PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7870, 4 August 1911, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

YKSTRKDAY ’S P ROC EE DIN OS

LEGISLATIVE GOUMGiI AD'DE ESS-IN- R EiPLY DEBATE CONTEND I.D. Tho Legislative Council met at 2.30 P 'a’ number (-1 sessional committees were set up. IM PERIA.L JUiLATIONSIO-I'. The debate upon tin* AdilreK.s-Iri-lteply was resinned by tho Ron. K. A. Lrmghjuui (Wellington), who comiiK'iitwl a(l----vi.r-.elv upon the .suggestion f hat it’ Orcoi, ’Britain were involved in war her doniiniuns, it thev chose, could declare themselves neutral. But, supposing tlicy did, was it to he thought that other nations warn Id recognise such neutrality d (Rear, hear.) Did they suppose, for instance, that a declaration of neutrality by the Transvaal would bo consideroilj worth a fig by tho commander of a tierman force landing in South Africa.- Tt would not bo regarded for one moment. Tho suggestion hud boon made that it would be easy for tho Now Zealand Farliainont to pass an Act of Secession and obtain tho King's assent thereto, but that wan file most preposterous tiling he had over heard of. It would ho tho duty of tho Speaker to prevent such a document over desecrating tho table of the Council, and of every member and oifioer of the ty.gislatn re to opjioso it, for each one was hound by his oath of a 1 legs an eo to the Sovereign. Thus the King would never be asked to give his assent to such a tiling. 11c disagreed with those who fluid that tho recent Imperial Conference had been a failure, and held that a considerable amount of .substantial work had tieen done. Ibis ouly regrets were that tho conference had not carried the motion in favour of an advisory council, and liad pronounced against State ownership of wireless telegraphy Bervictss. In connodtion with tho irrigation works carried out by the Government, he expressed tlm oplirion that the waiter laws were not in such a state as to give any such system the best chance. They should be subjected to thorough revision by a commission of legal oxperlfl which should bo .sot up) this session. The Government was to be congratulated upon the success attendant upon the carrying out of tho military training .scheme which, he thought, was a clear indication of the Gowemmcnt's adminiatrativo powers. Clear, hear.) Those who opposed tho scheme seemed to have misconceived the position altogether. Ho was not at all surprised at the recurring necessity of amendme.nit in the labour laws, for the Legislature had gone a little too fact: in tho first place. THE NEED FOR PREFERENCE. Tho Ron. 11. F. Wdgram (Canterbury) said that in approaching tho question of tho relations of Britain and her dominions it was necessary to recognise tho gratitude owed to tho Motherland. No other country had treated her collides with tlie generosdily that Britain had displayed. She had, indeed, been over-indulgent in the way she had given her colonies practical freedom on their attaining to years of discretion. It wtaa quite clear tliat the domin': oiks could not Bland! alone in tho future, but must continue to rely for their defence upon tho Empire's forces. He thought that tho time was rapidly coming when tho British House of Commons would have to be relieved of some of the pressure now put upon it. This would probably be accomplished by giving local government to various parts of tho Etmpire which did not now enjoy it. He did not think a consultative Council of Empire would do all that was claimed, and held that sooner or hater something in the nature, of an operative council would be set up to deal with large Imperial affairs. The question of xireferential trade within the Empire was one of the greatest possible importance.. Common interest in trade, ns in other things, was the strongest bond to draw a people together. He thought that, every part of the Empire should do all it could for tho common good and take its share of tho resulting trade. If this was tn be called "propping up the Did Country," wall, it should bo done, for at tho same time the dominions would bo propping up themselves. Tho debate was adjourned on the motion of tho Hon. .T. Barr, and the Council rose ait I o’clock. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ADDIMJSSMN-RFPLY DEBATE. Tho House of Representatives met at £J3O p-m-K-otioo waa -ffiven to set up the usual Select Committees. NW BELL. Notice to introduce the Hutfc Bail-n'Q.y and Road Improvement Amendment Bill ■wub given by the Hon. J. A. Millar. FIRST BEADING. Tho Legislature Amendment Bill fMr Fisher) providing for abolition of the second ballot, tvtis road a first time. ADDRESB-TN-EEPLY.

The lands for settlement operations ffere discussed during tlio afternoon, and Mr John Stallworthy (Kaipara) resumed the Address-in-Eeply debate after dinner. He spoke at great length upon tho desirability of pushing on tho North Auckland railway. .Ht‘_ strongly protested against tho reservation of some millions of acres of land as forest reserves In the north. Too ranch of this "was standing simply as a spectacle for tourists. A kauri forest could hardly he preserved from fire. He was satisfied that tho Government was being conducted by men who wore honest in their intention to do their host for tho country's benefit. Mr TV. Fraser (TVakatipu) dismissed the Speech from tho Throne as uninteresting. He emphasised tho need for. a strong bond of sentiment in Imperial affairs; chided tho Government on its slow irrigation policy in Central Otago; expressed his pleasure at the public response made to tho new defence scheme and complimented tho Speaker _ and Acting-Prime Minister on their knighthood. A MAOEI MEMBER. Dr Buck (Northern Maori) congratulated tho Speaker and Acting-Prime Minister on their Coronation honours. Dealing with Maori matters ho said that unfortunately more attention was given to the Maori property than to tho Maori race. Tho natives of the north had realised that the welfare of the race depended not so much on any treaty of Waitangi as on cultivating tho soil, and they were anxious to havetheir lands partitioned so that they might set to work, and although much had been done to open up lands in tho North Auckland province greater activity was required. The natives, however, had always been opposed to the sale of land, and although tho Act of 1909 permitted sales, the boards should make haste slowly. Tho Maori was not yet as sharp a business man ns tho European, and required protection. Native laud was in tho nature of entail, to be handed down from farther to son, but a native receiving money for his land was apt to forget his obligations, and by squandering tho money disinherit his family. Such money should bo invested. The Maori was quite ready to work, but being ignorant of the methods of obtaining assistance was handicapped, and a special sum should bo laid asido for assistance to Maori farmers. Sir James Carroll; On tho security of their lands? Dr Buck : Yes. _ He added that . the

Maori census showed a gratifying increase in tlx* number of natives. One of th»* outi-itandinj' causes was tho work dune by the Maori Health Department, and ho regretted that tho services ot sanitary inspectors in tho north had been dispensed with. 'Hie conditions were better, and education had always had an inUuence for good, especially on the health of the race, if tho Maori wore <<iven scope for iiis activities much good would ho done.

OUR FLEEING- POPULATION! Comment was made bv Mr AV. C. IJue-hanan (Wairarapa) upon tho manner in which (allegedly; population had been leaving the country. Jl,e said that would have boon an excess of departures over arrivals of something between four and five thousand for the past six months had it not been for tho assisted immigration. As it wus there was an actual excess of four thousand. How could it he said t.Jnifr the country /was prospertrus when people were leaving It in this way? Mr Lauren.son ; All your figures arc shown to bo wrong. Mr Buchanan : They arc not wrong. L challenge anyone to disprove them. The Hon. D. Buddo said that precisely tho same thing happened in tho corresponding period last year. All the people who had gone away would bo back again by Christmas. Tho debate was adjourned on tho motion of Mr Jl. G. Ell (Christchurch South), and the House rose at 10.25 p.m.