ADDRESS-INREPLY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15016, 10 July 1914, Page 7

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

YESTERDAY'S SPEECHES,IN THE HOESE.

CLOSE OF THE DEBATE,

(iBBIDGRtI TRESS ASSOCIATION REPORT.) WELLINGTON, July 9. After formal business h*id been disposed of in tho House of Representatives this afternoon, the debate ou tho Address-in-Reply was resumed by Mr T. Parata. who refuted tbo claim.*; that tho legislation of the Government had been benr-tieial to the Native race. He contrasted tho land held by Natives and by Inrgo pakeha holders, contending that tho agitution for tho settlement- of Maori lands was only a tuso to draw off attention from the holdings of Europeans who owned, uot blocks, but small Dominions. The Hon. Dr. Pomare quoted fron tho maiden s-'voech of Mr Parata, vi which he stated th*.* Native policy of the Liberals was an "absolut-o public scandal." In Ilio same speech ho advocated EurcpcauUiug Native land. Since then he had evidently changed I his views; perhaps his political morality ' had been tampered with since thou. Mr Pnrnta's great grievance was tlie Ngaitahn claim* in the South Island. "What had the Liberal Government, which tbo hon. gentleman's father bail supported for twenty-two years, done to settle tho Ngaitahu claims. Mr A. H. Hindmarsh deprecated the personalities indulged in, and charges of dishonesty so freely hurled about in politics. The first* duty of Parliament, was to settle Now Zealand, but tho fact was that 511 people who owned iIIS,OOD,OOO worth of unimproved land had too much influence in tho House,

and, though many Government supporters Knew what ought to bo done, they wero powerless to do it. Tho member for Rangitikei had expressed tho true reason for this when ho said that an effective graduated laud tax would bring so much laud on to tho market that the value of all tho neighbouring holdings would be reduced. Tho vital question of tho moment was land sottiement, and tho way to do *t was to burst up big estates by means of tho graduated tax. Mr H. M. Campbell congratulated tho Government upon tho proposal to borrow a large sum for reading tlie backblocks. Tho financial position lud improved since the present Government camo into oflßco, and a feeling of security provailed. Bo suggested the acquisition of scenery areas along tin* East Coast railway line. It was charged against tho Government that its naval policy was extravagant, but what about tho proposals of Sir Joseph Ward? It was incorrect to say that 80 per cent, of the Press supported tho Government. As a matter of fact, only 262 per cent, of the newspapers supported Reform. He hoped that in tho Licensing Bill something would bo done regarding tho tted-house evil.

EVENING SITTING. At the evening sitting. Mr J. McCoinbs referred to tho Red Federation, comparing it with the Employers' Federation. He held that the Federation of Labour was a defensive organisation, while tho Employers' Federation was an offensive ono. The avowed policy of tho Employers' Federation was to attack the workers and that organisation had always resented legislation for the settlement of industrial disputes. All the Employers' Federation wanted to do at Waihi was to fetter tho minors. Tho peoplo of Waihi wero now sorry that they showed sympathy with tho strike-breakers. It was plain to him that an attempt was being made to make political capital out of the strike, and that was bis;reason for referring to industrial strife. He said it was the shipping companies who had torn up.thp agreement becauso tho. agreement, which affected eight grou of workers, had been broken by one group, or" by one-eighth of tho workers. In a conflict between a man and a dollar, ho was always on the side of tho man. Possibly his projudice might prompt him to take the sido of the man even if he were in the wrong: but he thought in this conflict he had tboucht rightly. It waa tho Employers' Federation who had Urged that tho sh. companies should break the agreement. The Primo Minister had aided and abetted the attempts to deny the work-

ers the rights granted them by thj Parliament of New Zealand. Mr C K. Wilson said Mr Hindmarsh had attacked the man on the land* but had offered no solution of tho settlement question. In increasing the land tax they should take tho class of land into consideration. It was the rich land near tho railway stations which {should bo taxed: they wanted to put the small man upon dairying land. Under Mr Massey's administration settlement was-going on.ayaco, out thero was more than settlement required; the peoplo wanted proper access to their 'ana. It ttas'uniair to leavo men without roads when thoy were paying interest on roading from tho time thoy took up tho land. The development of tho country was demanded, and tho Government should como down with a bold policy and borrow enough money to carry them over five or six years. Thero were, he said, men in the Public Service who were the paid spies of the Opposition. He considered the Ministor of Education was justified in appointing Mr Royd Garlick to carry out tho school physical training system. Mr F. B. {Smith said tno lied reds, ■wero out to break every agreement entered into. Tlie Prime Minister had dono all he could to settlo tho strike, while the utterances of the Leader ol tho Opposition had lod tho strikers expect support from his party. Ha contended that the Govornmont -party were not against Labour; they wero rot out to legislate for any particular class but for all classes of the community. Ho was not in favour of placing another screw ou big estates. Tho valuation svstcm was at fault. Lani should not be taxed up to its full limit; it was different to income tax. _ Tho Leader of the Opposition was playing a game of bluff. He (Mr Smith) advocated tho provision of agricultural : training for thfc young poop l- **- of tho country fle was not against the leasehold, but they would never see the same homesteads on leasehold as on freehold. Ho advocated five-acre lots for workers' homes near cities, whero this was p-n----sible. Mr G. V. Pearco also spoke. In renlyincr. Mr E. P. Leo said the criticism of the ».overnment hud been of the feeblest kind. He then proceeded to deal with Sir Joseph Ward's speech on tho proposed Imperial Council, reading length; extracts from tbo official report and fidiruline the vagueness of the proposals submitted. Sir Josenh Ward mado a personal explanation in which bo declared that Mr Leo had misouotcd the official report of the Imperial Conference, thus conveying a wrong impression of tho speech delivered by him at that conference. The motion for the adoption of tbo Address-in-Reply was then asreed to, and the House rose at midnight.