PARLIAMENTARY

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1437, 22 September 1905, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

By Tekgraph.-Pren Asaoeiattos. Welhngtoh, thia day. LEGISLATIVE COUNCII Thursday Thß Council met at 2.30. NATIVE LAND IN NORTH ISLAND MrOrmondmovodfor* retnrn of the estimated total aoreage of native land in . the North Itland, unoccupied or unproductive; a schedule of'tbe blocks ana where situated whioh make up th« acreage; and a genaral report on eaoh blook of 1000 acres or over, giving as far as tan be dono the acreage of each blook; the t approximate proportions of open land and forest; the approximate proportions of first and second class rural land; fhen s the number of natives (if any) living on' each blook, and the acroage occupied by them; the number of native owners and the quality of forest where each land is bush. The motion was carried. LAND AGENTS BILL,

The Attorney-Genoral moved the second reading of the Land Agents Bill. It was, he said, a copy of the Bill introduced into the Council in 1903. It provided for licensing land agents, and made provision

for the application of the trust money*. All moneys receive! by land agents in resp r ot ■ of stile's of i land, after deducting expenses, commission, and other charges incidental to the sale, were to be paid to th'e .persons on whose behalf land was sold or to such person ns the la'.ter might direct, and until such sum wa so paid the money must be paid into a bank to a general trust account. A ponaity of £SO was provided for breaoh of these provisions, tho moneys paid into tho trust account would not be available for the payment of the land agent, or be liable to be attached or token in oxecution under the order or process of any court at the instance of any such creditor, He explained that the' Bill had been brought in at the' instigation of the land agents, and its object was to protect tho public. Mr Mac Donald characterised the Bill as an absurdity. It never had been aifeod for by hnd agents so far as he wos aware, and the Attorney • General had failed to ', show how it would protect the public, 1 Mossi'B Stevens and Kelly failed to see how the Bill would proteotthe public, and opposed the measure Mr Trask described the Bill as" rubbish," and moved m an amendment that it bo read a eeoond time that da; six months.

After further discussion, the amendment was lost by 18 to 12, and the second reading agreed to. ! / The Kaipoi Native Deserves, Bill. (Attorney-General) was committed and reported with amended schedules. JThe Council roso at 4,20, HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES THURSDAY The House met at 2.30. '- . ' HARVESTER TRUST Mr Taylor gave notice to ask thePrernior whother ho will promote the oonforonce between representatives of farmers and manufacturers with a view to prevent tho operations of the Harvester Trust In tho oolony.! HUTT RAILWAY The Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Bill, which gives the' Government power to olectrify the Hutt railway lino, w»3 introduced by Governor's message and road a first time. j THE STATE COAL MINE Tho Gold Gelds aad Mines Committee roporiod that the Minister of Vines had declined to comply with the rtllnlion of tbe committee that certain books and papers oonneoted with the Seddonvillo State coal mine he laid on the table of the committee. Mr R, MoKenzie moved that the House orders the Minister to lay these papers on the table. :'.; ; \ : o '.-.. Mr berries said one of the papers the Minister'had. refusedto produce was the report on;: the departmental enqniry recently hold into me working of tho Stato mines, It was, he declared, an instance of the defiance of the law by the Government. ,

Mr MoQowan said ho was prepared to lay tho report '■and otitaco before the coiruuitteo, but declined to submit to tbe committee private papers consisting 3 of accounts, receipts, eto, that must 5 remain in tho custody of tho official head of the department. He tvfis prepared to give the fullest i'poEsible information, without divulging private matters relating to the State coal minos, He complained that tbe publicity that had already been given to the affair* of tho mines had beon injurious to tho interests of the mines. Mr Seddon raised a point ol order that the committee had power to call for persons and papers but not for - records, and quoted "May" in support of his contention. Ho also contended that Stafo papers could only be ordorod by an address, and that therofoce Mr K, MoKonzie's proposal was out of order. Tbe Speaker ruled that the Minister did not dcclino to produco tho document referred to, and therefore tho statement in ' the report of tho committeo to'Hhat effect wos, on the evidence of the .Minister, inaccurate He furthor suggested that the report should bo sent back to tho committee to state more particularly than it does the actual fads of the case. Mr, MoKonzie'a motion could not be accepted, as the, person charged had explained to the House that ho did pot refuse to lay the papers on the table of the committee.' Mr. James Allen moved that the report be referred back to the committee. . Messrs Dnthie and Herdman urged that the House should be placed in possession of tbo fullest information regarding "this large slate enterprise. Mr. Soddon contended that the Departmental roport shouid only be avtilablo to the committee during its sitting and that afterwards it should bo returned to tbe custody of the Department. Tho discussion was interrupted by 5.30 adjournment. Tho Houso resumed at 7.80 BILLS ADVANCED. Tho Statutes Kepeal Bill and the Fisheries Conservation Bill were read a seoond timo, and tho Stamp Act Amendment Bill was put through all his stages. HOMES FOR WOEKMEN, Mr Soddon moved tho second reading of tho Workors Dwellings Bill, He said his ostimato of the eist of homes under the Bill would provide very comfortable homes, indeed he anticipated that there would bo opposition raised to tbe proposal to allow workors to secure the freehold, but that was»committee objection. ' Mr Massey believed it would be very muoh bettor to givo workers the chance of ohooßing eeotlona whereyer they pleased, and that the Stato should advance the money on favourable rates, Tho debate was continued until 2 5 a.m. when it was adjourned, and tho House tORO.