea of sticking to his land, and the temptations held out by the Bill to induce him to hand it over to the Government would not be sufficient. I Otlier provisions would have to be made. He agreed that nothing should stand in the way of genuine settlement, The promise made to Sir Joseph Ward bj' the Hawke's Bay owners of large estates to subdivide and dispose of then land had been carried out. The only districts where large acreages were'available Ave re between Napier and Tauranga, and between the railhead beyond Stratford and the King Country,' in the North of Auckland, and in the Waikato district. He asked the Government to consider the question of native land. They could obtain 3,000,000 acres oyer the North Island, after leaving the natives what land they needed; and this opened up great possibilities. This would not interfere with the financial operations of the country, for he had always held that the debenture system should be adopted. The debate then adjourned, and the Council rose.

The Council resumed at 8 p.m,

The debate on the Land Bill was continued by Mr. Anstey, who said that the Bill contained a clause dealing with the security of tenure for Lease-in-Perpetu-ity settlers. He had moved in this direction some years . ago, and had been laughed at, but now hie views were being endorsed. The first care of the Government should not be towards ownership, but as to what is the best form of hire for land to ensure the greatest possible production. Owners rights should not be allowed to override the rights of occupiers of land. The Government's first care should be to frame land laws on a sound and just principle; next to encourage men on the land to obtain the fullest measures of production, and thirdly to cause the large estates to be broken up to enable those willing to go on the land to get on the land. Many public leases were a disgrace to the Government of the country, and did l .not tend towards encouraging productiveness. That clause of the Bi|]l dealing with preference gave preference to landless people with families, but true preference would be to give one chance at the ballot each to a man, his wife and to each child.

Continuing, the Hon. Anstey said that the passing of this Bill would seriously prejudice the titles of every holder of a lease-in-perpetuity.

The Hon. Paul said that the Bill was revolutionising the land policy of the last twenty years. It was remedying many errors, but at the same time it was removing many benefits. As regards the L.I.P. tenants, they had prospered under the present conditions, and he thought there would be no benefit to them to be given the right of purchase. The Bill opened up opportunities of land speculation.

The Hon. Mills said that as regards Native lands, he was strongly of the opinion that Europeans and Natives should he under the same limitations and enjoy the same benefits.

The Hon. Bell, in his reply, agreed to the desirability of settling tile land, but let them first see what they could do without adding millions to the country's indebtedness. As regards the money advanced to the natives, that was not for the purchase by the Government, but simply to advance to the Natives onethird on account of the purchase by the settlers of their land.

The Bill was committed, and after a short title, Mr. Bell moved to report progress.

The Council rose at 11.15 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met at 2.30 p.m. . The Prime Minister, replying to Sir A. Guinness, said that enquiries are being made as to the position of the widows and orphans of miners who had lost their lives in the Mount Lyell disaster, and, if necessary, a vote will be placed on the Supplementary Estimates for their relief.

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE ENQUIRY. Mr. Herdman, replying to Mr. Escott, said that, in accordance with the promise made, the Government will arrange to hold an enquiry into the affairs of the Public Trust Office as soon as the session was over.

LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES. The Public Accounts Committee was granted an extension of time in which to report on the allocation of loans under the Loans to Local Bodies Act. The extension takes the date to Tuesdav next.

HASTENING THE END. Mr. Mac Donald urged the disbanding of select committees, and sitting in the mornings to finish up the legislation which the Government intended to put through this session. BILLS PASSED. The Kaiapoi Reserve Bill, and the Last Coast Native Trust Lands Amendment Bill were read a third time and RMttiL RAILWAYS AMENDMENT Jl'lu

On the motion to agree to the amendments made to the Government Railways Amendment Bill, Mr. "Isitt moved an amendment recommending that the increase in pay for the first division should take effect immediately, instead of on April 1, 1913.

Mr. Anderson said the carrying of the | amendment would kill the Bill.

The amcmlmen., was lost by 40 to 2f votes.

Tlie House then adjourned. The 11oUpe resumed at 7.30 -ji.m. The discussion on the third re,id::,;; of the Railway Bill was continued bv Air. Poland, who moved mi amendment to r. •

commit the Hill for tin: purpose of inserting a clause providing for the carrying of children under 5 years of age ifree of charge. Tile amendment was lost by 37 votes to .'iO. and the .Railway Bill was then read a third time, and passed. VARIOUS MATTERS.

The amendments to the Defence Bill, dealing with drill halls, were brought down by Governor's Message, and agreed to.

The Public Revenues Bill was reported from the committee unamended. The Savings Banks Amendment Bill was reported from committee with a new clause by the Minister of Finance, enabling the bank to invest nine-tenths' of its total funds.

The Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill and the Cemeteries Amendment Bill were reported with minor amendments.

The Marriage Amendment Bill was passed through committee unamended. The Aged and Infirm Persons Protection Bill was reported .with an amendment providing that any person addicted to excessive use of stimulant* may be made the subject of a protection order. The Bills which passed the eomm'Hee • stages early in the evening ware fi;"'lv passed, and the House rose at 12.20 p,:,i.