PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14266, 4 August 1910, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Per Press Association

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, August 3 lhe Conn -il met. at 2.30 o.ni. VOTE OF SYMPATHY.

The Attorney-General moved that the Council records its high sense of the valuable services rendered New Zealand by the Into Mr Scotland and the loss the country sustained by his death; also expressing sympathy with his widow and family.. Dr Findlay gave a brief outline ot Mr Scotland's long connection with the political life of the country. Colonel Baillie seconded the motion and the other members added a tribute to the qualities of the deceased gentleman. The motion was carried in silence and the Council adjourned out of respect to the memory of the deceased. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The House met at 2.30 p.m. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. Mr Massey asked the Premier when lie proposed to give the House an opportunity to elect tho chairman of committees. Sir J. G. Ward replied that the election of chairman would bo proceeded with alter the conclusion of the financial debate. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to a question whether the Government would amend the Conciliation and Arbitration Act so that penalties may be made recoverable on the •suit of any party to an award or industrial agreement as well as on the suit -of the inspector of Awards iij tho same manner as a penalty for breach of award or agreement, the Minister of Labour said that he deemed it inadvisable to carry out the suggestion that parties to an award should have the power to take action for strikes and lock-outs. These cases were different from ordinary breaches of awards or industrial agreements, inasmuch as the latter were due to default oil' one side only; whilst, almost :n----variably, the former arose from some dispute between the workers on the one band and the employers on the other, both of whom must, therefore, be regarded as directly concerned in the matter. It was the invariable practice of the chief inspector to refer all strike or lock-out cases to tho Minister when the advice of the Crctva law officers was obtained, upon which the decisions of the deportment were come to.

In answer t:j a further question the Government stated that it is considering proposals connected with the development of the oil industry at Taranaki, and also as to bringing the industry under control. FINANCIAL DEBATE. Tile debate on the financial statement was resumed by Mr .McLaren, who advocated a referendum on the land question. it had been proposed that large land-owners should apply the same pr.uciple to their properties as they wished to apply to Crown lands, but ih.s proposal had been rejected by the farmers' conference. He denounced trafficking ill lands and said that the real issue was between *'useiK'.ldurs and tiadeholders." Mr Anderson contended that the 'and qiusLiou was not one on which a filr;i;ai!t out, yes or no could be obUi.ned by means of a referendum. The had a definite policy oil the land question \vh:eli was the optional system, with a view to allowing every man «ho wished to get on the land to do so and ultimately become the owner, lie agreed with Mr Lauieusou that too much time was spent in party wrangling and that large questions should be debated from a non-party point of view. lie denied the. truth of the slnLement that Llie increase in the Opposition numbers was due to the misrepresentations of the dairy regulations. He favoured the compulsory sale of large estates in small freehold areas, rather than compulsory leasing as advocated by llr Forbes. Mr Smith referring to the Tio-eonfi-dence motion said that it resembled a sugar-coated pill. The. leader of the Opposition should have brought down an amendment containing a straight issue on the land question, in which case he would have supported him. Mr M assey had confessed to him that he laid been congratulated <iu the cunning way in which the amendment had been framed. Mr Smith contended I that the farming community received ! more consideration from the Govern- ; liieiit thaii any other section.

The House rose at 5.30 p.m. In the House in tho evening, slr Russell predicted a bright future for the. Dominion. ■ Staple products were fetching good prices, and harvest prospoets were favourable. Me was surprised that finance was so little deidt with during the debate. Many important matters referred to in the Budget had been overlooked by previous speakers. The whole debate centred chiefly round the laud question. lie denied that the Government had no land policy. He was certain that if Ihe Libera! Party went to the eountrv

as Hie leasehold party they would come back stronger than ever. He suggested a system of leasehold under which a tenant should pay not only rent but also a fair profit to the State'based on the market value of land, such profit to be appraised periodically, tenants' improvements not U taken

into account, tenant to have the to transfer his interest in the lease ■subject to the approval of the landlord, hut the State to protect the incoming tenant from excessive goodwill charges. After the full value of (he improvements had been paid, the goodwill should be fairly divided between the State and the seller. A land fund should be established consisting ot a moiety of the goodwill payments as before mentioned, and a special land tax of o per cent, on the profits ol al! sorts of land. Leases should be for 33 years, with the right of renewal to the tenant or his heirs, but without the right of purchase. In the ca.se o) bush and swamp lands, settlers should be financed by the Government, and payment of rent be defined until the laud became productive. The Cheviot estate was a standing proof that the leasehold system was not inimical to productiveness. If the freehold were granted the. immediate effect would be to raise the rate of interest throughout the Dominion.

Mr Guthrie hoped that the original system of loans to local bodies would be reinstated. The proposal to eluirge local authorities with a proportion of the cost of education was one he could not support. Education ought to be a charge on the Cons-oiida ted Fund.

Sir W. J. Steward said that be would like to see the Government introduce a progressive and clearly defined Land R:!! based on public opinion. At the .same time ho believed that the Government once having adopted a policy should stand by it, oven at risk of losing oitice. The proper policy to pursue was the renewable lean l , so

that land could be revalued. In regard to native lamis. it was time to discontinue the taihoa policy. He urged the need for further ?i ttlement of laud in Canterbury, which w;u partiei;larlv suited for subdivision. Referriii" to defence he favoured carrying out '-"l'd Kitchener's recommendations m their entirety. Hie 'debate was adiourned I lie House rose at 11.10 p.m.