N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 31

N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. THE AMERICAN TARIFF. The Hon. Mr LOUGHNAN moved that the Department of Industries and Commerce be instructed to make inquiries the changes now being made in the United States tariff and inform the public exactly from time to time. The motion was agreed to. BILLS. The Council went into committee on the Christchurch Electrical Supply Empowering Bill. The amendment was lost. The Bill was then reported with immaterial amendments, after which it was read a third time and passed. The New Zealand Institute of Architects Bill was read a second time on the motion of the Hon. Mr BELL. The Hon. Mr BELL moved the second reading of the Local Elections and Polls Act Amendment Bill. He explained that it was primarily designed to check plural voting and punish bribery, treating, and defamation at local elections. The Bill was read a second time without' debate. The Council then adjourned until Wednesday. The Housi met at 2.30 p.m. POLICE FORCE BILL. The House went into committee to further consider the Police Force Bill. The MINISTER agreed to delete that part of clause 19, providing that members dismissed from the force shall forfeit all pay, pension, or gratuities, after several members had pointed out the harshness of the provision. The clause dealing with the punishment of members of the force who seek to influence an election was altered to read that a culprit would be liable to a fine not exceeding £25, ‘instead of a minimum of £5 and a maximum of £IOO. On the suggestion o£ Mr HANAN the provision that auyone could sue for the recovery of the amount of a penalty was also deleted. The House divided on the motion to include the clause as amended, the voting being:—For, 30 votes; against, 26. A new clause, providing that the retiring age of the police shall bo 65 years, was added to the Bill. The House divided on an amendment moved by Mr WITT Y, providing that every member of the force who feels aggrieved with any decision regarding his promotion shall have the right of appeal, such appeal to be heard within three months. The voting was: For the clause, 29; against, 32. The Bill was then reported with amendments. HAURAKI PLAINS. The PRIME MINISTER moved the third reading of the Hauraki Plains Act Amendment Bill. The Bill, after discussion, was then read a third time and passed. • LOAN BILL. The Hon. Mr ALLEN moved the third reading of the Aid to Public Works Bill. Sir J. G. WARD said the Minister must by now have realised how necessary it was that this country must borrow for development purposes. He must have some qualms of conscience for the attacks which he had in past years made upon him (Sir J. G. Ward) when he was in office doing his best to provide for the urgent public requirements. Now the Minister had to propose and support the very thing which he had in previous years condemned his predecessors for doing. It was hypercritical for any member to declaim against borrowing for purposes which - everyone knew in his heart was legitimate. * The comparisons between New Zealand’s and Australia’s public indebtedness were often most unfair, because the circumstances were not always stated. No State in Australia had had a Native war, and none of them had borrowed for the purpose of acquiring land for settlement or fur lending to settlers, so that it was not possible to make a fair comparison between Australia and New Zealand. The present Government was no doubt now aware of the difference between the irresponsibilty of opposition and the responsibility of office. This point would be brought home to the Prime Minister, whom he asked the other day when the Public Works Statement would be brought down. He (Mr Massey) had not been able to say, but. what had happened on August 29, 1911, when Mr Massey had demanded that the Public Works Statement and the Estimates should be before the House? Here we were in October, and no Public Works Statement was yet before them. Circumstances altered cases, and he hoped that Ministers would recognise that the country could not do without borrowing, and that £or the future they would do him, an opponent, the justice of giving him credit for acting in the best interests of the country. In the course of a personal explanation Sir J. G. WARD stated that he had never since his entry into Parliament received one penny that was not authorised by Parliament. He also desired to state publicly that he had within the past few weeks instructed his solicitors to proceed against a man who had caused a printed pamphlet to be placed in the hands of members of the House. Mr RUSSELL said he proposed to show that the Mass y Government had in qreased the public debt. On naval defence the Massey Government had spent £393,750, and the Mackenzie Government £131,250; on public, works, the Massey Government £2,052,042, the Mackenzie Government £355,497; railways—Massey £250,207, Mackenzie £7026; lands for settlement —Massey £277,711, Mackenzie

£150,333; Crown lands—Massey £46,163, Mackenzie £1788; Native lands—Massey £95,758, Mackenzie £11,092; State advances —Massey £1,449,000, Mackenzie £483,000. A total of £4,391,639 had been spent by the Massey Government from borrowed money as against £1,141,774 by the Mackenzie Government. Yet of that amount Mr Massey said he had only spent £2,925,460. He maintained that the correct policv for the Government to pursue was to borrow to the fullest extent possible, so as to enable the people to obtain cheap money. He pointed out that the difference between the Ward and the Massey Governments was that the former had in 1911 lent to settlers, workers, and local bodies £3,579,660, while under the Massey Government only £1,933,990 had been advanced through those channels. Mr WITTY agreed with the previous speakers, that there had been more borrowing this year than previously, notwithstanding the statements by the Reform party that they were going to curtail borrowing. Mr HAN AN argued in a similar strain, contending that the present occupiers of the Treasury benches had falsified their pledges concerning caution and non-bor-rowing. Mr MACDONALD took the member for Taumarunui to task for stating recently that the Government got only 7s 6d worth of work for every pound expended on public works. If that statement wore correct then the whole of the officers of the Public Works Department should be dismissed. The Hon. Mr ALLEN, in replying, asked/if it could be argued that the huge expenditure of the past on building schemes could be persisted in. No man with any idea of sound finance could allow the things of the past to go on. He challenged the figures quoted by Mr Russell, and pointed out that his figures were one million out. Dealing with the increased cost of interest on mortgages he asked if there was any country in the .world where the cost of money had not increased within the last few years. The Bill was read a third time. The House rose at 1.50 a.m. COMPULSORY AUDITS. Mr Clark is asking the Minister of Justice whether he will this session introduce legislation making it compulsory for all lawyers who arc dealing with trust moneys to have their trust accounts audited by a Government auditor, and thus prevent any further occurrence of what has taken place in Timaru and elsewhere, which would mean the financial ruin of many trustful investors? ORDERED DOWN. The unenviable distinction of being ordered to sit down was won by Mr Payne shortly after 1 o’clock this morning. In speaking on the third reading of the Loan Bill Mr Payne used, as a main line of argument, the statement that State banking should be utilised as an alternative to the policy of heavy borrowing. On three distinct occasions the Speaker warned Mr Payne that he must not continue this line of argument. Not heeding this warning Mr Payne continued on each occasion. Finally the patience of the Speaker was exhausted. He rose, and in a dignified manner ordered Mr Payne to resume his seat for disobeying the ruling of the chair. “ That’s the square .deal I always get,” commented Mr Payne as he sat down. MONDAY, OCTOBER 6. a WELLINGTON, October 6. The House met at 7.30 p.m., and immediately went into committee on local Bills. GISBORNE HARBOUR BILL. On the Gisborne Harbour Board Enabling Bill, Mr ELL objected to the attitude of the Local Bills Committee in including a clause in the Bill providing for plural voting, when that provision was not sought by the promoters of the Bill. Mr Pearce contended that the clause was necessary to protect those who would have to mortgage their properties in order to raise the money necessary for the carrying out of the proposed works. Already local Bills had been promoted providing for the expenditure of over £1,000,000, and the committee felt that some brake power should bo applied ; hence the clause. Sir J. G. WARD said the amendment made by the committee was in the interests of the large landowners only. Under the Bill, as it now stood, 350 men would have greater voting power than 1000 men. He objected to the autocratic attitude of the committee in including the clause unsolicited. Mr HERDMAN contended that it was the function of the Local Bills Committee to amend Bills if it thought they were contrary to the best interests of the public .generally. Mr MACDONALD (in charge of the Bill) said the Gisborne Harbour Board received £6BOO annually from endowment lands and harbour dues, and it was anticipated that the interest and sinking fund would easily be maintained from that source.' Mr MacDonald moved to strike out that part of clause 12 providing for plural voting. The amendment was carried by 27 votes to 18, and the Bill was reported as amended. WANGANUI HARBOUR BILL. The Wanganui Harbour District and Empowering Bill was then considered in committee. A provision in. the Bill stipulating for plural voting was negatived by 29 votes to 20. The Bill as amended was reported, and the House rose at 0.50 a.m. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7. The House met at 2.30 p.rn. JUDICATURE BILL. The Judicature Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor’s Message. The Bill was read a first time and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. AN EXPLANATION. Sir J. G. WARD drew attention to the fact that a paper giving the Solicitorgeneral's opinion on the powers and

statutes of the public service commissioners, which the Prim© Minister had laid on th© table of the House, but not read, had been inserted in Hansard, which was contrary to the Standing Orders. The PRIME MINISTER explained that the paper had been inserted in Hansard with the sanction of the Speaker, who controlled Hansard. The SPEAKER stated that the paper had been inserted in Hansard with his authority and without reference to the Prime Minister. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m.. On© month’s leave of absence was given to the Hon. Mr Louisson on account of illness. The Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill was read a second time and put through all its stages. The Council then went into committee on the New Zealand Institute of Architects Bill, which was passed without amendment. The Bill was subsequently read a third time and passed. The Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill was taken in committee and progress was reported on the further consideration of clauses 4 and 18. The Counoil adjourned at 4.50 p.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. QUESTIONS. In reply to questions Ministers said : That the necessity of improving on the quality of some of the cheese exported last season is fully recognised by the directorates of the dairy companies and also by the Government, and the matter had been thoroughly gone into at many recent annual meetings of the companies, and there is every reason to believe that as a result the quality of this season’s output will show a considerable advance. That the matter of the Government contribution the Captain Scott Memorial will receive consideration when the Supplementary Estimated are being dealt with. That legislation already exists with regard to compulsory vaccination, but has not been enforced of late years. That inquiries would be made into the alleged ineffectiveness of the lights at the Tory Channel entrance. That the date on which the general electoral rolls will close in an election year will receive consideration when the Electoral Bill is before the House. That inspection of the institutions at Roto Roa Island is now being carried out at regular intervals. OTAGO LAND BOARD. 'The Prime Minister has replied to Mr Forbes’s question about a paragraph in the Oamaru Mail suggesting political motives in the appointment of a member to the Otago Land Board that “The paragraph referred to as appearing in the Oamaru Mail is not worthy of notice. The question of filling the vacancy on the Otago Land Board is at present under consideration.” THE SHAND ESTATE. In answer to Mr Clark’s suggestion that the Government should acquire some portion of the Shand estate for closer settlement on the Taieri, the Prime Minister to-day said that he was informed that there were three separate properties in this locality owned by persons named Shand. If Mr Clark would indicate which one he meant a report would be made as to its suitability for closer settlement. QUEENSTOWN TELEPHONE. The Postmaster-general has informed Mr Hanan that his suggestion to establish direct telephonic communication between Invercargill and Queenstown would cost £2530, which is not considered justified by the department. GATLINS RAILWAY. In reply to representations made by Mr Malcolm, the Minister of Public Works has arranged to have a loop siding put in at Stewart’s corner on the Catlins railway. GORE-HEDGEIIOPE RAILWAY. The Railways Committee reported today that it had “ no recommendation to make” on the petition of A. M‘Kay and 26 others that the construction of the Gore-Hedgehope railway should be authorised as speedily as possible. When this report came up Mr G. J. Anderson, member for the district, put in a plea for the line by emphasising its usefulness in the development of the district. The settlers, he said, were so confident of its success that they j?ad offered to pay rates on the land influenced, and he thought if all the projected lines of the country were subjected to this test there would be a better basis established for the railways of the country. He hoped the Government would take the preliminary steps to push the line on. BILLIARD ROOM LICENSES. When the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill was introduced clause 32 provided that the local authorities could exercise a controlling power over billiard saloons by refusing a license if the locality was thought undesirable. A petition was presented by a number of those occupied praying that this clause should not be brought into operation. This petition has been so far successful that the clause complained of has been dropped from the Bill as reported to-day from the Statutes Revision Committee. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. HAURAKI PLAINS. The Hon. Mr BELL moved the second reading of the Hauraki Plains Amendment Bill, explaining its provisions as outlined in the Lower House. The Bill was read a second time and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. \ The Council adiourned at 2.50 p.m.

The House resumed at 7.30 in committee on the Land Laws Amendment Bill on the question of the short title, THE LAND BILL. Mr M'CALLUiVI said that if the late Sir John M'Kenzie could return to life he would shudder at what was being done now, and in the face of his great personality the Prime Minister would not dare to commit the great betrayal _ of the people’s rights contained in this Bill. The Prime Minister had no mandate from the people to give away their heritage in this way, and before the freehold of land for settlement lands was granted the matter ought to be referred back to the electors. The freehold was not demanded by the smaller holders, but was a demand from the larger holders and was being conceded for nothing but political reasons. Mr FORBES asked what there was in the Bill to prevent the same evils creeping into the settlement of small grazing runs as had been said to exist bjr the present Government when in Opposition. Charges had been made against the Ward Government at election time, and now when a Bill was going through the House no provision was mad© to remedy those alleged evils. That was the clearest proof that the charges were nothing but electioneering capital. Mr ELL asked whether the Prime Minister was prepared to play the part of a democrat and attach a referendum clause to this Bill asking the people whether they consented to the sale of land for settlement lands. When the people authorised the borrowing of money for breaking-up big estates they never contemplated that these lands were to be sold again. The Bill was a breach of faith with the people, just as was the repeal of the provision for compulsory residence. That also ought to be submitted to the people, and he was going to take good care that before the Bill passed members would have an opportunity of saying whether they were in favour of a referendum or not. Mr SIDEY contended that the Bill gave enormous concessions to the pastoralist class. Clause 47 provided for the first time in the history of the dominion that a lessee could get a renewal of his lease without submitting to competition at auction. The Hon. Mr M'KENZIE contended that the provisions dealing with mining lands were fraught with great danger to the mining industry. Mr T. W. RHODES said that he proposed to move an amendment which would remove Mr M'Kenzie’s apprehensions. Mr GLOVER made a strenuous appeal for the preservation of the national endowments set aside for education and for oldage pensions. Mr ELL again asked the Prime Minister to declare whether he was prepared to attach a clause to the Bill providing that a poll of the people be taken on the freehold and residential questions before the Bill became law. Mr ISITT supported the demand. Mr HINDMARSH declared that the aggregation proposals were nnworkbale, and before the Bill passed they would have to carry him out on a shutter. Mr MASSEY, in reply to Mr Forbes, said that no provision was required to check the mis-settlement of the grazing runs, because the present law distinctly stated that no man could hold more than one run except with the approval of the Minister, and he knew of nothing that would induce him, as Minister for Lands, to consent to any one man holding more than one run. Mr Massey, continuing, said that he was not going to be a party to giving the lessees of Education lands the freehold, because it would be an unjust thing to do. Further,, he was not going to appoint anyone to land boards who was out of sympathy with his policy. The leaseholders continued their protest against the freehold provisions of the Bill until 1 o’clock, when the short title was passed. The committee was discussing clause 9 when the telegraph office closed. DISCRIMINATING AGAINST UNIONISTS. Mr P. C. Webb to-day asked the Minister of Labour if he was aware that the mining companies at Huntly were again resorting to discrimination of union officials and executive employees, and that three executive members had received notice that their services were to be dispensed with, although at the same time it was a fact that, up to October 6, new hands were being engaged. If this was true would the Government engage to put an end to this cruel victimisation on the part of the company ? In reply Mr Massey said that ho had not previously heard of the trouble referred to, but he would have the matter inquired into and let the House know the result and what it was proposed to do. SUPPLY OF IMMIGRANTS. The Prime Minister stated yesterday, in reply to Mr Scott, that the Government had made arrangements, in view of the increasing scarcity of farm labourers, to secure a constant supply of suitable immigrants from the Motherland. LAWYERS AND TRUST MONEYS. Mr Clark asked the Minister of Justice yesterday whether he would introduce legislation making it compulsory for all lawyers who were dealing with trust moneys to have their trust accounts audited by a Government auditor. Mr Herdman replied : “ It would be too big and expensive an undertaking for the Government to carry out the suggestion. A periodical examination by the Audit Office of the accounts of every lawyer in the dominion would involve a large Increase in the staff of that department. 1 The Law Practitioners’ Act, 1908,' affords full protection to persons who have entrusted solicitors with the investment of moneys.” WHEEL TAXES. Mt-Laurenson asked the Prime Minister yesterday whether, in view of the large sums’’ which the owners of vehicles en-

gaged in heavy traffic have to pay by of* wheel tax through each local body ing its own tax, he would introduce an amendment of the L<ocal Bodies’ Act would enable the payment of a wheel to one local body to free the vehicle further charges. Mr Maseey replied that the heavy sections of the Public Worts Act madc^B S revision for a special tax to remedy thtß amage done to the roads. If the license® obtained from one local authority mitted heavy traffic upon the roads o(B another, it would be necessary to the fees and devise a method of distribution among the local authorities® The difficulty had been met in the Munich® pal Corporations Act as regards district!® adjoining cities and boroughs, but provisions were inapplicable to a genera}® extension. The Government had consideration a Motor Eegulation Bill taining such provisions, and it might b/® found possible to apply a similar schema® of distribution to the case of heavy traffilo. ® It would, however, probably be found ad< ® visable to submit such proposals to tht.® conference of local authorities before in?;® troducing legislation. ® AN UNUSUAL QUESTION. jfl Mr E. H. Clark was to the fore to-day ® with a question couched in somewhat un-|® usual form. “ Will the Minister of® Marine,” he asked, ‘‘when next he rd-® ceives applications for employment from® unemployed persons send about half a;® dozen of them to assist in working that® hydraulic crane at Port Chalmers, as tliaa® present conditions impose a hardship upon ® the fishermen of that port ?” I A PETITION. I A petition was presented to-Parliament ® to-day by the Hon. W. Fraser on behalt® of Patrick Maben, of Wendouside, asking >® for an inquiry into the circumstances off® the leasing of the two grazing runs in thfci® Garvey Mountain district. B HANMER SPRINGS. I The Minister in charge of Tourist sorts has informed Mr Forbes that he gav* ® instructions yesterday to open the bath- . B house and tea-room at Hanmer Springs ia>® the evening. This arrangement will con?;® tinuo until April 30. I FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10. I The Legislative Council met at 2.30 B I} ' m ’ THE NEW HEBRIDES. I In reply to the Hon. Mr Jenkinson, thah* Hon. Mr BELL said that he would lay on,® the table of the Council any despatches,* that may have been tabled in the Hous«|* of Commons relative to the dual control;* of the New Hebrides during the yearn ® 1906-7, but confidential despatches could * not be tabled. I LAND TRANSFER AMENDMENT. || The Council went into committee on 'I the Land Transfer Amendment Bill, which 1 was reported with formal amendment#*;® read a third time, and passed. I LOCAL ELECTIONS BILL. '• m| The Local Elections and Polls Amend-, 4 ment Bill was further considered in com?: | mittee, reported with amendments, and will be read a third time on Tuesday. The Council adjourned at 3 p.m. After the telegraph office closed at 2 , o’clock the House continued discussion on the Land Bill. Clause 10 created cou- . siderable discussion, Sir Joseph Ward contending that though it tended to meet ; special cases it had general application, with tbe result that in the case of almost every new settlement tenants would demand a reduction of rent, which reduction must be permanent, because no power | was taken to restore the original rent if the settlement afterwards proved a | success. After considerable discussion Mr : Massey agreed to withdraw lands for settlement lands from the operation ol : i the clause and make it apply only to settlements on Crown lands. He pro- v posed to introduce a new clause to meet ~ the case of settlement lands; Clause 13 passed, and progress was reported. The House rose at 3.20 a.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE LAND BILL. Consideration of the Land Bill in co.nmittee was continued on clause 18, providing that a land board may dispensf with personal residence on the land. Mr RUSSELL contended that the clause would promote a system of dummyism. There were hundreds of farm labourer* • who had £IOO or £2OO, and who desired > | to get on the land and farm it. Tha clause would allow men in the towns earn- 7 ing £2OO to £3OO a year to secure a section, and after putting on a manager sell out without ever having put a foot on -g the section. :% Mr E. NEWMAN argued that Mr Russel assumed that men who would avail themselves of the clause were single men, whereas it would be found that thrifty tradespeople and artisans would be the people who would benefit by putting their' . sons on land. His only objection to the clause was that he considered the provision specifying double improvement was too severe. The PRIME MINISTER accepted an amendment proposed by Mr M'Callura providing that where the income of a’ man and his wife exceeded £SOO a year thy clause of the Bill to exempt from residence shall not apply. Mr MACDONALD held that the inclusion of clause 18 in the Bill would be a dangerous course to adopt. Mr POLAND also objected to the clause. r He contended that the Minister, aftet heai’ing the adverse criticism of members, : should withdraw it. If it were allowed to '1 pass it would mean an increase of dummyism. - v-'J The PRIME MINISTER explained that., 1 ;; in most cases the substitute would, be | the lessee’s son. He implored the House to vote; on the question and be. dope •with, it.' Mr ANDERSON moved an amendmebtM

tying preference to a man who intended I reside on the land. » KThe PRIME MINISTER said the effect [ 'this would be to kill the clause. He raid not accept it. [The House divided on the amendment, hich was defeated by 33 votes iir&l. ' St 11.30 a division taken on ause 18, and resulted in its being relined by 33 votes to 28. A long discussioA ensued on the clause roviding that licensees of areas in the [auraki mining district might acquire the »6 simple of the land, the main objection eiiig the threatened interference with liners’ right. fThe House was left sitting.