PARLIAMENT OPENS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9227, 28 June 1912, Page 2

PARLIAMENT OPENS.

'; : t >; : ;[^|'v V : ' His ISjvpcHencyUJie : tiove'rhor,jbiioriod.'PiU"- ,J iljamcnt-^to-^ [Speech, l ;-:';be;'/'said ; It [; is ; -,,;[with Jiileay, '*; 'suroj ,rtiiit; : -:[l.'vngrt4n ,;jheofc- vyou ;in;; PnV' ; ! li4nipnt e assembled; ? Puvirig ; rtho? recess , .niy- lute:aclvisQvs[ [teh'clerticE :to /ino'• (ricii-; i-e:! ,-. IsighaHbn, - ; Avliicli J.'.' accepted,:; iihd ;ii>new ; ;bo' ableto cdngi'atulate'youvagitin iijipii tlio - v 'cfjii'liiiubd[prosperity;:of tlio country;; .tTJio * outlook:!is- promising,-• and enter- , priso[[bbtains; everywhere.;:;;•[;[:'■-> : - ■ -.' y; -j ; 3[)u ri|iK ; • tli p: 1 nst [llioniVis 'xloatli -has t [rernqyecTtlfo Hon/ J;iS/ MbQownn, a mom- . [geiitlei)i'lin who Kacl panied'for[ IliinSell'lile j esteem -and [respcot of both .branches ofthe • pegislatufo.rWittiin thp last;few days deuth . lias removed ajsp Sir: John ;Lo#an Gamp '• bell/'ah : ,ex-Miiiistbr[:pf4lio. Crown,:' One; of j the earliest pioneers, and a,most respected ( colonist, whose.bencfiaeiit H-J'ftf 10 thd: oity j of .AuOkhiiidwillbo Vonlom.bei'eUAvltll de.oii , gratitude." v':. 1 ;, ..'■'.'■'.':■•' . i ■ 'Mention was made of the Titanic disiiS- ] I ter, and the visit. of the [Dreadnought-New ; 'Zealand to-our shores. ;; ' : ;;-'. ;: [[.; ;;;:['K';v. : v[-.[''.defence;; 1 •;■:';;'■■■■■■; ;....'■■■■ ,•'■' During tho past' year a .large, proportion;: of.'.tlie youths liable, foi' Hol'vioe .under the. [ training scheme Have bedn ported' to [tliilhi of tile'territorial force. Gamps have been iVeld throughout tho Dominion'for all units I 'of the-territorial army, a very .high:;pcrceiitage" of' attendance; has been obtained, i and'results bf JtValniiiß' filiiy bt).looked upon i [as most:'satisfactory./.Tile.donfluOt Of lllc men has been exemplary; Guns to replace i those of obsolete pattern hitherto in use in i the Dominion are how on tlioir.way to the country, unci their arrival may shortly be i expected.- Groat assistance has;been render- > cd to the Dofenee Department by ompoyers of" labour, .farmers,; landowners, arid .all classes of the community in granting facilities to their chiployoca to'attend parados and Camps, and by-placing, grounds at the disposal of the"military authorities. ■ LAND SETTLEMENT. . The settlement of .Crown lands and es- • bates acquired under the .Land for Settlement Act- Has been steadily prosecuted, -and shows satisfactory results; During tho past year a* greater area of land has [been ,purchased than during the preceding twolvo months, and every endeavour has been made to survey Crown Lands and subdivide the areas still available for disposal where they are suitable for settlement. The sustained''-demand for land is rapidly exhausting the balance of the Crown.estate, so that a-vigorous prosecution of.the policy of acquiring privately-owned' and Native land for closer settlement purposes i& absolutely nooessary, and will be given effect 'to., Since the passing of the Native Land Act, 1909, considerable progress has been made in the settlement. and opening up of■ native land. Over a million acres liavo been alienated to the Crown and private persons since the coming into operation of the Act, and at ( the present time threequarters of a million acres are under survey. ... '■'.•'■ The agricultural industry has never presented more encouraging prospects-in the. history of the Dominion. Our fcrtilo lands are being more closely settled every year. The country in occupation- is boing cultivated to greater advantage, thereby' increasing individual and national wealth. During the past .twelve months continued progress has marked the operations of tho Department of Agriculture. Tho usefulness and scope of the experimental stations havo been Avidened, and the number of demonstratib*n plots greatly increased. Herds o! milking strains have been introduced from abroad, supplementing tho present valuable stock. Considerable scientific investigation has been carried out with respect to'dairyproduce. Satisfactory progress has been made with bringing into use of what limy bo termed the refractory soils of the Dominion. "'■'.' , „ ' , .' His Excellency continued: My advisers are devoting themselves to.making country lifo more attractive. To this end an ox, tended parcels post, increased facilities for telephonio communication, and. dai y rural : mail delivery are being provided,' thus bringing the advantages of city life .within the' reach of the country dweller. The desirability of making higher education moro accessible to young mon and women of moderate means has been recognised by the extension of a system of bursaries. Increasod facilities have boon provided by the -Government for thoso who have proved worthy to receive free University education. THE ESTIMATES. . The estimates have been framed with a regard to economy, consistent with cfliciency. Ministers havo devoted considerable attention to tho conditions of employment of members of the railway service. Proposals, will be submitted in the/ direction ol further improving'the-position; of tho fust and second division of the sorvico, In view of the fact,- successfully demonstrated, that our fruit landed in excellent condition on the London market, and that there was a demand for it in South Ame/; ica, Parliament will be asked to vote_ r, sum of money for the purpose of taking and planting areas'of'gum country, subdividing such land into areas sufficient te ..provide homes and fruit farms for those desiring to follow the industry. Farms can, if desired, be disposed of under the "occupation with right of purchase" tenure, - Tho time has arrived for a rovision of the customs tariff, in order to reduco the duty on-many articles in daily use. Concessions will.be made in railway passenger fares for children up. to five years of age to travel free, and from 6 to 14 years at quarter rates. A revision of railway freight rates, with a.view to tho reduction on certain 1 articles, is .contemplated. 5 . ... 'GRADUATED TAX. I 'Amendments wilt be introduced relating ", to tho incidence of the Land and Income > Tax system. . Tlie : graduated land tax will } be' altered, so that the rate shall increase uniformly, with tho value of tho estate The initial, rate will be reduced, so that lands , of jlo'w-value will receivo an abatement. ' The; system of graduating income tax will bV: Amended on similar lines. To provide for [loss of revenue that may ensue from these;; amendments; the rate of the graduated ,tax on higher-valued estates will be increased. Thero [may be a slight increase- ■ iii;higher rates,;of, the income tax, The graduated land- tax will be adjusted, and made more uniform, the rate being increased from the points of ,£30,000 unim--1 proved value upwards. The main _ purpose of the hew. graduated land.tax will bo to compel subdivision in order to ensure closer settlement of:lands. Legislation will bo introduced-to distinguish for taxation purposes between earned and unearned incomes, so that earned incomes will, bear smaller taxation than those which are unearned. Increased--exemption from land ' tax-will be allowed to• widows and othors in-straitened circumstances. Concessions will be made to parents who support families. .. . .It is proposed to ask for authority, to , increase the sum. hitherto set apart for the purchase of. land for the .erection of buildings for Workers' dwellings. ' • ■ . LOCAL GOVERNMENT. Ministers realise the great importance , of local, bodios being assisted to carry on tlie..!.work s of,'colonisation and_ 'settlement, and : while recognising fluctuations of the inonoy market, may, from tinny to time, compel • care in raising money for tho purpose stated, are of opinion, that the Dominion sliould pursue a policy of assisting the outer districts [by advanoing money to local' bodies, for 'Jong periods at; a low rate, of 'interest, preference being given to loans intended to provide aOess to lh;backblocks.;, Assistance will also be prim toi.'other local authorities by the: State guar ■ anteeirig their loans. ;•: .''[•• ';■,"'.;;.;; / ; :i; ;THE.LpAN...;.; ;. : :i ;: ;.: Full information: about, the recent loan \ will be, placed before Parliament on receipt r of details from. Home.':. ,/; ; ~ i % i[[, LTGHT;EAILWAYSi ■. " ;[;?[:That;'the...cquntry. needs; better facilities ;-■; dairying '.and Xothpr !' districts,-[;is: bepothiiig abundantly-.apjiarent. ;. ,Wlth inctea'sed; produc|iVeriessM : tricts ■ traffic[is becoming .^op I ;hoayy[[ for niabitonance of road facilities'by ; looalVbo'dies'.-''-;^^ djflic,iilty; by' the: 'onergehc';'pi'ospcution: of -; light Vailvyay branch UnesVivyhiohwilL [ : aS'i;feodors'[ to thff^'ihiiin,lines; andrpprts., -rhose:',would'; be;' a ; ;great;[aid: ;to,.settlement '; ;and;;a ;pi*pfitablb;[ihvcMmeiit. [ V;|^ct?;[hn : .: aiid ;«ombiues;are;[ i 'bper[a|in(T ;ia ;spmp'oxtPnt:ih this Dojiiiniori,; Unrj :;,tlio;;;[ : oxistiiig[ lpgialfttibh; [ift*iy ;" proyp.

iiistifeiorrl;' to [aiiplir the t'ey il. ■■> A[f i i ßil| l! la[^.[Ayill["bo J intro; -past; ; iMO [importaht,;iihd.;;:valu;a.blp::: v re; bults;; [. [iiKS ! :a;cbritihiianc<).obifebcnclits. :1 . : Mea-: sure3/'vvill[;,bo' [introduced > providing:.;fpi; uortain '-Jri?the;, Act. ;■.l,lti is, I iroposPd; this-Bossibh '; : tb;.iutroduco ; ;' hlea-: .hiresproviding)ior.llio':better':aeeoirinio- : .dation of workers;'shearors;'■ and uwrnillz-eniplbyees.: , Ifc:-[is;;prbppsed ;;tp amend' tho Y aliiation ; of, Liilid : Act-so a;; to provide a. liiore equitable: assessmcnt;o| "improveiiicrtls" [and "im imp roved value. Tha; questionlof a Stiitc-pwned,:cablp,across thp:Atlantic |ontiniies : , Miiiictei's • a; rolioirib [ fOi'[ the establishment: of resthomes,;[wii&i'o persons 'who aro v suffering;trpm ,tom : porary ■;moiital. aberration .may .Iw'.deall with;'instead!,-of being plaocd; in ;thc ordinaryvmehtiilf hospitals; l ":['> ,; : :. ; ' It'«.. prbposed to,:extcnd ; ,.,the present iiOiiU'lrir sys.tern of trained- nurses, to wives aM<l- : faiililil)i) of the worlcers ; and to those Ayho -c'ailtibt' Otherwise ■;avail themselves. ;jf ; 'Puch services, TliO of our mibiic hospital system [ mo ■'<; providing' iihries for tlie out-districts is :bding.fiteadily imd increasingly felt, -and it is .hoped- soon '■that-: iiOttlO'i's: in [remote parts;of tho ■ Do!iiitllon will"; receive many pf tho benefits Of'tllu my t J f' medical attendance, 'nursing hcei)itak.:d{i!:, Unit'wert : for many years rogardod : as! ; tho PXCiMYo. .privi pge o dwellers in our oitics. it l» hoped also at an early : [date"to extend: the ■hospitalsto fbiir other : cciilrcs-twp. Hi■ the North .Island' and two in. tho South Island.

';■,'[■ .I'REFERENTIAI/VOTING.'■',; ; : A- Legislature Amendment Bill '-'will be. submitted for youi- consideration providing, an" alteration; in the' method ot electing members of the House of Reprcrantatives -by ' .introducing-:.,'preferential voting 'as a substitute. for tho system _of r'ecoti'd'ballots. Tho time has arrived for . So al'riUigilig the: business of : Parliament oo that it can' bo dono -during : reasonable hours and with moro .expedition. Proposals to ; give effect to. this will: bo submitted. ... •'-., -. ■ , ~ ■A Local- Government Bill, was. introduced last session and circulated| during the recess to local bodies, throughout .the Oontinioni. : Subecqiieiitly,. * conference of delegates from local authorities was hold in Wellington. As a result of their deliberations an amended Bill will be sub•mittcd this session,' which it is■■ hoped will effectually deal with this difficult and important problem. '' -,' . .•■ It is proposed to amend the Defence: Act in -the 'direction of Substituting, military detention in a camp or barrack .in -.ieu of imprisonment in tho case of. failure or refusal to parade, or for similar broaches of, tho'Act, This is tho practice in Australia. Other miscellaneous alterations in tho Act are-proposed.; ■',■'.■{ To further facilitate the surplus natiye lands, my advisers consider that it will be necessary to make amendments to tho Native Land Act, 19(R ' Caro will bo taken to prevent' speculation'in ■ Nativo land, and every possible facility will bo given in the .direction ot assisting bona fide settlement m order that, tho areas reserved for tho use and ccoupa-|-,i'on of tho Maori owners shall bo eitectivoly occupied by them, Sp'cc'ial provision will'bo made under,'proper'safeguards to assist them financially, and also with advice and instruction in modern methods of farming. . . .. .! TRAFFICKING IN CROWN LEASES. It is the intention to restrict the trafficking in Crown leases that prevails in some parts o f-t-ho.. Dominion, and to ensure that the Crown' is selected and occupied by bona lido settlors, It is also ttieir inteu tion to introduce legislation to prevent speculation in Crown Jands and promote closer, settlement by' all practicable means. It is felt that the time has arrived when largo estates capablo of subdivision and settlement into smaller holdings .should not continue in-'tho possession of individual owners, Provision for preventing undue'aggregation of estates and restoring the compulsory acquirement olauses by arbitration to tho Land for. Settlement Act will'bo submitted. - ■• ' LIMITATION OF AREAS. Legislation'will also be introduced. providing for tho limitation of aroas of land that,in future may bo held and occupied by any one company, person or, family. lii tho event of own'ors oflargo estates not subdividing their land, power may. bo takon by tho State to possession. .Theland.so rcfsiiiiied'•shall be disposed of under tho Land for Settlement Act., .with provision that the doferred payments system will be added in,' '_ Tho time has arrived when there should be established a central bureaux of infor- ( mation which will gather the particulars for all tho Crown and Native lands open for settlement o r about to be opened |pr, se-ttloment, and also ooilect; information icgarding private properties that may DO' for lease in different parts of tho Dominion,. Tho bureaux will be in touch with land ag;ent; throughout the country, and could supply all particulars of lands _ and their values,': thus affording valuable aid to thoso interested. In view of the great ■ importance of agriculture, it is proposed to-make provision for the establishment of agricultu: ral colleges and additional experimental farms, and also for tho further introduction of dairy stock from abroad. a-'iVfl-Legislation will be submitted in the direction of providing that workers in the different centres may acquire cottago farms from the State, sufficiently near their usual work to enable them to profitably erapjoy their spare timo in fruit-growing, dairying and market gardening. RAILWAYS, Having regard to the great influence tho railways of the Dominion oxcrcise on the > general progress and settlement of the country, and on the development of its nat- . Ural resources and commerce, Ministers aro of opinion that tho time has arrived when it is desirable and oxpediont to modernise tho management of the groat State enterprise. The successful management of an .undertaking of such magnitude domands : the employment of an expert who is, as ■ welt as being thoroughly familiar with the 1 utilisation of the railways as a means of ! stimulating land settlement,; is also closely 1 acquainted with and experienced in mod--1 ern railway, management as. practised in other countries, As the ago limit of the ■ present general manager of the Railway ■ Department and other responsible officials 1 is approaching it is proposed to reorganise ■ the management and to take steps to in- ' vite from abroad applications from gent- [■ lemon qualified to fill the position of gen--1 oral manager. Legislation will.be required ' to give effect to these proposals, and an ' amendment of the Government Railways ' Act-will be submitted accordingly. This ■ wiUmake; provision for tho paymont to 1 the general' manager of an-adequate salary, ' which it is [hoped will induce first-chss.rail--1 way officials to compete for the position. ' : The [necessity: is recognised for securing " the grcatei safety of those who travel by ' sea, and 'tiro better protection of those who ' are engaged in loading and discharging steamers at our ports. , ' , . ~ 1 Several new'measures in that direction 1 will be submitted for consideration.;'; ' Tho first year's operation of tho national provident fund have led' Ministers to con--1 sidor the desirability of. enlarging the ; scope of this'-measure-of social insurance Thp system will be extended to enablo local bodies- to secure su])ernnnuation or other , benefits of-the Act for their employees, ' and employers' generally will , bo granted facilities to assist tlieir employees in taking advantage of jhe.fund. Tho efforts of tho friendly .societies in providing for their members and their families will bo encouraged, and it is intended to introduce legislation to enable a subvention to bo paid by the State to friendly societies upon terms that will encourage the operations of .thoso beneficent organisations. , "Legislation dealing with old age pensions will be submitted, fixing [ the age for women: at sixty years. ."-.-: ' ; A Bill will bo introduced amending tho Police Force Act in. certain'directions, and remedying omissions in tho original Act of 1886, ""';;':' .■■■'•.■'■<■'', -> ;; -EDUCATION. ■'■[■ It has boon,decided.to' initiate- a system - of'.medical inspection of schoolchildren in order to proihote further cd(ipationa[l pro- ' %\ ess.; ;•[;;, : ■:' 1 ' : "'<.-..'.' ■',,' . \ Proposals to'[amend the Education Act will ibo submitted. 1 advisers hope'■: to ;make further extehsipiis, in[ tho direction ot free university,oduoation, so-,that;the clover ohildreirof.the Doniiiiioivwil be able, by ireasbii'of intellectual:'ability alone,: to climb without;cost: tj) themselves';or thoir ]iareiits [frbm;the[lowest[ fo;^'highestrung -of tho 'educational-ladder,;, w;- ';;.;; ;-..V.; .-.■?. ■'.■'•Prbpp'ials wi|L be.'rsubmJttecl-' in .the;. i&motitii ':udhrilitafisirig;the 'junior, deW nhd'pf^ensuring.'that bb'paid :tb tho: physical, instriiption aiKi^ii'ls-atteiidi'iig,primary, sehopls. ■■..)'■'' ■ : ' It : - to: hiakb. cortain: arnond-

iji'xi'j.;^^^*;-!-I;'^^^.*:!''^'?^"-^'l ,urpbSQ[ o f[simplifying,itlK;proe^ . ; on&!6>:. ; ivUh;^^ "S S ur : es : %iiK'i^iritrb[d)cn^ of Seeds .Salo[Controi;[«%-'ncr3^°- o^i; I'ive'i-'Banlt's;-. l.hp Lai^, >'Aws; : 'Agricultural 1 and;: Pastpraj; Sc^fe lcts t ;Noxioi l f;Woeds;^|and; : 9^^^