PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House mot at 7.30 p.m. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr. Holland, Mr. Massey said he had not been informed that large quantities of dried fruits were being held in cold stores for a rise in price, but he would ask the Board of Trade to make inquiries. Replying to Mr. P. Fraser, Mr. Massey naid he had not considered the question of making provision for patients in hospitals recording their votes at the general election, but he would be glad to take the opinion of the head of the Electoral Department on the subject. Replying to Mr. Holland, Mr. Massey said he would ask the Board of Trade to inquire into the alleged difficulty in purchasing hides experienced by tanners. Replying to Mr. P. Fraser, Mr. Massey said he would refer to the head of the Electoral Department the suggestion that seamen on board ships registered in New Zealand but trading beyond New Zealand should have an opportunity of recording their votes at the, general election. NEW BILLS. The State Forests Amendment Bill and the Native Townships Bill were introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. The Hon. W. H. Homes explained that the latter Bill provided for the making of regulations by the Lands Department for the disposition of lands purchased in Native townships under the Native Townships Act. The Bill was referred to the Native Affairs Committee. MONEY FOR EDUCATION. Sir Jas. Allen briefly moved the second reading of the Education Purposes Loans Bills, stating that the Bill authorised the raising of half a million this year and three-quarters of a million for each of the four succeeding years for the purchase of sites and the erection of buildings. The second reading was agreed to. SOLDIERS ON THE LAND. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie moved the second reading of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Amendment Bill, explaining the widened provisions intended to facilitate the settlement of returned soldiers. Sir Joseph Ward congratulated the Minister on the splendid" work already done in the direction of settling soldier? on the land and for the extension of the privileges proposed in this Bill. He however felt bound to again appeal to the Premier to help those men who were compelled to sell their farms to go into the forces, and who are-now unable to get their farms back except at a price far beyond their means. He had many strong cases put before him, and he thought the country would support the House in any action it took in the interests of these men. Mr. Dowwie Stewart, the Hon. Mr. Buddo, and Mr. Young drew the attention of the Minister to special cases which fhey considered worthy of consideration. Mr. Holland expressed the hope that; the administration of the Act would not be clogged by officialdom. Mr. Forbes: expressed a strong hope that the Government would put the compulsory clauses into operation and so give the soldiers good land on which to settle instead of driving them into the back country and the hill tops. Mr. Anderson strongly supported home service men should not be so favorably treated as men who were actually in the trenches. Mr. Anstey contended that compensation which would have tn be paid to dispossess men on large holdings would be so great that soldiers would never be able .to make the sections pay. Mr. Isitt expressed the hope that the Government would show a steady and determined front in the direction of enforcing the compulsory clauses. The Hon.' J. A. Hunan declared that land monopoly should be broken up by drastic graduated taxation, thus freeing land for soldiers rather than acquiring it by purchase at extortionate prices. " Mr. Wilford said the real difference between the Liberal and the Reform 6ide3 of the House was that the former were prepared to take land for the soldiers by compulsion and taxation. He advocated picking the eyes out of large holdings near the railways, and he described areas in Hawke's Bay which he considered suitable for the purpose. Mr. MeCallum suggested, as a check upon high priced lands, that soldier settlers should join a union pledging themselves not tn purchase any high priced private lands. If they can get Crown lands, well and good, but they should not buy private lands. Mr. Massey said he had watched the compulsory taking of lands for many years, much of which resulted in an enormous expense to the country. He outlined the various systems'of compulsory acquisition adopted since the taking of the Cheviot estate clown to the Soldiers' Settlement Act of 1015. Under that. Act, he found no difficulty in getting land for soldiers at prices far below the market value, in some cases a condition being imposed that the land was to be used for soldiers only. The record of lands and cost in settling soldiers n-as most creditable. He estimated, when the war broke out, that we would be able to place 5000 soldiers on the land He was glad to know that number had now been exceeded, and he be. licved that before we were through with it we should have not far short of 10,000 soldier settlers. He' deprecated the idea that Hawke's Bay country was suitable for all purposes. It was, for the main, pretty good sheep country, but much of it was too subject to drought to be suitable for dairying. He thought the work of settling the soldiers had been most successful. He heard a high official predict that 95 per cent, of the soldier settlers in the Wellington district would be successful, but he would be quite satisfied if 80 per cent, were successful. The Hon. G. W. Russell condemned the practice of buying high priced land for soldiers, and as a check against the extortionate prices he suggested that no lands should be purchased on the Land Purchase Board's opinion unless that opinion was fortified by the approval of the Valuation Department, for whose idea of real values he had the highest respect. Messrs Rhodes (Thames), Talbot, Glover, Reed, Smith (Waimaiino), and Smith (Taranaki) supported the Bill. The Minister, in reply, said it was proposed to establish local Land Purchase [ Boards to assist in acquiring land for 1 eoldiers., In some of the larger districts it might be necessary to appoint two such boards. Land settlement was proceeding at a rate more satisfactory than
11,000 acres had been purchased, Mdil this month no less than 6660 acre* had! J been acquired. He asked members BO* <] to press the claims of South Afriea&f i veterans or home service men at as their first duty was to the men «Mj;l went to the front in the late war and }j! came back. There were between 40W)'| and 5000 home service men,,and May i attempt to provide for these would coo- |i niderably delay the work of providing 1 for returned soldiers. "ij The Bill was read a second time. -,'<; The House went into committee on toe , j Education Purposes Loans Bill, tie DI»» # charged Soldiers' Settlement Amendment •% Bill, and the Manawatu Gorge Road and *•■ Bridge Bill. All three Bills passed with- s j out amendment, and were read a third ; time and passed. -; The House rose at 12.35 a.m. > :
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Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1919, Page 5
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1,217PARLIAMENT. Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1919, Page 5
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