PARLIAMENTARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9916, 3 August 1910, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY.

«, (Abridged from Press Association.)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tt'i'SDAY, AIJOfST 2

AFTERNOON SITTING The House met at 2.30 p.m. FINANCIAL DEBATE.

Mr J<orbes resumed the Financial debate. He referred to till© cheerful tone of. the Budget and the return of prosperous times which was foreshadowed in it. The work of the session promised to go on safe, sound, progressive lines and to be of a, nature to meet the demands of the /country. The proposal to extinguish the public debt was a healthy sign, and one that would meet the approval of the country. He did not doubt that public sentiment would .be strong enough to prevent the sinking funds for the extinction of the national debt being perverted by any Government from their proper use. He was glr.d to- see that the Government would continue an active policy of road-making. He regretted that the • leader of the Opposition should level a charge of Tamilian yism at the party in power, which was a reflection on the personal character of the Executive. He doubted if it-would be possible to bring down .such a Land Bill as promised' in the ..Budget, that is, one that would, be acceptable .to both parties in the House. He believed that the land legislation now on the Statute Book was quite sufficient if given a fair trial. If the Rill contained freehold proposals it would beout of touch with the growing sentiment of the various peoples throughout the world.

Mr Brack contended that the freehold tenure made hotter settlers. The leasehold system did not prevent aggregation of estates, as had been shown by Mr Hogg's speech on the leasing of Maori lands in ■the King Country. The reason for the increased value of lands was the excessive valuations put upon them. Kef erring to water-power, he suggested that local authorities should be empowered to use this for the requirements of a district. Referring to the proposed dairy school at Palmers-ton- North, he alleged that the failure' to establish this was due to the fact that the Opposition candidate had been returned at last election. Many of the present dairy inspectors knew very little about their -work and a dairy school was essential to educate those engaged in the dairying industry.

Mr J. 0. Thomson replied to the arguments used by Opposition members to the effect that all increased expenditure meant increased borrowing. The public debt included 30 million against which there were the railways as'an asset. It \vm unfair to compare the taxation and public debt of other countries with New Zealand, where so many public services were controlled by the State. It was impossible for the dominion, to cease borrowing and carry on a vigorous works policy, without which the country's prosperity could not increase. The ideal should be to have a surplus of not less than a million, so as to transfer threefourths of this sum to the Publio Works Fund, to meet unproductive expenditure, so that productive works oould be undertaken by borrowed money. Ja-yiew-of d&fenco necessities there' was no possibility of decreasing taxation. He- agreed with the Minister of Education that the Government should be the judge of the amount of money to be spent on education, but he disapproved of the proposal to hand over tho control of. education to bodies having other duties to discharge. , Mr Witty referred to the practice of landowners putting extravagant values on their estates when it was known that tho Government was desirous of acquiring them. Ho defended the Loans to Local Bodies Act, which had been of immense benefit to ■the smaller local bodies. Referring to the land question, he asked if Mr Massey was prepared to follow out the proposal of the Farmers' Union that all Crown lands should be put up for auction. If this were done, it would simply mean that the poor man would have no chance agairi3t a man with, capital. Directly J the freehold was granted, it would be impossible to prevent aggregation. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. • Mr Witty continued his speech, and quoted Mr Rolleston as opposed to the freehold system. It was only by misrepresenting the dairy regulations that a number of members on the opposite side had been returned at last election. One of tho blots on the present land system was that men with capital were allowed to take up land on lease which they afterwards sold at a profit. '■ Tho Opposition had been against the Old Ago Pensions, Advances to Settlers and Advances to Workers Acts, yet it dared not oppose any one of these measures now. He defended the National Endowment scheme as providing both for the youth and the old age of the people. These endowments should have been sot aside years ago. Referring to Native lands, and Mr'Masscy's proposal to sell the surplus, Mr Witty asked what was to become of the Natives. He advocated the individualigation of Native lands and the abolition of special representation, in which case they could be subject to the same taxation as Europeans. The increased taxation complained of by the Opposition had fallen on luxuries, and not on the necessaries of life. In regard to railways, he advocated the application of the betterment system to lands enhanced in value by now lines. Auckland province had been asking for a number of lines. It would bo better to wait until tho Gisborne line was completed before asking for .more. He approved of the proposals in the Financial Statement to assist mothers, and to provide improved telephonic communication in outlying districts. He considered that there was no need for a Land Bill this session. The Government's duty was to hold the Crown lands for the good of the community and not for the individual, more especially as there was not a great area left. Mr Bine, replying to Mr Witty, said that Mr Rolleston's land system was based on deferred payments. It was not correct to say that the leasehold system was the best one for the poor man. Under the present conditions a man. before he could ballot for land for settlement had to show he had sufficient capital. Ho believed in the freehold, coupled with giving every man a chance to go on the la.rid jf he desired. He asked the Native Minister to come out of his shell and propound a policy in regard to Native lands. In support of the ohargo of Taminanyism, he said that the Government had, previous to the election, promised to expend I £250,000 in roads for backblocks, which i sum had not yet been, spent. Similar ca3es could be mentioned. He alleged