HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 221, 24 September 1910, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The-House met at 2.30 p.m. The PRIME MINISTER gave notice to refer to the Lands Committee for investigation and report the allegations made by the Member for Stratford (Mr Hine) on August 10th that certain, Members of Parliament i acted as agents for and received com- | missions on the sale of estates to the j Land Purchase Board; the Committee , to have power to call for persons and ] papers a.nd examine such witnesses as are deemed necessary. 'FRISCO MAIL. ,Mr MASSEY referred to the new San-Francisco mail, service and thej arrangement made with the union Company, while the Oceanic Company were" taking steps to reinstate" the old service. He contended that it would | be. better to pay £2000 a voyage fof \ "the reinstatement/ of the old Sian, Francisob service than £1600 for the : proposed new service. The contract for this ought not to have been signed ' t>efore the matter had been laid before Parliament. He hoped that' the details" of the arrangement between the Government and tho Union Company would" be laid.before, the^House at an *arly date. - -

Mr T. B. TAYLtOR (Christchurch) attacked the Union Steamship Company, which had, become so powerful as to constitute a monopoly. He lioped tltat Cabinet would not lose sight of the promise made a year ago to establish .a State ferry service between the two islands, so as to link *ip the, main trunk lines of . the 3>ominiori". Referring- to the San Francisco service, he saw no good reason for abandoning the new arrangements. He favored the Vancouver •service as against the 'Frisco, on the ground that the former would help ■our own trade. Referring to the employment of Lascars on boats trading to the Dominion, he held that steps .should be taken to force the shipping -companies to grant thir seamen decent conditions of labor. If som^ "thing were not xdone in this matter the seamen' would take it into their own hands, with disastrous results to "the Dominion, following , Canada's Mr WILFORD (Hutt) said that the 2aw prohibiting,.Lascar labor in a snip •trading to the Dominion would havo "to be ratified by the Imperial Parliament. The way to obtain that object was to subsidise steamers,, as Australia was doing. He suggested that. Sir Joseph Ward move a resolution -on.; the matter, in order to - test the feeling of the House. He was against subsidising an American service, mowing to United .States legislation placing restrictions on the Dominion trade. Mr HERDMAN (Wellington North) said he believed that the present Suez "Canal service would meet the require■ments of the greater parij of the Dominion. Ho considered and contended' that Wellington ought to be tli© centre for the distribution of mails. Mr POOLB (Auckland . West) Savored helping the Union Company mail service rather than an, American concern, and entered a plea in favor «? Auckland as the direct bort of call - ' Mr MYERS,(Auckland)desiredthat provision be made for steamers to an.eet the-mail boats' when they arrived at Sydney. - ' The Hon. 11. McKENZIE said that the new service would assist in building up trade with the islands and the. east coast of America, and from a. trade point of view the Government • had taken- the right, course to secure that service. ' IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. ■ Mr HERRIES (Tauranga) asked what steps had been taken in regard to -the forthcoming' Imperial Conference. He understood that Sir Joseph "Ward had not yet received an invitation. He would like to know if the order paper of the Conference was submitted beforehand to the Cabinets v£ tho various Dominions., Up to the present time the despatches between .the Governor and the Home authorities m connection with the last Conference had not been laid on the table.' . :■. ■"■■■ ' ' ... ■ . ■ .■:• ;...': ~ THE TIME LIMIT . Just before the Hduse adjourned ~ Sir JOSEPH .WARD gave notiea that he.-,?woukl move on Tuesday to Jiave the Standing Orders amended sc as to admit of new Business beiriotaken after 0.30 a.m. %■ to

The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.