PARLIAMENT.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 38, 7 September 1905, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

House of Representatives. Telegraph Pro§H Association Copyright Wellington, Sept. 6. The House met at 2.30. In reply to question?, Ministers | state that it is not the intention of the Government to bring down a Licensing Act Amendment Bill this seasion ; that the Government are not aware that four different persons are at the present time in England trying to form companies to work the ironsand and iron ores of New Zealand, with large capital and no modern plans ; that the Civil Service Superannuation Bill is ready, and it is hoped to get the opportunity to circulate it an early date ; railway superannuation scheme is in a sound financial position, as is evinced by the fact that tho credit balance of the fund is being largely augmented each succeeding year the contributors to the scheme arc quite satisfied that it will pay its way, and is thoroughly sound. The present prsition of the fund ie satisfactoryjLnd in view of the fact that an aotuanal report could only, as in the case of the London and North -Western and Midland Railways, be misleading and unreliable at this period of its existence, it is not considered necessary that such a report should be obtained. In the course of the discussion, the Minister for Mines stated that when the balance-sheet of the State coal mines was presented to Parliament it would be found that the State mines showed a profit of LI 1,000, in spite of the fact that on one of the mines there was a loss. The Lands debate was resumed by Sir Joseph Ward, who said that everyone must admit that our land tenure system had been remarkably successful under the lands for settlement policy. The feeling of discontent among the Crown tenants waa due to the members of the Opposition, who had fostered the agitation in Lfcc most unblushing fashion. Sic Joseph went on to say that Ministers holding very strong views on the leasehold and the freehold, must arrive at a reasonable compromise, in order to frame good land laws. One should rise above party in a matter of this kind, and something in the nature of a compromise was necessary in order to arrive at anything satisfactory and practical. Personally, he always supported the optional system, inasmuch as this was the system under which the colony had gone on so successfully. A system of a limited freehold was required to be brought into operation in this country. Upon such a great question as this there ought to be no temper or feeling or abuse of the Government. Mr W. Fraser denied that the feeling in favor of the freehold had been manufactured by the Opposition. It bad been held by the settlers for a long time, and the agitation for the freehold would not die out, but would increase as the years went on. Mr Miller declared that if Me Massey's amendment had been to prohibit the freehold, he (Mr Millar) would have walked into the lobby with him against the Premier. He went on to contend that if it was right that tho Crown tenant should be given the freehold at the original value, it should be right for the Crown to resume any estate whatever at the original value paid for it. i Fifty years was a long enough lease for land for settlement, though a \ longer term was proper for land in the bush. 1 Mr Hawkins referred to the en* > eouragemeut given to the "land ) reformers "in their campaign several months ago, and contrasted their earnestness and consistency wti£Plhe Premier's change from his firm leasehold attitude of last year and ; his attitude as set out in his speech of Thursday nipht. , Mr MoGowan, after defending the ; Premier from the charge of duplicity ! on the land question, went on to say that any land legislation passed now would only hold good for a number s of years, because the minds of the ■ people were not yet fully eduoated in > regard to the tenure of land that would be best for the whole com* ' rnunity. No legislation could be of ' a permanent character unless the i great body of the people were behind it. He protested against the Crown • tenants receiving the unearned in* j crement. r The debate was adjourned.