PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 137, 2 August 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1911. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. United Press Association. Wellington, August 1. Tho Council met at 7.80 p.m. The Hon. Mr McGowan made a personal explanation as to his position as Acting-Leader of the Council. He had, ho said, been asked by the Prime Minister and Acting-Prime Minister to carry out the duties of Sir John Findlay, owing to tho hitter’s adscnco, as well as he could. Ho had accepted tho position, feeling it to be an honour, and was perfectly satisfied to get every assistance from fhe Council. (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Jenkinson considered the Hon. McGowan’s experience in the other chamber warranted his being placed in tho position lie had been, and he congratulated the lion, gentleman on his appointment as leader. Tho Hon. Hogg said tho Standing Orders made it clear that a Message from tho Governor could only bo presented by a Minister of the Crown or some person only appointed by tho Minister. The explanation given by tho Hon. McGowan was necessary, but it was not yet clear to him that a more formal communication should be received. Tho Hon. McGowan said no more formal communication was necessary than ho had made. The Hon. Sinclair moved the Ad-dress-in-Roply to the Governor’s Speech. He dealt exclusively with Imperial questions, upon which- lie spoke for an hour and twenty minutes. He laid down as an axiom that Imperiol unity must necessarily and absolutely bo preceded by preferential fiscal treatment within the Empire. H complained tlr.it although three previous conferences had passed resolutions in favour of preferential treatment within tho Empire, the question had been entrely ignored at the recent conference for the reason that the Mother Country was not in a position to put it into effect. • Ho commended Sir Joseph Ward’s views, but said the day was not necessary for an Imperial Council to be composed of Premiers, but men, wise in knowledge and sound in judgment on colonial affairs, should lie appointed, and their opinions would be equivalent .to a verdict of an inter-imperial jury on Imperial questions. Tho Hon. George seconded the motion. Ho remarked that any debate on the Governor’s Speech was a pure waste of time. Ho missed one thing from the speech, and that was the enunciation of a bold, forward policy. Ho would like to have seen a bold policy brought down for completing the Main Trunk railway system. It was going on now, but going on very slowly. He thought it would ,bo wise to raise a loan to complete these lines at tho earliest possible moment.

An Hon. member: They would cost £20,000,000

Tho Hon. George: Even if it cost that it would not matter. They would all pay. He would have them all constructed at once. Increased population was also necessary. He pointed to tho importance of tho fullest consideration being given to any legislation which may have an effect on restricting the introduction of capital. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tho House of Representatives mot at 7.30 p.m. Sir James Carroll gave notice to ask the Speaker at next sitting day to issue a writ for the Christchurch North by-election. The Seeds Control Bill was read a first time. ' ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Mr W. T. Jennings moved tho Ad-dress-in-Reply. He wished to refer to tho honour conferred on Sir Arthur Guinness, who, by unfailing courtesy, had won the admiration of everyone in the House. With regard to His Excellency’s speech, the last paragraph but one claimed most of his attention. That paragraph expressed a desire that tho session should be* a short one, so as to allow the general 1 election to be proedd with. H did not like to ee Parliament made a matter of perpetual motion. With regard to the local government reforms referred to in the Speech, this was a matter which required a great deal of attention. With regard to military training, there was a want in New Zealand boys of the present day of discipline. He hoped tho young men of tho future would be proud to belong to the New Zealand Territorials. In connection with the, settlement of lands in the Dominion it was astonishing tho amount of settlement that had taken place in tho Taumarunui district, and he claimed that it was a standing credit to tin land settlement policy of tho Liberal Parly that in tho Taranaki land district ‘IO,OOO acres had been hold back for climatic and other purposes, 05,000 acres of Maori lands, word being surveyed, and would be opened for selection in September. There were only 825,000 acres of Maori land loft in Taranaki. In regard to the operation of tho Maori Land Board 31,000 acres in the Taumarunui Maori Land District were to bo opened on the 14th prox. One of the great dangers to be grappled with in future was the limitation of area of land. Mr Witty, in reply, wished to congratulate Sir Arthur Guinness upon receiving the honour of knighthood. He also wished to congratulate Sir James Carroll, tho honour being more significant in a measure, as it was an honour conferred on tho Maori race, as well as on the Acting-Premier. A Local Government Bill was, ho said, badly needed, and would bo needed for a long time to come. With regard to the prospects of the farming community, ho mentioned the fact that tho grub in tho south had made such ravages that feed would be scarce and

stock would be dying in thousands later in the season. Ho was not wholly in favour of the Compulsory Training Act passed last session. Ho was more inclined to encourage the training of cadets in schools. He wished to congratulate tho Prime Minister on the work he had done in the Old Country. There were a number of people who were continually telling the country that the /Dominion was not prosperous. This was not loyalty to the country. The increase in Now Zealand for ton years was ]25,000, which compared very favourably with two of tho largest States in Australia. The public debt hid, ho admitted, increased to a great extent during the past 20 years, but the question was not boa- much was borrowed, but what was done with the borrowed money. Forty-two million cf public debt had been spent on reproductive works.

Mr Massey wished to congratulate tho Speaker on tho honour received from the King. So far as , theSpeech from the Throne was concerned, ho did not propose to discuss it at any length, because it was not worthy of discussion. The present state of affairs in New Zealand did not say a great deal for the administration of the last twenty years. r Jho member for Taumarunui war, hopelessly wrong when he quoted Jiguics regarding land. There wore only 16,702’,000 acres of freehold land in New Zealand. He contravaried Mr Witty’s statement that only rnc of Mr. Hino’s charges had been proved. With regard to valuations, bo had complaints from all over New Zealand of excessive valuation. The difficulty in connection with valuation was the higher the farmer improved his bind tho more he was taxed. Ho woukl like to suggest that tho mere the land was improved tho less the owner should bo taxed. A lot of people were leaving the country because ibey could not get land. During recess ho had travelled from one end of New Zealand to tho other, and bo could say there was enough Crown ar.d native land in New Zealand to keep the present population going for ton years.

Mr Massey, continuing, said, despite the Acting-Premier’s statement of the amount of land opened for closer settlement, people, were leaving the country because they wore unanie to get land. llegardiug the Mohan transaction, he was going to have an enquiry. An Order in Council for land to 1)0 sold at 10s per acre was contrary to the limitation clause in the Native Laud Act. The laud should have been acquired by the Crown and settled in the ordinary way. Hs complained that nothing was known as to what was being done by' the Electoral Boundaries Commission, and ho wanted to’ khbw the date of the general election. He considered amendment was urgently needed in the law providing i*or the complete; independence of the'judicial bench." He advocated compulsory insurance against sickness and unemployment, s-t.d said the heads of friendly societies should bo consulted by the Government m this master. • . - Mr Massey concluded by unrc-iwved-ly withdrawing a statement made by him in the heat of debate last session which referred to the late Mr Taylor. The withdrawal was received with applause. The Hon. G. Fowlds, who f* Vowed, said ho was pleased at the withdrawal, and congratulated the Speaker on the honour conferred on him. Referring to land matters he said there wore 18,591,563 acres of rural land and 45,068 owners of these lands. In addition,'there were 300,000 acies of Maori lands leased to Europeans, and 45,000 acres in cultivation by Maoris.