PARLIAMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12242, 16 June 1909, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 15. The House met at 11.30. LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES. On the motion of the Premier, that returns showing loans to local bodies lie on the table, a discussion arose on the general question. „ Sir Joseph Ward said he recognised its importance, and when in London ha would try to; arrange for loans to local bodies at a low rate of interest, but .could do nothing now. On the motion of the Premier it was .-agreed that the report of the informal meeting of Parliament be added to Hansard. .

Mr Massey asked the Speaker for a ruling on the point as to Whether the Finance Bill, introduced by the Premier Hast ■ night', was an Appropriation Bill. The Speaker ruled that the Bill was in order. ■•■■

Mr Massey said there were certain proposals in the Finance Bill to which lie strongly objected, and he would oppose it when the Bill entered the Committee stage. In addition to the million and a quarter mentioned in the. first part of the Bill £75,000 was proposed to be raised. This meant increasing the *lebt by £1,400,000. The House had .not had siifficient information regarding .the financial proposals. He objected to extending the appropriations till the •14th October.' The House was given to

. understand it would meet again in Sep--tember. The proper thing to do was to - taring, down an. Imprest Bill when the House met again. It was proposed to ■extend the unauthorised expenditure to .£200,000. i Regarding clause 8, ' interpreted, it meant that the Government was empowered to start roads and -without the authority of Parliament. The Bill would take a week to -consider. It opened up the whole question of administration. The finances of - -the colony were not in a satisfactory -state. While we-had a surplus of £184,----•X)00, we had liabilities of £287,132. Parrliament had a great deal more responsi-bility-this session than usual. Our prosperity had gone.. The Government wa~3 .■ not facing- the: position, and was shirk--ing its duties. He hoped no atte.mpt would be made to raise money by shortloans, 'which would seriously em\barass .thef. country. He referred to the -exodus of settlers from the Dominion; to

■Queensland.

This' was caused by the

Xand Act of two years ago, when-set-tlers,., found that land thrown open for . . settlement was set apart for endowment vpurposes, . and .went away in disgust. JVir Massey said the railways had a capi-.'•r'."tal--of 29 millions invested in them, Jmt; ;;they: were only returning £800,000. ! '^Consequently there was a very serious 3oss on the railways. _ "- Mr Buchanan deprecated the constant railing at capitalists within the last day -or two. People who had money invested' in.land .wer.e called criminals. The Government placed obstacles in;the way of -Settlers acquiring the freehold. . On the House resuming -at 2.30, Mr Fuchanan admitted that the sea---son had been most successful, but the -expenditure .had been excessive. , ; Mr Luke considered a larger sum . ...should ha*;© been 'set apart for the pur■chase of native lands, which should be -opened up and leased to Europeans. "When at Home he hoped the Premier would inquire into financial matters . with the High Commissioner's ■office, which he would probably find more mostly than any other State office. He urged that something should.be done :±o remedy the condition of service: in the police force. The present' Unsatisfactory position was due to the fact that sufficient inquiry had not. been made regarding the antecedents and 'character of applicants. • Mr Arnold also complained of the unsatisfactory state of the police^ force, -and said he would fight for, a remedy •until ,it was effected. He considered , the portfolio of Justice should.be held ■ by a member of the House. . '■'....- : ,-.. ■-•.-■.;.; -Mr* HerdmariT Considered the state of ■ disclosed .respecting ithe police ' -was highly discreditable. The GovernLihent -blamed the Commissioner of Police for the present condition of affairs, Dealing with the Advances "to .Settlers Department, he condemned the ■extension" of loans tp. people otheJ than ~ ~ \,.;:- : ■•■■; '£/.'■-:•■■ ■ ■ ■-. ..•:?■...'•, '. Mr, Okey.was disappointed that a sum Jiad riot beeri;ap^irbj&fiated for advances : settler^?. <A-g66^seal of the depression last year was ;due, to the Depart-1 ;inentn6t havitoj sufficient .funds.to meet rthe requirements cifsjßttlers'.' Regard-" jng public'works, Jdoriiplaints were made •^that ■ the'-Ivaliie :w,as not received for money expended.' Mr"Fraser said the;. House was losing rcontrol bf the public purse, which had r&one tp the Treasury 'benches. He hopped next session P&riiahient would determine that'; the dontrpl1 of the public „ jmrse should be in its hands.'.Members should have tiniegiven them to indicate which wprJcs should 'be proceeded with. ' 7 overniTient had beenunintentional. -|y a factor, iij depletmg the "country of -the capital necessary to:carry on indus".tries...- . -' '< c- ■--■ '■'■

.'Dr. Newman condemned the Govern.mcnt's jborrowing policy. > .-.Mr-. Allen sjiid the Government's ..Jiand-to-mouth • borrowing policy was -dangerous.- He hoped the house would .pass. 41 resolution in favour of military •trainirtg, which would have its effect iat the Defence: Conference. The Swiss -.system was incomparably the best for JNeiv Zealand,, as it did not intarfere ■•With employment. The House adjourned at 5.30. , The House resumed at 7.0. . -Mr Hiiie criticised the administration *Pf public works;, and gave an instance of men in his electorate throAvn out of •employment. Three hundred were discharged- last month in the Taranaki dis--tnct. -...■- " : ■

Mr Clark opposed compulsory trainIng if the Volunteer system could be rendered effective. He proposed a --scheme whereby Volunteers be insured ior £100, payable at 50 years of age. The amount of the premium would be £2' 7s per year per head. This, on :200,G00 men, would be £47,000. This •would increase the force by 20,000 next ..year, and the third year would raise a force to 50,(Ml At the end of the -tenth year we would have 110,000 men fit to take the field. Mr Taylor (Christchurch) wondered when there would be a party in the House to bring before it the state of men who -lid not earn £100 per year, .fhis wjis a class that should be considered. He said Customs taxation pressed lieavi y on working men, and he pointed out that the British Chancellor had relieved :nen with families in the way of taxation. Mr Taylor said he hoped on the return of the Premier that the advances to settlers office would be reorganised so that people could procure the capital required to carry on their •enterprises. Local government reform was urgently needed. Parliament would *>c voting two millions without knowing T^r money would be spent. Mr Anderson advocated the reform of local government with a view of relieving the Government of much work He also advocated the freehold to settlers, and spoke of the necessity of military training. Mr Fisher hoped a Commission would ■be set up to inquire into the police lOrCie"I OrCi e" Mr Fi!sner J continuing, went on to deal with the question of retrenchment a-nd urged that such a condition • of affairs as existed previous to reforms an tho Cmt Service should not be allbw'ed to exist in the future. Mr Henries, referring to the loan, said the House shaW be given more information on the subject. He proceeded to deal with the financial proposals

regarding native lands, and said there was he more burning question in th» North Island. Hardly anything had been done as ilie result of the legislation of 1200. ■ - ■ .

Sir Joseph Ward replied that regarding those who criticised the 'loans, those who indulged in such criticism were constantly asking for money for works in the:r districts. As to the charges legarding the1 police force, members should, before nlaking them, have communicated with the authorities concerned, in b' dor to learn the other side of the question. He pointed out that cut of 337 candidates coming up last year, 250 were rejected for various reasons. . He rebutted further charges against the members of the force. .'He knew of no reason why the Minuter of Justice should not 15e vm the calm arena of the Upper House, so long as' Tie carried ,-ou.fc his duties efficiently. He charged those who objected to the limit of £5000 granted to settlors with having killed the proposal to fix the limit at £5000 The talk' of capital being driven out of the country, was nonsense. Companies: were leaving the ,country, taking millions with them, "and other companies wore coming in and investing their money in the country. During tho last twelve months over four nut lions were borrowed by the Government without' a hitch, proving that our credit stood high, notwithstanding the attempts to damage it. The policy of the Government regarding railways had, not changed. Referring to tho crowd asembled at Parliament gates, the Premier denounced the attempts to get up a demonstration agahxft himself, ; and, defied those -responsible. THE SECOND READING CARRIED.

The second reading -was carried in committee. -.. •. ..."'.;•

Mr Massey moved an amendment to clause 2 that the 30th September bo substituted fpir October 14th. The Government were asking for supplies till the middle of "October, thus deferring the meeting of Parliament till that date. •"'■■".

Mr Buchanan supported tha amendrivenb. ''■ "'•"': "' .'' ' '■• ■ • . :

The Prom ier esdd he cou Id not roturn before the 30th September and it was jiecessavy.'to have a; week in which to prepare the Imprest \ Supply Bill: