PARLIAMENTARY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10123, 20 October 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. JUDICATURE BILL. The Legislative Council this afternoon went into Committee on the Judicature Amendment Bill. A new clause was inserted on vhe motion of the Attorney-General giving the [Court or Judge discretionary power in refusing a writ of attachment in cases of default of a trustee or person acting in a fiduciary capacity and ordered to pay by the ! Court any sum in bis possession or control, and default by a solicitor in the payment of costs, or in the payment of a sum of money when ordered to pay in his character of an officer of the Court making an order. The Attorney-General said the amendment was to obviate a possible injustice to innocent men, and to bring the law into keeping with the English law, A new Clause was also inserted, making it clear that the operation of that section of the Bill which deals with the execution of instruments by order of the Supreme Court was not retroactive. 'lhe Bill was reported as amended. RIVER BOARDS AMENDMENT. The River Boards Amendment Bill, from the Lower House, was read a second time, and the Council rose.

HOUSE OF KEPKESENTATIVES

The Bouse met at 2.30 p.m. In reply to questions, Ministers stated that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill now before the House made provision for giving the Arbitration Court power to make awards applicable to the whole Dominion; that if it is the wish of Labour organisations generally throughout the Dominion to alter the date of Labour Day to some other month in the year, and a request is made to the Minister to that effect he will give the matter consideration; that an Amending Workers' Dwellings Bill is ready for presentation to Parliament, on the passing of which workers in any. district will be enabled to make application for dwellings to be erected. LAND LAvvS AMENDMENT BILL. The Lands Committee reported that, after consideration of the Land Laws Amendment Bill, it had been decided that the House be recommended to proceed with the same as Amended by the Committee. On the motion that the report be laid on the table, Wv7, 5, Taylor yaised the question cf the disposal of pastoral runs in the Mackenzie country, and hoped the tame would not be disposed of by auction, which would have the effect of debarring practical men, with small means, from acquiring these properties. Jtfr Laurenson adduced some facts relative to land monopoly in Canterbury, and urged that taxation should beiesorted to with the object of inducing sub-division. This was a national matter, which demanded the early attention of the Government. Mr Bine considered the evils referred to by Mr Laurenson were due to the Government's administraton Mr Russell agreed with Mr Laurenson that the population in Canterbury had been decreasing,, the reason bfing that the land was held by large owners wl.o had no inducement to part with it Be advised the compulsory acquisition of estates and setting up of Arbitration Courts to settle the terms of purchase. Sir Joseph Ward, replying, said it was premature to raise a discussion on the land question generally on introduction of the Committee's report. As previously stated, he believed the House should legislate in the direction of preventing landowners from putting prohibitive prices upon their estates. The House would be asked to do so this cession. The system of appointing Arbitration Uourts to fix prices had not been altogether successful, leading in many cases to excessive amounts being paid. He asked the House to wait till the Land Bill was before it, when the question raised could be fully discussed. The land question was the chief one demanding solution at the present time, and he intended to do all he could to settle it in a satisfactory manner. Replying to further criticism, Sir Joseph Ward said he had been always in favour of land settlement in small areas. He was not a land nationaliser, and referring to the Gleti Wye and Double Hill runs, which had been mentioned by Mr Taylor, the Governent proposed that these should be further inspected with a view to their being sub-divided. The report was adopted, and the House rose a 5.30.