PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13330, 6 July 1907, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

Per Press Association. 'LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. -1 WELLINGTON, July 5. The Council met at 2.50 p.m. SESSIONAL COMMITTEES. Tbo Attorney-General gave notice of the usual sessional committees. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Mr 'Scotland retrained the discussion on the Address-in-Reply. He paid a- high tribute to the late "Colonel Pitt. Reierr•ing to the recent appointments to the /Council Mr Scotland said'that he. couM i speak freely as he had no Sword of Damwtes hanging over his head and he expressed the opinion that the only way to secure perfect independence in the Council was to hare life-membership. He hoped that the time would come when the seven years'- appointments would give place to life-membership. He condemned the " childish, ambition" to change the designation of the colony, and hoped that the idea would fall to "the ground";" -The people were governed well 'as they deserved to be, bat he had little hope of • anything great where professional poli- . ticians governed. So long as this occurred it was no-use looking for reform. .Mr Mcpardle expressed approval of the "'freehold tenure of land. It was best for - the settlement of the poor on the land. He .\believed in: deferred payment with occupancy, and was .of opinion that the limi- • . '. tation of holdings should be on the acre- .;.-''■ • »ge basi?. No Act had done more than '..;'", the Land for Settlements Act. but the -.' lease-m-perpetnity was a great mistake. If endowments were to be made hs would give the-poor man an opportunity of getting on such land Settlers be paid for imptov-L-ments on leaving. He advocated better roading of the backr blocks and that the settlers* should Vguaranteed that a certain sum would be spent on roads. - Mr Collate said -that their warmest thanks were due to Sir J. G- -Ward for the way he had represented: the colony ;:>t the Imperial Conference, and he congratulated Dr Findlay "on bis appointment to the Attorney-General- , ihip. Mr Calien approved of educating the youth of the colony in the use of the rifle and he thought it would be beneficial if youths between 18 and 25 years were obliged to undergo' a system of compulsory military training. Irrigation required the attention of the Government, and he suggested that they should bring in a measure on the subject. He approved of the proposed alteration of the designation of colony. ' Mr T. Kelly said that he had nonobjection to the alteration of the designation', though he did not know if it would carry with it a reorganisation, of salaries on the Canadaian. basis. He advocated the re-. moval of the duty on sugar which was largely consumed by the workers. On "the motion of ilr Anstey the debate was adjourned. THE HON. W. HALL-JONES. Mr Feldwick moved a resolution oxtending the sympathy of the Council to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones in his illness and expressing the hope that he would return to the colonv thoroughly restored to health. * . - -- The Attorney-General. Mr Luke. Mr Thompson. Mr* Anstey. and l.oughnah. and Mr W. C. Smith 'spoke briefly of Mr Hall-Jones- and in terms of regret at his illness. The motion w;us carried. The Council rose at 4.50 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. FIRST READINGS. The following Bills were lead a firn time—Coal Mines Act Amendment, Police Offences Act Amendment. Tohunga Suppression. ALLOTTING PORTFOLIOS. . The Premier announced tint in consequence of the Hon. W. Hall-Jones* ab- • sence the following would take charge of the Portfolios: —Mr McGowan, Public Works and Tourist Department: Sir J. G. Ward. Railways; Mr McNab, Defence; Mr Millar, the Printing Office. BUST OF NELSON. The Speaker announce! receipt of a bust oi Admiral Nelson, presented to the New Zealand Parliament by the British and Foreign Sailors* Society. Tlie bust, which is of Victory oak and copper, bore an inscription stating that it was a memento of the centenary of the death of Nelson, the opening of the New Zealand Exhibition, and associated wi'h tlii, death of Mr Seddon; both had «iic' at s'.-<i and in the service of their country. Sir J. G. Ward move I that the bust lie received, and the- thanks and appreciation of the House of Representatives tendered to the British and Foreign Sailors" Society. Mr Massey seconded the motion, whi'-l. was agreed to.

.Subsequently . tie Premier suggested that the Speaker miglit consider whether the bust should be placed in ' the House itself, and make an announcement on. the point. DEBATE RESUMED,' ilr Grtenshide, in v resuming the debate on the Address-in-Reply, expressed himseli as satisfied with the progress made ivith ■ the North Island main trunk railway. Referring to the railway-men's. grievances, ho said that there was no denying that great dissatisfaction existed in the service, whiah should be remedied. l A great deal of trouble arose in various districts through ,a lack of rolling stock and motive power, resulting in considerable inconvenience and expense to fanners. Sir Hogg expressed surprise that more members of the Opposition, had not spoken during the debate. He had hoped to have the pleasure of replying to some .vigorous attacks on the Ministry, but ap parently the Opposition were contented with' the promises of the Ministry. Jfcle contrasted the present state of affairs witl) what existed not many years ago, when the present Chief Justice Kit on the Opposition tenches and referred to the Government supporters as dumb dogs. '■Touching en lands for closer settlement, .Mr Hogg complained that the Masteiion electorate had been .neglected by the Government. He. considered it high time that the searchlight was thrown on the manner in which native lands were acquired by certain Europeans. Jhe practice had been 'to lease the land's for a term of years ; th;n advantage was taken of the necessitous position of the native holders to get this -restriction- removed, and thus secure J lhe freehold.. ; He knew instances where sKwmillers leased native lands for 20 years-; th.» timber wars worked out in n few years, and the sawmiller became pure ■.ixid simple thu land owner. He uro-d that a measure should be passed forbidding private dealings in native lands. \vhilst Mr Hogg was protesting against undue aggregation of native lands in, his electorate, he was interrupted by a stranger in the gallery interjecting: "You're quiie wrong, Mr Hogg."' The Speaker ordered the offender's removal. He did not leave until forcibleremoved. Mr Stallworthy strongly supported the proposal to change colony to dominion, and eulogised the Arbitration Act. Referring to- the Kan Francisco sen-ice, he contended that the country generally was keenly feeling and lamenting the loss of the service. Alluding to the Farmers' Union, he maintained that it did not represent the farmers of New Zealand, but only the great, land-owners. Fanners pro per realised that their best friends did not sit on the Opposition benches. He complained that in the last appointments to the Upper House no on;.- was appointed from North Auckland. Mr T. Seddon eulogised the Premiei for the service he Lad rendered at th:Imperial Conference. He urged upon the "Government to give favourable considera tion to the tenders received for the construction of Arthur's Pass tunnel o U the Midland Railway. The House adjourned at 5-50 p.m.. and resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE HON. W. HALL-JONES. Ine Premier moved that this ' House conveys to the Hon. W. Ijall-Jones. Minister for Railways, an expression of sympathy on his indisposition and hopes that h_- will /return to the colony lestored to j perfect health. J The motion was agreed to. DISCUSSION RESUMED. Mr T. Seddon in resuming his speech referred to Dr Bell and eulogised the good work done by him on the Wes Coast. Mr Seddon ' contended that he fully deserved th- holiday which hud been granted to him. .Mr Lishg stated that the Government hud been criticised far moie severely by their own supporters than was ever "done by the Opposition, consequently he did not see- any reason why the debate should be prolonged. Referring to the wages paid to railway servants Mr Lung asserted that the State's own employees should be paid at least the same' rate as those of a private employee, if not a little more. He contended also that the State's servants should be subjected to the same lawti as- those of privatj employers. Referring- to the- Land Bill h-j maintained that ih_- Government had abandoned it as- a whole and weie seeking to pass laud legislation by driblet". He argu.d that tenants under lease-in-pei petuity should be allowed to ti-iinsfi-r their holdings to occupation wii'i right to purchase, lie added thai the only reason for the extraordinary land proposals made bv the Government was not one Minister hud ivt-i been .> practical farmer, and if- it came to a straight-out division they .would Cud the

country members in one lobby ami the city and suburban members in the oth-r. it'rie; of "No, No.") It was a fact thai whenever any measure affecting the country came before the House it was always the city members, like the member for Newtown, who knew most about- it. (Laughur.) Regarding the native land question he stated that had the natives been ginned a little freedom in the disposal of their lands large tracts of country would now be settled, whereas- much of the country was getting overgrown with noxious weeds and becoming less valuable every day. Mr Rutherford said he did not approve of changing colony to dominion. It reminded him of the small man wearing a very large hut. He did not -think there was a pressing need for a fast mail service, as all that was required for commercial 'purposes was a regular service via Sydney and Suez. The greater portion of the buying and selling of business house.} was being done by --means of the cable. The mail was only used for the purpose of confirmation of transactions by cable. He was strongly opposed to allowing (lie Chinese to enter the colony, and if the. treaties permitted he should like the Chinese to be given three years in which to wind tip businesses and clear out of New Zealand. Referring to recentappointments to the Upper House it appeared to him that they were quite up to the usual standard. He could not support the suggestion that more Ministers b-3 appointed. He thought too much running about the country was expected of MhnVtci-s for the purpose of opening bridges, halls, . etc. This monopolised too much time. Tile Hon. Mr Carroll, in replying to Mr Hogg, argued that the, native lands in Master!on were more clrv=ely settled than in any other portion of 111? colony. All through.history the native;* had been most magnanimous in trying to meet the interests of the colony and the desires of TCuropean settlers. . In contrasting Maoris and Europeans he said that the more the latter acquired wealth, the more selfish they became. Not so the Maori, who, when he amassed wealth, realised the responsibilities of his position. At 2108 acres of land were still held by natives, whilst 3650 acres were lcas--d to Europeans. Ths natives had sold 1C25 acres to Europeans, and 57,978 to the crown for settlement. "Who," said Mr Carroll, "would Ray that these natives retarde'd settlement, and' who was going to deny the right of ihe> natives to be settled on our hind ''. You could not expect- the Maoris to as>imilate the benfiets of European civilisation in a decade but weighed in 'ths; scale of human attributes they = .would j compare with any other race on' the earth.'" The Maori had been generous in the past and no Government '-"vsr had any difficulty in getting from them, large areas of land for settlement. The Maori was realising to-day that he was ■ unable to part- with much of his land, otherwise he would leave a. very poor legacy indeed to Ins successors. He anticipated that as a, result of the Native J and Commission there would be put on the Statute Book legislation beneficial to both races. - " . . Mr Reid. and Mr Thompson also spoke. ' Mr T. G. Allen moved the adjournment' of the debate. . The Hou«-e rose at 11.45 p.m. /