PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 60, 25 October 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Per Press Association.) 'Wellington, October 24. The Council resumed at 2.30 p.m, The Local Elections Bill in comiftittco was amended on the motion of Sir John Findlay by striking out danse .3, relating to days fo be fixed for a poll when it falls on a public holiday. The Attorney-General said it was likely to result in confusion. The Bill was reported and passed its final stages. The Legislature Amendment Bill was amended verbally in committee, so as to make clearer the meaning of its provision. The Bill was reported as amended, and passed. Jiio amendments suggested l>y the Attorney-Gen-eral in the Widows’ Pensions Bill, which were brought down by Governor’s message to the House and submitted to the Council for approval, were agreed to. The Auckland University College Amendment Bill and the New Plymouth High School Bill were discharged from the Order Paper, and several local Bills passed by the tic use yesterday were put through all their stages. The Council adjourned until the ’following morning to consider the remainder of the local Bills. MOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. Amendments to the Widows’ Pensions Bill wore introduced by Governor’s message. One was a machinery clause. '1 no other provided that no widow in receipt of a pension should receive more than £IOO annually. The Fritter amendment, it was explained by the .Minister, was for the protection of the fund against,widows drawing fairly large incomes. The amendments were agreed to. PRI VATE RAILWAY WANTED. The chairman of, the committee which heard a petition from the TanpoTotara limber Company for the right to acquire 200,000 acres; also to const! net a railway from Taupo to Mohi, reported that the committee 'had rcslived that the matter he held over for the consideration of Parliament next session, and further that the Government should consider the question ofi opening the country referred to in the pi-in.i u. Mr Forbes said lie thought the company should he at once informed it had no chance of getting a monopoly over a large area of native land or a private railway. Mr Isitt moved that die prayer of the petitioners lie not enter; need. He could see no use stringing the company on. Mr Myers said the com mi tec was of opinion there was not sufficient reason adduced for granting the prayer of the petition. In answer to Mr Fraser, Sir Joseph Ward said the Government did not favour private railways.

Mr Macdonald contended it would pay the Government to give away every acre of land in the Taupo district to keep down the rabbit pest. Mr Massey was opposed to the issue of Orders-in-Council in regard to the disposal of Crown lands. He did not believe that such orders wore in compliance u itJi the spirit of the Act, or tub Native Land Act. Regarding branch lines, he thought if the Government would not make them, settlers should he allowed to construct them on tho understanding that there should be no monopoly, and the Government could resume the line at a fair mice.

Sir* Joseph Ji,e waS-Mead against'private dr district railways being established in this country. It did not matter what the recommendation of the committee was, nothing would be done' in' the matter -without the ai thority of Parliament. The Government would not allow any large areas of land to bo taken up without proper conditions fqr settlement purposes , Tbe question was talked out. The House resumed at 7.30. RAILWAY BILL. An amendment to the Government Railway Bill was introduced by Governor’s message. The amendment provided for an increase in salaries in the second division, restoring the relative positions of various classes, which were destroyed by the increases proposed in the Bill. Mr Malcolm asked if the amendment affected the first division. Mr Millar said no. He knew there was dissatisfaction because all the railway servants had not got increases. The. increase provided for would run into £70,001), and was all for the second division. The Government intended that no married man in the service should receive less than 8s lid per day, with a minimum of Bs. Mr Massey asked if the Bill could l)C amended to provide that there would always hq 60 per cent, of the engi'ie drivers in the first division. Hot. Millar replied that this was done as far as the revenue warranted. !l Vcrc made a permanency limiC| would be immediate trouble, as wages lad in ho paid whether ih-* Lade war rotted it or not. The imuases in' c - io Bill came into ioreo on Novoi.ih’r 1 next. The amendment was agrijd Ip. NATIVE LANDS. Hon. Ngata moved the second reading of the Native Lands Adjustment Bill. He stated that a clause would be moved in • committee to prevent the aggregation of leases of native lands in consequence of a judgment given yesterday in the Court of iVppeal, which nullifies the limitation clause of the Act of 1909. Mr Herries said he objected to the Government asking the House to remedy a supposed abuse after being beaten in a judgment. He hoped the clause to ho moved would not he made retrospective. He wished to remove a general impression that the Opposition wanted to confiscate the native lands. Mr Parata said the natives desired their lands to ho individualised, and also rated, but not rated before individualisation. The natives had an idea that the .Opposition would take all their lands from them. Dr. Rangihiroa said the natives should lie allowed to individualise their lands. The putting of the Maori on the same footing as the pakeha was a consummation devoutly to ho wished.

Hon. Xgata, in reply, said apparently the Opposition had two policies in connection with native lands. Mr Herrics expounded one in the House and another outside. He then read a memorandum from the Solicitor-

General in connection with th.o amendment proposed to he moved in committee, which pointed out that under the present law, there was no limit to the amount of Maori leasehold land that could ho acquired, and that the Ma.mis paid no hind tax, as would he the ease with Eiiiopcan leasehold. This was against the land settlement policy of the Government, and called for immediate legislation. Dealing with the matter of individualisation of native lands, he said such a course would lend itself to the speedy disposal of land. A judgment delivered hy the Appeal Court on the previous dav defined a “leasee” in such a

strict manner that it was feared by the Solicitor-General that the wliolo of the [initiation provision in the native land statutes would be set aside. The motion was carried. THE OIL INDUSTRY. Hon. 11. McKenzie, in moving the committal of the Mining .Amendment Bill, said the measure provided for important industry of oil boring Provision was made that no compensation shall he payable in respect of the value of mineral oil or natural gas, or in any land taken under the provisions of the principal Act in respect of which the owners of land have consented to a issue of a mineral prospecting warrant. The Government lias power to make regulations for the efficient control of the operations in connection with the prospecting or mining for and storage of mineral oils and natural gas, and for the prevention of unnecessary waste of those materials. Messrs Okey and Ross protested that the Bill’should not be hurried thiough this session, but that members should have an opportunity of digesting it. The motion was carried. Sir Joseph Ward, in moving the second reading of the Public Reserves and Domains Amendments, said that the object was to bring into profitable use with prone” pioteciion ot the lessees public reserves not required for die purposes for which they were set aside. The Bill was read a second time. The Postmaster-General, in moving the second reading of the Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill, said tho purpose was to remove restriction of the use of stamp value impressing machines. An amendment introduced 'ey Governor’s message authorised tho Postmastcr-Goueral to issue licenses for wireless stations on ships registered in New Zealand. The Bill was read a second time. Hon. J. A. Millar moved the second reading of the Government Railways Amendment Bill. The main clause of the Bill provides that every person who is first appointed to the permanent staff of the railways lifter the passing of the Act and who lias had a period of continuous service precedent to such date, such person shall on being so appointed pay contributions to the railway superannuation fund as from January 3, 1903, or the date on which his precedent period of continuous service commenced, if later than the date mentioned and shall be entitled to count such continuous service for superannuation purposes. Wellington, October 25. After midnight, on the Government Railways Bill, Mr Massey said a service such as the railways should ho well paid, and there should he satisfaction amongst the employees. Mr Boole congratulated thg Minister on the introduction of the Bill, which he was sure would give satisfaction to the Department. Mr Malcolm considered the Minister had done all right for the second division, hut was sorry more had not been done for the first, -who thought they v/ere not as fairly treated as the second division. Mr Witty pointed out that the first division was still before tho Railways Committee, and would be looked after as soon as possible. Mr McLaren declared that the clause dealing with superannuation was a step in the right direction. Messrs Wright, Glover and Hogan spoke in favour of the Bill. ” The Minister, replying, said a portion of tho classification would probably lie gone into in connection with the first division. The biggest increases did not go to the highest paid men, as had been suggested. This was only true of the senior enginemen. The Bill was read a second time. The House went into committee on the Native Lands Claims Adjustment Bill. The House rose at 3.35 a.m.