Parliament.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 181, 27 July 1901, Page 3

Parliament.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTA- ”, TIVES. Wednesday, July ,24th. In reply to questions* it was stated— That the Government were considering the question of .further improving t|>e sanatorium at,Rotorua, but they had no intention at present of acquiring all the freehold rights to hot springs in the hot lakes district. That legislation would be introduced this session to prevent the natural beauties and scenery of the country being defaced by advertisements of quack medicines and other nauseous productions* That ail railway workmen if over twelve months’ service would be entitled to vote on a question of

the service coming under the Industrial Conciliation and Abitration Act. Circulars on this question had already been sent out. That if the minium wage in the railway service was fixed at eight shillings per day, it would mean an additional outlay of £52,000 per annum.

That the Public Health Department had under serious consideration the question of the establishing hpmes for incurables and something would be probably be done in the direction of attaching an additionat ward to the principal hospitals in the colony to accommodate incurable diseases. That there was no intention to alter the scale of railway fares= bj reducing retur fares and increasing single fares, . That "tha necessity for training the youths of the colony in seamanship was recognised, * but the equipment of a ttaining ship would cost a large sum of money.

The Land for Settlements Act Amendment Bill was farther considered in committee.

The question under discussion was the following new clauses proposed by Captain Russell “where the owner of land has children, the areas limited by subsections 2 and 3, of section 12 of the Land for Settlements Consolidation Act 1900, shnll be increased as follows, that is to say additional area of 500 acres for each such child, of second class land an additional area of 1030 acres for each such child, and of pastoral land an additional area of 2000 acres for each such child.”

This proposal was strongly opposed by the Premier, who declared that it would be absolutely destructive of the Lands for Settlement policy.

Mr G. W Russell denied that the proposal threatened the Land for Settlement system, which was established firmly enough to allow members to look back without heat to see if there were any special cases where requirements might be met.

Whoa Captain Russell’s clause had been nearly five hours under discussion, Mr Graham moved to report progress, urging that members should not be asked to sit such long hours. Mr Seddon opposed the motion and said he was lit to go on with the Bill until that time to-morrow. On a division tho motion was lost by 35 to 22. At 1.15 a.m., tho committee divided on Captain Russell's proposed now clause which was rejected by 39 to 13.

Mr Herries moved a new clause to provide that the holder of laud under a lease in perpetuity may acquire tho freehold of such land as soon as he has carried out all requisite improvements. Mr Seddon opposed the clause, which was negatived by 40 to 10,