PARLIAMENT.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 43, 28 November 1913, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL j WELLIN<3TON, Not. '25. i The Council mel at 2,30 p.m. ! The Ureal Bodies Louns Bill wa« read , a third time and tho Footwear Rogula- \ tion Bill was read a second time. The second reading of tho Post and. Telegraph Amendment Bill was carried. The Government Railways Amend-. ment Bill, l<aud Drainage Amendment | Bill Water Supply Amendment Bill and I River Board Amendment Bill passed through committee, and were read a | third time. The Couneil rose at 4.00 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House mot at 2.30 p.m. AUCKLAND EXHIBITION. Replying to Sir J. U. Ward (Leader of the Opposition) Hon. W. F. Massey (Prime Minister) said that he could not say whether the House would adjourn in'order to enable members' to visit the Auckland Exhibition. Arrangements were being made to enable members who desired to <\o >o to visit the Kxhibition, but if the House adjourned it would only be fur one day. FIRST READINGS. The Hospital and Charitable Institutions Aet Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. The West Coast Settlement Reserves Bill was introduced by Governor's mossa.rc. The Bill was rend a first time and referred to the Native Affairs Committee.

PUBLIC REVENTES. The Public Hevcnue Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor;* message. Hon J. Alien (Minisle,- lor i'lnanco) oKlilaiiiiHl that it provided power ty.isbuo. Treasury Bills in Loudon m antietimtion of a loan. Sir J G Ward said that a question of so much importance ought to have been referred to tno Public Accounts Committee. Hon J. Alien said that there was nothing particularly now m .the Bill. Power to ussue Treasury Bdls m London was there now. All that was wanted was authority to delegate this iwwcr to thu High Commissioner. He was prepared to refer the Bill to the Public Accounts Committee. The Bill was road a hist time and referral to the Public Accounts Committee to report within one week. LEGISLATURE AMENDMENT. On the orders for the day being called on Sir Joseph Ward moved, "That tne legislature Amendment Bill, be recommitted tor the purpo.se of inserting a clause providing" tor preferential voting." . % the House resumed at ..bO p.m. The debate on Sir J. G. Wards amendment was carried on by the OpjKwition. who demanded a .more scientific method of Hvnraw majority representation than that known as "hrst past the post." The debate was continued until I.VJO; when Sir J. G. Ward".* a mend mom was rejected by K votes to -4. The third reading was thoii taken. .

Sir .1. G. Waul denounced the method taken to tore.' through the House a Bill upon which the people never ox pressed an opinion, and winch was contrary in its nature to all the avo'-.cd proiessions. of the Government, which had on several occasions intimated that some substitute would be provided tor the second ballot. Hon. W. F. Massey donU\l ( that the Government had broken pledges. He was not going to rush in where angeis teared to tread. The proposal oi the trovernnieiu wa> not pertivt. hut it had to find something b,tter. It had been suggested that proportional representation should lv applied t.->' the cities. He <lid not know tiia: ih..- was net a

suggestion that could be made. The methods adopted by tlie Oppo-ition to block the Bill were unparalleled and therefore they ncej, not he surprised if unusual means had been adopted to meet that obstruoron. The second ballot was expensive and demoralising. and lie was only sorry that he did not take time last session to icpeal it then. Mr Russell i v .Yvon) maintained that the repeal of the second ballot was entirely due to the defeat of the Government at the Grev election.

After the telcsiranh of nee eWd ;>t -2 a.m. Hon. V. M. ». Fisher, in Ins reply. oVdared that obstruction had taker, place on the Kill because- it was likely to destroy an unholy alliance which exited Ivtweon two minorities of politics in the country. Sir Joseph Y\'ard (Leader of the Opdenied thai there was any alliance between his. and any other nariy in the country . Com inning. Mr Fi.-h.-r t-aid that- the Opposition had endeavored to embarrass the Government inside the House while it was tare to face with a great industrial struggle outside. It was about time that the Leader of the Opposition declared which side lie was on. whether he was on the side of law and order or on the side of anarchy. At the conclusion of the Minister's speech Sir Joseph Ward again emphatically denied that there was anv compact between the Liberals and tie Labor Party. The statement was a most unfair one. He also stated that the Opposition had purposely refrained from referring to the strike in the House but he would take an early opportunity of doinc so in a constitutional wax*.

A division was then taken on the third reading when the Bill was carried by 33 vows to IS). The' House rose at 3.30 a.m.