POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 497, 3 May 1909, Page 8

POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

SOME IMPORTANT MEASURES. •I- now wish to speak iipon- the policy ol> tlio Governmont. Our aim this session-will- • ' bo to placo ou tho Statute Book some iinpor-.. ... ' tant mcasurfes that will, in my judgment, bo , ' of iinmenso. service.': to; this • country, and ' among tho more important will bo tlio 1 Nationkr Annuities 'isill , and the . Land Settlement Finance Bill. We .will laslc-tho House; - ' to effect iii our ; existing laijfe a; numberof ■ amendments found 1 necessary. ■ tofacilitate' either, their smoother operation or a wider . sphere of,usefulness,.; including important ■ amendments ill'our Deferico Acts.: Wo will" also provide such'legislation'-as may hero- ■ qiiisite to enable * our Publici; Sorvioe in many r of-its branches , to-bb . carried on more eco- - nomioally'.and efficiently. ,Our chief desire is not: to'pass'a large: mass of now lcgißla* . , tioh, 'buti to restrict;our,efforts'to improving ;■ , and; perfecting; by ;; well : dißcussed'. and con- •' sidered amendments the operation of exist- , ing measures. V The true principles of ad- : vanced Liberalism lie,below tie National An- N nuities ; and Land"' Settlement Finance Bills, ,■ .namely' that. the .State -should, like ,an in; . tolligent parent, actively promoto the mato- r : rial'well-being of'every: man and woman who, \ without sufficient moans,'is; anxious to. help himself or herself. .The degree of such promotion should correspond to tho burdens of parenthood.a man or a:woman iB bearing,ill tho; interests of tho State. Self-help inusi...; 1 . precede' State-help. . .Those ' principles sum . tho eßsenco of; advanced Liberalism. Now, take aB. an illustration of, those principles but now; scheme : of closer land'.sottlcment^intro-:' duced last year. Shortly stated the: principle . ' is to enable five or more men without land, and without tho means of getting land .to-nc- ; quiro a' limited ' area of freehold ■by tlia Stato's "guarantee;. .The land is, security in . tho:-first . plaM\mthj',of coursoj allr'tho j®" provomonts the sottlcr-adds: to it. Tho State merely guarantees.tho.lender of the. purchase, , 'money'any,deficiencyfwhich.may ariso uiidoi /.. his; security...: tytifortunately,'',everywhere.!,in.. advaiioDd>aiatioiib thoresisJaStcndency. oniithe!i part of tho pcoplo to drift to tho cities and towns." - The groat -salvation '■ of' a nation is. . to keep; its poople- on.'.tho'i]land<!i',Aio6untry.i! : should; mp.ke. tho;.utmo?t'.offort. to check tho ' drift' to the larger, centres of population. , This tendency is ovidont in New. Zealand. In 1906;,f0r every huridredi persons .resident .in :..... the counties 92.5 resided in boroughs/ .while in-1901 for every ; 100 in the countios-there were. 84 in the boroughs/ That-is to say that ;, in a period of five years the.trend towards, the citios increased-by, 8.5 per cent. This is a regrettable ' cohditibn ■ to.' find ? developing . in such a young country as ours.. For closor settlement in.New Zealand to: fulfil, its pur- '~.... poses the areas mußt bo smaller than hitherto and Mor'facilities .will 1 require to.be given to the.man without means to got on the land. Hp must, provided ho is -suitable, invariably , bo able to got upon it if lie so desires. Ag« ; : gregation must: bo more stringently prevented, and increa&id'facilities must be gi pen to will- ... mg and suitable town and city dwellors , to get on. tho, land. Ih'addition, to this, ready asr, sistancp in. proper case 9 ■ will continue to be given' under ;'the' Adyanoesto-Settlers' Act;'' ' l am' Convinced, that, the,true basis of our permanent;-process viV, increasing in,every:way ■ clcisof settlement, of -tho existing. largo.' estates,; and. to this end',tho cxisting.^ogißla-, tion will be strenuously 1 employed'to inauco, . if not compel, subdivision. (Applause.) •. ; National AnnuitiesOne of the fears that haunt tho low-waged • worker, is an old age in .poverty, and if ho be a imarricd. man, .-the .fcari and . tho consequent loss; of support for wifo and - family. rAVo 1 . aim; at' relievjng 'him of . that fear,' for if ho will liolp himself wo will help him. It is , unnecessary for ,tho Stata to provide .an annuity system for. tho swell--to-do, but for thoso,. especially those who r i havo families, with small, means the'.provi-' ' i deat fiind' we;propose to establish;will'be'a ; I-great .boon. Tho schomo provides a; . rat, the'ago of, 60, varying from lis.; a w.ook' .. ' I to 40s. a week, according to tho rate of conI tribution. It provides for,ithe widow and [ orphans. If the, contributor : dies, leaving ,- .tfy.. children uudor tho ago of: 14 years, a'sum . of 7s. 6d. a week is payable for cach child - r i under tho ago of 14 to the widow, so longos, ■ sho has any child, undor,.this age,' depend- ■ i ent upon her. "It provides against sickness and accident. If any contributor becomes, ■ after• five years,-incapacitated -from- any cause for 1 moro than threo ; months, while ho is undorsixty years of age, and, baa children under' 14. dependent upon himy ,ho receives an allowanco of 75.,6 d. a week fo( ' each of the children during tho period of;. i... hisimcapacity.. As an .oxamplo''of what th». sehemo proposes, I may. say. that' a contri-, bution of hfteon pcnco a ,weck, commenced by a man at tho ago of 25, who subsequently marries, and has . tour ; childron, will sccure for him a' pension of 10s. a week: at tho ag« .( , of GO for tho rest of his'lifo,'an allowancs of 30s.i a week during, any period, of, incap--; over tlireo months if ho is undor 60 years of ago l and'his children are Under 14, and i he' tho right, at 1 any: time, to obtain a rofund .of all: contributions: less ; any ~ : benefits ho may have dorived, from .the • fund. The 'rightto this .annuity.' will, not ;j deprive an annuitant 'of his titlo to'an old - ago .pension'.. The scheme may..in. details requiro modification, but the principle will'. b« : mado law. It will bo the, chief;' benefits will be given to parents supporting.:w'-;' : r children. , .' Those :;,who.'->aro . rearing , our. future citizens • and bearing all the, burdens . of parenthood &ro' entitled to:, greater considoratioiv from .tho'State than a single mail" j. or/'p-oman. * with:' no ': rcsppusibiliti6s. ,; This"- . . : ' measure is: based on . principles of true Liberalism. , ,v ■ - - Succession Duties, As regards tho Succession. Duties Acts, I may say that successful evasions are taking ' ; place, involving a loss of largo sums in duty.. At . present a number, of devices'aro employed " (whore immoiiso pMprtios aro' involved) to evado tho paymout of proper death duty. In' the present law, if a wkfow is. left, say half, a' million of .money,, slw.'payano'suco&ssion , ; duty whatever.. This loads, to testators '-saving tho whole or the' creator part of large fortunes to tho widow, no doubt with an understanding that sho is to nialio gifts out v, \ of it to' others .after tbs testator'p death, thut avoiding: l>ayment "of'.duty ialtogether; Pro- 'o' perty, of: course,; that is loft 1• to a ■ widow • ' 1 ' (amplo to maintain hor in oomfort according to hor station) should be. liable to pay nn succession duty,-..but 'after that amount' ia ' reaehod, succession duty should be:mid at

■ . ; i a reasonable .'rate,;;: During-the last'fifteen years, thirty.- .dcooased'". 'estates of:. owr £100,000 havo left upwards of £5,820,007,' an averago of a little over; £194,080 per estate. : ' ; >:.Theso- estates'; do 1 ' not.include those where everything is leEt to tho widow. We hivo not tho. .records to show the amount of - such . estates, but considering' that .„. tho averago •: :of. : these , estates I -havo Teferred to amounted to over £104,000, tho duty now payable is totally inadequate. . At. present-entailed, estates cecapcd death duties, is an anomaly which must Be removed. Persons taking an cstato by entail . - . : should pay "duty, liko orthsr beneficiaries.. Our succession duties 'Mil bo revised for the purpose Of preventing' evasions, of requiring a widow, succeeding to largo estates to pay. duty, of making entail estates liable, to death duty, of distinguishing tho rate of : duty- according to tho total amount of the ; estates' to the nearness or. remoteness in blood.of the benefiomries th» amount' left to . any';-particular ' beneficiary.; '- FrOm , . ; these changes of 'our law, particularly in .regard : ■to tho detecting and' preventing, of evasions, a -. .very, large . increase' ofrevenue will bo s»oured. Prisin Reform. Tho > Now. Zealand prison system has beori ■v • ; v worked, carefully and conscientiously,but ■ . tho system is out of date. It'is. now twenty V: .- years'beliintl tho English-system and behind C;' .that of most of the ■ systems- in Australia. Ot'or 6500 commitments to prison undor con--1 viction.i took-place' last year,' -This reprc- ' Bents between three arid four thousand sep- .. arato offenders.,' Over 40 per cent, of these liad been iu piison before, which shows that ■ :our prison system fdils: to reform, ovor half , of tho wholo.'of-'tho prisoners.-committed to ' - gaol.'; Each prisoner is a dead loss to, the ; State'of £30 odd. Tho loss- is confined 'to : tho-gaol system. Th®. tree-planting system shows- a net.proiit over all cost of £15 -14s. C. 3d. -each. -'Not. including those at present "V at the treo-plantins 1 stations, 752 prisoners -have:, passed through the -tree-planting stations and released, and r of these orily-171 havo been subsequently convicted. That seems to provo.that 22 per cent, only have fallen, as, against..s2,.per, cent.- who,have ,fal- . . len of those who have, boon committed to .% - the Tho. Government is ' determined - to bring- its , prison- system up to date by iclosingtho :smaller Igaols,; and- thus! Saving .V: a largo efcpenso and; pro'rAotirig ; better classiV- >."■ fication' by i making tho reformationof; tho prisoners -a principal . purpose, .by making , our. praons . more': self-supporting without coming into competition with labour, by.classifying tho gaols, developing tho tree- -:. planting stations, establishing reformatory farms whero lad 3, young men, and. first of-, i . fenders who' bavo fallen into, any vicious . ways; in-.tlio cities will bo taught the fariri- -, ing industry and mado : ' competent-. farm hands. - SuCh a farm will.bo established near Wanganui . at - the Mourimhaki - 'Expoririieirt Station, and another will bo established in the. South - Island in ■ a suitable locality. -The whole system when complete is expected to - reduce orimo by ;rcducing tho criminal class,. . greatly reducing'.the.cost ofour prisoners , ' to"/thb State,' and" restoring : many to honest' . and Tivos who are now falling back to onminal ways., , / Bankruptcy. . The Government has been pressed:by tho - : different Chambers of Commerce and merchants .generally .to review portions. of our • bankruptcy law, and the Government is at - present considering many suggestions which have been made. Tho principles,ate as follow , , V! The compulsory registration of all private i' ~ : :'assignments, * >A":'review. ; of , the system , of- remunerating deputy, official assignees. and deputies;: ' t >. ■ ■ ■ --.--.-Abolition -Of.contractors' liens in certain •J. '-'.'cases'iwhereJthe' provision "for; theso ..liens is tending to speculation and unsound trad- , in g- ' ', Alterations; of :tbo law'-as to fraudulent preferences.' / ' . -V' • Restrictions mi the landlords' ..'■preferential , ;;;;;■ >!laiin;;fbr''rent.-':;, . Protection-of creditors in the case-of tho -j ;"-. sale of. a'.business as. a going concern. .. without unnecoissary. publicity, for. example, : 7 jof ' • their respective .losses. 'U ■ - -'Abolition .of .' piiblic ": examinations,' as '. being useless.and 'expensive ;- ■ fCompulfiory;,keeping of: specified , books of accounts^;!' i : - Insolvent 'estates of- deceased persons to ' , bo' adminiktered iunder: the .Bankruptci'. Act; : -v 'Bringing ;:back all absconding debtors at, . thslpublic expense;. . . ■; '. ; yf • . It is under, contemplation 'as to whether . ;;, '- ; ::-,-' : the.-Publio'. officers throughout i i-' s nbt 'be -utilised ; as o£fi■J^;j?cial;:Msigneeß^^;v!:^'::'j' >: ■ These matters! aro having careful consiilcration, arid' at'- least somo of' tho most important of them will be-embodied - ina Bill and'.introduced:'this!year. '.. f ; \v■>:&,/ ' v Falsa Description, - - . - Tho exiating law -. on eubject,-which .adoption,'.ofj^the-Imperial'Mer- '. t:- chandise, Marks ; Act, requires. amendment, und legislation: will-;bo introduced. to. attack . the. growing. : practico of.;, false trade descriptions.;lf, >asi is probable, a, Bill consolidat- ' . ing -and'amending the Patent ;,Desig'ns an 1 ; Trado- Maries Act (adopting tho provisions 7 ; : :.r" of,the recent Acts of 1905 and 1907) is in- -. . troduced- .this. year :tHb' prOposed legislation ■ ..in rcorinectiori.;;With/;the' repression;. of;'-false ..trade;; descripMons .will';firid; a ; placeiin .tliis : ' ' Company Law. .;The Government is.considering the ciped- ' iency .of amending-.our Companies Act. in ,'V,Certain;' urgent cases, to .bring our'- law into - • line with;-the dra'perml ■ Companies Act/ 1906. In this direction ( .prorisi6n will bo made: al-. ■lowhig tho; re-issue - 'of debentures which have ' tv -',; beenhypothecatedivan- impbrtarit. mktter, "in view of the dceision of Uia English Courts : :that all-debonturos so re-issued are invalid; Winvalidating ;i, debentures f issued: ;as seeuritv ;; for a past debt withiu four months of liqui- , dation," so putting ' companies in -the same .v. ' .^position'as-private .traders,under . the; Bank -; ruptcy Act; .providing that'companies which, do hiot issub a .-prospectua. on : their forma- ' tipnVshall file -the ;registrar a statement • ; lieu ofprospectus-: making better ,pro- ' C ':,-^i s 'bri,' fbr ;;the. ; registration {of- all' securities given by companies. Friendly soolotles' Consolidation Bill. In'iportarit aniendnionts on tho Friendly :bpci#ties-Aet.,wjll ;,bb-intr6duced, : '-incori)orat-' Acts of ?. 18U6 and 1903, as aro to Xow Zealand; new provisions (for improving the linanci.-il sb'uridnefes of . tho y slightly :^^ r^g^.tho ; v<s_lasSOß : - of the : societieg to be .' • J restoring .the provisions of - the Act of' lao 2 as. to specially authorised societ'.es;;; providing f that,. friendly societies may "■ include -. among thoir objects the guarantee , of tho; lidohty of their servants and officers • ,providing moro; extensiyo ••poweft l -of-.inwst--ments;. protecting ..money payable by. ; a friendly society , to' a mombor, or on the •„ . death of a: mombor, against - creditors in the same manner as lifo lfisuranco policica, . and . -, ..extending the', provisions as to; the settlement of disputos . hy . arbitration - in -' accordance with the English Acis;'.... . Sottisment of Native Land. An area of- about a million-and a quarter . acres .of Native-land'declared^available for ■ European v settlement; .will be :as ;, rap'.dly 'is ', possible,' and, oh completion of surv-py will bo available for settlement-. The - -work-;, thrown; iipon tho : . Surveying -Depa'rtinent naa.- ot l been vci-y' oxtoniiivo. and the survey, of Native lands 1 has consequently been somewhat delayed.Thcje surveys willnow be pressed.with all urgency, and largo arras of /jativo land- will bo shortly avatl- , - - . able. for. European settlo&ent. in the North Island. ■' - Other Legislation. improvements will bo .rnndo in our Hospital and Charitable Institiitious Act.: ; ,- Aftiendments will be made in tho Education Act to remove' the doubt which arose as to'the rate of_ payment of .teachers' salaries ■ under tho legislation", of-last; year. In/tho Workers' Compensation for Accidents' Act some-revision is necessary, particularly with regard to the difficulties which ardsc as to tho, medical oxaiinination of work-. - mcnt and as to the disease "pneumoconiosis." Provision will be inado for more closely follow- . ing'the recent English legislation :in this mat- .. .: - tor,¥and-:full:-oppqrttihity; : given ;to those in- : ' tercsted. tb:,' deal with the proposed amendments before they bccomo law. , Numerous amendments' of the' Municipal Odinoiations Ant have been suiigested to me

from timo to time' by the Municipal Conferences. Somo of thos'o aro of a technical nature, but somo of thom fire now urgently required, .and theso suggestions are being considered with a viow to amendments of tho existing law being lhado this session.^ Legislation will be introduced ..defining tho main roads of the Dominion in order that thoy may bo taken over by thb'Govornmout, arid provision will also'be mado for all other roads to bo maintained .by the local authorities. As a mcasuro, of assistanco to tlio forest supplies of the future tho treo-pknting of the prison camps is doing oxeollont- work. This treo-planting will be continued-with increased , onorgy under our proposed prison reforms. ' There iB no power at present for resorvoa-to be removed '.from... tho - Crown Forests Reserves Act, and legislation will bp .introduced .to, enable theso reserves, to ,IJb. , treated; similarly to Crown lands ; rcsen-es, and prb.vision will-also be made for the' preservation of Crown forests. 'Further amendments of our law will bo ma.de: in the Destitute Persons ..Act,.' tho Habitual Drunkards Act, the Police Act,' and the administration-.reform in the Public Service.'.-,,-:- . a- " v - Rallv/ay Construction.' Legislation will bo. introduced for making provision for tho completing and equipment of railway . lines ;in " various portions ..of: the Dominion' whore tho people '- express their readiness and willingness to undertake such responsibilites in returii for the all-important wbrk'of railway, extension. Such a measure, in my., opinion, both desirable and necessary. In. different portions of tho -country the. strongest pressure is brought to bear up»n • tho Government to construct railway lines, and in cases whore examination made: ' impartially by reliable officers shows' that a deficiency .of revenuo is likely, to . occur, the protection' of ensuring tho deficiency, being made up should be put into practical operation with a view to giving those concerned beforehand a right to say whether they are agreeable to conform to tho: necessary conditions 1 for the making of such a line. I .do riot wish it to be inferred that a railway, line should commence to earn interest, , say,' at. therate of: even 3 per cent.,- from its inception. That would bo to expect too much, and a certain, amoiint bf risk in this respect in 'the of settlement land development should 'be iricurred; b.ut' it "is not m r the. interests of ■ this' country, that a System of making- costly railway lines, should be,' allowed to be continued where it can. be reasonably ascertained beforehand that'there -is no- probability: of. them paying a compa'ra- • tively: small v rato: bf-intorest.' ;It. is.not fair that-the cost.of' making such railwayß with .■unsatisfactoryresults' : should 'be borne ..by other portions' of. the Dominion. The matter 'is/one. of; sufficient importanco to engage',tho close "attention of Parliament) and, that op-: portunity. will bo given, during tho coming -session! ,i,