PARLIAMENT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 59, 2 November 1912, Page 3

PARLIAMENT

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1912. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Per Press Association.) |1 Wellington, November 1. I The Council met at 2.90 p.m. | THE NATIVE LAND BILL. The Native Land Amendment Bill j was read a second time pro forma, and ■ referred to the Native Land Commitjl tee. IN AIEMORIAM. Air Bell moved a similar resolution regarding the late Sir W. J. Steward as was passed in the other Chamber. He referred in eulogistic terms to the late hon. member’s public career, during more than forty years. Messrs, j Carncross, Mills, Parata and Samuel' also spoke. The motion was carried. SECOND READINGS. ' • In the evening the Railways Amendment Bill, Kaiapoi Reserve Bill, East Coast Native Trust Bill, Land Amendment Bill, Public Reserves Amendment Bill, and Savings Banks Amendment Bill were read a second time. The Local Bodies’ Loan Amendment r Bill was road a second time, and the Bill was put through all its stages and passed. , The Council' adjourned at 11.30 p.m. till 11 a.m. on Monday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. ST. HELEN’S HOSPITAL. Mr Glover asked the Minister for Public Health to hold an enquiry into the management of the St. Helen’s Hospital. Ho intimated that he had received a telegram from the secretary of the Waterside Workers’ Union demanding such an enquiry. Air Myers said that he had received a similar telegram. Air R. H. Rhodes, in reply, said that he had received similar messages, and had replied to them.

HOME RULE. Mr Myers stated that he had received a communication from the Young Ireland Party in Auckland asking that tho New Zealand Parliament should pass a resolution in favour of Homo Rule for Ireland. The Prime Minister replied that he could not see his way to ask Parliament to interfere in the question. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. In connection with the breach of privilege motion moved by Mr McCallum, dealing with a circular received by him which concerned Mr Scott, M.P. for Otago Central, Mr Scott this afternoon unreservedly withdrew his statement made during the debate on the Financial Statement that his (Mr Scott’s) opponent at the late elections had been conducted around the electorate by Catholic priests. THE MORAL CASE. The report of the committee which heard the petition of Joshua Jones, already presented in the Council, was presented, and the debate on it was postponed until next sitting day. SIR W. J. STEWARD. Mr Massey moved, in connection with the death of Sir W. J. Steward, that the House records its high sense of the distinguished services rendered by the late Sir W. J. Steward, and extends its condolences to his wife and family. The Prime Minister mentioned that the deceased gentleman had been 41 years in Parliament, and was lightly known as the “Father of the House.” No member looked after his Parliamentary duties or was more often in his seat than Sir IV. ,1. Steward. He was certain that he had not one enemy in tho country. Pie had hold tho highest positions possible in the Parliament of the land, and had succeeded always in maintaining order and promoting harmony. He had succeeded in placing more legislation on the Statute Book than any other private member. His own feelings could be expressed in the line, “Honour to his memory, peace to his ashes.”

Mr G. W. Russell and other members also spoke in eulogy of the deceased, and the House adjourned as a mark of respect until the evening. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE LOAN RILL. Mr Allen moved the second reading

of the Loan Bill, which it had been arranged should bo debated in eonjunction with the Public Works Statement. The Minister stated that the financial market was not very favourable at the present time, but ho hoped to approach it with confidence. He had every reason to believe that the revenue would exceed the estimates for the current year. He Imped to ho able so to manipulate the finances that the loan money would keep the country going until Alarch, 1914, without trenching on the Consolidated Fund. The real reason for the loan was that on Alarch 31 last liabilities and commitments were very heavy, and had to be met. He thought that borrowing should be brought down to reasonable limits, though he did not suggest that borrowing should cease altogether. He deprecated the amounts annually charged to public accounts for public buildings in such a young country as this. Such an expenditure should not he encouraged. He believed that the facts relating to New Zealand could be so put before English investors that money could be raised at a cheaper

rate than by the States of Australia. Ho hoped the money to he.raised would be expended on reproductive works. Mr G. W. Russell said that the result of the Finance Minister’s visit to London would be looked forward to with interest. He emphasised the necessity for expenditure on roads in back-blocks, and for opening up lands there. Ho quoted London Stock Exchange figures to show that New Zealand stocks had fallen since the present Government came into power. Deposits in the Savings Bank also showed a lack of confidence in the Government. The deposits were £281,000 less up to the end of September this year than last year. Mr Malcolm said that the fact that deposits had gone down in the Savings Banks indicated that there was greater prosperity in industrial circles. MT Xosworthy said that the falling in stocks was partly due to the war in the Balkans. Mr MacDonald Hold, in connection with the co-operative system of public works, that as soon as the Min-

■ istcr had gone round and inspected the works lie would he satisfied m a great many cases. Mr Brown criticised the action of the Government in clos’ng down the East Coast railway works, which would, lie said, if prosecuted, open up thousands of acres of native land. Mr McKenzie urged that the sooner the back-hlocks were roaded the better for all concerned. Last year’s expenditure in that direction was the largest in the history of the Dominion. He contended that there would be plenty of money for public works. Mr Fraser, referring to withdrawals from the Savings Banks, explained that there were thousands of people with means who used the Savings Banks for their own purposes, and now, when interest was running at per cent., they naturally would not leave their money in Government Banks, People wore sending hundreds of thousands of pounds out of New Zealand for investment in other countries, with the result that there was not in New Zealand at present sufficient capital for the ordinary industries of the country. That was the cause of h’gh interest. It would, he said, he a better policy to exercise self-reliance until a loan could ho raised on more advantageous terms. Roads should come first in the scheme of public works, and in order to enable them to obtain the necessary fun is he had stopped railway works for the present. There were 20 sections in hand too many. He proposed to visit tbc various localities during the recess and sec for himself the condition of things He urged that it would be better to have light railways or tramways at a

cost of £2OOO a mile than bad road;: in certain country districts. Mr Hanan supported light railways and advocated a national board (f roads. At 1 a.rn. Mr Allen commenced his reply; Referring to the fall of stocks lie sa’d that it was not New Zealand stocks alone that had fallen. The fall in New Zealand had been very low in comparison with that in Australian stocks. The Government had saved the situation and the people outside had no ( w a sense of security they had not had for 20 years. The second reading was carried. PUBLIC WORKS - ESTIM ATES. The Public Works Estimates were taken in committee, and progress was reported an the first item. The House rose at 1.40 a.m.