PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13481, 4 July 1907, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

■ — _—«. [IJY, TKLEGIU.I'H.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. • '' '." '■'■'.":;. Wednesday. The Council met at 2.30 p.m., and inime diately adjourned until 3.30 p.m. On re sinning the lions. Bigg and Jenkinson who had been reappointed members o: the Council, were sworn in and took then seats. The Hon. Wi Pere was also swon in. ■ V ' ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. The, HON. T. PAUL gave notice of tin Address-in-Reply for the next sitting day. "The Cwaacil rose at 3.55 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday. The House met at 2.H0 p.m., but in con sequence of Miss May Seddon's wedding immediately adjourned until 4.30 p.m. On resuming the following Bills jtasseci their first readings:—Legislative found' Election Bill, Sir W. J. Steward ; Noxious Weeds Amendment. Act Bill, Mr. R. Me Keiizie; Quackery Prevention Bill, Mr. J. I. M. Hornsby: Public Bank Holiday; Bill, Mr. C* K. Major; Trustees Act Amendment Bill. Mr. T. K. Sidev; Aboli tion of Plural Voting Bill, Mr. A. W. Hogg; Farriers Bill, Marriages Validation Act Amendment Bill, and Lights ' on Vehicles Bill, Mr. Major; Flour Duty Abolition Bill, Mr. Hogg: Musicians Bill and Land Agents Bill, Mr. G. Witty Divorce .Act Amendment and Law Practitioners Act Amendment, Mr. G. Laurenson; Auckland Hospitals Act Amendment Bill, Mr. A. Kick! ; Borough of New Plymouth Electric Loan and Waterworks Loan Validation Bill. Mr. Okey. The House adjourned at 5.15 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr. MASSEY resumed the debate on the Address-in-Reply, and stated that usually two junior members, or last-elected members, moved and seconded the Address-in-Reply ; but on this occasion the two new members elected sat on the . Opposition side of the House. Referring to Mr. Davey's remarks on the Chinese ques tion, Mr. Massey said he gave, waj to no member in his opposition t< the Chinese entering New Zealand, and he repeated his remarks of two years age that if the Premier brought in a Bill t<: double the poll-tax, or even go further, he would support him. Dealing with the proposed : change to a dominion, Mr. Massey said he saw no reason for tin change. A rose by any other name wouk smell as sweet. There was no paralle between New Zealand audi Canada. He considered the " .surprise" mentioned by tin Premier on the night of his return Iron England like tne Government's policy: it had little in it. Touching on preferential trade, ill. Massey said he thought the Home Government had missed a grand opportunity ot cementing the ties between the colonies and the Old Country; but he was confident that the time would come when the statesmen of Britain would) arise and adopt preference. Dealing with the mail question, he said he thought the Vancouver route should be taken up by tin Imperial Government. He hoped they would do so, and carry it through, particularly as some New Zealauders were dissatisfied with the Suez route. On the question of the naval' subsidy, he thought they should be prepared to pay < substantial contribution to the upkeep o [the British navy, and had the Home Go vernment asked New Zealand to double tin contribution, he thought the people of th< country would gladly do so. He consider ed that Australia and New Zealand sliouh be consulted on the New Hebrides ques tion, and he would be pleased if the Co lonia I Secretary would pay periodical visit to the colonies. -He lioped the report o the Conference would '.soon be placed oi the table. He had noted the items sup plied.to the New Zealand newspapers, am thought the press of the colony suppliei very good reports of our own representa tives' doings; but further information oi the subject would have been desirable Touching on the Exhibition, he considerei they -were a bit too previous in holding it and it showed the effect of Governmen mismanagement in affairs of business. The; had expressed the opinion, and it was oi record, that the Exhibition would cos £75,000 to £80,000; but the members o the Government had said it would onl; cost £iiO,ooo. Subsequently a member o' the Ministry said it would "cost £50,000; |whilst a. prominent! politician from anothe | State said it would cost £100,000. EL (Mr. Massey) -hoped the Government woulc .soon let them' know what it had cost. Re ferring to the Land Bill of last session, i had created a deal of excitement and un rest amongst the people in- the country, am the modification proposed to be introduce did not lessen that excitement, as the peo pie in the country knew the socialists views and single tax views held by mem bers of.the Government, and the Bill win a- most insidious attack on freeholders The Opposition proposed to gTve people the freehold in order to settle the diffi culties that had arisen. He did not pro pose to devote much time to the Lar.d Bill as he would have the opportunity of doinj so; but he would .say that he was unabh to understand where the Ministry wen going to get endowments from. He advocate* the Improved Local Authorities Bill, as tin Government was not doing what it ou'gh to do in assisting the local bodies. He con sidered that roads should be -made before th land was opened for settlement, or as sooi afterwards as possible. He knew of a da in factory which iiad to close because the sup pliers were unable to get the milk to tin factory. It was'absurd to talk about stir pluses whilst such conditions existed. Tin colony was in a prosperous condition, am more, should be done for the people residin; in the back blocks. Referring to the N'ativi Lands Commission, he said the people of flu colony were looking for something defiriiti being done with the large tracts of lane which were, not utilised by the natives. Hi contended that the telephone was of vas importance, but the charges were too high They should be reduced by one-half. Tin guarantees that were asked from the set tiers in the bush were altogether withou reason, and should be reduced. He nolet | nothing in the Governor's Speech about tin appointment of Legislative Councillors. Hi thought the Premier would have demo icratised that Chamber, as he knew the latt Premier had proposed to do. ; The PREMIER explained the constitti tional precedent followed in the matter o moving the Address-in-Reply. On ' tin [Chinese question his- own linn convictioi for many years was that the whole colons was against the importation of Chinese. A; far as could be ascertained no self-govern ing colony had absolutely preventec Chinese entering, but they could' introduce legislation to restrict aliens, such as in stituting a prohibitive poll-tax, and he thought that the best course to adopt foi New Zealand was as heavy a poll-tax a: | would be restrictive. The Leader of the ; Opposition had expressed himself as- usua over the Governor's Speech, and suggeidee I that he has never been able to see anything |in any Governor's Speech. He shoule move in a direction recommending havim no Governor's Speech. There was no sen timent in his proposal to change the name from colony to that of dominion. It to absurd to say that it was undesirable t( have the name dominion as another conn try already possessed the name, but then were a score of countries called colony, am yet people who objected to dominion wen content to retain the Avoid colony. He contended that it was a desirable thing t< get out of the ruck, as it was de trlmental to New Zealand to b< known as a colony. People at Home were apt to look upon a colony a: a very unimportant place. Referring t< I the Premiers' Conference and the quest of preference, he was one of those who be lieved that (he Old Country was nob goinj on right lines; but he did not expect then to change in a year. All that could hi done was to educate them. Referring tt the mail service, it would pay the Ok Country handsomely, if it wanted to see the bonds united and strengthened, te join hands with the younger countries and give them a faster mail service and sub sidising it. The contract, with the Sav Francisco line was stopped when they recognised that they were nut getting what they had a right to. What the coun-

try - should do was to get into closer and! speedier comunieatiori with England, as that would tend to increase the benefits on New Zealand. Touching on naval mat ttrs, lie had strongly supported the ad-! herence to the policy of the Australasian squadron. If a system of submarines, as suggested, were adopted it would cost New Zealand an initial expense of £479,300;; upkeep. £70,100: depreciation, £31,000;j and for complement £."o,ooo— the latter' [amount per annum. It appeared to be the e " wish of the Home Government to make "'Singapore the headquarters of the southern! '• (squadron; but tin's was not suitable to New! ?H Zealand. Mr. Deakin, in bringing forward|| ,r his submarine scheme, had not in any wayj 11 1 expressed the intention of any idea of i '"cutting'the' painter" from the British [navy. Referring to the Exhibition *Hbt:j (Premier ( stated that it had been computed ,e I that the colony had gained £150,000 more! ' jrevenue as a direct result of the Exhibition. I In addition, it had been of inestimable value (as an educational feature. Dialing with jliuid iimiU-i.-. !:c twitted Mr. Massey forL >. [altering his views from un>:,; expressed on , |June 28. 1905, when he "held that the '~::*.'.'-!; holders in perpetuity should lie granted Uicj' 'freehold at the original value. Replying toj' i-jMr. Massey. he explained that all lands! g ! purchased "from the natives alter the Bill: passed would be outside the endowments,j d land would be dealt with under the ordinary il clause. Proceeding to the Native. Land's is Commission, the Premier said no legislativei -■(power could endow the Commission with! '• (authority to deal finally with matters. That; s could only he done by the House, which I, -t must await the. result "of the Commission's j, _'• inquiries before it could carry out what he I, •i believed would be of lasting benefit to the!, II i country. They had no more right to tellj* 11 I the. native landowner under what particular >' I tenure he could dispose of his land, any I'l more than they could toll an European land's (owner.- Dealing with the telephone, he '"did not know of any country in the) '"world where, such enormous work had, 't been done fur the people. What ■ •! had always given satisfaction to country || "settlers was a good article at the cheapest U j possible price, and he contended that the [greater facilities given to people in this! direction the better it would be for the c country. The Leader of the Opposition y had proposed that the Upper House '" should be elected on the same system as '• the lower Chamber. He (the Premier) , *' contended that if that democratised the n Council, then the best thing would be to '*• abolish the Council. The law is that the "■ Council be nominative,: and the Govern- : J' ment had nominated members. Mr. Mas- <> sey had said, regarding the Conciliation d and Arbitration Act, that in comparison .' ;° to population this country had had as " many strikes as any other country ; but ■, " e he (the Premier) maintained that the Act ie had been beneficial to both employers and ''• employed, and no argument that had been ie put forth was sufficiently weighty to call d for the abolition of the Act. " Concluding <- pi his lemarks, he resumed bis seat amid > v e applause. '« Mr. LEWIS said he did no! think it ] n necessary that the country should turn its j it back on the word "colony," which was '1 cue of the finest words in the English e language. He reminded the Premier that j >■ people from the colonies, coming to the *• n Motherland's assistance, had. awakened ie the admiration of the world. "Colony" t e was a word that they should reverence c ie and maintain. a c After the supper adjournment Mr. i- LEWIS resumed the debate. Ie Mr. MASSEY made an explanation in 1 J' regard to his (views on the freehold. lie l- urged that the capital value of holdings - 5- should bo apportioned between the interest of ' 11 the State on the one hand, and of the set--10 tier on' the other. Improvements belonged i a to the settler, and goodwill also, because '■ si the Government lent the money on improve- ' o- merits and goodwill. . That bad been urged ; ie by himself and by the Opposition, and was ie no deviation from his views always ex;r- Dressed. Id Mr. .J. T. M. HORNSBY said he had is- been termed a single-taxer and a socialist o- by Mr. Massey. He was pleased to let ts the country' know he was a socialist. If of anyone expected a. Conservative' party hi should ever come into power in New Zeap- land they would be mistaken. This had id been proved by every successive Governed ment. which was more Radical than its a- predecessor. Referring" to the illness of ui the Hon. W. Hail-Jones, be urged . that . e. they "were asking too much of "Ministers. id He advocated the suggestion of Sir George i t, Grey that tinder-secretaries should be apit pointed with a salary, who should be underiv studies to the Ministers, ready to fill Minism ferial vacancies when they occurred. He st spoke at great length on the wages paid to of railway labourers and other employees, and ly maintained, that they should be paid better of and less 'money expended upon palatial railI; way stations. He advocated setting up a er Royal Commission to inquire into the work - le big of the railways. Id The"Hon. R. MrNAB (Acting-Minister c- for Railways) said that ho was unable- to it see why any of the charges brought against a- the Railway Department could not be, dealt id with by the Minister. During the time he •d had acted as' Minister for' Railways he had 0- never altered the decision and recommendaic lions of the Appeal Board.. He defended a- the action of the Minister for Agriculture is in appointing additional .dairying inspectors, s. in order to stamp out tuberculosis. The lo extension of the work of the administration fi- of the Agricultural Department "was urged o- on the Government by the responsible of1. fleers of the Department. . '~, v • lg r-i-M'r. ELL'also spoke, lc The House adjourned at 11.47 p.m. re ' . 3d '- ■ ■ — '