House of Representatives.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8277, 19 October 1905, Page 6

House of Representatives.

The House met at 2.30 p;m,

ministerial replies,

In reply to questions, Ministers stated :— That it was unreasonable to comprehend" that there is any necessity to, > have the balance-sheet of the Salvation Army audited (the.law does not permit the Salvation Army to be placed on the same footing as local bodies, so that the Audit Department could audit its accounts); that it is the intention of Sir Joseph Ward to use his best endeavours to place the Civil Service Superannuation Bill on the Statute Book this session; that no wholesale slaughter of penguins has taken place or is likely to take place on the Auckland Islands or any of the islands belonging to New Zealand; that there is no danger of the extermination of the birds on those islands ; that the Government, by every possible means, are facilitating the placing of this country's products on the markets of the United Kingdom to the very best advantage, every available opportunity being taken to bring under the notice of ever-sea consumers the superiority of our products, the shipments of which the High Commissioner is duly advised by cable ; that the Produce Commissioner and his stall are ever on the alert in the interests of shippers and the good name of our products, and any suggestions received from him as to the better marketing of New Zealand producers is immediately given effect to.

Mi- G. Laurenson asked what the Government intended to do with regard to the Harvester Trust,

Sir Joseph Ward said the House could not deal with tho matter until the Labour Bills Committee reported on the petitions that had been referred to it. They had to be careful in dealing with a matter of this sort, that they did not do an injustice in some other direction. Personally, he favoured the free admission of the raw material necessary for implement making. The remainder of the afternoon was occupied with formal business and discussion on the Ministerial replies to questions. ELECTORAL ROLLS. Sir Joseph Ward laid on the table a lengthy report concerning the compilation of the electoral rolls of the Colony, which showed that 107,845 names had so far been added throughout the Colony, and 48,374 alterations had been made, at a total cost of £6,200. ELECTORAL BILL. The amendments made fey the Legislative Council in the Electoral Bill was agreed to, except the amendment in Subjection 2 of Clause 54. MAORI LAND. The Maori Land Settlement Bill was considered in Committee. At Clause 2 (" Constitution of the Maori Land Boards") Mr H. Heke moved an amendment to provide tfrat two members of each Board shall be Maoris. The Hon. J. Carroll thought the clause was better as it stood, as the Governor had power to appoint two Maoris if circumstances warranted it.

The amendment was lost by 48 to 14, and the clause passed with the provision that in future the Maori Land Councils cease to exist in favour of the Boards provided for by the Bill. Clause 6, providing for the acquisition of surplus Maori land by the Government, pro-, yoked some discussion.

The Hon. J. Carroll moved an amendment providing that the operation of the clause should not be limited to the " surplus " lands of the Maoris.

Mr W. H. Hemes (Bay of Plenty) urged that any such provision should not be carried until the Maoris had been put on the same footing as the pakehas with regard to the disposal of their lands.

The Hon. J. Carroll contended there was no such thing as " surplus " Maori lands, as the law now stood, and the " surplus" lands would only be created after tho Act was brought into operation. The law, therefore would not be operative if the term " surplus " lands were retained.

Mr W. F. Massey thought the word should be retained, and a definition of surplus lands be inserted in the Bill.

Eventually the Hon. J. Carroll's amendment was lost by 34 votes to 32.

The Hon. J. Carroll moved a further amendment that the land taken by the Board shall vest in the Board in fee simple. This was agreed to on the voices, and the clause as amended was added to the Bill by 47 votes to 16.

The new clause 14a, giving the Minister power to remove restrictions on the alieniation of Native lands by way of lease, was postponed.

The remaining clauses of the Bill were passed without material alteration.