PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2638, 21 October 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

legislative council.

ELECTION OF CHAIRAIAN OF COMMITTEES.

[Pur Press Association.! WELLINGTON, Oct. 20. The Council! met at 2.30 p.m. The election of Chairman of Committees resulted in the return of the Hon. R. IT. J. Reeves.

THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. The debate on the Address-ifrßeply was resumed by the Hon. W. Bcelian, who characterised the Dreadnought offer as a great act of imperialism, lie entirely approved of what the Premier had done at the Defence Conference. He promised that the Special, Settlements Finance Bill would, give many people an opportunity to get on to the land that they would not otherwise have. He congratulated the AttorneyGeneral on lffs efforts at prison reform. Tiie Hon. J. Alarshail applauded the steps taken by the Premier in the direction of obtaining cheap money for local bodies. Hei said there was very little" to complain of. in the land system, which was much appreciated. The Hon. C. At. Lu'ke complained of the indecisive character of the Timber Commission report, and said that the timber millers were deserving of every consideration. He also complained that undue restrictions were placed upon employers of .labor, who were harassed in. their operations. He contended that if. industrial efficiency is to be maintained some assistance would have-to be given by means of the customs tariff. . • The debate xvas adjourned, and the Council’ rose at 5.30 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

In the House after midnight on Tuesday, Air. W. Luke continued the debate on the Address-in-Reply. He regretted that no definite statement had been made as to the proposals of the Government on the land question. He approved of the leasehold system. He deplored the fact that local industries were not encouraged. The House adjourned at 12.20 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Address-in-Reply debate was contnued by Air. Craigie, wlio, having stated ...that he- considered the discussion on the Address a waste of time, sat down amidst applause and laughter. Air. Alander dealt at length with the results of the Timber Commission, the report of which, he said, was a compromise between the varying views of its members. He thought that more attention should be paid to afforestation and to forests on broken country. On the land and labor questions, he supported the uolic— of opportunities for all workers to earn as much as they could and improve' their positions in life. He favored closer settlement of the land, along with the freehold in restricted areas, which, he said, would encourage immigration. Mr. Witty pointed to the loan raised by the Premier when at Home as evidence proving that finuanciers had not lost. confidence in the country. He complained of misrepresentation on the part of the Opposition. Dealing with the land question, ho said that he hoped the endowments would be kept intact. The ..object of the . Opposition land policy was to obtain large blocks for their friends.

Air. Jennings pointed out that settlers in the country districts were under great disabilities in procuring education for t-heir children. Regarding land settlement, he complained that practical men had been denied opportunities of acquiring sections, yet blocks were being opened for civil servants, who could not work bush sections. Alen who took ur> land in the isolated districts of the North Island were entitled to the freehold.

Mr. Buchanan hoped that the Alinister of Education would inqxiire into the want of educational facilities in country districts. Regarding the frozen meat industry, steps ought to be taken to prevent overstocking the English market.

The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. Speaking in the evening, Mr. Buchanan urged an active policy in connection native lands. The Government had denied that capital had been leaving the colony, but there was no doubt that some wealthy farmers had left our shores, while the Government had been assisting immigrants without capital to come to New Zealand. Mr. Baume said that tenants who made a bargain with the State had no right to demand tlie freehold at rthe original valuation. If leasehold tenants were granted the freehold, the \price • should be based on the present value. He considered that no judge should he paid for any extra work done outside the Judicial Bench. The course taken in regard to Sir Robert Stout was injudicious, and should not he repeated, as it would open the way to abuses • The Hon. D.. Buddo condemned the wholesale* misrepresentation by the Opposition of the Dominion’s financial position. He \jonsidbred that one agreeable feature of the debate was the fact that many members of the Opposition 1 were quite ready to accept the whole of the Government’s legislation. Mr. Buddo, continuing, domed that the Health Department had got out of hand, as alleged by Mr. Allen. The Department had, done much good work for the public. On the subject of land valuations, he said that valuation of land was considerably below the selling value. If the productive value of land were used as a basis of valuation that would amount practically to an income tax, which would be unfair. The annual value was also impracticable, as an . incidence of valuation. The statement made by Mr. Massey refajding the loss of population was not orne out by figures. Tlie population in 1900. to 1908 had shown an increase of 20 per cent. Mr. Allen asked that the document containing the Valuer-General’s instructions, quoted bv Mr. Buddo, should be laid on the table. Mr. Buddo said he saw no reason for doing so, but the Speaker ruled that any papers referred to by him in his speech must, be placed before the House. ' J Mr.. Thomson (Dunedin > North) donlorcd the waste of time in .recrimination by both sides of the House. The Premier scarcely realised the amount of feeling created .in the country by the suspension of Parliament during his absence.

Mr. Forbes charged tho Opposition with changing its name, while it retained its Tory character. He announced himself as strongly in favor of the leasehold teliure. He thought the Maoris should be given an opportunity to settle on their lands. _ . < Mr. Buick expressed gratification at the Government’s announcement that lit would introduce legislation affecting

the dealing with Native lands. Ht considered the cry about putting the Maori on the same footing as Europeans a specious cry. Natives should be allowed a chance to settle on their own lands. Mr. Scddon dealt mainly with mining matters as relating to his own electorate. (Left sitting.)