PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8230, 6 September 1906, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE 01? REPRESENTATIVES'

By Telegraph—Press association.

WELLINGTON, Septembers. The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Christohurch Distriot Drainage Aofc, 1875, Amendment Bill (No. 2) was read a first time. Three Sessional Committees were appointed Looal Bills, Selection and Standing Order (joint).

FINANCIAL DEBATE. Mr Hogg opened the debate for the day, and reviewed the Budget favourably. lie complimented the four previous speakers, and criticised parts of the new land policy un favourably, regretting particularly tbe proposal to ahulish tbe 999 years'i lease, and denouncing emphatically the nbw loase of 66 years as virtually fieehold with all its evils and none of its advantages. He expressed confidence in the present Administration of the land, eulogising the Crown rangers in particular. The freehold tenure he denounced as the cause of unfilled solitudes, and he read lists of owners who in sub-dividicg their properties and continuing to work them together were cheating tbe revenue of large sums annually. The Premier rose to reply at 3.40 p.m. He said that if the wishes of tbe other eicte for the introduction of the Canadian post audit system were aooeded to they would delay of at least a year in the making up of the accounts, and they would disoover that there would be no check whatever on the expenditure. As to the suggestion of tbe other side that tbe public accounts are not properly kept, that he characterised not only as wrong, but as a reflection on tbe officers, who all had a large discretion iu these matters. Replying on the surplus, he, said the Loader of the Opposition had mistaken an entry in the Estimates for a fragment. The sum (for tbe Public Trust new building) was on the Estimates two years running. Tbe money bad never been spent, and had never been paid into tbe Consolidated Fund for tbe purposo \jg the Public Trustee. The £17,000 for the Superannuation Fun 1 , which tbe actuaries advised to-'be paid over was not paid over for the reason that the Government did not see the financial necessity. In criticising the conversion operations, the Leader of the Opposition had failed to observe that the same assets, namely, the wealth of tbe whole oolouy were just as much benind the converted loans as behind the original issues. In the matter of loans he would like to know what the bon. member wanted. Did he want to diminish the million annually raised? Mr Massey—"No." The Premier then would conclude that the hon. gentleman must be in favour of reduoing the land for settlement policy. Mr Massey—"No." The Premier then would want to know what he would like to see reduced—roads, bridges, telephones—what? The hon. gentleman, he knew would not reduce any of these. The fact was that if tbe bon. gentleman were on the Treasury Benches be would be also a squanderer, and a waster. He thought, the] hon. gentleman ought not to attempt to deceive the publio in that way. As to the manner of repaying Treasury Bills at due dates the Government proposed to pay them] off gradually out of consolidated revenue. He went on to declare emphatically in connection with the land policy that tbe Government would havo the crucial questions settled at once, and if any one imagined the Government intended to shelter themselves under generalities and postponements they made a great; mistake. They proposed to take the full responsibility of their policy, and they would do so immediately, and if necessary would be ready to take the sense of tbe country on it. The lands for settlement policy was in an impossible position. It was impossible to go on borrowing threequarters of a million a year for tbis purpose. The continuance of such a state of things was rrot to be thought of. Noticing an interjection the Premier said that he knew that his late chief, were be present that day at the bead of affairs, would be acting exaotly in the same way as the Government. He went on to point out the advantages of tbe land proposals, and stated that the Glasgow system was growing in popularity all over this country under the influence of soije of the most intelligent and practical men in tbe country. Mure freehold lands were under these proposals to be offered in one year than all the land left available in the lands of the Crown. There was the security of a good lease in the proposals as well as the freedom to remain with the present leases, and there was cbe opportunity of escaping under proper safeguard from rentß and restrictions. There would be in addition large endowments growing in value annually for providing for great departments of the pubiio service. ' There was here a practicable polioy fit to cope with and settle the problems of the land question. The other side could not get any higher than the useless proposal to change one tenure for another. He recommended tbe clear detailed, well thought out sobeme whioh the Government had had the courage to place" bbfore tbe country to the statesmanlike consideration of the House. Mr Massey complained by the way of personal explanation, that be had been misrepresented in the matter of the £20,000 for the Public Trust Offloe. The Premier sustained bis view, reading from th» Publio Aooounts Committee of Supply. Tbe House went into Committee of Supply, discussed the first item for half-an-hour, and adjourned at 5.30 p.m.

EVENIINQ sitting. The House reanmecl at 7.30o'clock. 1

The Committee discussed various questions arising out of the Estimates, and adjourned at 9.30 p.m. for supper. Tbe House resumed at 10 p.m. The Minister of Justice, replying to complaints, defended the law dealing with tbe offence of shortweight, and declined to disouss any cases of the same in the House, and insisted that it was a matter for the particular autnorities to attend to. The Premier announued, in tbe matter of Woikmen's Homes, that hia colleague had reported that the Homes at Petone were being let at rents of 9s to lis 3d a week. Mr Allen raised the question of superannuation, asking for the report of the London and North-Western Railway Company. The Premier said be ba<s tried, but had failed to get that report, but bad reason to believe the sobeme of the com puny was correct. There were good reasons why tbe report on tbe actuaries in tbe oase of the education superannuation scheme of tbis country was not given effect to. He declined to disouss the question at that stage. The first item was passed, and tbe resolution reported to tbe House. Tbe Premier gave notice to move next day tne abolitiou of the halfpagt nine adjournment. The House adjourned at 11.30 p.m.