PARLIAMENT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8856, 5 July 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

Legislative Council. Press Association. Wellington, July 4. The Council met at 2.30. The Hon. Mr Paul moved the Address-in-Eoply and the Hon. Mr Tucker seconded. The Council rose at 4 o’clock. Kouse-of Representatives. In the House of Eeps. the following Bills wore read a first time:—Coal Minos Act Amendment, Municipal Corporations Act Amendment, Kelson Institute, Town District Act Amendment, Accountants, Products Export Amendment, Police Offences Act Amendment, Eotorna Town, Public Trust Office Amendment. Mr AVilford resumed the debate on the Address-iu-Keply, and was followed by Messrs Malcolm, Witty, Hogan and Poole. The debate was continued by Messrs Flatman, Jennings, Okey and Boss. Mr Greemlnde moved the adjournment of the debate. The Pure Food Bill was read a first time. The House adjourned at 11 p.m. In the course of his speech on the Address in-Ecply, Mr Massey said if the Premier would bring down a Bill to double the poll-tax on Chinese ho would support it. Ho somewhat ridiculed the change of title to 1 ‘ Dominion. ’ ’ Referring to the Conference in London he said it seemed to him tiiat the Imperial Government did not see the necessity of strengthening the bonds of the Empire and cultivating an Imperial spirit amongst those citizens of the Empire who did not happen to live in England, Ireland or Scotland. He hoped there would he statesmen at the head of affairs with'sufficient ability to so frame a constitution as to give the citizens of the Empire, wherever they lived, a hotter idea that they were Britishers with all the privileges and responsibilities belonging to them. That time was not yet, but he was fully persuaded the time would come. He was impressed with the necessity of establishing good mail services between Britain and the outlying parts of her Empire. In respect to the Christchurch Exhibition he _ considered Government had been just a bit too previous. It would have been better to have postponed it for a. couple of years until the completion of the North Island Main Trunk railway. The management of the Exhibition was a muddle from beginning to end, and an object lesson of what Government management in a large business was likely to lead them to. Dealing with the land policy of the Ministry he maintained that so mlmy contradictory statements had been made about it, even by Ministers themselves, that he really wanted to know whore Government stood in connection with it. Where, lie asked, were the Government’s colours'' 1 Were they still uailed to the mast? He understood there had been a conference of the crew that morning, at which it was decided, as the colours could not be hauled down, to cut the masts away, Government being content to leave the vessel a wreck rather than run tho danger of losing their political life. There was at present a feeling jfe;reat unrest throughout the counon this question, Gaud he desired j o tell Government that a mere modification of tho Bill would not be sufficient to satisfy the people. He hoped Government would realise the seriousness of the position. He wished to see every member of the House given a free vote on tho leasehold or freehold option or no option, and not on a confused issue. Government’s policy was a most insidious attack upon the principle of the freehold. Tho real view of the Opposition was this: A bad bargain had been entered into between the lease-in-perpetuity holders aud the State, aud an attempt ought to be made to modify it. Therefore, the Opposition proposed that they should be given the option of the freehold to get out of the difficulty. Ho urged improvement of the system of local government, aud on the native land question said he did not believe the Commission would expedite settlement. He also adversely criticised the appointments to the Upper House. , ~ Sir Joseph Ward, in his reply, said tho prohibition of Chinese immigration could not be given effect without the sanction of the British Government, but the poll-tax could be increased, and he intended to submit legislation for this purpose. He defended the change of title to 1 ‘ Dominion," as a benefit to the country. He said the deficit on Christchurch Exhibition would be under £60,000. On the land legislation he said Government would submit a proposal by which no man could obtain the freehold of .his Icase-iu-perpetuity at the original valuation, nor would it submit any proposal to make a man a present or 50 per cent, as urged by the leader or the Opposition, upon the theory that he had a lease for 999 years. What Government would do would he to submit proposals on the land question which he believed the country would say were just, fair and equitable, and beyond that it would not go, despite any resolution that might be passed by the Farmers’ Union. He defended the Native Land Commission aud the Legislative Council 1 appointments. Other speakers were Messrs Lewis, : Hornsby, McNab and Ell.