PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9615, 8 October 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

1 OPENING OPTHE SESSION. GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. His Excellency the Governor (Lord Plunket) opened Parliament yesterday afternoon, and in the course of his speech, he stated inter alia:— "Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of. the House of Repreeentatives.—l have much pleasure in again meeting you in Parliament assembled. THE MONEY MARKET. "Unfortunately financial disturbances in the Old World, and low prices for some of the chief products of this Dominion resulted in stringency in the money market, and a reduction in the national income of New Zealand. The depression consequent upon these causes is rapidly disappearing, as prices are recovering, and financial stringency relaxing. The present outlook as well as things temperately considered, is most encouraging, and is again heartening that spirit of vigorous enterprise which makes the people of New Zealand so progressive. THE TIMBER INDUSTRY. "One of the most important o£ our industries, measured by the value of its products, and the nurc-» ber of its workmen, is the timber industry. Depression and' disorganisation having arisen in it (alleged to be chiefly due to the importation of foreign timber), my advisers deemed it advisable to have a Royal Commission appointed to investigate and report upon the causes and upon any suggested remedies. The Commission has concluded a very thorough inquiry, and its valuable report and recommendations will in due course be placed before you. REVENUE RETURNS.

"Mr Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives.—-As compared with the previous year's returns, there was an increase last year in revenue from Post and Telegraphs, Railways, Land and Income Tax, Excise, Stamps, Marine and miscellaneous services. Owing, however, chiefly to the remission in. Customs Druids on the various imported necessaries of life and partly to the falling off in imports naturally consequent upon the diminished return for exports. The total amount of Customs revenue has decreased. So far as this is due to the remissions mentioned, no one (remembering that what the revenue has so lost the people have gained) has any occasion for regret. THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

"An earnest and vigorous effort has been made to reduce the,, cost of the Public Service by amalgamating Departments and pruning and? dispensing vith any branches which have fulfilled or nearly fulfilled the purpose of public utility for which they were originated. It is believed that when t}ie necessary retirements, changes, and are completed the Public Service as far as practicable wilt combine the' desiderata of a high standard of economy and efficiency. Estimates for the year have bean prepared and will be submitted to you. You will in due course be as'.ced to pass the supplies necessary for the purposes of Government. DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE. ■'•

"Hon. Gentleme.i of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives.— As yon are awara the Right Hon. Sir Jospen. Ward, Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence-, left New Zealand on 18thi June last to attend the Defence , Conference in London. That Conference marks an epoch in the history of the Eprnire in that then for the first time, the great oversea dependencies were taken into counsel by tha Home Government on the vital subject of Imperial Defence. It must be eminently gratifying to New Zealand to know that her action involuntarily offering to take on. her shoulders some share in the great work of maintaining the security of ffhe Empire -has not only v been appreciated by all parties and! classes in Great Britain, but ha» been followed through on varying lines by the other dependencies. The • result; of the deliberations of the Conference if given effect to by the Parliaments concerned will have a wide-reaching effect in strengthening the Empire in all its component parts. Canada and Australia favour local navies as being more consonant to local national needs aspirations and sentiment. In the case of Nevir Zealand, Sir Joseph Ward, followingwhat he believed to be best for her interests and most in accord with tha sentiments of her people and Parliament, preferred the policy \ of strengthening the Imperial Navy with provisions for a section of one of the chief fleets—the Pacific Fleet —keeping in touch with New Zealand. Although the main purpose of the Conference was naval defence., the question of land defence was not neglected, and important resolutions on this subject were agreed to. Full particulars of what was done at the Conference will be laid before i you together with such legislative and other proposals as are necessary in order to give effect to the resolutions arrived at. I feel assured that you will give them ycur most careful consideration, and that the re ; uk if ,our deli jera'i ns will be Vile..

honourable to New Zealand and help-1 ful to the Empire. Legislation effecting important alterations in the internal defence of the Dominion will also be submitted to you. MILLION POUNDS LOAN. "During his visit to London Sir Jooeph Ward obtained and despatched to New Zealand £500,000 to carry on public works, and £500,000 for Advances to Sattlerb and Workers in all—and has made arrangement* by which, with a neces-1 sary alteration of the law, moneys required for local bodies and other public purposed can be obtained. To effect the requisite alterations, proposals will be submitted extending the scope of the Advances to Settles Department, and making it the medium for obtaining in land, moneys fjr the use of local bodies, and also for raising the necessary sums for the purchase of lar.ds for settlement. The Department's loan operations will be guaranteed by the State. Legislation witt be submitted with this object for vour consideration. MAIL SEKVIGE.

"The present condition of the: mail connections with the United Kingdom is unsatisfactory. Negotia-j tions are proceeding with a view to: giving closer connection via Van-; couver and also endeavouring toot-j tain an imprjved mail seruce viai San Francisco. The Government icon-; aider that it would be off great advantage to the* Dominion if one off ; the large steamshio mail and passen- j ger lines now trading from England, to Australia, via Suez CwvAl, werei to extend their voyage to New land. My advisers wMI ask the authority of Parliament 'to enable; the mail and passenger -services generally to be improved and thereby remove the ura<Jenn»ble isolation, by which the Dominion at present is detrimentally affected. NATIVE LAND LAWS.

"The Native Land Law <of New i Zealand now contained iin<over seventy separate statutes has, owing chiefly to the lines along which ;this legislation has developed for the 4aat forty years under different administrations become iperplexingly profuse, intricate and inconsistent. In the circumstances Commissioners appointed under "The Repiint of Statutes Act, 1895," found consolidation an impossible task, and so reported to me. My advisers have accordingly had a separate Bill prepared revising, recasting, and har monifling, the whale of. the Native Land Laws of the country, and making such amendments as*are requisite. The Bill will shortly be introduced fir your consideration. The triple giin in simplicity,, clearness and brevity of this branch of .law will , facilitate the operation of Native Land Courts, .the determination of Native land titles, and the set'tle- - ment.of Native lands. My advisers folly recognise that the rapidly increasing population of the North Island demands a vigorous jpolicy of European settlement on all surplus Nat've lands. The work of the recent Native Land Commission and .the present energetic, promotion of surveys facilitate this policy. Returns showing what has been lately sdone in various directions towards this end will be shortly submitted to you. Provision will also be made .for the better settlement of natives upon lands reserved for their use and oc-_ cupation. The time has arrived when Native lands should bear a .larger share of the expense of JP.uhlic Works by which these lands ,are made more accessible or otherwise improved in value, and legislation providing for the rating tit' native/ • land in Reasonable cases it will be brought before you. Such a proviaion will, my advisers think,, serve the dual purpose of a just impost and a spur to the closer settlement or cultivation of the lands affected. SPECIAL SETTLEMENT FINANCE BILL.

"The permanent prosperity and steady progress of this Dominion depends chiefly upon the increase in the number and success of its small farmers in all branches of that great inustry, and 'the two cardinal aims, of the Government in this country are to get and keep an ever increasing proportion of its population upon " its lands. t To this end you will be asked to consider and pass the Special Settlement Finance Bill' introduced last year, which makes the State the guarantor behind every group of willing and small settlers without adequate means that they will pay the purchase-money of the freehold of any suitable area they can acquire for closer settlement from larger owners. LAND LEGISLATION. "You will be asked ta consider further land legislation devised, among other things, to make rural life mora attractive, to encourage settlement, and to more effectively prevent the undesirable aggregation of holdings. You will also be asked to pass further legislation to prevent the continuing evasions of the Land and Income Assessment Act. PRISON KKFORM. "The subject of prison reform has been engaging the attention of my advisers and a system proceeding - aiong the lines already successfully - tried in other progressive countries i 3 now nearly completed. It is essen tial to the effective working of this system that the principle of the unsen'e~cj should be ex-1 tended and fuller powers than exist

at present De given to Magistrates for the committal of female and juvenile offenders to Homes or Reformatories instead of to gaols. To further assist this system some amendments of the law relating '.to inebriates are requisite Legislation embodying these purposes ■will be brought before you. NATIONAL ANNUITY BILL. '"'My advisers are of opinion that tit is the duty of the State to encourage the work people of the Dominion 'to make provision against loss of earnings due to incapacity through sickness or accident, and further to make provision for old age, and in •the case of death for the maintenance of dependents. Such provision the State now substantially assists the members of its Civil Service to make, and similar assistance is proposed in case of all workers in private employment With this object you will be asked to pass the National Annuities Bill introduced last year, and also amendments of the laws dealing with the superannuation of the Public Service. PURE MILK SUPPLY. "Th& paramount importance ot human health and life of a pure milk supply has been increasingly recognised by the municipalities of this country and the time has now arrived when Boroughs and cities, should be empowerel by law to take such measures as they think fit to secure pure milk or the paople, including if necessary that of establishing a municipal supply. This and some other desirable amsndments of the Municipal Corporation? Act will be submitted or your consideration. GENEKAL.

"At the present there is some overJapping of function among the Hospital and' Charitable Aid Boards and some objection to the method o , creating these Boards.. These defects I will be remedied by a Bill which will ibe laid before you. •'The mining industry continues (prosperous, but employing as it does ia very large number of our people it deserves the fullest' encouragement .at the hands of the Government. The existing mning legislation is workjing-smoothly, but some amendments are desirable to make it more effective. These will be submitted for your consideration. Legislation iremoviing the difficulties which arose in connection .with miners' complaints ; and the medical examination of miners will be submitted to you. '•'Biils amending and consolidating the Jaw with regard to Native land, Jands for settlement, advances to settlers, Crown land, friendly societies, hospital and charitable aid, i municipal corporation, harbour boards, factories, shops and offices, workmen's homes, workers' compensation for accidents, industrial schools, public works, valuation of land, bankruptcy, the law ofjk libel, indecent literature, and other im portant matters will be introduced for your attention. I feel sure that in all matters whose purpose is the improvement of the well being of the people and the development of the resources of a richly endowed country you will empluy your best energy and judgment, and I trust that by the blessing of Almighty God your deliberations and proceedings will be to the credit of Parliament, the good of New-. Zealand, and the hon • our of the Empire," HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House"met at 3 p.m. Mr K. W. Smith (member for Rangitikei) tookj the oath and his seat. Notices of motion were given as follows:—By Mr W. F. Massey (Franklin) asking if anything could be done to have the claims of old soldiers enquired into; by Mr T. E. TayLr (Christchurch North), if old age pensioners having property are to be placed on the same footing aa those without property: Mr A. S. j Malcolm (Clutha) moved for a return

showing the number of Civil Servants dismissed under the retrenchment scheme; Mr H. J r H. 01 «y (Taranaki) asked for a retain sfoowing the state of the foreign meat trade; Mr A. W. Hogg (Masterton) asked for a raturn showing the native lands leased in the Kimtg Country with the terms of lease; Mr Hogg also gave notice to introduce a Bill to abolish the flour duty; Mr G. Laurenson (Lvttelton) gave notice of his intention to introduce an amended Licensing A<ct; Mr T. E. Taylor asked if steps would be taken to alter the constitution of the Post Office Savings Bank, so that it would sprve the purpose of a Dominion bank with the, sole right of note issue. Sir Joseph Ward onade a statement regarding tne new mace. On .fine day of his departure the Speaker wrote to him pointing out that .the mace had been destroyed by fire and asking him to make arrangements for procuring a new one, which he did. The one now in the House -was a replica of that in the British House of Commons. It bore the inscription "Presented to the Speaker and the House of Representatives with the respect and esteem of the Prime Minister and his colleagues, Wellington, October 7th." (Cheers). The Speaker returned thanks on behalf of himself and the House. The Premier referred to the death of the late Mr A. E. Remington, late member for Eangitikei, and his valuable work on local bodies and in the House, and moved that the House place on record its high sense of services rendered by him. Mr Massey expressed the genuine regret of himself and party at Mr Remington's death. The Premier, in reply to Mr Massey,. said that he t proposed to take the reply to the Address on Tuesday, and moved the adjournment of the House till 2.30 to-morrow. The motion was agreed to and the House rose at 4 o'clock.