PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10517, 27 July 1910, Page 1

PARLIAMENT.

(Pek Press Association.) HOUSE OF IIH] 5 Wellington. July 2b\ On the motion of A!r Siciey for lea.v.--to introduce tiro JCduer.t-i'.-n Amevidmeid: 13 iII. Mr Taylor (Chri.tcimivh! raised the question of technical education.. The estimates made provision; for t-;ch;:;'eai infraction to the amount of £-!5,59D and for primary ecim'atiou <-'&21.i~)'2. The Minister for KdiK-aiiou would have to withdraw from tlie posh.i'm hi- recently took up in regard isr tschfiee! education. ' I: woehl be much lictU-v, ' ratepayers thou hamiJer tc.-liiilr.-al edutainad ws.s indefee--ib'e. The Lee!(iU'-e ! of nv.i youth-: was nuirf . necessary than primarv ;•::-tructio.n. in-.d in-.all the larger towns tlu- for.-ter-was tnodntion. Mr Fowlds deprecated Mr Taylor's raising a discussion on wavy occasion j when an educational matter was before J for technical education r,.;; Mr' Taylor, j been iuKrbied that af.y vint'ier expej-- } diture on buildings would have to be; lon a peuad ii;r poimd basis. AY-ere i themselves in teciu-ical education lo bo j placed in the same petition as those mi- i willing to help themselves. He was j not In-fever of ce-rttailsing, but of de- ! could only proceed <.•:: tbe basis ov sound ! primary education. Large inunbrrs of j children did not participate at all in j tshnical education. Yi.any people took j up Mr Taylor's attitude because of the > desire to saddle tire poorer classes with i the cost of education through the ens- j terns duties. j Mr .Sidoy said the Bill did net deal ! with the question raised by Mv Tayior, | but- we.s in tended to classify combine- j tion classes, and-make then: eeiupul- I sorv. ! The Bill, was read a fir>t time. ■' The Phosphorus Hill .nr.ssed its committee stage unaTneiHiedt j —Stone Quarrbs Bit!.— The Stone Quarries Hiil was stih ihirther considered in coirrmitioe. Au amendment was carried by Yir Seed ta exrliuie rpiarries exclusively, used For stone For public roads. :"The House adjourned at 5.50 o.m. The House resumed at 7.3(1: " ■" -Land Set..hment.-, . " |

"■ On the motion to go into Committee of Supply, Mr Massey moved th.e following amendment: "That as the prosperity of this couiitry deuetots so much upon the settlement of tiie hitd this House is of opinion that the i/egistattire should make provision Ibis session J'or additional facilities For the occupation aiid most profitable use of the ihud.s 'ot tional sy;ttein both to" Crown ami lands for settlement lands' and .by -removing every kimlfanee to the exercise'or the option which' ooeuics a s.ot'e;- to vake . rrp land under occupsihoo v.Wh right of purchas-e; (b) by providing that- -all lessees under the l.i.p. shall have the right to purchase theirfre diolds at-the orseicthcrwi.se, but v;horse they have been paying -4' per cent ih'.-y siiao, ill atit!:tioti, pay Mich.au fitviount as.wih make their payment- erji-ivaJeet to what, they leases on a 5 per cent 'basis; (oh}' securing the iimdauo;: ( e area '"of'_ freeholds so acquired; (dj by utilising mouL'js derived fro;.; Hie safe of ire. - holds-'for the acquisition-of further lands for settlement purposes, thereby., melting such lands ermrrhmt" their fair share to the general and local taxation of the count:y." Later on he' would test the opinion of the H-rntt: .on- the -optional tenure. a;:d as to whether endowment lands should be sold and the. money invested in more suitahle lands. Fie wouid-bring down.a proposal to give the o'j'C'Ktual tenure to those-who had taken" up." hind under the renewable plied to. Crown muds 'there. Would be a steady How of" capital for land for settlement purposes,' thus doing away 'o some extent" with the necessity .of borrowing." The,last clause of the amendment "Mr Massey described as of Wiie iriost important nature. The ownership of -native lands in its present form was a curse to the country. In many districts the settlement of native hnda was the. paramount question. Hequoted figures' showing that for the two" years ending March, Jliihs. 'Maori lands ■had: been "rated -_at £2940._ and .Hie amount paid was £7-16s 6'dP -lie hoped before the -session concluded something swould be done to remove this anomalous state of affairs. Dealing with the land hquestion proper: be regretted the Government gave no ih'tails in .its policy. The" 1 House know, what Hie country wanted, it wanted -progressive settle'meut and security of tenure_fpr settlers. /The figures proved that the Misister of lands bad not beer, sufficiently, eile.vgetic in ' opening up land's for: ■.settle-' •ment. The Opposition'stood for the freehold and; closer settlement. ..He. congratulated the Government ■ t»abringing down the Financial Statenieiiiat ait carly'period of the."session, but .said the ..Statement showed that the Government had no policy to offer: : Last

session the House had passed a measure largely increasing the taxation (ill -dl clashes. Th.e Budget pi'oclamed a peri's-; of prosperity, yet no proposals were made to lighten the taxpayers' load.. Ileferriug to local government, Mr Massoy criticised the proposal to transfer to' the new councils, to be set up umLr the propose:! Bill tlie work and fune-tio'::-r<u .Education "Boards, which would be a groat mistake. Referring to the :v:tinctio:! of 'Public Debts Hill. Mr Massey said that if the sinking funds wee saooeuerded from a needy Tror.s;::.--;'., grip, it would be worthy of support. Criticising financial matters, lie said Hie expenditure -was too high, ami the burdens on the people too heavy. Mr Malcolm seconded the amcud-

ment. j,fr Massey. before concluding, remarked that he had sent a copy of the amendment to the Premier early in making it a no-confidence motion. Sir .ioseuii Yvard sajd lie had. not re-

ived, a copv of the amendment. He mid only treat the amendment as a

■motion of no-confidence. Ylr Mass;., did not kr.ow what the proposals of the Government were on the laud question. The proposals of Mr Massey would rob the Dominion of a large sum of money. Sir .Joseph. Ward detailed the various modes of laud settlement, and clainud that under th.e present Administration end Its predecessor S'd.-3i'2 people had settled on lands under permanent tenures comprising 8,523,091 acres, the value of the same being, in round figures, close on sis millions: yet Mr Massey complained of inactivity in connection with laud settlement. .Referring to native lands. Sir Joseph Ward said legislation would be introduced to get over the diiiicuity of collecting rates on native lands. Ft was a fact that Itss land had been purchased this your

that the holders of laud had increased their values so exorbitantly that the Government would not. purchase estates. Th.e House wouid have an opportunity to deal with this difficulty. The Gov-

! ornmeut we.s considering the question [of compulsory legislation to efteet the acquisition of estates at a Fair valuation. Since the passing of the State Guaranteed Advances Act there had been more money lent to local bodies than in. the previous Four years. The new system had been generally appreciated by those who tested it by results. Sir Joseph YYard, referring to retrenchment, quoted figures of the Departments showing the savings effected, which amounted to £244,203 For the period during which the retrenchment scheme was in operation, about 18 months. Regarding the debts extinction proposals, these would be explained by him later. Such a system had never been inaugurated by any Parliament in the world. Legislation would be introduced dealing with native townships. In regard to the taxation, this was imposed to meet the defence requirements. The Local Government j'nil would not interfere with the' education system. -What was suggested was that in connection with the 'building of schools the Government proposes to ■'mud over the money to the local authorities.

Mr Allen said the Premier had totaliv irmoreti tlie question of land settlement. The fact was that the Ministry

was composed of men who were in coni!"icfc on the question. How long had tiie House to wait for the. Government's 'proposals:' The Opposition would force the Government to show its hand this session. Settlers were' taking up laud on renewable leases without knowing that in doing so they were converting the lands into endowments, in tlie course- of a few years the lands of the Dominion would be largely converted into leaseholds'. Men were dis-

couraged from taking up lands for cash or on'the optional system. .He denied 'that the- : ()pposiciou" were opposcd_ to the laud for settlements legislation. Tiie difficulty in'connection with the ac-

quisition of estates for closer settlement was- created- by the Government, which bed abolished the Compensation Court end loft it to the land owners to value their estates. Sir Joseph Ward had not

i-aid a single word oif the proposal in the amendment to sell the Crown lands .-.-.;j d utilise the money in purchasing; lands for .settlement. The Premier':;

statement regarding native hours was unsatisfactory. He accused Sir Joseph .YvY.rd of making misleading .statements in regard to loans' to local bodies. The •Act of last session benefited large bodies, but imposed hardship on the smaller local bodies, which, tinder the lentils to-Local Bodies' Act, had greater facilities for obtaining money at a .low rate.- hi regard to sinking I'mids,. all approved of these, but lie said there were difficulties connected with them in fbe direction indicated by,Mr Massey. He attacked the system of railway construction, which we.s au extravagant one, and was largely responsible For the increased borrowing. 5 Mr : Fowlds, rcForring to- the criticisms of Mr Massey, said there was not the slightest incongruity in . a singletaxer. working along with a freeholder, and he rer'crped to the differences of opinion amongst members of the Oprposition. The Fact wits that- under the single tax small Fanners would .pay much .las:-; in -taxation than they now do. iteferri.ng to Mr Allen's remarks on land settlement, Mr Fowlds. recalled the Fact that the Former had voted in Favor of the settler's having 3000 acres as first class and 0000 acres as second class land, and had also voted for .the motion doubling the amount of land capable'of- being held by partners. The Govarument- had promised'to introduce a Liind Bill, and when this came before the House there would be au opportunity- to. discuss its'-. provisions fully. In regard to the Advances to Settlers

I Act, Mr M;:s;k had ... endeavored to I carrv an amendment which would have had'the effect of reducing; the amount available for leans under the State Guaranteed Advances Act.- Local .bodies were enabled to get'larger sums ' /of money than formerly, and no attempt had.been made to conceal the fact that it! addition to the rate of interest mi these loans provision bad "beeii made For sinking Funds. The 'Opposition policy seemed to he to clamor Lor i :lp'eiiditure, and then criticise .the Government for making it. In regard to the education system, Air Fowlds said ■the'general opinion of members. ot tlie House was not the same as Mr .Manser's. He was not in favor of cciiI trrdisatior-. The proposal to make eduI cation boards elective Ivy the ratepayers J was a. tendency not to the taste <>! the Opposition. Mr Fowlds concluded his by

defining' Tammany ism, and characterised Mr Alassey's accusation- that viicGovcrnmcnt proposed this as disgraceful. He hurled the slander back at the Leader of the Opposition. The people of the country knew the Government stood For clean.! .straight administration. Air Massey .justified his charge of Tammauyism by referring to the Government's distribution of .advertising. The debate was adjourned. The-Hoitse rose at 0.85 a.in.-