GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Argus, Volume IX, Issue 726, 11 August 1900, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. EDUCATION FINANCE. Mr Bowen asked whether the Government proposed to place on the Estimates a sufficient sum to enable a' training school for teachers at Christchurch to cany on efficiently the work which had done such good service to the cause of education. Mi- Walker, in reply, said he trusted the Government would be able to give Pailinmetit during this session a substantial indication that it was eudeavouriog to place education finance on a sounder and more satisfactory footing. ministers' salaries. The Ministers' Salaries and Allowance Bill was read a first time. NOXIOUS WEEDS On the motion of Mr Cabman, the Noxious Bill was read a third time and passed. IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT. The debate on the second reading of the Imprisonment for Debt Limitation Bill was resumed. Mr Bonar said that the provision that theie should be imprisonment where the judgment debt did not exceed £2O would offer a direct premium to dishonesty. Col. Pitt said the proper way to deal with the matter would be to pass an Act applying to ordinary debts, and providing that there should be no imprisonment whatever for those debts. Mr Reeves said the Bill required was one to absolutely abolish imprisonment for debt. Mr Gourley said if the promoters of the Bill were serious they should propose to do away with the recovery of debts by legal process. Mr A. A. Smith spoke in favour of putting aside distress warrants, and also the abolition of the present high bankruptcy fees so as to open the'bankruptcy court t'o all classes of persons. Mr Shrimski said there were cases in which debt collecting agencies were useful. Mr W. C. Walker in reply said if the Council was ready to take such a broad and legal view of the laws affecting insolvency and recovery of debts, the other part of the Legislature, he was informed, was not prepared to go beyond the Bill as it stood. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES, A NEW BILL. Mr Hornsby gave notice to introduce the Meat Export Company's Limitation of Profits Bill. LATE DUKE OK SAXE-COBURG. The Premier read a reply from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, by order of the Queen, to the message of condolence from the House and Maori chiefs on the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, returning the thanks of Her Majesty for the same. FIRST READINGS. The Duuediu Lrainage and Sewerage, Government Railways, and Public Health Bills were introduced and read a first time, LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of abseuce was granted to Mr Massey for one week. POMAHAKA ESTATE. The Waste Lands Committee reported ou the petition of the settlers of the Pomahaka Estate asking for a reduction in rent. The Committee recommended that as the matter was under the consideration of the Land Board they had uo recommendation to make. Mr J. W. Thomson said the Laud Board hud recommended letting the estate in larger areas, as the sections were too small to enable settlers to make a living, but he did not think this would meet the difficulty unless the rents were reduced. Mr McNab supported that view. Mr Hornsby moved that the report be referred back to the Committee, with a view to some recommendation being made to relieve the settlers. Mr Stevens said if the price of produce had remained at the rate that existed at the time the sections were taken up there would have been no trouble about the matter. He objected to the tenants being relieved of their obligation by a stroke of the pen, and urged that if such action were taken in this case similar concessions should be made to settlers in other parts of the colony. Mr McKenzie objected to referring the petition back to the committee. The settlers in Pomohaka were no worse off than in other districts. The agitation in connection with this matter was merely a political one. Mr T. McKenzie said it was owing to the areas being too small and the coat of surveying and reading being very high for that class of land that the settlers had been unable to succeed. Mr Bennett thought that the settlers had been made so believe they were worse off than they really were. Still he thought by increasing the areas and lowering the rent it would greatly relieve the settlers. Mr Duncan said it was no use reducing the rent to settlers who had not paid any rent for years. Some of those who took up sections were not qualified to go upon the land, and that accounted for some of the failures. Mr Flatman thought that the settlers ou Pomahaka were as well off as some on the stoney parts of the Canterbury plains. He had much sympathy with the settlers on the estate and hope some relief would be given to them. Mr Allen hoped that, in dealing with the question, no such terms of eviction and confiscation would be heard. Mr Buddo thought the matter might very well be left in the hands of the Otago Land Board to deal with, and deprecated making it a political question. The Premier blamed the Opposition for the dissatisfaction that existed amongst the settlers in the district, as they had made it a party cry. He believed that the State should act reasonably, not arbitrarily in such eases, but if care was not taken they would have Crown tenants asking for demands that would lead to endangering the success of the settlement system of the colony. He believed the remedy lay in enlarging the size of the sections, and if the Laud Board did not carry out i,that system the Legislature would have to step iu. Reflection was sought to be cast upon his late colleague, the Hon. John McKenzie, in connection with the purchase of the estate. This was unwarranted and he hoped that uo attempt would be made to make political capital out of it, and advised the Crown tenants to steer clear of bringing party pressure to bear upon the Government in eonnecwith the matter. He hoped that the difficulty would be satisfactorily settled in the best iuterests) of the State and tenants. Mr O'Meara condemned the admhstation of the Laud Boards for the uniform treatment of settlers, and advised the Government to take the matter in hand with a view to a more fair system of administering the land laws. Mr J. W. Thompson denied the imputation that ho had stirred strife in connection with the Pomohaka. Ou the contrary he had always counselled the settlers to observe moderation, and in cousequeuce had lost political support. The Hon. Hall-Jones and Mr R. Thomson apposed the amendment. GOVERNOR'S SALARY" AND ALLOWANCES. The Governor's Salary aud Allowances Bill was recommitted aud certain technical amendments made. The measure was read a third time and passed by 42 to 14. SLAUGHTERING AND INSPECTION BILL. Mr Duucan moved the seconding reading of tho Slaughtering and Inspection Bill, providing for i. more efficient inspection of stock aud the grading of meat. The Bill was committed and progress repotted at clause 1. |