PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9653, 18 November 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THE BUDGET DEBATE,

By Telegraph—Press Association, WELLINGTON, November 17.

In the House this afternoon, the adjourned debate on the Financial Statement was resumed by Mr G. Laurenson (Lyttelton) who agreed with the principle embodied in Mr T. E. Taylor's amendment, but con?idered the language in which it was couched was an insult to the Government. He believed the referendum was the natural corollary of our demo: ratio Gover n n: t nt, r d it was only ii matter of true bjf.irft the referendum and initiative were in thf! hands of the pr.o.de. V. < contended that a large majority of ii.e people of the country were agah.-.t parting with the national er-tatc, but at present there were 53 freeholders in the House, against 26 leaseholders. [He could not vote fo* the amendment as phrased, but wuuld vote lor the principle contained in i if couched in unobjectionable phraseology. The Speaker, in answer to Mr G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) ruled the amendment out of order, as Mr Taylor had given notice of a similar motion.

Mr G. W. Russell (Avon) moved to the same effect as Mr Taylor's amendment, viz., "that the leasehold tenure be maintained as an integral part of the land tenure of the Dominion, and that a referendum be taken before the Budget proposals granting the rieht of the freehold are given effect to." He contended that the late Mr Rulleston's leasehold system which was destroyed by a clause moved by the late Mr Scobie Mackenzie in 1884, and which gave a tenant the right o" occupation for 30 years with revaluation thereafter, and giving a tenant right to lease from year to year as long aa he lived, was the best system of land tenure ever put into operation in the Dominion. Mr Russell advocated re strictlon of .areas of settlement of lands to 200 acres first-class and 640 acres second class. The Government's proposals were unbusinesslike, 3nd would satiafy neither the leaseholders nor the freeholders.

Mr J. Craigie (Timaru) seconded thfi amendment, which was lost by 50 to 17.

The following is the division list: —Against the amendment: Messrs Allen, Anderson, Baume, Buddo, Buick, Buxton, Carroll, Clark, Dillon, Dive. T. Duncan. J. Duncan, Field, Fowlds, Fraser, Glover, Graham, Guthrie, Hall, Harding, Herdman, Herries. Hine, Jennings, Lang, McDonald, R. Mackenzie, T. Mackenzie, Malcolm, Mander, Massey, Miller, Ngata, Newman, Nosworthy, Okey, Parata, Phillipps, Pollan'', Reid, Rhodes, Ros», Scott, Smith, Stallworty, G. M. Thomson, J. } C. Thomson, Wilford, Sir J. G. Ward. For the amendment: Arnold, Craigie. Fisher, Forbes, Hanan, Hogan. Laurenson, Luke, McLaren, Pool", Russell, Seddon, Sidey, T. Taylor, Whitty, Wright.

SITTING. OPPOSITION CRITICISM. WELLINGTON", Last Night. In the House in the evening Mr Forbes continued ths Financial de • bate. He advocated a referendum on the defence proposal", so as to have the goodwill of the people behind the movement; Every encouragement should bp given to rifle" clubs. He ; express ;d disappointment and, regret t!:e frietK'H should be a dominant note in fit- land tenure. The ; demand for the freehold in the backblocks was largely due to the Government's failure to provide good J roads and do its share in the partnerj ship between State and settler.

Mr A. L. Herdman (Wellington NoHh) said that the policy of the Government on the land question was one of begging for votes. He asked why if the Government when passing legislation in 1907 believed it was best for the country they abandoned it now? The duty of the Government

waß to resign. ( Sir J. G. Ward: The difficulty is that tio one on your side of the House ie fit to govern the country.

Mr Herdman retorted that he believed that if the country had the experience of the Opposition regime for a few years it would be a long time before the present Ministry would get back. It was an ace of treachery for the Government to reverse its policy. In Britain a Government under similar circumstance i would resign, and submit it c e!f to the electors. The Government stuck to office like limpets to a rack. He believed it would be difficult to eject ths Ministry even it a vote of no-confidence were carrieJ. Mr Herdman then [iroceeded to criticise the gener&l administration of the Government, which ha said was not to its credit.