—PARLIAMENT OPENED

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 229, 24 June 1927, Page 12

—PARLIAMENT OPENED

. SPEECH FROM THE THRONE FORECAST OF LEGISLATION ' . BRIEF SITTING OF HOUSE •• ■ -• "i ••< - . , s^conS-session of the twenty- ' kdcdfidT Parliament ”ot< frenv' Zealand was opened by’ His - 'Excellency the ■'Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson) yesterday;.The guard of honour was provided by the Cen-. tral Depot, New Zealand Corps of Signals. The showery weather, notwithstanding, there was a fairly large attendance of the public, .and a packed gallery in the Legislative -Gounen;listened to the -reading ..of the Speech from the Throned • Included-in the legislation foreshadowed -in-the ; -&peecE.hrtf Bill'd dealing with the tariff, licensing, divorce, public..',works, Public- Service Superannuation, bankruptcy, industrial disputes, motor vehicles, and land. The House of Representatives Transacted formal , business, and adjourned at 3.12 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day.

Mb Speech from, tliei Tfrone was-as follows ■ i - - -

Honourable Gentlemenof the Legislafivei! Council, 'and Gentlemen of the House of “Representatives;— - It is withypleasure that T again meet yoti in-Barbainent assembled. z-:<-.dc-Z ■ ’ ,Since”your“Tasr SeSSjorr T’.iiayq”--had. fuyfh'et opportunities- 'of Malting various, parts of. .the.;Ddmimon,, .and .have been deeply: impressed,} py the spirit of loyalty which'is everywhere ;in evidence, asrtwell as by-. .the .warmth of theiwelS' come extended-to--me -as-His Majesty’s repreSentatitte.’/' , ; - The'’visit iff Their Royal Highnesses" the Duke arid’ Duchess of ’.York aroused great. ,enthiisSsm throughout- the.. Dominion, and . provided, an occasion for a demonstration-o£-loyaltv-ta the Crown and personal; regard forithe Sovereign and’the Royal Family./ The welcome; to our-’ Royal ' Visitors was in" every way as as’, that "which was’aCr corded! jn. .pieyj.on3." JeAra. to.. Their. Jfer jesties' the King and Queen and to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. At the Maori'gathering 'at !Eotorua our fellowr?u.bjects.. of. the, Native, ra,ce k , again strikingly- demonstrated' their loyalty -to the Sovereign in accordance with thejr customs and usages. The visit of Their Roval HighnSsses/ I/aSfi confident, will stiU? furthers strengthen- tfie ties -which bind the citizens of this Dominion to the Motherland.—'-^’.:;A The Imperial Conference, at which thia Dominion was'< represented fiy.my Prime'.iVJSnister and the Right. Honourable Sir’ Francis 'Bellr-last'year. -iyas . notabjp for many important- resolutions, some of which/affept the; Colonial Laws Validity Act, reserving of Bills, and extfaPterritortat operation -of-Dom inion-leg--iSlatiOnS These’ subjects have been referred by the’lmperial’CohfefeHce’ td a--committee which?after consultation with the Dominions, will advise whether special *legisl^tidn-’is ! necessary; “to i give effect- tq-the/resolutions.Other, matters . dealt' with "at’ .the"• imperial ’ Conference are defined in’a. report' bf.’the proceedings which'* will- Be laid before., you at an early date. .cs / At the conclusion , of tne • meeting of • the Imperial Conference, my Prime Minister visited the-graves, of our'Soldiers in France and Belgium He" was deeply impressed by., the care and attention which have been exercised bv the Imperial War- Graves. Commission in carrying .out. .the. ;.workentrusted to their charge.. .1 < ’c.-rai-.i:,:- ...i •'The' qpe'hing-df .the Federal House of Parljpmpjif "at Canbefra'ih ■ May Fast”was? an event of ■ outstanding importance the >histoty of the,.sister Domitij6.tr. Australia.- New Zealand waa.,rep'fesetit-lf ed at-the-'ceremony by the Honourable/ of Dands-,- through /whoift; New’ Zealand’s congratulations; r t&',the' Commonwealth were ’transmitted- / ‘ At' the Assembly .of the -League of Nation#"-at Geneva last year ; thq :Dd-. minion, ivas represented by. the/Right; Honourable Sir Francis Belli and by tpei High ..Commissioners. "The ...most/i/im-.’ - portant-event at this meeting/was/'the’admission ot,Germany as a■ member of! the Dekgue, "witlya -permanent/seat:bn’: -‘he .C.Qflficj.l. i.A.. report of the -proceedings has been prepared,and, will be -laid before' you,. in ,duq' course.". Duriu^.ih£!.reQess. i tlie.',Miuister. pf External; Affairs.has visited -the -Mandated Tqjrjtqry., <ff • Samoa and pet’Sdnallyt jdifo. •.’thejAdfilihisfrator' hud; the. inhabitants of The- 'territory matters‘per-’ “of,.Jaotli. traces. The continued/progress. ofs the. Native pbpulatipir; .thejr ,-gpnditjpns.. qf Hive-; lihood, tlieit' 1 gen'exalA'p.rosperity' 'and thejr confidence in the administration of 'their .affairs are .matters"’ for satisfaC,tio& '’-It- is-.’gratifying-'-aUo-to know. th'af the. .reports furnished, to, the League of. Nations.' iS. ; 'accqtd'grice,’,'jyith. the .terfns. ofythe i-mandate. held/ by' New Zealand have earned the .commendation. of the Pcrmaiibh'f’Mandates the League--—. 2-2, t'CO';’. c i/ . “ •/■ qf-Fresident- Coolidge a - Disarmament .Conference— has.:.. .com-;-i xnenced. its : ’ deliberations at Geneva, My Ministers have. ’...arranged for the ,Domjpiqn."to be represented-’by;Jfhe High Comffiissioner,.’;Admiral of ’ the’ 'Fleet Earl JelJicde, qnd/ißear-Admifal .Beal.’

Mr," Speaker and '.Gentlemen of . the' ii;. House iof thtf-’results of th e’ financial, y ear :eflded 3l Idst-'are very satisfactory,/ especially So in'yieyv of the uncertainty of rfin'ancial’''position-"' during, the pejipdwi The surplus of - revenue.'oyer. espperiifiiure amounted to £587,000.' Part of'-this.tsurplus? has been '.utilised to. re-', dace-.the public , debt, arid.the. balance carried ■ forward ‘ to.- meet any extraordinaryf,‘demands "that 'mav arise - during the -present-year. -My -Ministers are of opinion that in-view; of the general and financial, outlook for the current year rigid;economy must be maintained.- To this end my' Ministers have. again ar-' ranged-.for'a‘special committee to scrutinise: carefully the estimates and report as' „to“ltTie7'.ffie'as.ures* to." .be ;taken to eusixfe economy -and .strict control of expenditure; r — ‘ .-A. ■ further; JdariJ. of. £s,'QOO,flOO' > 7 issued, at £99 ; 10i.?pur';peijfc7 Rearing interest'at 5 per.-Jcent.,has-ceen /specessfully’.'.float-edrirri-'iidoU;-and ■th-e-proceeds- will -bedevoted .construction, and imi proveinent of' railways, -hydro-eleCtric power stations, and. other, .public .works designed td assist in the development of the productive-power of the Dominion.

I mentioned ’in 1 niy- speech at the opening of.the. last session, of Parliament that in connection with naval defence -niy- advisers' were.* of the.opinion that*. taPtcl should .be '.4pne before New

Zealand,; cpuldy-claimto?, bpve.- taken her fair share of the burden of ‘the defence of^lier-Kmpife J -"ln'- ; tlie--dtsCusston--'at the -Imperial Conference .the Prime Minister of Great Britain stated’emphatically 'that.:-the? best "form '. of•; assistancethat- the ..Dominions cotild. give would be fry Way of-a contribution to the: cost of tile 'iiavaL-base-at'Singapore, and’ my ad'viscrS--'-iiifend to Submit proposals id' that? respect for your ■ consideration' - ■.Fpdthe .purpose, cf "co-ordinating and. : '.df local;.

thorities, and of giving local governing bodies'the benefit of expert advice, a Local Government Loans Board Act was parsed last year. In pursuance of the Act a representative board has been appointed and has taken, up the duty of, investigating the loan proposals brought'.forward by .the local authorities. It is anticipated that the .operations of the • board will be of great benefit to the local authorities concerned and to the/Dominion generally. ■ ■ Following'the report of the Commission which investigated the question of rural credits, in. other, countries, a Rural Advances Act was passed last .session, and came into operation on April; L Loans are. now being; granted, and as soon as sufficient mortgages have been created for the purpose it is proposed to issue bonds secured on.the mortgages, and it is hoped’that investors will take - up the bonds and thereby assist in financing the farmer. During thd recess a Royal Commission of departmental experts was appointed to consider and report upon the revision of the Customs tariff... This Commission 'has been faking evidence in various parts of the Dominion,. and ■its report should shortly be received. A-new tariff, will then be prepared, and submitted for your scrutiny and revision. You will -appreciate that the in’tended introduction of a tariff prohibits any intimation being given at this stage 'of "the. session of the proposals of. my Ministers with regard to alterations in the methods or subjects of taxation. ■■■'" Honourable Gentlemen of - the-- Legis- ■ lat.ive Council and Gentlemen of ; ’ the House-ot Representatives—- : ..It has been .the aim of my Advisers to improve the trade relations of this Dominion with other countries, and especially to foster trade within the Empire.- .With this -end’in view various conferences with representative people were held by my Prime Minister during his visit to England and to Canada, and also by the Minister of Industries: and Commerce during his recent'/ Visit Ito Australia. : The-question of-land-settlement has been receiving the earnest consideration of my Advisers, whose ■ difficulties in . this respect have been greatly accentiuiied by the prevailing unfavourable economic conditions. . . .The . protracted instability in-, the prices of our primary products in the world’s markets, together with the increased cost of development,- has been reflected, in a icorrespopding uncertainty in’ land' values, and’ has so seriously affected the position, of many of the country’s' settler's 'that available resources have been severely taxed in an endeavour to place them bit a sound footing. ■••• < '•. The Maori Arts and Crafts Act, which -was included in the legislation passed last session, was brought into operation during the ■ recess. ■ „ -As honourable members are aware, the main principles of the Act are to foster and encourage, the study and .practice' of Maori arts and crafts, the board'set up to administer the Act has entered upon its 'duties, with ..enthusiasm. I am pleased to give due acknowledgment ■•to the ' Maoris themselves for their interest in the legislation passed and in its administration. ' ' ■' : One of the principal Acts passed last session was . that. providing : for town ■and regional planning schemes. It is jencdiitaging to note the * interest and .spirit? which local governing bodies .have shown in the legislation. It has been recognised that .in this young and ■fast-growing country regard must be had for" the future" in 'making provision for the laying-out of. closely-populated areas.’ j -My .Ministers think that in accordance with - , the new spirit existing in .international relations the time IS LlC ? w ■opportune to review- some of the legis■lation, passed during the war period. An Act was. passed in 1922'.removing certain "disabilities arising from nationality, and it is now proposed, to introduce a Bill removing disabilities im- . posed on subjects of enemy races, relating .to employment in educational work, the acquisition of land, and immigration. ' It is also proposed to repeal the special provisions of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, 1919, whereby a British woman being the wife of a person of enemy origin may petition-dor divorce in certain cases. Bills will also be submitted to you for the purpose of compiling and amending the existing law relating to Public Service superannuation, public •works,, Justices of the Peace, Magistrates’ Courts, divorce and matrimonial causes, and education reserves. The establishment of Children’s Courts under the Child Welfare Act has proved of great benefit in dealing with juvenile delinquents. Certain amendments, however, have been found necessary to improve the’ working of ithe Act, and an amending Bill will be laid before you. ■ A. Bill to amend the Bankruptcy Act will also be introduced. It is proposed to include in. this Bill provisions which will further secure the position’of those making advances to dairy farmers on ’tire”'s'ecurity- of their-milk cheques, and 'thus, make' easier the finance of those engaged in this important national industry. - ■ Bills will be submitted dealing with amendments to the law. relating to industrial disputes, shops and offices, Legislature, motor vehicles, stock, property law, land, mining, licensing, and other matters. I commend these, various matters to vour careful attention, and earnestly hope that Divine ■Providence may guide vour deliberations ~ to the furtherance of the happiness and welfare of the ■ people of this Dominion.

Two members who were not present last-session were sworn , in in. the House of .Representatives yesterday. They 'were Mr. T. D. Burnett (Tctnuka) and 1 Mr. T, M. Wil ford (Hutt), both of whom wdre absent on account of illincss. • Leave of absence was granted to Mr.' C. E. Macmillan (Tauratiga), and Sir Aripana Ngata (Eastern Maori),? ■

SAMOAN mandate DEPORTATION PROVISIONS ORDER-IN-COUNCIL TO PROCEED The Order-in-Council facilitating the deportation from Samoa of disloyalists and those who stir up disaffection is to proceed, according to a reply the Prime Minister (Right Hon. J. G. Coates ) gave the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. PI. E. Holland) in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. Holland stated that it was intended by the Government to amend section 6 of the Samoa Immigration Consolidation Order, 1924, clause 1 of which conferred certain powers on the Administrator. The amendment was designed to take away from the nativeborn white and coloured residents in Samoa exemption from the deportation order and to empower the Administrator to deport them. He asked that the Order-in-Council lie held over unlyl the House had had an opportunity to discuss the matter. The Prime Minister, in reply, stated that the Order-in-Council did not place the power in the hands of the Administrator, but in the hands of the Governor-General-iu-Council, and that was the form in which the order would be issued. The Government had decided to proceed with the Order-in-Couucil, and all that remained was. actual publication. ( Mr. Holland: You won’t give the House the opportunity of discussing it ? The Prime Minister: You will have that opportunity when the Gazette notice is placed on the table of the House Mr. Holland: The damage will be done then. The Prime Minister: The Government is quite well informed, and it has decided to take certain action, and no hope can be held out that we are likely to reverse it. The Order-iri-Council referred to was gazetted last night. , IMPREST SUPPLY NEXT WEEK TARIFF AMENDMENTS LATER. The first Imprest Supply Bill will be introduced into the House of Representatives by Governor-General's Message early next week, as the measure has to be put through all its stages before the end. of the month, Thursday. The Bill will appear either on Tuesday or Wed- 1 nesday. I From the hint given in the GovernorGeneral’s Speech it is considered clear | that some weeks must elapse before the. amendments to the tariff will come before the House. It .is",’. expected that the Financial Sttaeinent and the Railways Statement will show up on time, but the Public' Works Statement is likely to be later than usual. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL When the Legislative Council met yesterday afternoon, the Hon. Sir James Allen, who had been sworn in as a member of the Council by the Governor-General last Friday, signed . tl.e ; roll of membership, and gave notice to move , the Address-in-Reply to the Governor-General’s Speech next Tuesday-. The Legislative Council will meet this afternoon to pass motions already given notice of, and will adjourn until Tuesday next. THE GAMING LAW , I ' •- - . D; ' ' ■■ ■■ ■ J 1 ■ - . -; • i A PRIVATE ME.MBER’S BILL. ’ i ( An earlv opportunity for the dis- , cussion of the gaming question Will be provided the House of Representa- ■ fives this session. As predicted, an amending measure will be introduced by Sir George Hunter (Waipawa), who yesterday formally moved for leave to introduce the Bill. ; ■ i CRIME IN AUCKLAND j c POLICE COMMISSIONER’S STATE- , . MENTS, . ' As was expected, the remarks made I by Commissioner Mcllveney in regard I .to crime in. Auckland have been re- J ferred to in the House of Representatives. Yesterday the Labour Tue.ni- c her for Auckland East ‘Mr. J. A. ( Lee)- asked the Minister of Justice J whether the Commissioner’s “alarming statements” were made with the Min- j ister’s cognisance. t ■ •' *■"' " 11 1 1 7 1 t< DAYLIGHT SAVING ‘ ' 1 MR. SIDEY'S BILL AGAIN. “ t; A long series of defeats has not deterred. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin t: South) in his perseverance with the w

Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) is asking the Minister of Labour whether he will amend the Family Allowance Act to enable married woman, supporting their families and who have been deserted by their husbands, to participate in the benefits of the Act. '

A petition on behalf of S. Bell-Booth has been presented to the House of Representatives requesting that he be permitted to'sit for the examination provided by the Dentists Amendment Act, 1926.

Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) yesterday sought leave to introduce a Motor Omnibus Traffic Bill and a Divorce and Matrimonial Causes. Bill. In view of the unemployment situation, Mr. I?.,Fraser (Wellington Central) is asking the Minister of Labour to introduce legislation this session recognising the right to work principle at award rates; or, fating tjiat, the provision of an unemployment insurance scheme or an unemployment allowance sufficient to enable a man to maintain his wife and dependants. This afternoon the House will pay tribute to the memory of legislators who passed away during «the recess. -

Summer-time (Daylight Saving) Bill. Amid laughter and applause in the House yesterday, Mr. Sidey moved for leave to introduce the measure that has become so well-known in the New (Zealand Parliament. PARTY CAUCUSES , As far as party caucuses are concerned, chief interest this session will centre round, the meeting 6f the Nationalist Party next week. The outcome of that gathering should dispel any doubts as to how many parties I' will compose the House. The Labour Party held its meeting yesterday, the proceedings being confined to the discussion of general matters. The Reform Party will meet on Wednesday, next. I'• ’ . TAWA FLAT DEVIATION ,/■ . The Tawa Elat deviation was the subject of a question yesterday by Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki), who asked the Minister of Public Works whether, in view of the vital importance, not only to the city of Wellington and surrounding- districts, but also to the whole Dominion, of the work, he would comply with the expressed wishes of the local bodies and residents by marking that outstanding event by a fitting ceremony. JOTTINGS ' . Members have , started off the. session well with questions to Ministers, a sheaf pf queries being given notice ■ of in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Most of the questions had a familutr ring. i Mr. J. Mason (Napier) formally intimated yesterday that he -would move, the Address-in-Reply on Tuesday, and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. H. E. Holland) informed the House that it was his intention to move an amendment to the motion. - '