PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10502, 9 July 1910, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

(Pee Press Association.) Wellington, .July 8LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL The Council met at 2.30 p.ru. Hon. C. M. Luke resumed the debate on the Address-in-Reply. He advocated the establishment of wireless telegraph communications on various part's of the coast, also the erection of lighthouses at Terawhiti and North Auckland. He approved of the proposal of the Government in regard to water power, and urged a start at Lake Coleridge, as it was likely to be of the greatest advantage. He referred to the depressed condition of the iron and other local industries, and made a strong appeal to the Government to further encourage them. So long as the social conditions of the workers continued to bo improved, it was, he said, necessary to provide tariffs which would enable industries to be carried on, otherwise many local industries would be closed down. Hon. C. H. Mills defended the 999 years' lease system of Sir John M'Kenzie. The State was getting a reasonable profit out of the leases, and the settler who carved a home out .of the backblocks deserved all lie could get. Hon. J. Barr referred to the need of abolishing the bookmakers, but said that the evil was small compared with some of the gambling evils, the land gambling evil, for instance, which was particularly rife in the North Island. He urged the Government to take up' the question of technical or trades education. The debate was adjourned. The Council adjourned till Wednesday.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Speaker announced the resignation of Mr T. M. Wilford as Chairman of Committees. - . On a motion by Mr Fowlds to lay the report on immigration on the table, Mr T. E. Taylor (Christchurcli) raised the question of the proposed importation of boy labor into the Dominion. He was entirely opposed to this. At present a number ot boys exploited systematically cheap labor. No proper supervision could be exercised over boys who were brought into the countrj in this way. ' Sir Joseph Ward said the Government was not- committed to any scheme of immigration for boys. It had been requested that boys should be given the benefit cf reduced passages to the dominion. The Premier read a letter from the Minister' of Labor to the gentlemen interested in the immigration scheme, showing that there were positions available on farms for oO boys y. no were prepared to come to the Dominion. There were a great number of applications from farmers for such boys. One of the weaknesses of the scheme, However, was that if the boys proved unsuitable for farm work they would be thrown 011 the hands of the Labor Dopartment. The Government had not intended to take any hasty steps m the matter, and would be guided by cncumstances in endeavoring to solve the problem. , _ Mr Hanan said if the lacis were brought out here they would look to obtaining a piece of land for themselves, but there was an insufficiency ot land to meet .the present demand. The importation of boys would only aggravate the difficulties of and render the position of New Zealand boys worse than at present. Mr J. Luke said Mr Hanan knew nothing about the subject. The Dominion's industries were tapering off, and the importations increasing in greater proportion than the exportations. Labor had built a wall round itself. 1 lie Dominion was au attraction to immigration. He was not anxious to encourage bovs into the Dominion, but to improve the laws that those in the country would have no inducement to leave. There was an imperial aspect to the question. If Britain was to hold its own it ought to distribute its surplus population within the Empire. He believed in placing boys oil experimental a-'ricultural farms, and hoped greater facilities in this direction would be •iivi-n in the future. There was plenty for lads to do not only in agricultural but in other industries. As to boy labor, which was calculated to lower wao-es and conditions, he asked how could 50 lads disorganise the" labor market. The increase of population in the towns was 25 per cent, as against 10 in the countrv. Mr Anderson favored the importation of boys for farm labor under proper conditions. Mr M'Laren said the employers idea was to have as many boys employed as possible, even if the boys' fathers were walking the streets. He liekl that it was entirely wrong for the Government to lend its assistance to the employers by finding boy labor. Mr Massey said it was well known that the dairy industry had been hampered for want of suitable labor, which meant lads from 10 to 20 years of age. These lads will in five vears become employers themselves. Still every inducement ought to be offered to induce men to engage in the primary industries. . , _ , Messrs Arnold, Scott, Buick, Fisher, and Laurenson continued the discussion. . Sir Joseph Ward explained that lie would mako statement regarding E. 1 A. Smith on Tuesday The House rose at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.30.

The Crown Suits Act Amendment and the Defence Act Amendment Bills v>-ere brought down by Governor's Ales-

'J sage. I Mr Massey hoped that when the i Crown Suits Amendment Bill came before the House that provision would be isiado to ailow private persons to sue. tlio Crown for damages, and thus reirovfi tho grievances caused by the i Act. ; Sir Joseph Ward said it was neces- ! sary that the Crown should bo protected from the greed of individuals. The Bill would allow of eases being brought into i Court under proper safeguards to the I Crown. ' The Bills were read a first time; I Sir Joseph Ward moved the second reading of tlio Foreign Insurance Companies Deposits Amendment Bill, in--1 tended to remove, the anomaly existing in the law. 1 The Bill was read a second time. Sir Joseph Ward moved the second reading of the Contagions Diseases Act Repeal Bill, which he said was intended to remove the Act, which was a dead letter, and derogatory to the female sex. The Bill was read a second time. Mr Millar moved the second reading of the Harbors Act Bill, the principal I feature of which was the broadening ! and widening of the franchise. There | had been no uniformity in the constitu--1 tion and mode of election of harbor ; boards, and the Bill was intended to ■ bring boards into uniformity and grant , the ordinary Municipal Franchise Bill. ;It also provided for the election of ! boards on the same day as borough | councils. Under the Bill no person 1 could exercise more tlian one vote in : the election of harbor boards. Mr Massey gave a general support to the Bill, which was a great improvei merit-on the existing state of things, i Mr Taylor (Cliristchurch) advocated a broader franchise, abolishing the privileges given to shipowners and pavers of dues in cities. Messrs Poole, Hanan, Allen, Luke, Russell, Forbes, Phillips, Seddon, M'Laren, Glover, Taylor (Thames), and Craigie expressed general approval of the Bill. Their criticism was chiefly directed against the principle of Government nomination and insufficient country representation on boards. Sir Joseph Ward said the Bill ought to be considered by a committee of tho whole House and not a special committee as had been suggested by some members. Regarding the franchise the Bill contained provisions for broadening this. Harbor boards had to guard against excessive borrowing for works not required to the full extent- for 40 or SO years, thus increasing the rates. Boards ought to exercise more caution in this respect than they had been doing for the last few years. Considerable diversion of trade from the main ports had occurred through the development of the railways, and this matter had not received sufficient attention of boards. The debate was continued bv Messrs Ell. Clark, and Hall. Mr Millar, replying, said he had dealt with various objections, more or less of a local nature, to tho Bill, and moved its second reading, which was carried on the voices. The House rose at 11.50 p.m.