THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1900, 7 November 1913, Page 4

THE HOUSE.

The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. PARLIAMENTARY, BUILDINGS. Mr. 6. M. THOMSON gave notice to ask whether tho Government would defer consideration of the tenders for the new Parliamentary Buildings until full inquiry had been made into tho respective merits of tho different Building stones. WATERSIDE WORKERS.

About an hour of the afternoon was spent in discussing a proposal by Mr.' Veitch to introduco a Bill to regulate the- employment of waterside workers and other casual labourers. Tho discussion is reported elsewhere in this issue. BUILDINC RAILROADS. PRIVATE UNDERTAKINGS. The Railwajs Construction and Land Amendment Bill • was introduced, by Governor's Message and read a first time. The Hon. W. ERASER, answering a request to explain tho Bill, said that a good deal had been said by membors during last session with reference to giving powor to private individuals orcompanies to construct private railways, which the Government did not see their way to go on with. There was an Act on the Statute Book which was applicable except in one clause, which he had had to amend. There was a proviso in the Act that railway construction under it must not cost more than £5000 a. mile. The , Act was passed many years ago, and since then the cost of construction had increased very much, so that without amendment the Act was useloss. 'Ho had brought down an amendment increasing the construction cost from £5000 to £8000. RAILWAYS AUTHORISATION. • THREE LINES MENTIONED. , The Railways Authorisation Bill was introduced by Governor's Message, and read a first time. Tho Hon. W. ERASER (Minister of Public Works) explained what tho authorisations wore, "here had been an extension/ of the Kaihu (North Auckland) railway to Waima, and a further extension four'and a half miles beyond that would tap ii huge forest, which just, now belonged to tho Crown, and which it was the intention of the Government to bring into use. Tho extension would be up •to Donnolly's .Crossing. There was no intention of going on with the lino yot, and no money would bo on tho Estimates this year for the work, because the line was not finished up to Waima. Ho had, however, given instructions that a survey should be ma'do. Tho next lino mentioned was tho East Coast, Main Trunk. This was tho line which would opon ,up all tho country between Opotiki and Tauranga, and it'would be one of tho best lines in the country, as well as one of the cheapest in construction. The authorisation up to tho present was for only a few miles beyond Pongakawa, and a further authorisation would be necessary to allow the line to proceed. It was proposed to authorise now a length of thirty-five miles, so that it would not bo necessary to bring down another Bill for this line next 'year or tho year after. The other line was a branch from the main East Coast line, of somo two miles and half, leading to a quarry near Te Pukc. This quarry would supply motal for all tho roads in the district, and would supply ballast for tho line, which was very badly needed.

The Hon. W. P. MASSEY said ho hoped tho Leader of tho Opposition and his frionds would ho satisfied with the explanation of the Minister about the extension of the lino in tho north. A commission had been set up to report upon the state of our forests, ana on

tho advico of thai commission that it would be impossiblo in tho future to tho Waipoua forest from firo, it had boon, decided by tho Government to utilise tho timber for State purposes, but not to pub tho timber on tho market for sale. This was tho solo reason for tho extension beyond Kaihu. It was not a political line. V'; SIR JOSEPH WARD ■ (Awarua) congratulated the Miriistor on liaving pro-

pc-sed tho extension, which was a very necessary adjunct to. the line. Tho usual series of complaints from members in whoso districts lines had not been authorised, followed. The Minister, however, refused to bo drawn as to what his Public Works Statement would contain. SCIENCE AND ART. .SITE OF THE MUSEOM. The Hon. F. M. B. FISHER moved that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in tho Science and Art Bill bo agreed to. SIR JOSEPH WARD (Awarua) said ho had como to the conclusion that the best site for the new Museum was that at Mount Cook. In this he was in entire agreement with tho Leador of the Council.

» T THOMSON (Dunedin North) disagreed with this view. He did nob think that Mount Cook would ever bo the centre of the intellectuallife of Wellington. It seemed probable that this'miist bo at the northern "end.of the city, and for this reason he advocated strongly the building of the Musoum on the present site.. Aftei all, a museum was not properly a place of popular entertainment merfcly, and he hoped the Government -would take expert advice on the question before .deciding upon a site.

■ • Mr. G. J. ANDERSON (Mataura) favoured the present site, for the reason that no visitors to Wellington would evor go to Mount CodI: to visit the Museum, which was supposed to bo not merely a Wellington Museum, but a Dcminion Museum.

Mr. C. A. WILKINSON (Egmont) supported the Mount Cook scliemo, and expressed the opinion that tho present museum site would yet be needed for administrative offices.

_Dr. A.* Jv. NEWMAN (Wellington East) said his opinion was that tho Museum- ought to bo on its present site, but he was glad also that- the appearance of the magnificent sito of Mount Cook was to be improved. To build a gaol .there had been a hideous desecration. He hoped also that the Museum would be proceeded with at once. Tho amendments wore agroed to. THE LAND BILL. The adjourned debate on the question that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Laud Laws Amendment Bill be agreed to was resumed.

Mr. R. M'OALLUM (Wairau) urged tho Minister to disagree with Clause 43, dealing with the acquisition of land un-

dor mortgage by companies or persons disqualified by the limitation of area provisions of the law from holding it. The Council's clause to the effect that a mortgagee purchasing a property should not be able to register nis title bo regarded as a nonsensical and futile proposal. He urged that there was no virtue in : registration so long as a man did not need money, and if a man-had money enough there would be nothing to prevent his acquiring - and .holding a score of properties in excess of the permitted area. Other speakers in tho debate were the Hon. D. Buddo, Mr. G. Witty, Mr. G. W. Russell, Mr. J. A. Hanan, Mr. J. G. Coates. PRIME MINISTER JN REPLY.,; , PROGRESS OF SETTLEMENT. The PRIME MINISTER said that the amendments made in the Bill were so mild that it was scarcely nccessary for him to reply. It was true that an alteration in tho nature of a now departure liad_ been made by tho Legislative Council in what might be ■ called tho mortgage clause. The alteration, however, was in the direction that he had desired in when he introduced tho clause. Since the clause was passed by the House, lending institutions had represented that it was very little better than the existing law. ilr. Russell: They frightened you? Sir. Massey: My object is to enable settlers to borrow at the lowest possible rate so long as the principle of limitation is adhered to. He believed that the clause would work out all right, but if it were found in tho future that the principle of preventing aggregation was not' being adhered to ho would be glad to strengthen tho law. Mr. Russell: You won't bo here to do it.

Mr. Massey: I don't see anyone on the other side of the House that the .people of tho country are willing to put in my placo. (Laughter.) and hear, hear I). The honourable gen. tleman is always talking about what will happen at the next general election, but when it comes round lie will get the surprise of his life. Replying to assertions by Opposition members that ho had excluded Cheviot from the freehold provisions for political reasons, ho successively asked Messrs. G. W. Forbes (in whose district Cheviot lies), G. W. Russell, and G. Witty, whetner they would voto for a Bill giving Cheviot settlers tho option of the freehold if ho brought down such a measuro by Governor's Message. All threo members replied in the negative. Mr. Massey montioned that since March 31 last upwards of 140,000 acres of land had been purchased for subdivision Tinder tho Lands for Settlement Act.

Mr. Russell: Tho owner of one of those properties, said that you wero a heaven-bom statesman, didn't ho? Mr. Massey: And in expressing that opinion he was proving his intelligence. During the present financial year 70,000 acres, of Native land had teen purchased. Tho totalG ho had quoted did not include land purchased under tho Land Settlement Finance ' Act. As showing how the subdivision of private-ly-owned land was going on, ho mentic lied that during the last eighteen months 204 properties had been subdivided, none of which wero of a less area than 1000 acres. Settlement was gcing on very satisfactorily indeed, and the Government would do everything that it could to promote subdivision. He thanked honourable members for tho support they had given the Bill, particularly in divisions, and expressed the opinion that when it reached the Statute Book it would be found to be a very valuable piece of legislation. The motion that the amendments mado by tho Legislative Council bo agreed to was carried on tho voices.