PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12955, 26 August 1905, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BY TELEGKArH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday. The House met at half-past two p.m. THE LAND QUESTION. Mr. Taylor gave notice to move, when the' House goes into committee of the whole to consider the Premier's notice of motion on the land question, "That this House is of opinion that no land legislation affecting the lands of the colony will be satisfactory that does not provide for the cessation of the. sale of Crown lands, ami is also of opinion that the remnant of the public estate should be created into a national education endowment." ARBITRATION ACTS COMPILATION BILL. Mr. Seddon gave notice to introduce the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts Compilation Bill. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Flirt leave of absence for one month was granted to Mr. Witheford, on account of urgent private business. Mr. MASSEY said there was on impression that Mr. Witheford was not coining back to the colony, and if that was so the House ought to know it. Mr. SEDDON stated that Mr. Witheford had not yet left London, the cause of the delay being the mission on winch lie wa.s engaged, viz., the promotion of the iron and steel industry of the colony. He (Mr. Seddon) took it that the prospects were encouraging, which accounted for Mr. Witheford's continued absence. " But," added the Premier, "he is leaving, and is coming back to the colony."

THE LAST LOAN. Mr. SEDDON laid on the table a return showing the cost of raising the last loan. It was, he said, what he had already told the House, viz.. £25,019. Mr. MASSEY: Not including prepaid interest. Mr. SEDDON: It includes everything. The House adjourned at half-past live p.m. THE ESTIMATES. The House resumed at half-past seven, and went into Committee of Simply for the lurther consideration of the Estimates, the Customs Department, total vote £46,899, being taken. Mr. MASSEY and others pointed out thai the salary of the head of this Department was £/00, while one of his subordinates, the chief Customs expert, received £800, and said this was an anomaly that should not be allowed to continue. Mr. T. MACKENZIE moved that the item, " Secretary and Inspector of Customs. £700," lie reduced by £2, as an indication to the Government that the head official's salary should at least equal that of any of his subordinates.

Mr. SEDDON said the salary of the expert had been at that figure for many years, if the salary of the secretary were increased thee would be an outcry for an all-round increase. Mr. Mackenzie's motion was lost on the voices. Mr. ELL moved to reduce the salary of the chief Customs expert (£800) by £150, on the ground that the pay was too great for the work. This was lost by 34 to 15. The total vote for Customs officers and service was agreed to unaltered, ami the vote for miscellaneous services was postponed pending presentation to the House of the annual report on the Cook and other Islands. Marine Department, £54,446. -Mr. LAURENSON complained that sufficient encouragement was not given to the acclimatisation of sea fish. If properly encouraged a great industry was at hand, which would be of great benefit to the colony. Mr. JAS. ALLEN urged that the Government should go thoroughly into the question of giving ample assistance to fish hatcheries, and complained that the hatchery at Portobello was being starved. Mr. HALL-JONES denied that Hie. hatcheries were being starved, and added thai a great deal was done every year in the way of importing ova. Several members urged that Government should systematically and energetically carry on trawling operations for the purpose of discovering fresh fishing grounds around our coasts, complaint being made that the work of the Department in. this direction in the past was carried out imperfectly and incompletely. The total vote was passed unaltered. Education Department, £690,479. Mr. KIRKBRIDE urged the necessity of giving children education in agriculture and kindred subjects. Mr. BAUME said the one object of the Education Committee at present was to get the Teachers' Superannuation Bill out of the way, and that it had really no lime for anything else, just now. 'Mi. SEDDON said he hoped to see a big advance made in this subject next year. Mr. MASSEY spoke in favour of "rural education," and pointed to the strides made by Canada and the United Slates in that direction.

Mr. JAMES ALLEN advocated open-air instruction of school children.

Mr. SKDDON, in reply to several points raised during the discussion, stated that money would be placed on the Estimates this session for training colleges at Auckland and Wellington. If any board could show that the provision to enable them to bring children to the central .school was not sufficient, lie worth! bo prepared to increase the amount. It was criminal neglect on the part of any board if the children were not taken to school. 11l regard to education New Zealand should not, and did not, lag behind. It was the duty and pleasure of the Government to place education within the reach of every child in the colony. The vole was still under discussion when the telegraph office closed at 2 a.m.