PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10435, 28 September 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

By Telegraph—Press Afso'.iativ,,. WELLINGTON, Last- Night The House met at 2.30 p.m. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Ministers, replying to questions, said it is hoped to be able to announce the decision of tihe Government respecting the question of increased pay t-o the rank and file of the police before the end of the session. It is proposed to introduce this session a Betterment Bill dealing with increased unimproved land values, but the question of what is the best course to adopt to obtain further land for the people is receiving earnest consideration. It may be necessary to review from time to time the rentals charged for railway houses occupied by employees. The, railway employees receive pay for tihe Dominion Day holiday. Provasion is being made on the Supplementary Estimates for increasing th • pay of mental hospital attendants.

< DEATH OF MAJOR CAMPBELL. The Speaker- announced the death of Major Campbell, who was clerk of the House for 35 years.

On the motion of the Premier, a motion of regret was recorded in the journals of the House. SUPERANNUATION.

The Premier, replying to Mr J. Allen as to the right of Civil Servants who had served jn provincial Governments to include sudh services for superannuation purposes, said the proposal involved an important question. It involved tihe stability of the whole superannuation fund, He promised oareful investigation of the matter. The remainder of the afternoon was occupied in discussing answers to questions.

ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m., and went into Committee bn the Administration Amendment Bill. Objection, was taken to a new clause moved by the Minister, which provides that three months be allowed to take legal proceedings to enforce a claim.

Mr Allen moved that the ueriod for proceedings be six months. He pointed out that absentees in England, or America, could not possibly move within three montH. . ■ . On division, the amendment was negatived by 35 to 24 votes, and the Bill was reported with amendments. HAURAKI PLAINS BILL.

The House considered the report on the Hauraki Plains -Amendment Bill. Mr Fisher moved that the Bill berecommitted for the purpose of reconsidering the clauses authorising the Minister to levy taxation without £ the people concerned being consulted. The amendment was lost by 44 votes to 18. ' .

Sir Joseph, speaking, on the motion for the third reading of the Bill, said the area of land settled during the past ten years was 4,844,865 acres, and' the selections numbered 16,715, which meant that 66,000 people ihad been put on the land within the decade. The Government had to go on the land. If they had doubled the amount lent, as suggested by the Opposition, there would have been a financial crisis.

Mr Allen, continuing, said tlhe statement of the. Premier concerning t'he settlers put on the laxici was misleading. ' He wanted to know if the figures quoted included pastoral leaseholders. The Government (had..-no-land policy and very little other policy . ■ (Left Sitting.)