PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10423, 14 September 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

By Teleafavh—Fre*s Association. WELLINGTON, Last' Night. The House met at 2>30 p.m. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, Ministers stated that the periodical revision of the sub-Postmasters' salaries was almost complete. Under this revision they will be paid at the offices, when such increase is warranted. Crown lands in the neighbourhood of Otautau will probably be open fov selection in February or March. The attention of the Minister of Marine has been drawn to a statement of Mr Bishop, S.M., that steamship companies are gradually whitting away every right that passengers have had conserved to them for years past by the common law, and the question as to whether there should be further legislation in the matter is now under consideration. It was never intended that a State Superannuation Fund should accept liability in respect to persons who have once been contributors to the fund, but who subsequently the service The present principal could not be departed from in connection with the Railway Superannuation Fund. REPRESENTATION COMMISSION. The Prime Minister stated in thA House in tihe afternoon that the Representation Commission would noc take evidence by a deputation. All objections must be in writing.. THE FINANCIAL DEPATE. Mr Hine continued the debate on the Financial Statement. He was sorry he could not see anything particular in the Statement. It appeared to be simply a "vote catcher." He mentioned that Sir Joseph Ward's statement gave the amount spent on railways as £25,G00,000, and the Hon J. A. Millar made it, £30,000,000. The amount spent on roads and bridges was the greatest condemnation the Ministry could have. He cited the case of a baekblock farmer who had been eleven years on a section and had no track thereto. "The farmer in question had eight children, and when the case was brought under the notice of the Minister of Public Works, all the sympathy he got was "Why don't you abandon your section." There was, Mr Hino continue!, an. entire absence in the Statement of the two most important matters of the day. They were land tenure arid cost of living. He stated that since the Ward Administration took . office , £970,508 remained unexpended out of the amounts voted for roads and bridges. Mr Stall worthy refuted the Opposition suggestion that the Statement was a "vote catcher," and replied to criticism. Mr Mander said in reference to the remarks which were always directed towards the Opposition, .that they did good work in probing the Government, up and making suggestions, which the Government usually took up. With regard to loans to local bodies, he suggested that the Government should guarantee to Ban lis money to be voted to local bodies before the estimates ca,me down. This, he contended, could easily bo done and local bodies could have access to the money at an earlier period than at present. He held that both the Maori and pakeha. should be treated similarly in respect to- taxation. If the Budget: programme was carried out he saw no reason for two parties. His objection was to what had been left out and the bad administration of the Government. Mr Scott suggested that the great' imnortance of afforestation warranted the employment of two thoroughly ccrrnetent men, who should be placed in ohnrp.e. Mr Glover urged the to make early provision for old soldiers who were ranidly thinning, also to bring dwn the period of the' old age pension for females from 65 to 60 year?. Mr sought an exDlanaof what he took to be conflicting statements in last year's and this year's Budgets concerning the National Debt. He state! that the Governnort was absolutely afraid to bring down a land Dolicv. They were destitute of a land policy' in any shape or form. Mr Pno considered the Budget to bo the most Drogiressivo one ever placed before, the country. He was sure that an honest attempt- was being n-ade to settle the Native Lands question. The House adjourned at 11.20 p.m.