N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 33

N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25. In the Legislative Council, The Hon. Mr RIGG gave notice of motion that the Government be recommended to introduce a bill to provide for an efficient means of utilising the credit of the Dominion in times of financial panic so as to restore public confidence. THE COST OF LIVING. The Hon. Mr TRASK resumed the interrupted debate on the Hon. Mr Barr's motion urging that it is in the best interests of this country that the Government should take into its immediate consideration the devising of some further practical measures whereby the heavy cost of living at present borne by the married workers, as compared with the unmarried, may be lessened, and that the position of those with families be especially considered, so that the rearing of their children may be" looked forward to with less anxiety than at present and parenthood thereby encouraged. Mr Trask said he thought it was going too fat to ask the .Government to solve the problem. He urged that Mr Barr should have given some ideas as to how the problem cpnld be met. He could not support the motion. The Hon. Mr LOUISSON said the majority of the Council would sympathise with Mr Barr for his motive in bringing the motion forward. The vote of the Council would prove whether it was the desire to increase the population of the country by an increased birthrate or whether it was intended to depend on' receiving increased population by means of immigration. He thought it was good advice, to keep the cradles full. Personally he thought that married men should have some advantages over single men, and he thought this was a matter for the Government and not for private employers. The Hon. Mr BALDEY said bethought that the congestion could be considerably relieved if the Government would take into consideration the matter of creating agricultural colleges with 1000 acres of land attached thereto^ By this means the surplus town population could be encouraged to learn practical farming, and many young men would be only too glad, to do so. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL also spoke, a summary of his remarks appearing elsewhere. He said fchat New Zea- j laad could never hope to, rise to be | a manufacturing nation like the Old { Land and Germany, and that the farming interests of the country were paramount ; consequently as we helped the farmer so- would we increase the prosperity of the country. i The Hon. Mr BARR, in reply, said | that land settlement could not completely solve the problem, because there must ; always be city workers* He urged that, | in addition to free school boqks, children should be allowed to travel to and from school on the railways and tramways free. The motion was carried on the voices. In the Houae of Representatives, Mr MASSEY asked the Prime Minister whether the Government intended to proceed with the Government programme as outlined in the Governor's Speech. He said he had heard disquieting rumours to the effect that the Government intended to drop the Arbitration Bill. Sir J. G. WARD, in reply, said that after the Estimates were disposed of the Public Works Statement and the Public Works Estimates would come down, and after these had been disposed of the Arbitration Bill would be dealt with. He stated positively that the bill would be put through this session. IMPREST SUPPLY. The Imprest Supply Bill No. 3 war introduced by Governor's Message, providing for appropriations for £1,226,000. Mr HERRIES and Mr MASSEY urged the necessity for railway construction in the Bay of Plenty district as soon as the Main Trunk Hne was completed. Mr GRAY deprecated a scramble for railway construction, but said he hoped that if railway matters were to be considered by the Minister he would not overlook the claims of the South; Island to the completion of the Main Trtuik line there. The PRIME MINISTER, in reply, protested very strongly against the cry of North versus South, and said the Government would allocate funds for public works fairly, and would not be bounced or coerced into doing anything advocated by members in puTely electioneering speeches. The cry of North versus South was the most detestable cry ever heard in the House. If he and his hearers lived long enough they would find that one of <|ie beat irevtenue-producers in the Dominion would be the great railway undertaking which would connect the West Coast with oth«r portions of the South Island. Through the trouble originally, and then through a disagreement as to the route of the North Island Main Trunk line, the prosecution of thi& work had been delayed for many years on the responsibility of the Auckland people themselves. If they could get a Government to shut its eyes to . the requirements either of th© North or ihe South it would be a bad thing for th» country. Mr MASSEY denied that he was a parochial politician, and said he was a colonial politician. Several other members spoke to the same effect. The second reading was carried on the voices. The PRIME MINISTER explained that the sum of £500,000 in the- bill was for the purchase of Manawatu debentures, with a view to paying them off in anticipation of the acquisition of the line bj r the Government. This sum would be paid by the Government on August 31. and the Manawatu Company would pay interest vpon it at the rate of 4 per cent.

until the acquisition of the line on December 31. On the motion for the third reaidng of the Imprest Supply Bill, the PRIME MINISTER stated that the authorisation of £500,000 from the Public Works Fund would not prejudice the expenditure on ordinary public works. In reality not one shilling would be taken from public works authorisations. A long discussion ensued, embracing various topics. Mr HOGG referred to the discomforts and disabilities of farmers and settlers in the backblocks. In some districts, he said, settlers had no roads, and wexe even five miles from a railway station. He knew of roadlees homesteads. Notwithstanding the poverty and misery in the centres, the exodus was from the country to the cities. The attractions were all in the centres, and there were no compensating conditions in the backblocks. For the sake of their children settlers felt it necessary to abandon the country life and come to the cities, where they could get better advantages for them. It would be to the advantage of the country generally of some additional expenditure were devoted to settlers in the country^ — settlers who had done so much for the Dominion. Sir J. G. WARD, in reply, said the greatest success in the matter of land settlement bad beeji in the small settlement associations. Replying to I4r Berries, he said suburban rates were cheaper in New Zealand than in airy other State in Australasia. Whether . the Government should further encourage suburban residence by extending workers' tickets to a greater area was a matter for careful consideration. The Government was endeavouring Xo carry out the policy indicated in the Budget of year, and had been working on the North Island Main Trunk railway up to areas of 200 acres. They were not pleaching a doctrine -without "putting it into practice, but while they were doing this they wre also doing all hey- could in the interests of all classes in the country, with due regard to its solidity. The bill was read a third time, and passed. NEW BILLS. A number of Bills were advanced a stage. CORONERS. There are 72 coroners in the Dominion according to a return presented to Parliament to-day. The amount paid to the coroners in each of the four centres for personal expenses and fees last year was as follows -.—Auckland, £178; Wellington, £171; Christchurch, £68; Dunedin, £170. Other coroners received £413 lor fees and expenses. The amount paid to coroners, jurors was £1664, while witnesses received £99. LIQUOR IN NO-LICENSE DISTRICTS.' According to a parliamentary return there have been sent into the Invercargill district in accordance with section 5 of "The Licensing Act, 1904," since nolicense came into force there, 123,952 gallons of alcoholic liquors. Oamaru since ' ' going dry "'" ' has received in the same way 29,196 gallons, 37,766 bottles, 8 barrels, 612 cases, 1 keg, 1 jar, 18 hogsheads and 167 flasks of liquor. The Ashburton figures are 102,982 gallons, 3330 bottles, 8788 cases.