PARLIAMENT.

Mataura Ensign, 4 July 1914, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. PEE UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION'. WELLINGTON, July 3. The Council riiet at 2.30 p.m. and an adjournment was. made to present-the Address-in-Reply to liis Excellency the Governor. Upon resuming the Council adjourned until July 15. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.. The House, met at 2.30 p.m. NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

Mr D. D. S. ' Macdonald ' (Bay of 'Plenty) continued the no-confidence debate. He said that the Governor's speech was colorless and did not disclose the "intentions of the Government. Mr Massey had said that there were millions of acres of land available for settlement, . but had he' found those millions of acres? Mr Massey had gone about ,the country telling-what he proposed to do with land settlement, but only 4,500,000 acres of land were available for settlement, and of this only 100,000 acres were suitable for small holders. The Liberals were not fighting for small party issues but for the benefits of the people. Hon. W. Eraser (Minister for Public Works) held that the administration of the Lands Department was quite .satisfactory. He condemned building the North Auckland Railway before purchasing the land from the natives. When he took office he refused to make promises on account of the commitments and the uncertainty of when he could raise a loan. He dealt with railway matters ' in''Otago, and said that he had no intention of doing away entirely with co-operative labor. A Bill was being prepared dealing with the building of private lines. ' Mr A. E. Glover (Auckland Central) opposed the Civil Service Bill and held that every member of the service should have the right of appeal to the member for the district or the Minister. The Bill would not stop political patronage and operated against the poor people. He urged the imposition of the land tax. PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER. The Public Service Commissioner's report was laid on ihe table. THE EVENING SESSION. ' The House resumed 'at 7.30 p.m., when the debate on the Address-in-Reply was carried on by Mr J.- H. Bradnev (Auckland West), who contended that it was time to dron party u.n.pleas'antries and attend to the business of the country. Mr G.- Wittv (Riccarton) followed. After tho supper adjournment Mr D. Buick (Palmerston) took up the debate in support of the Government. He was followed by Mr J. Robertson (Otaki), who continued the debate, and the House rose at 12.15 a.m.