HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11010, 6 July 1901, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence for a week was granted to Messrs Witheford and Lawry. THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Mr BARCLAY resumed the <fehate on the Addlress-in-Reply. After referring to the telegram which the Danedin city members had sent to Sia Joseph Ward, h$ went on to express very general approval of the proposals in the Governor's Speech, although ne regretted; to notice the suggestion in tha Premier's speech the previous evening that they, should go slower in the matter of Labour and social legislation. Mr MoNAB dissented from the last speaker's remarks about the bestowal of honours, and said if there were ever hon. gentlemen in the House and country who had earned a reward for their services it was the hon. gentlemen who had lately received the honour of knighthood. As to the San Francisco mail service, he did not will see 'how we could improve the present condition of affairs. The probabilities were that the San Francisco service would 'be under the American flag for many years to come, and the colony should, therefore, turn its attention to the advisaiblenees of reverting to a line cooneoMng New Zealand and Canada. He Looked upon the recent step of the Opposition as the best thing tbsy could have done, and' he was of opinion that the less powerful the Opposition was the mora criticism tbey got of the Government measuree, and more chance there wus of carrying reasonable and necessary amendments in Committee.

Mr LAURENSON expressed his regret that Captain Russell ba-ci ceased to occupy the position of leader of the Opposition j party. He considered the actions of the Opposition generally were not such as they might expect from a faithful and wholesouled Opposition, but he believed those gentlemen did not believe half they said about the Government, and that their statements were simply dictated by the exigencies of party politics. He went on to strongly urge the un-dEsirableness of fostering the military spirit in this colony, which was one of the greatest curses that could fall on the country. He heartily congratulated Sir Joseph Ward upon the honour bestowed upon him. To his mind one of the most alarming features in New Zealand at the present time was the fearful fall in the birth rate. If some remedy were not forthcoming in this matter, we would goon cease to exist as a nation. Hs would like to sea a very large increase in the land tax, which would tend to ths general prosperity of the country. He would do his best to obtain the repeal of the Crown Tenants Rebate of Rent Act, and thought it was time for a drastic system of law reform in New Zea-

land. Mr E. G. ALLEN ds<pk>red the fact that the Opposition was now without a leader. An Opposition without a leadier was like a ship's crew without a captain, and was likely to lead to confusion. He totally disagreed with what Mr Barclay had said 1 about titular distinctions. After pointing out tlra great advantage likely to accrue to New Zealand from the Royal visit, Mr Allen went

on to urge the necessity for opening up more | markets for our surplus produce, and said lines of steamers should ba handsomely subsidised by the 'State if by this means profitable markets could be secured in South Africa and elsewhere. He favoured the establishment of a State coal mine. Most of the proposals in the Governor's Speech had his hearty support. Mr O'MEARA paid some of the members had inveighed against tins Minister for Railways for importing rolling stock, but these same members kst session urged the necessity of more rolling etock being provided, and when it was provided—and it had to be imported because it could not be made in the colony in the time —they grumbled a.t him for conforming to their wishes. Ha believed 90 per cent, of the people of the colony were in accord , with the honour that had been conferred on Sir Joseph Ward. In bis opinion the Land Act required several amendments. As to the Rebate of the Rent Act, it operated beneficially in the case of those men who had formerly been pavmg more rent than their land was worth. With regard to the decreasing bitth rate, he. considered if the Government devised some system by which subsidies in land or money could be granted to parents oi:large families, no more would be heard of the falling birth Mr FIELD expressed general approval of ! ths Government policy. He was pleased to sea that the last census showed an increase in the population of the native race, but it had been stated that the census was not satisfactory, and be hoped the Government would, as soon as possible, take steps to set at rest any doubts that existed on tha was friterrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.