PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10564, 21 February 1912, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY j LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL; (By Telegraph—Fress Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Hon. Mr Callan, in moving the Address-in-Reply, said the Governor's Speech vindicated the Government's claim to be called a "Liberal" Government. He agreed with •most of the proposals, hut the details were open to censure in some cases. He condemned strikes as barbarous, and hoped the utterances of the Labour leaders in Australia would be taken to heart. He was not opposed to a change in the constitution of the Council. Jf the Council were elected, it would survive. He gave a qualified approval to the Local Government scheme. The Hon. Mr Barr seconded' the motion. He agreed with the necessity for an alteration in the constitution of the Council. (Referring to the land system, he pointed to the necessity for putting an end to all gambling in land, and the adoption of a scheme to secure to the community a reasonable part of the increment of land values. He would support a proposal for the removing from Parliament of such matters as roads and bridges. On labour matters he upheld the Ar'bitratioh Act, and spoke in condemnation of strikes, sectional -or general; ' ■He said" a huge -majority favoured arbitration as against a strike. .' ..The Hon. Mr Paul believed many of the'proposals in the Speech would bo carried out in their time to the benefit"of the country. He contended that Parliamentary reform was essential to iboth Houses, but he viewed the Government'* proposals regarding the OouiK-il as reactionary. The Hon. Mr McGowan # spoke briefly, advocating a life appointment if or members of the Council. The motion was carried, and the Council rose.