PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17294, 18 October 1919, Page 12

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. } THE SAMOAN MANDATE. a DEBATE ON THE BILL. 0? TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] 1 WELLINGTON, Friday. The House of Representatives met at . 2.30 p.m. 1 Replying to Mr. T. .E. Y. Seddon (Westland), the Prime Minister said the . finances of the Grey mouth Harbour Board j _ were under consideration by the Cabinet, , l but he could not say what decision would I ] be come to. I The Post and Telegraph Department j Amendment Bill, dealing with the rights', of appeal in the service, and introduced by Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato), was read a first time, the discussion lasting nearly the whole afternoon. The Counties Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Message. The Prime Minister explained that the Bill dealt with the question of the wheel tax. . When the House resumed in the evening, Sir James Allen moved the second leading of the Treaties of Peace Bill. He explained that the BUI provides that the i peace treaty may be given full effect to • r>y Order-in-Council. Under the Bill New ; Zealand accepted che mandate over Samoa. Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Opposition, said thev would undoubtedly now accept the Bill, but it was a pity the House had not the full proposals of the Government. He thought that next ses- ', si<m they"" would have to begin de novo • and pass a Bill dealing with the whole j question. Samoan matters were extremely I complicated. The question of labour was ! a case in point. He was fully satisfied I the native race should have representation | in both Houses of the New Zealand Par- | liament. Such a course would create con- ; fidence in the minds of the natives. i Continuing, he emphasised the need for i guarding the . health of the natives, and j expressed the hope that the Government j would have the conditions of peace issued to the people of New Zealand at the. , earliest possible date. ] Mr. H. E. Holland (Grey) said it was a j nity the House had not the full proposals I of the Government before it, but as far I as the House knew what the Government I proposed was something for which the j Labour Party could not stand, either in ] the House or out of it- It was quite clear i the system the Government proposed was ; divested of every semblance of democracy, I and so far as indentured labour was coni cerned the Labour Party would fight it ! U. the last ditch. j The Prime Minister referred to the ques- : tion of indentured labour. He said the | labour might not be Indian, but might i come from the East Indies. He thought | that after the term of indenture many ; labourers might elect to remain in Samoa. | Great statesmen of the past had en- ' | deavoured to attach Samoa to New Zealand, but for some reason Great Britain would not agree. Mr. Massey, continuing, said. New Zealand had signed the Peace Treaty, as. a j ; partner with Britain, not as an mdepan- j , I dent nation. | ■ | The Hon. A. T. Ngata (Eastern Maori) I , agreed that New Zealand was best . equipped for the administration of Samoa, I because it was the only country which , I had jurisdiction over the Polynesian race. . jHe would be glad to see two Samoan , representatives in the New Zealand I Upper House. He thought the Cook i I Islands should havje one representative | in the Legislative Council. , j Mr. J. Payne (Grey Lynn) while not objecting to Samoan representatives in Parliament, thought it unfair that any native—such as the Southern Maori re- ' presentative, who was elected on only 1200 votes —should have the same power ' as European representatives to sway the fate of Governments. ' Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland West) said that with fair wages and good labour ', conditions, it would be possible to make Samoa a good and prosperous country. After a lengthy discussion, the Bill was read a second time. (Left Sitting.)

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. MEASURES CONSIDERED. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Hon. 0. Samuel (New Plymouth) reported that the managers from the Council and the House had failed to agree upon the matters in dispute in. regard to j the Women's Parliamentary Rights Bill. The following Bills were' read a first time Wellington City Abattoirs, Mata- ' kaoa County (Hawke's Bay) Rivers, i Auckland Harbour Board Loan Empowering, Ingle wood County, Wellington City Empowering Amendment, Patea Harbour Amendment, Invercargill Borough Boundary. Extension, Hauraki Plains, Thames and Ohinemuri Counties, and the Housing Bill. The Leader of the Council, Sir Francis Bill, moved the second reading of the New Zealand University Amendment Bill. The Hon. G. J. Garland [Auckland) complained that only £2000 was voted towards workers' extension classes. Sir Francis Bell replied that hitherto the Senate had had to find finance for this work from its own grant. The Bill was put through its final stages and passed. The Post and Telegraph Amendment | Bill, and the Howard Estate Bill, were also passed. i The Discharged Soldiers' Settlement j Amendment Bill was read a third time 1 and passed. | The Council rose at 3.35 p.m.

Pictorial comment on topics of the j moment is always interesting to the j public. The artist has an advantage ! over the writer of being able to express j immediately to the eye what the writer i must impress gradually on the brain of I the. reader. The cartoons, caricatures, and personal sketches in this week's Observer have the advantage of re- j ferring to matters of immediate interest j to citizens. The enlarged paper contains j reading matter of great and diversified \ interest, covering as it does New Zealand j activities of the moment, dealing with people you know and people you should , know; sport, social life, literature, and! politics. The written comments of the ' Observer are free and impartial, suc- j cinctly and simply expressed, and are; always up to date. In the current num- I ber will be found stories of great literary value, while hundreds of subjects in which New Zealanders are interested are discussed with fairness and freedom. The paper is on sale everywhere, price sixpence.—(Advt.) Milne and Choyce celebrate their 53rd birthday on Monday, when every department will participate in offering special lines. The doors open at nine o'clock. Lovely casement curtaining. Is 3d and Is lid, sale Roberts, Ltd., stock. —Economic, opposite Town Hall. The sensation imparted to the mouth by the use of " Ozo' Tooth Powder is delightful. It is cool, refreshing, and fragrant; 6d tins everywhere. An address on " The Returned Soldier. the Citizen, and Christianity," will be given by the Rev. W. Bullock, organising seeietary to the Church of England Men's Society, at a mass meeting of men, in ! the Town Ha'.l concert chamber, at three j o'clock to-morrow afternoon. Mr. C. Hud- ' son. Mayor of Mount Eden, will preside. I j A s.xial. euchre party, and dance in aid of St. Patrick's Cathedral will be held :in St. Benedict's Hall on Wednesday ■ evening. I The Tamaki West Road Board's loan • proposals are to be discussed at a meeting of ratepayers to be held in the Presbyterian Church Hall, St. Heliers Bay, on [Thursday evening next.