GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10561, 17 February 1912, Page 6

GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

A PATHETIC? APPEAL. SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY. The Governor's Speech, which was delivered in Parliament. yesterday afternoon-, was us follows: The iron instances which have arisen in consequence of the Lust general election have in. the opinion of my edvisers mado it. expedient that Parliament should he called together at an earlier date than usual. . . During "the recess. 1 have visited various'parts of the Dominion, and made mvself bettor acquainted with the people. .1 am glad to congratulate you oil the continued prosperity or the i 'countrv. The outlook is most promising, and contentment and happiness obtain;; everywhere. LOCAL GOVERNMENT. ■ The vcrv great and difficult question of revising our .local government hw has'had t'lie closest- attention of m> advisers, and a Bill will ho introduced providing a completely new and comprehen&ive scheme. under which amongst manv other reforms, the tinan cos of the local bodies and the important question of the construction and maintenance of roads will be plac ed on a more stable and' satis.l act 01 j footing. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM. ■ This scheme will -be made the hash of radical changes in the eonstruetioi of the, .Legislative Council, and a Bil to carrv this into effect will be introduced. * I'nder this measure a propor tion of the members of the Legislate Council wiil lie elected b.Y tho member; of tho provincial councils to be createc |)v the new Local Government Bill, ; portion will be elected by the member; of the House of representatives, and s certain number will bo nominated b the Government. Tho Bill will be re ferred to -tho local public bodies fo: consideration and report. LAND SETTLEMENT. . i My advisers onsidcr that owing t< the rapid disappearance of the last re mna-nts of unalienated Crown lands legislation must be passed providing for tho more effective subdivision fo closer .settlement purposes of freehoh estates of £25,000 unimproved valu> and upwards. To this end a Bill will ho introduce* giving tliie Crown power to take th.es estates eoim-pulsoril.v at a price to bt fixed by thy Land Purcliase Board. The Bill will provide that the lane so resiiahed shall bo sold to sm'all set tiers undered a deferred payment sys terni, -and in the eveht of tho proceed exceeding the price paid to the owne I for the land, such excess, wit.l interest, .will bo paid to him, or shouh tho price realised be less, then- the de ficiency will .bo deducted from tin amount payable to tho owner. NATIVE LANDS. In order to promote the .speedier set tlement- of unoccupied native lands my advisers deem it necessary t< strengthen tho staffing of th-o Nativ land courts and of native land surveys Provision will be made wherein J surplus native lands shall be sold o leased on behalf of the native owner through !lie Crown on the best term • obtainable. iSuoh provisions will oper ate concurrently with a vigorous pro sedition of the purchase by the Orowj of surplus native lands in order tha tihe areas reserved for tho use am J occupation of the Maori owners shal bo effectively occupied by them. Special provision will bo mado undo ' proper safeguards to assist them finan cially and with advice and instructioi in modern methods of farming. AGGREGATION. ' More stringent provisions will hi mado to deal with tho aggregation o landed estates in, contravention of tin I law, and power will be given tin Courts to forfeit all land which ha; been aggregated in breach of tho law unless the Court is fully satisfied thatha breach was unintentional. The existing system with regard tc the limitation of area will be revised and provision will ho made for standards of living areas, based not merely upon tho productiveness, ibut also upoi: the position, roading, etc., and a! other ma,in considerations affecting the areas in question. Tliese standards will bo so fixed as to give an area ■ which, properly worked, will provide on a safe average ample means of sub- : sistenco far a man, his wife and family, and a sufficient margin for saving, with a vio>v to independence. J Legislation will be introduced to

prevent the present trafficking in €iwn leases, and provision, will l>o made that where a tenant- sells his lease without satisfactory cause before a certain numiber of yea.rs lias expired, a portion of the price he obtains for the goodwill of it will bo taken by the State, and the shorter the .period the tenant-retains his leaso 1 the larger the share tlie State will receive. I FINANCE. My advisers will place before ParI liament a. statement of the finances of the Dominion, which ifc is gratifying to know are in a bmivant and satisfactory position. The graduated land tax will bo adjusted, and made more uniform, the rates being increased from the point"of £30,000, unimproved value, upwards. The main purpose of the graduated I 'land tax will bo to compel subdivision in order to secure closer settlement; of the lands. An aVteration in'tho method now applying to towns and cities j will bo submitted.

TAXATION PROPOSALS. The land tax will also be revised and exemption, for taxation purposes will ho raised to £IO,OOO so as to .give further relief to fanners ami occupiers of small (holdings. Legislation will also bo introduced to distinguish for .taxation purposes •between the earned and unearned incomes, so that earned incomes shall bear a smaller burden of taxation than those which are unearned; also to reduce the tax payable by widows with limited incomes, and to distinguish between the incomes of parents who are educating and .maintaining a family [ and those who 'have no such respo - j sibility." - My advisers fully recognise also that the increasing complexity of many social questions demands a. competent and impartial investigation of the facts upon which these questions are based. It is proposed to create a standing Commission of Industrial Investiga- i tion consisting of two representatives of tho Labour Unions and one each, of the industrial, commercial, and landed interests. Tho Commission will inquire into any question affecting the cost of living, the existence of monopolies and other pressing social and industrial pro 1)1 cms, including the question of unemployment and sickness; and after inquiry will report thereon to Parliament. By this means my Ministers hope to provide the .people as a whole with ifull and reliable information regarding the facts from which urgent social and industrial questions j are now arising, and also furnishing 1 Parliament with the basis for neces- , sary rentedial legislation. , LABOUR TROUBLES. Improved legislation will be introduced, dealing -with the Labour troubles which have recently arisen in New Zealand. In this connection my advisers propose to amend the present Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act in the direction of removing ' causes that lead to unnecessary friction .between employers and employees. Under the proposed amendment the president of the Arbitration , Courtwill not necessarily be a Supreme Court judge or other lawyer, hut as has been found expedient in Canada, some practical and recognised authority ;in economic science. My Government ihave had under careful consideration as a useful step towards industrial harmony the promotion of voluntary profit-sharing, with ii reasonable share for tho employ cos in the business in which t hey, are employed, in all suitable industrial enterprises, by means of a new- system of State.guarantee of tho capital required iby the workers, on conditio? that the workers and employers jointly indemnify the State .against lpss. MINES. The report of the Mines Commission lias been received, which, , together withPthe evidence, will be duly placed bfioro you. My advisers will submit important proposals for the benefit of those

working in tho mines, and for the improvement of iliis important industry. ELECTORAL LAW. Experienco has shown that the present doctoral law is not working satisfactorily, and that in practice many peo-plo entitled to vote are disfranchisr Substantial changes in our electoral law will therefore he submitted for your consideration. CUSTOMS TARIFF. Mv advisers recognise that the time has arrived for a complete revision of the Customs, tariff by experts, and upon tho scientific lines which have been adopted with great success m Canada, Germany, and other couutries, with a view to a true protective, system encouraging suitablo local Industrie and enabling them to provide fuller employment and 'better wages for tho people. In this connection, too, under tho altered system of graduated tax upon the land, sufficient revenue will bo obtained to warrant a reduction in tho duty on tobacco, and on many articles in daily use required by small farm ere, the workers, and ,) their wives and famliies. RAILWAY FARES. Further concessions will bo made in railway passenger fares for children. Up to five years of age they will travel free, and from fivo to fourteen years at quarter rates. This will give greater opportunities to those who can ill aiford to pay to secure some change not only for health purposes, but also for tho purpose of their occupation and daily life. It is also proposed to revise the railway freight rates with, a view to reduction on certain articles affecting the country settlers. In order to promote further opening up and development of country my Government will continue to actively prosecute the making of railways, f roads and bridges. NATIONAL HEALTH. My advisers recognise that the health of tho community is a national asset, and should as far as possible be promoted and profited nationally. In furtherance of this object the principal of the existing system of trained nurses will be extended by providing medical attendance for ail those who are not reasonably able to secure the same, whether they be the small farmer or worker or their wives or children. Convalescent homes will also be established for mothers after maternity. OLD A^is ; IRENISIONS. v Legislation dealing; with old ago pensions will be. submitted, fixing, theage for women at sixty-five years, and widows at fifty-five years- without any restrictions as to children. Proposals for invalidity cases will also be placed before you, BUREAU OF JUSTICE. It is proposed to establish a Bureau of Justice by providing,''at'the expense of the State, in all proper cases, legal assistance for the protection or defence of a man's rights and liberty, where ho had nn+. of securing such assistance. TRUSTS. Facts have, come before my advisers whicli show that trusts and combines aro operating to some extent in the Dominion and as the existing' legis a ~ tion may prove insufficient to suppress the evil, a Bill, extending the present law will'be introduced. STATE ENTERPRISE. I

The suctfess* which has followed en- J terprise in. New Zealand has induced I my advisers to decide upon the nationalisation of the'iron industry I by providing cheaper material. Iron-' working establishments now employing a, large ntimber of people will foe able to expand greatly their operations and emplojment will be found for a great number of workers producing iron and steel from the raw product. - If a satisfactory arrangement caunot be made with regard to the development of the oilfields of the Dominion by private enterprise, or if any attempt is made to put it under the control of aaiv trust or combine, that industry will be nationalised as well. Proposals will be submitted to establish a State iCoal Mine and coal depots in the provincial district of Auckland in order to give the inestimable advantage of cheaper coal to. the people of l that province. • "COTTAGE FAR-MS." My Ministers are satisfied that it would be of great advantage to workers. in different centres if they were able to acquire cottage farms from the . State sufficiently near their usual work .to enable them to employ their spare time upon these farms in fruit-grow-ing, dairying, market-gardening, or other profitable purpose. The proposed system is based I upon lines which proved successful { in England, America and the Continent of Europe. t FRUIT GROWING. Mv Government, as the results of . practical experiments on poor and what has hitherto been regarded as unprodutive land, have decided to set aside areas for disposal on easy terms for fruit-growing under co-operative associations, and small holdings to individuals, and . for purpose will render reasonable financial assist- s ance to enable farms in the earlier stages to bo profitably worked. The legislation introduced last year for the creation and promotion of cooperative Farmers' Banks, will bo proceeded with, but with more effective machinery than the Bill of last .session contained. The Bill providing for a State .Note Issue in New Zealand, which was before Parliament last year, will lie re- , introduced. f BAILWAYMEN AND EDUCATION. Anomalies exist in the First Division of the Railway Department, and legislation will be submitted providi ing for more equitable classification 1 of the members. My advisors hold that the ideal of \ our education system should be to S- make it free from primary school to I University, and proposals to give effect j I to this will be submitted. Special provision will also be made j for the development of agricultural colleges and .experimental farms to | equip our present and future settlers with the best and most up-to-date I scientific training. , _ You will 1 feel confident give tho position of the Dominion and the several matters I have brought under your notice, together with measures that are to bo submitted, your earnest h and careful consideration, and J trust that your labours and decisions may C w ith God's blessings resxilt in, materij allr promoting the prosperity, happid n ess, well-being and lasting benefit 01 til# peopi® of N jadi