PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8219, 24 August 1906, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

By Telegraph—Press Association,

'WELLINGTON, August 23. The Council met at 2.30 o'clook.. Replying to the Hon. W. Beehau (Auckland), the Attorney-General said that the Government had under consideration the question of appointing valuers to narry oat the valuation of Friendly Societies. The following Bills were introduced by the Attorney-General:— Training Ships Aot, Town Districts Aot, Firearms Aot, Sale of Explosives Act, Fisheries Conservation Acts Ameudment Act. The Hon. J. Rigg (Wellington) resumed the debate on the Addreas-in-Reply, dealing exclusively with the'questious of an Imperial Council reciprocal trade with Great Britain, aqd defence. He complained that nothing bad been said during the general election respecting the constitution of the Imperial Council. He did not think anything would be gained by each an organisation, and believed it would be better to continue the practice of holding conferences. "With regard to reciprocal trade," said the speaker, "I hope we shull have no fuither experiments in that direction." He asked why it should be considered necessary to bolster up the British manufactures at the expense of the colony, and he failed to see why the colony should open its doors to Bri-tish-sweated industries. He went ou to deal with the danger lo the colonies should British snpremaoy at Sb» be checked, and urged the necessity for the establishment of an Australasian navy to protect the' colonies and assist the Mother Country. Mr Rigg then entered into a lengthy criticism of the colony's defences, stating, inter alia, that the colony had expended a million and a half on defences since 1897-98, and had little to show for it. He referred to the inadequacy of the equipment of the land forces, and said that there should be rifles for 100,000 men instead of for 16,000 as at present. He thought it would be well to borrow a million for the reorganisation of the defenoes, alleging that there would never be a satisfactory scheme by maintaining defences out of revenue, The Hon. G. McLean (Otago) followed," approving in general terms with the several paragraphs in the Governor's Speech. He expressed a hope that' the time would oome when oar ships and land forces would be commanded by our own men. On the subjeot of land tenure he expressed the opinion that to a option of the freehold should be given to tenants, and the money thus received should be expended upon the furlher purchases of estates. The debate was adjourned, at 5 p.m., until to-morrow, and the Council rose.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

, The House at 2.30 o'clock. * Mr Bornsby raised a question of privilege. He referred to the seating in the ladies' gallery, and the privilege of the front seats enjoyed - by the wives of hon. members, and ■ complainej that last nigbt many - wives of hon. members not cnly 3 could not get a front Beat, but were $ unable to enter the gallery at all. 1 He moved a motion dealing with the , subject, Mr Speaker, who refused to accept the motion, explained that the matter had been already brought under bis notice, and that he bad taken measures to confine the issue of tickets to the number of seats available and to enforce the rule as to the , front seats. , Mr Hornaby was very much obliged to Mr Speaker for his promptitude, and would not press the motion, which was no longer required. Mr Arnold took the opportunity to complain of the lack uf accommodation for members within the Parliamentary preciucts. Mr Hall-Jones told the House that | he bad plans before him to remedy | this defeot, and promised shortly to have them in the hands of hon. members. The following Bills were read a first time:—Havelock Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institute Incorporation Act 1877 Amendment Bill, Marriages Validation Extension Bill, Saturday Universal Half-holiday Bill, Farriers Bill, Sandy Peine and ' Grassmere Domains Vesting Bill, Lights on Vehicles Bill, Elfchatn County Bill, City of Danedia Lands Vesting Bill, Dunediu District Drainage and Sewerage Act 1900 Amendment Bill, Coromandul and Thamea Counties Boundaries Alteration Bill, Maori Land Claims Adjustment and Laws Amendment Bill, Maori Land Settlement Act 1905, Amendment Bill, Fire Brigades Bill, Native Townships Act Amendment Bill Horowhenua Block Act Amendment Bill, Poukawa Native Reserve Bill, Friendly Societies Bill, Products Export Act Amendment Bill, Tourist and Health Resorts Control Bill, Registration of Births Extension Bill, Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill, Adoption of Children Act Amendment Bill, Habitual Criminals and Offenders Bill, Juvenile ' Offenders Bill, Juries Act, Amendment Bill. On resuming tne debate on the-Aldress-in Reply, Mr Hong complimented'the Premier on the wise selection of his Cabinet, bat was sorry he could not equally compliment the Leader of the Opposition on his following. He would uo(; say they were the "tag rag" and "bobtail" of a once formidable paity. He preferred to call them a "skeleton army." The attenuation of the party reminded him of a wreck and a few desperate men clinging to a rart threatened at. every moment with destruction, i The giants in the party were gone. Those who made the party rescected in the days when there were tugs Of war from morning to niahf, and great refoma were effected, were scattered everywhere. The result was the isolation of Mr Massey, who reminded him of a trap-door spider fighting with a straw that das a strong hand behind it. He was always shrieking for u policy, bat they had never heard of a suggestion of any kind of policy from hini. He wailed at the Legislative Council, but that body had been considerably amended since the old Tory

days. It was no longer the refuge for political tarnaoles. As for himself he was a firm believer in the leasehold principle, but if the land is settled, and the settler given a fair chance, no one need oare much. he opposed freehold, because tnat tenure favours monopoly and landlordism. All • further aggregation must be prevented. Another imperative requirement was the diminutinu of the general taxation, and toe increase nl' the graduated land tax. He advocated the abolition of the duty on flour. He commended this abolition, aud similar ones to the Government. Mr Stailwarts (Kaiapara) could not agree with the Leader of the Opposition's criticism of the Ministerial personnel. Mr Massey had insisted oa the private purchase of the nutive lands, but for his part he preferred the Maori owner to the speculator that has in plac.es succeeded him. He preferred the Government, which had Bpent over two trillions on roads in fire years, to the Opposition, which only talked about roads. Mr Ell agreed with the policy of large endowmeut reserves and dissented from Mr Massey's proposition to apply the optional uystem to them, as such reserves are made essentially "to hold on to." The Opposition opposed the State Fire Insurnnoe, but that new departure had benefitted the couutry, and that benefit accounted with other Liberal measures for the dwindling forces of the Opposition. AnotLur cause was tht establishment of the coal depots, another the building of wo Iters' homes. He advocated cheaper railway rates. He advocated the principle of State banking, and denounced the ring of bankers in New Zealand, and demanded the withdrawal of the Bank of New Zealand from that ri"g, and asked that it be ordered to advance monies at oheapor rates for the development of the country. He read a report showing over four millions as the reserve profits of the Ave banks doing business in this country. He thought it time for thebanking ring to get the same attention from th» Government as the insurance ring obtained.

EVENING SITTING.

The Honee met at 7.30 o'clock. Mr Hornsby oomplimented the Pwmier on the construction of his Cabinet. Mr Fowlds was a straight and honourable gentleman, in every way worthy of Cabinet rank and thw respect of the party. Be declared that so long as the Government followed toe lines laid down by the late Mr Seddon he would follow them. The speaker was a freeholder, but with a strongly defined limit of area to prevent aggregation. Mr Massey, in a personal explanation, denied that he had declared last night for free trade in lands. Mr Hornsby said that he had observed ; in Mr Massey'sspeeoh an eoho of the old free-traie cry. Mr Massey read frdm the report of his speech that be bad advooated individualising of the titles and every care after to do justice to the natives. Mr Major praised the Speech for its optimism, and deolated that farmers ere uneasy lest the microbe of single tax may prove infectious. The Premier: ''Nonsense." Mr Major hoped it might be so. He would say that In his electorate 9C per cent, of the farmers were for the freehold, and would be satisfied on that point. The extension of the roadsMn the ont districts was another question of vital importance to them, and it was high time for the looal Government to be put on a better footing. Mr T. MoKenzie ridiculed Mr Hogg's reference to the antiquated state of the things represented by the awagger. In the Premier they bad a gentleman conversant with all the details of commerce—the very man to push the trade of tbe colony, aud he promised him his support, provided be did not give way to "uiy "harebrained" schemes, such as was propounded lately by tbe colony's Commissioner in London. Though a freeholder be would not discuss the matter till the Ministerial proposals came down. Mr Mackenzie made an appeal tor the roading of back-blocks for the benefit of the people who bad been called "bush exiles," and of their •children, compelled now in cold and we 6 weather to pass over muddy roads and sit in ill-warmed schools •without an opcortunity of drying their clothes. J?or this purpose he suggested "ear-marking" the tobacco duty to pay the interest of a three million loan, and he associated with it tbe extension of telephone lines in tbe baak-blouks. Mr Thompson gave the Speeoh a general approval, and said tbe Government would liave to be judged by its works. He advocated increased aid to agriculture and mining, and thought the State suhool education ought to be less literary and more practical. He agreed with those who insist on a limit of freehold holding, and favoured the optional system, and thought a graduated tax above a certain limit would prevent aggregation. He took the opportunity of expressing hi 3 satisfaction at the re•duotion of drunkenness, as shown in the report of the Police Department. At 10.50 o'clock Mr Seddon rose to reply. He defended the Speech from the "no policy" criticisms, which seemed to apply to all Governors' speeohes, and urged that only the outline can in the nature of things be given. The speech had been well received on the whole. The House adjourned at 10.55 o'clock.