HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 22, 26 July 1927, Page 11

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House of Representatives met at 8.30 p.m. The Minister of External Affairs (the Hon. W. Nosworthy) moved to set up a Select Committee to consider Iho petition in regard to tlio administration of Samoa, the Committee to consist of nine members, as follows:—Sir Apirama Ngata, Mr. G. W. Forbes, Mr. A. Hamilton, Mr. P. F. Hockly, Mr. 11. K. Holland, Mr. E. J. Howard, Mr. E. P. Lee, Mi 1. J. Linklater, and tho mover. The Committee was set up accordingly. Mr. Nosworthy then moved that the Committee have power to refer the petition to the Administrator, if necessary. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. H. E. Holland) thought this motion should bo objected to, because it was giving power to send the petition for report to the Administratov, whose administration was being petitioned against. The Prime Minister said tho procedure proposed confirmed to what was laid down by the League of Nations. Mr. Holland said that thero would be no objection if evidence could be called from Samoa. He wanted to be sure of that. Mr. "W. D. Lysnar (Gisborno) said he toped there was no attempt to refer the petition to the Administrator instead of it being -dealt with by the House.

Mr. Speaker pointed out that it was specially provided in tho motion that i£ the petition was roferred to the Administrator, ho should make hia lcport to the committee. Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) thouglit ifc unusual to direct a committee what it should do. Tho committeo should . be allowed to choose its own course. • Tho Prime Minister said the resolution was necessary iv order to confirm strictly to the Mandate. The petition must be referred to tho Administrator for report. Mr. Holland: "Have wo power to call the Administrator if wo want him?" Mr. H. L\ Taploy (Dunedin North) said tho procedure seemed to be cumbersome. It might bo necessary to call a very large number of people from Samoa to give evidence in New Zealand. It would be justifiable for a Commission from the House to go to Samoa and handle the inquiry on the spot. The matter could have been managed by the Minister of External Affairs while he . vas in Samoa. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Speaker pointed ct that it was too late for Mr. Tapley to make such a suggestion, as tho Committee was already set up. , Mr. Tapley said he could only hope that the Committeo would sec tho wisdom of his attitudo and suggest some other procedure than that proposed. Mr. V. H. Potter (Hoskill) said that sfc must be decided by a majority of the Committee whether persona were , called from Samoa to givo ovidence or not. The motion was carried, with the addition of a third motion that the Committee should be able to call for persona and papers. . Mr. P. Fvaser (Wellington Central) gave notice of his intention to introduce the Welington City and Suburban Water Supply Bill. Mr. J. Linklatcr (Manawatu) gave notice of intention to ask the Prime Minister if it is proposed to initiate an Empire settlement schemo on the lines of that described recently in a cable appearing in the newspapers. , Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon (Weatland) gave notice to ask whether the Government consider the advisability, of subsidising the production of Shakespeare's plays, it being important to educate New Zealandera in these masterpieces in a similar manner to tho Australian . States. Mr. Seddon also gave notice to ask whether a Bill would bo introduced early jn the session dealing with for- ; estry matters. . Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Cbristchurcli East) gave notice to ask the Minister i of Health what the Government intend- , ed to do with the Travis bequest of £40,000 for medical research, and whether it was proposed to subsidise the amount. Mr. F. Bartram (Grey Lynn) gave notice to ask whether tho State Ad- | vances Department had stopped making ! advances on loans up to 95 per cent. i Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) i save notice to ask the Minister of I Industries and Commerco whether there I was any justification for tho increases | that had been mado in tho prico of i coal by tho Stockton Company and the State Coal Department. This had resulted in an increase of us per ton on household coal in Wellington. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (tho Hon. A. D. M'Leod) said he had taken note of the matter referred to, and had asked the Board of Trade officers to make investigat:ous immediately. Mr, Lysuar asked tho Prime Minister:— (1) If it is true that one of tho Sanioans who made representation on behalf of the disaffected natives to the Hon. Mr. Nosworthy, has since been deported? (2) How many disaffected natives of Samoa have been deported since clause 6 (1) of tho Samoan Immigration Consolidation Order has been amonded so as to give power to the Administrator to order any person to leave Samoa without trial? (3) According to the ; Minister of External Affairs' stato- ] ment in to-day's Press, the Administra- ! .tor of Samoa has cancelled tho licenses ; of two traders. Will tho Prime Miuis. ter inform the House: (a) Under what authority are these licenses cancolled? 3s it by a further Order-in-G'ouncil? (b) Whose trading licenses have been cancelled? The Prime Minister replied in the negative, but added that tho Administrator had found it necessary acting 3 on the advice of an impartial commitj. tee of chiefs to removo five of tho Sa- \ moan members of tho Citizens' CommitI teo from Apia. The remaining Samoan | member had been imprisoned after i trial by tho High Court. In reply to ', the second part of the question, Mr. j Coates said, "None." Proceeding, Mr. j Coates said that trading licenses wore j cancelled under f.lio authority of the j Taxation, Licensing, and Kcvenue j-Amendment Ordnance, 1924, which proI vided that "where tho Administrator ] is satisfied that the granting to any ■j person of any new license, or the iiold- ; ing by any person of any existing \ license, may prejudicially affect the j pence, order, or good govcrmnent of the j territory, hn may order that no such

licenco shall be granted to that person, or that such existing license shall be cancelled." Mr. Coates said that no official advice as to the cancellation of trading licenses had been received. In reply to the Loader of the Opposition, the Hon. W. Nosworthy stated that the Government had not received information from the Administrator of Samoa to the effect that a number of time-expired labourers on the Government plantations had been arrested and apparently held without bail for refusing work. Tho Hon. A. D. M'Lcod announced that leakages had occurred in connection with the Boundary Commissioners' Report. He regretted the leakages, and if the officer responsible could be found, the Government would certainly make an example of him. Mr. J. M'Combs (Lyttelton): "Is the leakage from the Printing Office?" The Minister replied that he would make no suggestion ao to where the leakage came from. He regretted, however, that such a thing had happened. - In reply to Mr. G. Forbes (Huruuui), Mr. Coates stated that he was unable j to say when the Licensing Bill would appear, but ho could give an assurance that it would be brought down. The Hon. K. S. Williams (Minister of Public Works) informed Colonel Bell (Bay of Islands) that the Government would consider legislation empowering local bodies to go in for road schemes on the lines of the Hutt road scheme. Mr. R. M'Keen (Wellington South) introduced the Wellington City Exhibition and Grounds Bill. A Bill to alter the name of the New Zealand College of Agriculture was introduced by Governor-General's Message. (Left sitting.)