PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12284, 10 July 1914, Page 1

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

(Per Press Association.) Wellington. July 9 The House met at 2.30 p.m. After formal business- hart boon disposed of. Mr Pa rata resumed the debate'on the Address-in-P>oply. He refuted the claims that the legislation of the Government had been beneficial to the native race. He contrasted the areas hold bv the natives with the large pakeha holders, contending that the agitation for the settlement of Maori lands was only a ruse to draw off attention from-' the holdings of Europeans, ivho owned not blocks but small' dominions. The legislation of the Government was a lure to the Maoris to sell their land and divest themselves of their property. He instanced a case in which.a. young Maori had sold some thousand's of acres, for which be received £27,000. Now all he had to show for it was some racehorses and a few motor cars. The native race was Handicapped in The House by the fact t'Hat the Minister did not understand the native mind. He had no experience of the native.; while Dr Pomaro had broken his pledges and given a dishonored vote against the Liberals. The Hon. Dr Pomaro quoted from the maiden, speech of Mr Pa rata, iu which he stated that the native policy of the Liberals was an "absolute public scandal." In the same speech he advocated Europeanising native land. Since, then he had evidently changed His views. Perhaps bis political moralitv had been tampered with since then. ' Mr Parata's great grievance was the Ngaitohu claims in the South Tsland: What had the Liberal Government, which the lion, gentleman's father had supported for twenty-two years, done to, settle the Ngaitohu claims? Dr Pomare defended the Government's legislation affecting the West Coast reserves, which lie claimed did justice to the natives as against the legislation of the Liberals, which took awav 130.000 acres from them for all time. He described a deputation which he introduced to Sir J. G. Ward and Sir J. Carroll, when they wen' shovvn a- map on the wall, and the Native Minister showed them- :i spot on the map w'lich he said represented 18,000 acres. These 18.000 acres. Sir J. Carroll said, he would use as a handkerchief to wipe away the tears of the 'Paranald natives. To show the hypocrisy of politics, at the very time they wore told this the Government had n Bill prepared to give the land away ;o someone else. He wars not elected '■•) support Sir James Carroll, but to right the wrongs of his people. If the Maoii was weening it was not for grief but for joy "in "the fact that they had a Government in power that would give them justice. Mr Hindmarsh claimed that the first dutv of Parliament was to settle New Zealand, but the fact was that 541 people who owned £18,000.000 worth of unimproved land had too much influence in the House, and though many Government supporters knew what ought to be done they were powerless to "do it. The' vital question of the moment was land settlement, and the wav to do it was to burst up the big estates by means of the graduated tax. ..."

Mr Campbell said the country was to be congratulated upon the good year. It had been reiterated that the. Government, should be turned ovtt oiollice. but.no valid reason was given The freehold had proved beneficial, a lid settlement had boon progressing, 140.000 acres being purchased last year. The Libera! Government had not purchased native land along the Main Trunk lino, thus fostering native landlords. Ho congratulated, the Government upon the proposal to borrow" a large sum for reading the back-' blocks. The financial position had improved since the present Government came into office.' ft was charged against the Government that its naval policv was extravagant, but what about the proposals of Sir Joseph Ward? It was incorrect to say that SO per cent, of the Press supported the Government, as on.lv 26:1- per cent, of the' papers supported Reform. He hoped that :ri the Licensing Bill something would be done regarding the tied-house evil. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr M'Combs referred to the Federation of Labor, comparing it with the Employers" Federation. He held .that the Federation of Labor was a defensive organisation, while the Employers' Federation was an offensive one. The avowed policy, of the Employers' Federation was to attack the workers. Strikes, wars, and lock-outs were api"">als to force, which left it doubtful whether the side in the right would succeed. It was plain to him that an attempt was being made to make political capital out of the strike. It was the shipping companies who had torn up the agreement because the agreement which affected eight groups of workers had been broken by one or by one-eighth of the workers. It was the Emplovers' Federation that- urged the shipping companies to break the agreement. The Premier had aided and abetted the attempt to deny, the workers the rights granted them by the Parliament of New Zealand. Mr Lee. in reply, said the criticism of the Government had been of the feeblest kind. He then proceeded to deal with Sir Joseph Ward's-speech at the last- Imperial Conference, reading copiously from official reports, and ridiculing.the valuelessness of the proposals- submitted. The motion that a respectful address be presented to the Governor was moved at 11.52, after Sir Joseph. Ward had made a personal explanation in which he declared Mr Lee- had misquoted the official report of the Imperial Conference, thus conveying a. wroug impression of the speech delivered' at that Conference. The motion was' carried, and the House rose at midnight.