PARLIAMENT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 65, 11 September 1924, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS. The House of .'Representatives inch at 2.30 p.m. to-otiy. Replying to Mi* J. R. Corrigan (Pntea), the Hon. W. Nbsworthy said he would be pleased to have an investigation made by officers of his department into the merits of the blackberry eradicator reported from Patoa. If tlic reports were favourable the Government would be prepared to give the matter further consideration. In reply to the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill), Mr Massey said) there would be a loan Bill this session, but ho could not say what the .amount would be, as that would depend ou the requirements of the country. The loan would be raised in London, probably about April or May next, Ou the motion of Mr A. L. Monteith (Wellington East), the Industrial Conciliation and) Arbitration Amendment Bill was introduced and read a first time.

On the motion that the Gaming Amendment Bill be introduced, Mr L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) said that if the Premier would adbpt a suggestion that the question of permits , should be referred to a committee of which all sections were represented he thought some of •the objections to the Bill would be removed. Tile Bill was read a first time. ELECTION SYSTEM, The Hon. J. A. Hunan asked leave to inlioduce his Election of Ministers and Party Government Reform Bill, which he claimed) would eliminate sonic of the bad features of the present system of party government. In days when there were only, two clear parties the position may nob have been so bad, Tint the present tendency was to introduce the group system into the House and Parliament might be so constituted that it would be unable to do anything. This Bid would ensure that Parliament would lie effective and in consequence respected by the people. An academic discussion on the subject of an elective executive followed, which served the additional purpos© of delaying the introdluction of the Legislature Amendment Bill, a measure to which the Labor Party, especially, is strongly opposed. Eventually the Bill was introduced •and road a first time. THE LAND BILL. The Minister for Lands (Hon. A. D. McLeod) moved the second) reading of the Land, Bill. He said the Bill was a consolidating measure relating to Crown lands alone. Special provisions of the amending Acts relative to the settlement of lands were not included and) were excepted from tlie schedule of repealed enactments. The consolidation of the Land'- for Settlement Act wiis in course of preparation. Mr G. W, Forbes (Hurunui) explained the views of the lands committee on the alterations made, most of which lie approved. He thought tlie time had) come when the rent free period of those occupying bush and swamp lands might be extended to ton years. Ho also stressed the necessity of the Minister hardening up on residential conditions in connection with Crown lands, urging that unless this was djone settlements would not remain, as there was always a tendency! for people to drift towards the towns. Further, there was always greater difficulty in getting people to go into backblocks if there were no neighbours near them.

The Minister said there was no chance of the Bill consolidating the Lands for Settlement Act being brought down this session with tlie general principle of granting further privileges to backblocks settlers m the form of rent free lands, etc., but he warned! the House there was always a danger that unless land was carefully classified settlers who were not entitled to these privileges would be claiming them. This was not. perhaps, the Bill in which to open up tlie general question, of tenures, but he was in favour of giving the freehold, to all those who went out and cultivated the land and who wished to acquire the freehold. He hoped yet to be able to give the holders of national endowment land the freehold. He was as much against aggregation as .any one, but lie recognised the gteat difficulty of defining what was aggregation. Compulsory residence was, lie thought, the only remedy, but he proposed) to go into the whole question before Parliament met again. 'flic second, reading was agreed to.

OTHER MEASURES. On the motion of Mr L. Mdlvride (Napier), the Sunday Fishing Bill was introduced and read a first time. The, promoter of the Bill explained that the measure was designed to prevent fishing ou Sunday for trade purposes. Sunday work was a. grievance of the Napier fishermen. 'The Licensing Amendment Bill (Mr W. H. Field, Qtaki) was read a first time, as was also the Unemployed Workers’ Bill (Mr P. Fraser, Wellington Central). The Hon. G. J. Anderson said that to tar as his study of unemployment went lie was of opinion that there were not sufficient, unemployed in New Zealand to warrant the tremendous amount of machinery required by this Bill. The Agricultural Bank Bill (Mr T. M. Wiltord) was introduced and road a first time. In reply to the Premier, Mr Wilford stated the /Bill was exactly tlie same measure as he introduced last session. The House rose at 11.25 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.