GTOAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13945, 3 July 1907, Page 5

GTOAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF RE PiiESENTATIVISSf

TUESDAY, JULY 2. .• WELLINGTON, July 2. Ilio lloiiso mot at 7.30 p.m. THE HON. MR W. HALL-JONES. ■ : The PRIME MINISTER, in moving thai * oavc absenco bo granted to the lion. W. liall-Jones f said tho latter had desirod him (the Prime Minister) to inform tho House that ho regretted being unable to meet lion, members this session; though nothing would iiavo given him greater pleasuro than to do eo. Mr MASSEY said lie di'd not think .tho' motion i required any seconding, and although members on his sido of the Houso dilFevcd froni Mr Hall-Janes politically, they all sympathised.with him in his illness, and hoped ho would votum restored to health. Tho motion was agreed to. THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

Mr DAVEY, in moving tho Address-in-Reply, touched on the deaths of Sir John HaU and Mr E. M, Smith. Referring to ■ the illness of the Hon. \Y, Hall-Jones, ho deprecated the altitudo of tho press in suggesting tho appointment of a suoecssor to till his shoes. Ho thought it unfair to harass the Primo Minister in such a wav. Ho joined his thanks to., those of the peoplo in gratitude for tho good work tho Primo_ Minister had accomplished at tho Imperial and Navigation Conferences. He ' considered that Sir Josoph AVjird did. far' bettor work than any other Prime Minister who . sat at tho conference. Ho quito agreed with Sir Joseph Ward in tho matter of a naval subsidy of £40,000, which was littlo enough to pay, and should bo increased. 110 would Jiko tho PrimeMinister to state whothor ho had made any arrangements in England to indues immigration, also as to whether lie know who had i&sttod the pamphlets which wcra said to have misled poisons entering the:: colony. Deferring to tho. Chinese ; question, ho said it was an everlasting dia-' grace to the people of New Zealand that' they dealt with Chinese at all. It was incumbent to pais a law forbidding Chineso to enter tho colony. Referring to the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. he described it as a faroe, and from what, ho had learned of tho Hon. Mr M'Nab's proposal in 'the Governor's Speech for an Industrial Council, he thought it tho best possible means of settling dilferenoes between employers and workers. Touching 1 " on tho kauri timber trade, he hoped inquiry would bo mtido why tho timber could bo purchased moro : ohoaply "in ; Melbourno than in Christehurch.' Ho oould' not say he was much : im-.' pressed' with tho proposal to change the name of the colony to that of a, dominion, though it oould not do harm." but he should prefer some other distinct name. He considered' it would bo beneficial to follow Canada in terming Upper ' House members ;«na.tors and Lower House members of Parliament. The. latter words were understood throughout 'tho world, whereas M.11.R. was probably not understood outside New Zealand. ,

Mr , POLAND, in seconding tho motion,' congratulated the colony on tho change of its title, which was more in keeping with. New Zealand's state and prospects. New.; Zealand would in future be tho leading: country' in tho Southern. Pacific. 1 Referring to the mining- industry, he considered that as it was the sccond industry in importance it should receive ossjstanco towards its development, and particularly; with re-, gard to prospecting work.. Ho urged the necessity of utilising water power in the developing .of gold If. tho. Government was indisposod to put the powor into use itself, it might authorise companies to do so.. He regretted to learn: that Dr Bell was leaving tho colony, on a lecturing tour 110 had hoped to see this official after his visits to the South Island pay a visit to- tho north, and ho hoped, if he came back to the colony, ho would mako it convenient to make a.tour, of inspection north. Referring to the Land Bill, ho said it hit tho Opposition squatocracy in a vital plaoc, and it was evident, that tho days of the squatter and flic,old nobility were coming to an end. ITo stronelv advocated setting apart portion of the' Cro'wn lands as endowments for education purposes. At this stago tho Primo Minister suggested, in accordance with tho practioo followed, during - tho greater 'portion of last session, • tho .Mlf? hour adjournment Im' dispensed , with with the view' of avoiding a late sitting. Eventually tho adjournment was taken at

9.30. • ' After tho supper adjournment Mr. POLAND resumed, end said endowments wero advocated by Sir Tt. Stout, Sir G, 'Orev, Mr Rollcston, Sir J. Yogel, and Mr Seddon, and ho supported the .same, also tho trraduafivl land tax. Referring (o tho Workers' Honied A.ct. he hoped. .tho Minif+ev of labour would propose an amendment enabling a man earning Cfl or 7s a dav lo tako advantage of the act,. as one day's \.ay was quito enough for a working mnn to pay as rent. Dealing, with tho workers on the Trunk raihvav, h-» contended they wero "aid- a mjserabl? pittance, and should bo paid a minimum, of jlOs a rtav. ■ Mr TOW moved tho adjournment M 10.19, and tho lloum rose.