HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 2 August 1911, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

TUESDAY, AUGUST 1.

The House of Representatives met at 7.30 p.m. The Seeds Control Bill was read a first time. ADDRESS IN REPLY. Mr W. T. Jennings moved the Ad-dress-in-Reply. Referring to various matters in connection with the settlement of lands in the Dominion, he said it was astonishing the amount of settlement that had taken place in the Taumarunui district, and he claimed that it was a standing credit to the land settlement policy of the Liberal Party that in the Taranaki land district 40,000 acres had been held back for climatic and other purposes, 95,000 acres of Maori lands were being surveyed, and would be opened for selection in September. There were only 825,000 acres of Maori land left in Taranaki. In regard to the operation of the Maori Land Board, 31,000 acres in the Taumarunui Maori Land District were to be opened on the 14th prdx. One of the great dangers to be grappled with in future was the limitation of ai-ea of land.

Mr Witty, in seconding, congratulated Sir Arthur Guinness upon receiving the honor of knighthood; also Sir James Carroll. With regard to the prospects of the farming community, he mentioned the fact that the grub in the south had made such ravages that feed would be scarce and stock would be dying in thousands later in the season. He was not wholly in favor of the Compulsory Training Act passed last session. He was j more .inclined to encourage the training of cadets in schools. He wished to congratulate the Prime Minister on the work he had done in the Old Country. There were a number of people who were continually telling the country that the Dominion was not prosperous. This was not loyalty to the country. The increase in New Zealand for ten years was 125,- ---■. which compared very favorably with two of the largest States in Australia. The public debt had, he admitted, increased to a great extent during the past 20 years, but the question was not how much was borrowed, but what was done with the borrowed money. Forty-two million of public debt had been spent on reproductive works. Mr Massey congratulated the Speaker on the honor received from the King. So far as the Speech from the Throne was concerned, he did not propose to discuss it at any length, because it was not worthy of discussion. The present state of affairs in New Zealand did not say a great deal for the administration of the last twenty years. He criticised Mr Jennings' figures, and with regard to valuations, said he had complaints from all over New Zealand of ! excessive valuation. The difficulty in con- J nection with valuations was "the higher, the farmer improved his land the more he was taxed. He would like to sug- ' gest that the more the land was improv- ! ed the less the owner should be taxed. I A lot of people were leaving the country because they could not get land. Regarding the Mokau transaction, he was going to have an enquiry. An Order in Council for land to be sold at 10s per acre was contrary to the limitation clause in the Native Land Act. The land should have been acquired by the Crown and settled in the ordinary way. He complained that nothing was known as to what was being done by the Electoral ■ Boundaries Commission, and he wanted to know the date of the general election. He considered amendment was urgently needed in the law providing for the complete independence of the judicial bench. He advocated compulsory insurance against sickness and unemployment, and said the heads of friendly societies should be consulted by the Government in this matter. Mr Massey concluded by unreservedly withdrawing a statement made by him in the heat of debate last session which referred to the late Mr Taylor. The withdrawal was received with applause. The Hon. G. Fowlds,' who followed, said he was pleased at the withdrawal, and congratulated the Speaker on the honor conferred on him. • Referring to the land question, Mr Fowlds said there were eight million acres of European freehold lands not in cultivation. When mountain-tops and useless lands were deducted from the total area of land, there were only two million acres left unoccupied. There was five times as much land held by Europeans as the whole lot held by the natives. This did not suggest that the recent references made to unoccupied native lands were worth much consideration. With regard to the Valuation Act, one of the lieutenants- of the leader of the Opposition had stated ihat if the Opposition came into power they would repeal the Valuation Act. Mr Massey: That is not one of our planks. Mr Fowlds, continuing, said, in connection with the Mokau land case, be did not wish to go into the matter at any length. When it was gone into he was certain the Government would come out with credit. Mr Massey had referred to the "slave-driving" tactics of last year, and hoped they would not be repeated this year. Mr Massey had to

remember that he did not control Parliament. Some very important legislation would be dealt with. The Government was as desirous as anyone else that the work of the Boundary Commission should be expedited. He congratulated some of Mr Massey's followers on being converted to the idea of proportional representation. He concluded 'by referring to Sir J. G. Findlay's trip Home. He had gone as a colleague of Sir Joseph Ward to attend the Imperial Conference, also to attend to the matter of Webster's claim, so far as possible without staying over to await the slow movements of the English legal machinery. The debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 12.25.