PARLIAMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 7927, 15 October 1909, Page 4

PARLIAMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES.

\ Per Press Association. ; ' ! WELLINGTON, October 14. ';■ ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. The/debate oil the Address-in-Reply was- resumed this afternoon by .' The' Son. A. T. Ngata, who said that an 'opportunity would be given later on m the session to.deal fully with the native lands question! The Opposition had stated that no effect ■ would, be given „to the recommendations ,o|. the Native .Lands Commission, but already several "areas^..a. mounting.to ; nf* ally a quarter of a million'"acres, w,ere being dealt with under the recommendations. The total area dealt with by Order-in-Council was 991,889 acres, which went to show that the Commission's work had not been fruitless. In regard to the King Country, up to 1886 this was outside the Queen's jurisdiction. Then it was gazetted and found to contain 1,844,788 acres. The natives had sold 954,622 acres. Areas aggregating 424,043 acres were under lease to Europeans. "Where were the millions of unoccupied lands of which the Opposition member spoko'? Mr A. S. Malcolm (Clutha) said he had been unable to follow Mr Ngata's statements on the native land question. While he himself was ignorant of native affairs, lie had come to the conclusion that when the House asked for a policy on native affairs they got a speech. Mr W. D. Macdonald (Bay of Plenty) dealt chiefly, with the financial depression, which he attributed to the fall m the price of mutton and wool, and not to any maladministration of the party m power. . . Mr G. J. Anderson (Mat-aura), referring to Mr Laurenson's remarks regarding the Mataura election, stated that he (Mr Anderson) would never have opposed his friend Mr McNab but for the fact that the ex-Minister, for Lands had gone back on his freehold principles. The debate was interrupted by the dinner ad j ournrnent. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Sir Joseph Ward said that he had never heard anything like the speech of Mr Allen for wilful misrepresentation. He had been invited to give specific instances of attempts made to injure the credit of the country. Statements made by public men, though perhaps not intended to have a bad effect, had. undoubtedly damaged the reputation of the dominion. The leader of the Or>nosition, speaking m the House last year, said that if the Government did not feel inclined to put the brake on he hoped the money-lenders would. The Sydney Bulletin had stated that the bottom had been knocked out of Maoriland. The member for Bruce had said that the dominion had drifted into such a position that a financial breakdown was imminent.. All these statements were sufficient -proof that an idea had been disseminated that New Zealand was on the verge of bankruptcy. He denied that the country had ever been m financial difficulties. The member for Bruce had, m his speech, commended the Government's financial policy, and expressed satisfaction at the surplus and the provision of sinking funds. The methods pursued by the Opposition for the purpose of attaining political ascendancy were absolutely unjustifiable. Dealing with Mr Allen's speech on the Address-in-Reply, Sir Joseph Ward accused the member for Bruce of inaccurate statements m regard to finance. Much had been said of the Government borrowing money m the dominion, but the fact was'that only £31,750 had been borrowed. It had been stated that £824,900, post office savings bank funds, had been appropriated by the Government, but £100,000 of this sum was m Treasury bills. A portion of this sum had been also devoted to advances to settlers. The member for Bruce was one of those financial cormorants who approached the Treasury for funds and had publicly said that if any plunder was going he would hay« his share. In spite of the fact that the Roxburgh-Lawrence line had gone down to paying 6s per cent, Mr Allen asked the electors to stand by him m his endeavour to have the line continued. Why had the leader of the Opposition been silent about this line since the Government had stopped it. He defended the Government's action m connection with the Midland railway. The Government had taken the only possible course open to it. The Prime Minister quoted Mr John Duthie as saying that too much had been made by the Press of the financial depression. An impression had been created that a panic was approaching m New Zealand. . Some leading public men m Sydney had called on him (Sir Joseph Ward) and made enquiries as to the position of a leading house m the dominion. This was the result of misleading statements. For the six months ending September 30, th etotal revenue was £3,865,000, and the balance for the same period £59,380, which compiired very favourably with, the corresponding period of last year. On the same date the Government had £280,000 available for land for settlements. Regarding borrowing from the Australian Mutual Provident Society, it was said that the Government had taken large sums of money which, would otherwise have been available for ordinary purposes, but the fact was that the money had come from the Australian office. He was getting tired of th© cry about driving capital out of the country. The only people who were taking money out of the dominion were those who had made fortunes m New Zealand. Some men who reaped the reward of the public policy m this country were those who took capital away to earn larger profits elsewhere. The member for Wairarapa had urged the Government to buy a large estate, which would only support half a dozen men. This was not policy. The Government would have the whole land question threshed out this session, but! the Government had no intention of buying estates 'at enormous pripesj which would mean ruin to the unfortunate settlers. He defended the expenditure m connection with the visit of the American fleet. , Mr Allen denied that he had stated that the dominion was on the verge of bankruptcy. What he had said wasj that under certain conditions it was.l bound to make default; that was to say, unless the Government raised another ;!oan «-to. carry on the Midland railway.- ' " 'Mr Massey complained that tho Premier had quoted part of his speech without, reference to 'the context. He defended his remarks on the: Govern-; ment's borrowing policy. ■j: : ■ • ■!• Mr T. E. Taylor congratulated the Prime Minister, on his speech, especially on his statement regarding the land question. He suggested a referendum bejng taken on the .land tenure question. ]EJe' advocated ■■ constitution a] reform m the directidn -of an ejectjye executive and legislative council. ' '' l'"' The House rose at 11.20 p.m;