PARLIAMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11745, 23 September 1902, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, September1 22. The House met at 7.30.

PROGRESS OF BILLS.

A number of petitions were presented m favour of Bible reading in schools, and urginj? the suppression of the totalisator and street betting. The Kami Gum Industry Bill No. 2 was read a first time.

NAVAL 'SUBSIDY

The Hon. Mr Hall-Jones moved the second reading of the Australasian Naval Defence Bill. He explained that, contrary to what had been stated, the Bill had no reference to the question as discussed at the late Imperial Conference, but was merely a renewal of the agreement that had existed for years past, involving a cost to this colony of £20,000. He read a statement showing that for the past ten years the subsidy had but slightly exceeded the amount agreed upon, bufc that last year the sum amounted to £21,324.

Mr Napier regretted that the Bill did not .pjrovide for a vote of £40,000. Even then this colony would be paying less than its fair share for the privileges it- enjoyed. The present vessels, he asserted, were obsolete and absolutely useless for belligerent purposes, and it would be better1 to pay an increased subsidy to secure a* better class of vessels for the protection of the colonies. Mr Herries, while a.piproving of the amount stated in the Bill, was opposed to any further increase.

Mr Massey referred to the cabled, statement that Mr. Seddon was stated to have promised a £4Q,000 subsidy for the service. If so the House ought to have been consulted on the matter. He did not believe in militarism), but approved of the amount named in the Bill as a moderate sum for the privilege conferred.

Mr (Meredith supported the Bill. Sir W. Russell expressed disappointment with the Minister's speech in introducing such an important Bill, holding-that notice should have been given and the subject debated as its imjportance demanded. He contended that if the service cost £450,000 the money would be well spent, as the highway of the sea was of more importance than roads and bridges. Unliess New Zealand was to become a mere isolated island ,in the Souitih Pacific the colony must do1 its duty in supporting the fleet. Cm a population basis Ne*w Zealand contributed fivepence seven-eighths, while on the same basis the Mother Country contributed twelve shillings and sevenpence, and while the colonies' trade with the Mother Country amounted to one-fifth of the total trade of the Empire, they contributed only £170,000 to the fleet.

Mr Buddo supported the Bill. Sir J. G. Ward said Sir W. Russell had "wrongly implied that the people of the colony were not prepared to do their duty in the matter of aulpjuoFt to the fleet, but the Bill merely (proposed' to continue for a term the existing agreement. The colony had complied with the Imperial demands1 in regard to the fleet, and before debating any fresh proposal® the House should wai* tilt the colony's delegate to the; Imperial Conference (Mr Seddon) had; returned!. He did not Understand why at that time a debate should have been got up on the subject, or that the loyalty of the colony should have 'been questioned. When the proper time came the colony was prepared to do ita duty in bearing a fair share of the cost of the fleet, in the value of which he thoroughly believed. Mr G. W. Russell, while beilieving that the cla^s of vessel comprising the fleet was out of diate, was of opinion that the subsidy asked would show that the colony was desirous of supporting the system of naval protection. Mr Witheford supported the Bill, and thought it, would be time enough to pay a higher subsidy when asked to do so. Mr Monk, while supporting the Bill, urged that an auxiliary to the British Navy shoulld be formed and thus encourage the maritime aspirations of the youth of the colony.

Mr Hogg thought an unnecessary amount of discussion had arisen on the subject of such a harmless Bill.

Mr Laurenson said that, looking at the increased expenditure which Britain was making from time to time upon the navy, he considered that the colony should double its contribution, and he believed the Government would have a large support for such a proposal.

Mr Atkinson considered the question of Imperial defence was one of the most important that could engage the- attention of the House, and thought the colony was paying a ridiculously small amount towards the support of "tha Australian squadron.

Mr Collins said it "was true tlie Bill only proposed to continue the existing arrangements, still he thought the opportunity should ba taken to discuss the subject. Ho asked what -would be the position of the colony if it were left in a state of isolation? The fleet was a 'protection to our shores and maintained our commerce, and ifc was time the colony .contributed a fair share to its cost.

Mr Barclay ridiculed the idea of any foreign Power attempting to conquer the colony. At the same time he thought the colony should pay its share of the cost of the fleet.

Mr. Wilford supported the Bill. The colony nuist contribute its quota towards the fleet maintaining the supremacy of the sea.

In l-eplying, the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones complained that the debate had. not taken ; place on the provisions of the Bill, but upon questions altogether outside its provisions. If the utterances attributed to Mr Seddon on the subject were correctly reported in the cablegram, it showed that the Premier had correctly hit the temper of the House, which he (Mr Hall-Jones) believed was prepared to double its contribution. As an outpost of the Empire the colony must be rirepared to do its share towards its protection. The motion for the second reading was carried on the voices.

PROGRESS OF BILLS

On the motion of the Hon. Mr Carroll, the Native and Maori Land Laws Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to a committee. Sir J. Ward moved the second reading of the Lands and Deeds Registration Districts Bill, to remove difficulties in connection with alterations in boundaries of land and deeds registration districts. The motion was agreed to. Sir J. Ward moved the committal of thr West Coast Settlement Reserves Act Amendment Bill. He said the principal Act had worked so satisfactorily that it way desirable to brinjr all native reserves under the control of the Public Trustee, which the Bill provided for. The motion was agreed to. Sir J Ward moved the committal of the Local Bodies Loans Act Amendment Bi',V which, ho said, had been considered by the Public Accounts Committee. Tn reply to a brief debite, Sir J. Ward said he thought it would be very unwise to widen the nuthoritv under which loans aro granted to local bodies. If it to. extended further it would be in danger of bi'eakinfl down altogether,

The motion for committal was agreed toj

In moving the second reading of the Pacific Cable Bill, Sir J. Ward said it was merely intended by resolution of both. Houses to give the necessary authority to agree to New Zeatand contributing her quota towards extending the Pacific oablf as might be necessary. One extension was that from Panning Island to Honolulu, of the cost of which, New Zealand would conJ tribute one-ninth.

Mr Herries said the suggestion was that the Pacific cable would not stand, and thai an alternative cable was wanted, and that alternative cable would forsake the all-red route and go through America. Sir J. Ward, in repV. said that so faj New Zealand's share of the cost of the Pacific cable amounted to £72,000. The alternative' route was not being chosen on account of any fear that the main line could not carry the traffic, but because for tb.9 low cost of £250, Oou an alternative route could ba obtained which would be a valu' able connection for the colony and another route over which to get business for the main cable. "*

The second reading was agreed to on the voices. !

The Hob; Carroll moved the second reading of the Sand Drift Bilil, which he said was greatly needed on the West Coast of the North Island to prevent the encroachment of sand, which is at present destroy■■ ing a large area of land in some district* and causing a great deal of loss. After a brief debate the. seccnd reading was agreed to on the voices.