Parliament

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 37, 3 July 1914, Page 5

Parliament

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THURSDAY, JULY 2. AFTERNOON SESSION. Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Tlit: Council met at 2.30 p.m. A message from tlie Governor was received to the effect that Hons. Rig/{ and Jenkinson liad been retired by effluxion of time.

The Land Agents Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Hon. IT. D. Bell moved the second reading of the Master and Apprentices Act Amendment Bill, The Bill refers only to farm apprentices whose passage to New Zealand is assisted by the Governor. .It was proposed that the Government should become responsible for the boys and take the place of. a parent in making arrangements for the employment of the boys during the period of their indenture. He warmly repudiated the suggestion that the' Govern-, mcnt wished to introduce a. class of child slavery. They wanted to give the city boys froin the Old Country an opportunity to start a new life in a new dominion.

Hon. C. IT. Mills said he woulc do all he could to assist a system which-would encourage immigration. Boys and lads of 15 or 16 years of age needed some restraint.

Hon. Mr. Ban- said that Labor had watched the movement to sec that there was not behind it any sinister attempt to flood the country with cheap labor. Hon. Mr. Paul was prepared to help to put through the Bill, which was carefully drawn up. Hon. Mr. Jones found nothing in the measure, to take exception to. Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones approved of the Bill and congratulated the Minister on attempting to get the boys.

lion. Mr. Carncross said the Bill wns a good one. They wanted boys for country work.

The Council adjourned at 5 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SESSION. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Mr. Veitch introduced the Proportional Representation and Effective Voting Bill. He explained that the Government was committed to the principle of proportional representation in the Legislative Council, and if it we'e good enough for that body, why did they not apply it'to the popular Chamber, unless they were afraid of it? Mr. McCoombs, member for Lyttalton, on rising to make his maiden speech, received a cordial reception. He wanted to see all the restrictions, removed from the just representation of Lalior. He wanted to. see the House elected on a basis that would secure not majority representation, but majority rule. lie quoted the figures of last election to show that the Massey party had 31i7,00© votes polled against them, and only 130,000 in their ravor. They were, therefore, in the minority in the country. The House should be a true reflection of the minds of the people, a miniature of the people, and for that reason the House, should p;ss the Bill introduced by Sir. Veitch. Tire Bill was read a first time.

The "Napier Harbor Board Empowering and Loan Bill (Mr. Campbell) was read a first time. PUBLIC DEBT EXTINCTION.

The Minister of Finance laid on the table a return showing the operations of the Public Debt Extinction Act of 11910.

Mr. G. W. Russell congratulated the House and the country on the satisfactory working of the xict. The Premier and Minister and Finance had ridiculed the Act when it was aiul described it as a farce.

Mr. Massey contended that that was not the magnificent thing the member for Avon made out. He proceeded to describe the seizure of the sinking funds under the Act, and the best that could be said for the Act was that it was doing no harm. ■Sir Joseph Ward defended the Act. He sakl he did not believe that when the people understood the many benefits of this legislation they would never permit its repeal. The financial position of the country had never deserved_ the scathing criticism levelled against it by the party in power. The real difficulty of the present Government in the matter of finance was the falling-off in the deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank. Hon. Mr. Allen had £1,400,000 less to work on than ho (Sir Joseph Ward) had, and no financier could do with that amount less to work on, as well as one who had it to operate with. Instead of honestly acknowledging tna real source of the difficulty the Minister of Finance sought to cast all the blame on him (Sir Joseph Ward). Hon. Jas. Allen said that, be took lull responsibility for the issue of the prospectus issued in London. He did not agree now that the surpluses en imerated in that prospectus were true surpluses, inasmuch as cash for sales of land were included in them, and' that was not sound finance. He quoted Hansard to sliow that Sir Joseph Ward was not always in favor of sinking funds.. He also argued that if it were, as Sn Joseph Ward stated, that he had JM.-H'O.OOO less to work on, that a complete explanation of why he was not' able to lend settlers all the mone., thev wanted, and on top of that he h id to discharge the commitments .ett by his pvedcccssorH. THE ADDRES'S-rc-ilEriA\

The debate on the Addresa-in-Reply was resumed by Mr. Young, who reviewed the circumstances which led to the Massev party coming into power. lie defended the action of those inenibevs who were elected to support Sir Joseph Ward, but voted against the Mackeiuie Ministry, as the question of supporting that Cabinet had never been befoie t.ie country, lie traversed the speech delivered' by Sir Joseph Ward at Hamilton, and 'generally supported the poll": of the Government.

EVEXIXf} SESSIOX. Tiic House resumed fit 7.30 i>.m. Referring to finance, Mr. Sidey said that Uie Consolidated Fund, the real barometer of the country's prosperity was in a splendid position when the Government came. into powei a .ster li tl „ testimony to .tlic careful administration of the Liberals—and the government had never dared to en time th.it fund. All their criticism had been levelled against the Public Works Fund «n its relation to the Consolidated Fund. Tie claimed that the. Liberals weie not. the first to apply the proceed* of land sales to the Consolidated Fund and Uk--1 credit for them in the surpluses. He minted the late Mr. Ballancc m favor °thc system, and defied the Minister