PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8479, 5 July 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

| (Abridged from the Press Association report.) ! LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, July 4. Ihe Legislative Council met at 2.30 o'clock; , . The I 'Hon. Mr Paul, in moving the , stated that while tli6 country had been undoubtedly prosperous the workers had not had their fair share of the general prosperity. It was gratifying to note in this connection that the Government proposed to amend the tariff in the direction of a reduction of taxation. He heartily agreed with the Premier's proposal to alter the term "colony" to "hominion."' Referring to the proposal to increase the workers' homes he held that the greatest necessity for workers in the cities was cheap rents. If the Government tackled the land question as it might be done, then they could deal effectually with the workmen's homes."He repudiated the allegation that had been made by some during the slaughtermen's strike that the Arbitration Act had failed. The proposal to institute a Wages Board was a wise one. On the land question the speaker maintained that there was to-day a greater hunger for land. The main thing was to put poor men on the land, and that had been done under the leasehold system. The Hon. Mr Tucker seconded the motion. On the land question he maintained that a tenant with a purchasing clause would do more with a property than a tenant who had no such advantage. The Native land question was a difficult one to deal with, but it would be mutually advantageous to Native owners and the community if large areas that were not utilised were placed in occupation. ■ He urged that more liberal provision should be made for roading the back blocks, and advocated the formation of roads before putting lands on the market, charging the cost of roading to the lands. The Hon. H. Scotland moved the adjournment of the debate. The Council rose at 4 o'clock.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 o'clock. NEW BILLS. The following Bills were read a first time:—Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill, Municipal Corporations Act Amendment, Town Districts Act Amendment Bill, Nelson Institute Bill, Accountants Bill, Products Export Amendment Bill, Police Offences Act Amendment Bill, Rotorua Town Bill, Public Trust Amendment Bill. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Mr T. M. Wilford, resuming, the debate on the Address-in-Reply, considered that the House was deeply indebted to Mr J. T. M. Horns by for bringing forward the railway grievances in the manner he had done. He could not understand why a railway man in the second division on falling sick forfeited his pay during the period of his illness. In the first division a man who was absent through sickness received his usual pay. Referring to naval matters he was of opinion that the fate of New Zealand if ever threatened would be decided in the English Channel, and all New Zealanders would be called upon to do would be to fight a sort of guerilia war with warships detailed from the enemy's fleets for the purpose of withdrawing British ships frnm the chief base of operatiuns. For that reason he was opposed to any increase of the suhsidy paid by New Zealand to the British Navy. Dealing with tariff matters he suggested that one of the first efforts of Ministers should be in the direction of revising the tariff so that foodstuffs could be purchased more cheaply than at present. Mr A. S. Malcolm, dealing with land matters, contended that the State made a very bad bargain when it granted the 999 years' lease. Some members of the House expressed the opinion that supporters of the freehold had not the best interests of the State at heart, but he asserted that no member in the House took a greater interest in the welfare of the State than he, and the other supporters of the freehold. Referring to the Chinese question he said that he recognised that the race feeling was so strong that he was reluctantly compelled to agree with those who considered it necessary to limit the entry o;f these aliens into the colony. Mr J. T. Hogan said he thought that the debate was going to fizzle out until Mr Hornsby made his remarks on the railways, with which he agreed to a very great extent. On the House resuming in the evening Mr C. H. Poole, referring to the mail service, said that he was in favour of an All Red route, but San Francisco was the shortest route, and they must not forget that for several years they were served excellently and well by that route. The loss of that srevice had been keenly felt, and when the All Red route was brought into force, which would enable mails to be put aboard the train at Auckland for Wellington, a great cheer would go up. He strongly supported the Land Bill, which would tend to do away with land monopoly, and open up country to (settlement. No man had a right to hold a great tract of country. He strongly advocated the reservation of land for endowment purposes. He was in sympathy with the member for Masterton. who was introducing a Bill having for its object the abolition of duty on flour. Mr F. R. Flatman, referring to land matters, characterised Mr Massey's action in proposing to give Crown tenants the freehold as an electioneering dodge. The freehold was never asked for by Crown ten--1 ants but was first broached by the Leader of the Opposition. The freehold was advocated by the Farmers' Union, but that Union did not represent the farmers of New Zealand. He believed that the cause of the trouble in Ireland was landlordism, I and if land in that country, hdd been ! settled under New Zealand's laws there would never have been the trouble there they read of. Mr C. M. Gray, considered the time spent on the debate on the Address-in-Reply was time wasted. Passing on to railway matters he considered that too many casual

hands were employed. He considered that as a democratic country they should have the right of electing their own Governor. He strenuously advocated completion of the Midland j Railway, which, when finished, would : earn the interest on the cost of con--1 struction. The duty should be taken off the necessaries of life. Mr W. T. Jennings said that roading was a serious question in the North Island. He knew of settlers who had been on their sections tweive yeairs,. who even now had no tracks to their homes. Referring to the balloting. for Crown lands he said he knew of instances where the ballot box had been stuffed by persons who had used the names of all their relations in the hope of securing a ballot. He urged that the Commissioner of ; Crown Lands and Land Boards be authorised to inquire into the bona fides of all applicants. Mr Okey, dealing with the Chinese question, considered that it was disgraceful to see the manner in which these aliens were supported in Wellington. Much could be done by the workers following the action of the people of Taihape in refusing to have anything to do with Chinese. If a measure were introduced to' v increase the poll tax to £2OO it would receive his support. He congratulated the Hon. J. A. Millar on the firm stand he had taken over the slaughtermen's strike, and maintained that the employers had met the workers in a very fair spirit. Mr R. B. Ross said that he stil 1 supported the granting of the freehold to Crown tenants at the original value. On the question of transferring officers of the railways from second to the first division he considered efforts should be made to facilitate this process. Mr H. J. Greenslade moved the adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at 11 o'clock.