PARLIAMENTARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12585, 21 August 1901, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, August 20. AFTERNOON SITTING. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS. A motion by the Hon J. D. Ormond for a return showing the lands purchased under the Land for Settlements Act, with information as to the nature of the land, how disposed of, the rentals and 'the amour-fts of advances to settlers, was discussed. The mover adversely criticised the administration of this Act. The Minister of Agriculture, defending the administration', said that large estates must be broken up for progressive sattlemenlb, and promised all information in the returns about to be presented. The motion was "talked! out," and the Council rose at 5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, August 20. MORNING SITTING. The House met at 10.30 a.m. THE SPEAKER. Mr Guinness took the chair, in the unavoidable absence of the Speaker. WORKERS' COMPENSATION. A question was tabled by Mr Flatman, asking the Premier if he would introduce an amendment to the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act, making it clear whether ail workers oome under the provisions of the Act. MOA FLAT ESTATE. The Waste Lands Comimiilttee reported that the Moa Flat Estate; was not suitable for close settlement.

Mr Thomas Mackenzie urged that a great portion of the estate was suitable for settlement, and if it was .acquired there were many men in the district who would be glad to.occupy it. The report was reoeived. , FIRST READINGS. The' Rotorua Town Council Validation Bill (Hon T. Duncan.) was read a firab time. QUESTIONS.

In reply to questions, it was stated that tho Government would put a sum an the Supplementary Estimates to send a New Zealand rifle team to oompete at the next Bisley meeting, and tie > House could deal with the vote as it liked; so far, however, no application for assistance had been made by the Rifle Assocoatiiiorii. That the Government had no intention' of giving a monetary or land grant to piarents who have six or more ehildiren. That the Government had done all it possibly could in regard to the payment of returned members of the South African contingents, the acocunlts of the Fourth and Fi'fith. Contingents were nearly completed l , and a final settlement would be made wiitih the men when the money was reoeived from the War Office, these contingents being under Imperial pay; iin the meantime, advances were being made to men Who were entitled to tihem.. It was also stated the Government favoured cadet corps being taken over by the Education Department, and intended to see that they were properly looked' after and rendered efficießt. That from'information in possession of the Government it was necessary to take steps in regard to a trust that had be'eni foranedl for the purpose of controlling the flour output of New Zealand, and opportunity "would be afforded tho House to deal with the matter this ssbslou. That the Gomrnmenib thought joint representation should be made by New Zealand and the Commonwealth, in the direction of securing and strengthening the Australasian Squadron on the basis of the present contribution. That ©he Government recognised 'that something would have to be done in the direction of compulsory acquisition of land for rifle ranges, especially near centres of population, the acquisition of a piece of land for a range near Wellington was under the consideration of the Government. That Governraewb was doing the best it could to find employment for returned troopers, but it was difficult to provide for so many at once, and, it was found, too; that some of the men were a little fastidious in ; the matter of the emplloyimienit 'offered! tbeimi. ■ That no application had been made" 'to the Gavarnnienib for payment of the costs of the Brothers'who were I acquitted on the charges in connection with the Stoke Orphanage, and it was not usual to ■ pay costs tin trials of that kind. That there was no misicessity to amend thie Criminal Code Act in the direction of increasing the seveniity of punishment for criminal assaults on women and children, as the law gave sufficient power at present to Judges to cope with the increase of these offences. Thie House rose at 1 p.m.

AFTERNOON SITTING. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. HOSPITAL NURSES. Tire Hospital Nurses Registration! Bill was further considered! in committee. Clause 5 was aamon-ded ito provide that a hospital! nurse shall mat; be entitled to registration unless at least twelve lectures ihave been delivered! in the hospital in each of her three years' residence therein. The provision that a certificate shall not issue unless the matron of the hospital is herself a registered nurse was struck out. Clause 8, providing that the registration of a nurse may be cancelled for misconduct, evoked considerable discussion. The Premier suggested that the clause should provide that any registered nurse convicted 1 of an indictable offence should have -her name erased from the register, and! any registered nurse proved to the satisfaction of this registrar and 1 a Stipendiary Magistrate to have been guilty of grave anisconduot shall be liable to have

her name erased from the register by Order in Council.

This was agreed to, and tthei remaining clauses passed'' through, committee without amendment. The Hon W. Hall-Jones moved the following new clause:—"For the purpose- of enabling nurses who hav® had (not less than four years' experience as nurses, and who do not come within the foregoing provisions, to l)e registered under this Act, the Minister may make regulations prescribing the qualifications or form of examination required and fee to be paid for the issue of a certificate which shall entitle the holder to registration, under this Act, provided that no such certificate shall be issued aiter December 31, 1902." After considerable discussion, the clause was amended, on the Minister's 1 motion, to make it also refer to any person who, previous to the coming into operation of the Act, holds a certificate issued by any hospital authority. The clause as amended was agreed to. Mr J. Hutcheson moved another new clause giving preference of employment in future to certificated nurses in any hospitals under the control of Boards constituted under the Hospitals Act, 1885. The clause was opposed on the ground that th© matter could very well be' left) in the hands of the Boards. Eventually the clause was- a.greed to on the voices. It was decided, <m the motion of the Hon W. Hall-Jones, that the Act shall nob come into operation until January 1, 1902. The Bill was them reported with amendments, which were set down for consideration next day. LAND FOB SETTLEMENTS. The Premier moved thait the amendmeints made by the Legislative Council in the Land for Settlements Act Amendment Bill should be agreed to, with the exception of an amendment in clause 6, providing that if the Governor determines nob to proceed with a purchase he shall forthwith give notice thereof to the claimant, and thereupon the restriction) on the disposition of the land shall cease to have effect, and with the exception of a new proviso in clause 8, to the effect that an applicant may apply dn respect of more than, one group or subdivision. The motion was agreed to om the voices. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS.

The Goveiiniment Advances to S«HtlLe»rs Extension Bill was conrumiltitedi.

At Clause 2, giiivtilmg the Government power ibo raise am additional loam of two millions for the purpose® of Government advances to iseisfclans, the (Premier moved to reduce the amoraift to, one million, pointing out that since the Bill passed its second readfag, iKhe Agenit-Gemieral had advised trim of tho dniaidvisalbilitfcy of raising a large loan at Hernia alt present. Mr T. Mackenzie asked whether the Department required a million. The Premier: Yes. It could nMt do -with less.

•Mr G. W. Russell contended! that this mioniEty 'was mob wanted! for "the Advances to Settiens Department A suirri of £760,000 was availahiie for the purposes- of the Act, and this, together withi a sum of probably £150,000, whichi would! be (received from the •Public Trustee for :re-mwstment, should carry the Depatffcmiemjt 'over this year. This Ml really mean* that -She Government were asking that a large sum should be placed into theriir haaadls which 'they could chop and change about as ithey liked. ' Captain Russell said! that he was strongly of opinion that only half a million should be granted. In ibis opinion the Department tad! ample money to carry on- till the end of the year, audi the mdllioini was morely wanted to finance some department which needed add. ■

The Premier said that he could not understand 1 any supporters of the advanceis to settlers system voting for a reduction, of the sum below one mil Son. The Department could Mb do with, less than a million.' The amtounib now available, would be exhausted by the end of the financial year, and there would be moi money to carry oni the. Department until he could get the conaant of Parliament next sessioni to raise further money and them) procure it. He must borrow the money as tfcthjei mainket suited. He could nob raise nib just' at 'the (moment he might want it;

The Hon C. H. Mills said that the SuperrateMctemb of the Department estimated! that even with £150,000 (repayments, hie would only have £40,000 available on March 31 next. Thfe was a policy measure, and riothinig could stop the advances to settlers policy. • Mr Meredith expressed the belief that private campeitdltion would very largely lessen the amount applied for by settlers, and there was mo raradESsity for. such a. meaisure as- this. Mr James Allen, ccmiteawled! that half a mMcm a year was ample for the Department. .

The Premier saidr that 'he was advised that eib the beginning of niaxt year there would be a pleithlora of money cm the London market at a tow rate of interest, and he must have authority sa as to enable him to raise the loan at the most favourabltei opportunity. If the puiblio thought that there was a dhiorfcage of money in the Department, they would! mot apply'for loams, and the Department would be crippled. This debate was interrupted! by the 5.30 p.m.'. adjournment.

EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. in committee on the Government Advances to SettleTs Extension Bill.

Further discussion took place on the Premier's motion to reduce the amount of the loan from two millions to one million.

The Premier said that if private lending institutio.ffls lent money at a less rate of interest thani the 'Advances to Settlers Depantimeuifc it showed that the object of the policy had been achieved. If it became known that the coffers of the Department were empty private lenders would raise the rate of interest at once. If any proposal were mad© to reduce the amount of the loam below one million) he should regard it as a no-confidence motion. He would stand im> nonense as far as the Uovernmeiit's financial policy was concerned. He went oni to say that if it ihad not bee© for the state of the finances and the tightness of the money market maro moway would have been lent last year. Great oare had been exercised in making advances on urban property, but he knew for a fact that more mioaey would be lent on that class of property this year. There was io intention; to raise the rate of interest charged on advances to settlers, because this policy had been the means of reducing the rate of interest in the colony. For a colony like New Zeulatndl nothing less than a million loan would be looked at on ■the London money market, and to apply for a smaller sum would bo taken"to indicate that there was a weakening, whereas in faxyb they had mot lost a £lO note, and the outlook was bright in the extreme. He ridiculed the idea that he wanted the money to help the Public Works Fund, and remarked that the restrictions imposed on themi mado such a course impossible. Mr G. W. Russell had been "barking up the wrong tree." The amount available on March 31-last was odly £560,000, and the loams authorised amounted to about £500,000 a year.

Mr G. J. Smith supported the Premier in his application for a million, but expressed regret that cm such a question he should! have raised the question of pa.rty. Captain Russell ridiculed' the idea, of the Premier threatening to moke a no-confi-dence motion of a proposal to reduce an amount which he himself had nJready pro-

posed to reduce by one half. The inference from the Premier's remarks as to advances not being raad'a was that the money which should have been available for settlers had been taken away and placed to tire credit of, some other account.

Mr G. W. Russell, referring to the noconfidence threat, said that he objected to be placed in the position of voting against a policy which he had always_ supported, because ha objected to giving unnecessary powers of borrowing to ithe Government. He objected to the flick of the Seddonian whip laid over has shoulders. Ho gave figures in support of his contention that with half a million loam the Department would have £1,235,000 for the current year, whereas the amount borrowed last year only totalled £539,000. Mr Hornsby said that he would vote for the million, not because he thought it was altogether required, but to enunciate the principle that the Advances to Settlers office was the most important office in the whole government of the country. Mr Collins said that a feeling was prevalent among members that this money was wanted not for the Advances to Settlers Department, but for some other Department. Mr Monk objected to these proposals because they enabled the Government to borrow at a higher rate of interest than they could lend to settlers except at a loss. This was not sound finance. The Premier said that if th© Government finance was to be interfered with by irresponsible members, Ministers could not with self respect retain their seats on the Treasury Benches. They could not permit Captain Russell or .anyone else ito assume responsibility in regard to the public finance. Mr James Allen contended that if the Government got this loan they would have really a million and a half this year for the purposes of the Advances to Settlers Department. Sir Joseph Ward said that the opponents of the Bill desired to restrict the operations of the Department, and thus reflect discredit on the Government. The real cause of the opposition to the Premier's proposal was ai desire to minimise the usefulness of the Department. It would be suicidal to go on the London or any other market at the present time, and it was good policy to get money just now in our own. country at 4 per cent, and wait a favourable opportunity to take advantage of a lower rate .on the Homo market. Several other members also spoke. The Premier's motion to strike out two millions was agreed to <m th© voices. The Premier then moved that the words " one million " should be inserted.

To this Captain Russell moved'an amendment that the words ''five hundred thousand " be inserted. He reiterated that he considered that there was no necessity for raising a larger sum than half a million. The Premier said that the issue was this : Was the Government, which was responsible for the finances of this Department, to lead the House, or was the House to be led by Captain Russell. On a division' Captain Russell's amendment was negatived by 43 to 14 and''the Premier's motion fixing the amount to be raised at one million was agreed to on the voices.

Mr O. W. Russell then moved that the proviso* of the clause should be amended to provide that nioit mJore than half a mllion (instead of one million) shall be raised in any one financial year. Lost by 42 to 14. . • On the motion of the Premier, tshe proviso itself was struck out.

The Bill was then reported with amendments.

The House rose at 10.35 p.rn,