TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3.

Otago Witness, Issue 2168, 12 September 1895, Page 21

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3.

FAMILY HOLIES. A racpsaflc was received from the Legislative Council that the Council insisted on its amendments iv the Family Homes Protection Bill. Tho Hon. J. M'KENZIE moved— "That the House insist on its rcasonß for disagreement with the amendments."— Agreed to. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Joyce, The Hon. Mr SEDDON said the Government believed a proper solution of the licensing question was to pass tbe Government bill now before the House, aad to reject the bill of the member lor Mataura. Replying to Mr Steward, The Hon. J. M'KENZIE said the evidence given before the Tariff Commission respecting the danger of introducing fruit disease by means of fruit trees had been brought beforo the fruit experts. They were aware of it before, but there was no law entitling tho Government to make regulations on this subject. A bill was now, however, being drafted whiob he should endeavour to get through this session. Repljing to Mr Duncan, The Hou. Mr WARD said £230 had been pub in this yrar'ft Estimates for the iutroductioa of salmon ova in'o the rivers of New Zealand. Replying to Mr Buddo, The Hon. J. M'KENZIE said the Land Purchase Board did not admit putting absurb values on land offered und«r the Land for Settlements Act. It would be rather inconvenient to appoint an unpaid board of advice in each county. However, an amending bill would be c?own in a fow days, ani then the matter could be fully discutscd. Replying to Mr Steward, Tbe Hou. J. M'KENZIE said legislation already existed for enabling local bodies to deal with the $ni*ll bird peat. Replying to Mr Hogg, whether it is the casa that hundred of working men have applied for land under the improved farm settlement regnlatiors, and what steps are beiug taken to put them on the laud, Tho Hon. J. M'KENZIE said the difficulty was thfct there were not sufneirut funds. The officers of the department were going os far as the Government would allow them. If the Government were to give farms to everyone that asked for them they would require a much lurger sum than wai at present at thjir disposal. The great difficulty wa-j also to get good land and work near at hand to put men on. Replying to Mr G. W. Russell, The Hon. Mr SEDDON said he had read Mr Reevea'B memorandum on Australian village settlements, the labour problem, and dealing with the unemployed, and the Gjvernment wt re doing their best to carry out the suggestions of the Minister for Labour, Replying to Mr Steward, The Hon. Mr CADMAN said he could uotsee his way to alter the regulations in rog+rd to pa»ssnger luggage on railways, as tbe rates were now very low. Replying to Mr Meredith, The Hou. Mr REEVES said every effort was made to utilise prison labour a3 much &s possible. Replying to Mr G. W. Russell, The Hon. Mr WARD said the fullest infoiraation with reepect to tho Cacadian treaty would ba furnished to the Heuse when the resolutions were brought down. Replyiug to Dr Newman, Tte Hon. Mr WARD siidhe should look into the matter why in tho new t>riff mouldings are charged 20 per cent, ad valorem and whole picture frames at the same rate. Replying to Mr Buddo, The Hon. Mr SEDDON said great difficulty existadiu respect to appoin'iog men from the volunteer corps to the permanent artillery aud torpedo corps. He thought the best way to prevent so many ap^licationa b-jing mude to members for appointment in the permanent artillery wonld te to reduce the pay from 5s 6d to 3s 6d per day, aud he hud under consideration re^ulatiotiS with this object. Tho House adjourned at 3.45 in order to allow the conference on the Bank Bill to meet.