HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 140, 10 December 1909, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House of Representatives continued its sitting yesterday afternoon. XAVAL DEFENCE. The Naval Defence Bill was put through committee and final stages. The chief features of the debate are set out in another column, and dealt chiefly in regard to docks and New Zealand's Dreadnought. HOSPITALS BILL. The Legislative Council submitted reasons for, its insistence on its amendments in tho Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill. The House decided to disagree with the reasons, and appointed the Minister (Hon. G. Fowlds) and Messrs. Sidey and W. Fraser as managers of a conference on the subject. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. In moving the second reading of the Friendly Societies Bill the Prime Minister intimated that he intended to drop clause 15, providing that no new society may be registered until hhe scale of contributions has been certified as actuarially sound. He contemplated the possibility of friendly societies meeting together and arriving at a modus viyendi on this question. The Prime Minister went on to explain the provisions of the Bill, which he remarked was of considerable importance to the societies. At present over two hundred thousand persons were receiving benefits trom the societies, and every effort should be made to extend their usefulness. In its main features the Bill had been received with satisfaction by all the societies in New Zealand, and he thought that the striking out of clause 15 would make its progress comparatively easy. Mr. Massey complained that the Bill had not been referred to a select committee, and that sufficient time had not been given to friendly societies for its consideration. Several members congratulated the Prime Minister on his proposal to delete clause 16, which it was said would be a step very favourably received by societies generally. The second reading was agreed to on the voices after a brief debate. LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS. The Land' for Settlements Administration Bill came up for its final stages, The amendments made in committee wore agreed to. On the motion for the third reading Mr. Massey made a further appeal on behalf of the freehold, which he contended was the best of all tenures. PRIME MINISTER TAKES EXCEPTION. The debate continued for a long time in the presence of a very "thin" House, the average attendance being barely a quorum (20 out of 80). In concluding the debate Sir Joseph Ward took exception to the Leader of the Opposition having moved amendments relating to tenure which were out of place on such a Bill. He suggested that Mr. Massey should wait until the Land Bill came down. "When will that be?" asked Mr. Massey. Sir Joseph Ward counselled patience, and suggested that the opportunity sought would be provided. MR. MASSEY'S REASONS. « Later on Mr. Massey said : "My object in moving that amendment with regard _to the renewable lease was to smash it up. I meant to kill tho renewable lease the other night, and if I wasn't able to do it the othar night I will be able to do it some other time. If wfl kill the renewable lease we will have a more reasonable tenure later on." Mr. Massey added that he stood for principles, and would not back down. In his concluding remarks the Prime Minister made the suggestion that the question of land tenure should not, on this Bill, have been put forward for political purposes. Later on members would be given the opportunity of voting on the various tenures. The third reading was agreed to on the voices. The House rose at 1.20 a.m.