THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 673, 25 November 1909, Page 9

THE HOUSE.

STATE GUARANTEED ADVANCES,

:':' After The Dominion went toVprcs's on Weil- - nesiuiy morning, 'tho House in Comhiitteo con-, tinued consideration of the New Zealand Stato,' Guaranteod'Advnnces'Bill. ■■'■■.■. ': Mr. : Herdnian's amendment to strike ont. tho power to. make advances to mining companies was rejected.by-87.t0 16.; '■ :Mr..IAJKE (VVollington Suburbs) moved that' monoy might bo advanced to; holders of perpetual leases of land owned by harbour boards. and local auth.orities;,. . .;•.'■". i ':::'.: -Tho amendment was lost on"the voices.. , .' ::-Mr. - FltASEß(Wakatipu) moved that loans,: ■' might bo advanced to settlors as loans.to assist in-tho construction of water' races for the purposes of irrigation. •.'..•'. > : Tho \amendment was .- rejected by''3o votes to-.21. : .,.'" L -..--.;';'■.%:, •■ ■■: v -■•• , ■' ,: 'When. Clanso' 18 was tinder consideration,,.'.. ,Mr. MASSBY' pointed ont that there was no limit to the number of years during which tho. loans might bo'raised for tho purposes of the Department. V.Ho. moved ail amendment", (o :be inserted after tho clauses relating to advances ,to- settlers,-and -advances to workers 'that tho aggregate amount .which :nright bo borrowed bo six millions.':;■ .; -i'-o "...•: ■;'.;.■ .■"■; ■-, ,' ;Tho.proposal;was-'rejected, by £9 votes to 16.; : ••An'amendmoht. was agreed to providing that tho'amonnt "to bo fixed ris 'the borrowing limit of lo^nV.bodies should bo' fuod only, by . tho House of Representatives instead.of by, resold-, tion of both Houses of. Parliament.,. ' ;' "i At'-- 3.15 ■ n'.ni.;, when'.. Clause . 18 had '.been reached and agreed to/progress was reported, and the'HoUEO'rbsp. ":'.:.-: ;. ;.;._,'..', ". ."■.).' ■' h;'W : ■';;.;; privatebills., ;;;; ;.:;■; ■■■'■'Upon tho HoU6S'resuming at 2.30 yesterday, afternoon," tho' ;Koman■ of Auckland Special Powors Bill was,read "a third: .time, :on' tho' motion of Mr. Ba'ume,;: and ■passed. 1 ;-:-:'\;;,.'-.:;::,' ; ■--,- , , ; '.;.. : .'''.''"...:' HARBOUR BOARD ; :Mr.'FEßLD.in6vcd the second'reading;of the Wellington' Harbour■:• Board 'and Corporation ;Empo>venUE.Aot,:.lß9B, "Amendment' BUI.'. Ho, : saidHhat' prior: to ,1695; there; ;was a: block ,-of. residential land:between Victoria .Street-. and COurtenay.'Place,; ; known 'as': I the,, -Grainger, plook.;- 1 :, There I''we're -17 ■ property-owners '. in 'the block,' -which- wis./'coriipulsorily' acquired -by. the 'Harbour -'Board' in 1693.3/: Opoh claiming, compensation,, the received a much less.; sum .than thatsto which' thjey considered themselves, entitled. A A rehearing of tho claims had been recommended by a Committee of the: House. . The Bill provided .that the claims ! .b'e directed to -be-■ reheard r'by .'a.-, fresh',;CompensationCourts' If the amount of any fresh award should ;exoecd. that: of: '• thoi. f ormor ' award tho; excess;Should. ; be, paid, to. tho'-.elairoant,'.. ;, ...Ori'.. 'the'/'other.'handi'it:.tho. : amount;of 'anyafresh; award- were (less '.than i that oi':. tho ■■■'■■: former - awardi it was provided '; that' claimant: should. refund; .deficiency..; Mr." Ficldi.'declarcd that onlyone small, section of 'the blocks could have been Teqhircd'for .dock -purposes. .It'was 'his.; i opinion .that., the land was; only taken ;for "an: linvostment,/^' 1 .; ;'-;;■'-■;;' ;;;-,;/■;■:-'.: ■:■";';■'.'"-'-';',K [Mr; Wilfbrd's: Views.;,-• ;' : -/::'sH- ;i -'- : "C''' ;■'.■'" I; ; ; -Jlf. (Hutt)?said; that■ as h/o .was; chairman of the; Harbour Board' he would' not eit on' .the Private-Bills-Committeo, .of,<which he- is-: also" chairman,', whenX'.tue'rßili) came ..-be: ;fore it; -.W'hat the board' did -was;strictly- : in' 'accordanc6';with";'law.;.;- The'•'cest'-to'.-ihe' board : was ,212,711 less-'about'. .£3000;-, receipts for. valiio of, buildings.; ■■■■■ The ''.investment; had riot proved' lucrative- as .had ; bec'n suggested: ;':;;; .;'■';:,:' : other:.;opin^ris^'::-;.X-:^ ! i;. ; Vr;->X- ; ;:V:;'- '--i'--- , /'; Mr.;;iiUKE:;(Wellington 1 :Sui)urbs) 'hoid;that it: was "desirable" for;;the:health, :6f. tho. .coin-. Uauriity;;that the,area 'in'..question; should have bMnX.improVed.'L-Liko Mr.-Field, he had;',al--'ways-.iheldr.that; an .appeal' frbm;a 'Compcnsa-': -tion;'. Court ; -should be:- allowed.' : -: ;'">. '■'■■.'.'■''■ ; ;jfr:-.HI!IED»tAN-(Wellington.N6rtli) said that' if; art; appeal : wore;.allowed; from a-.decision of a..Compensation[; Court ;almost'/ every 'claim?ant would take-advantage of the right.-' If 'the right of re-trial j were conceded -it/would'be .a ■ditferonf'niatteri;,;; „■,-.';,;'..• '•:';; : .'; ; 'X| V -'" ■ ■• , .;-:'r-v-'-' , '.' : -' ; Central)' 1 vaslcod• whether valv : uation.'X }' : l v • :'■'.;' : ■-. Wr.- Field i- No'; 'the .value- at" tho tim o' of - acfyiisition;'-.''-::'.-.'.';.' ;'■'/ : . : -'■■':': i: '■■;.)■ ■'.' '-..• .-".:'■'■> -.; ..-• Mr.:. Fisher: How',rcaif'tnat'•"■be dctormincd 'a'fterp'll.' years^ : v',:-:':.:.:'i -V' ;<'V.-;. : : :"■■■-. ;■,;-:,.'";.;;' ...Mr.'.'Wold!; ;By.;evidence,;. ,•.;..:,'■■ ','.■' ,;., , V • ;-Mr. Fisher.said, that; the; land'.was .valued; at .tho. timo;;6f .'the\hcaring;of ; -,tho'■claims.;''He: 'wondered: what, tho House ..would think, if, the owhor of \tho Flaxbourne estate :asked"for.. His 'claim'', to-be re-heard.' ■ There; would - bo''ho.V.ot" 'jection; on'-his ;part to;;somb. formiof;. appeal from' a-decision, of' a'-Componsation, Court.,. .It was his.viow.that the Court, which heard -tho claim's.'.-waavVin'.the'.best position, .to ;judga their; merits and -demerits. : ■'■;,■' ;',•>,: '>','.: . .The-. Bill: ;was';.rca'd':a; second time Vtho : yoicesr ;.' ' X.:;"::.':';'.:'!.".. -J'■'':.. ,:,-v'v.;i i;.:- ; :.. ; .: : ':; : ,-' ';w;(;QOVERryOR*S::SA'LkRYX'BIL!^ ';';.pEI3AyE:;qN:';fHE;F!R^ : •.Mr.''.'r; !E. ; -TAYIOB/tChnstchurch -, North) movedv.tho first reading i of- tho; Governor's Salary, and "•Allowances''Ecductibn : BUI: V-He said ;.no. had always felt .that .it was a;mis.takc,:,in 5 ;19U0, r . to; raise V.tho..salary ;;ahd• allowances -in.rcspoct of tud-oiKcb':ol-,(Governor irom 'A'jOOO :.to, Ji'iMt). .'Tho increase was made when money was exceedingly plentiful and criticism of "public i.ospenOitiiro; exceedingly, las. :lf ' tlio - -President .oi'; tho "/United- States" were .'paid-.'.at the; same rate "in pl-opdrtion to tho popuiatioUi .ho would;rtc'eivb a' salary of ■'•■ ioliO.OOu. ..The l'rime-Minister::did ;threo. time 3 as'niuch'wbrk :as.a-Gpvernor,. He recognised that there-must be such an bflico: as tha'Governorship, but now , that;;. general retrenchment.- was tho order oi the day ..on bvcry;- hand,: i7uoo. was'•■;a ridiculous ; .amount to /cohtinufl, to .pay as ; Governor's .salary. The'-;amount-would maintain in. comfort: 70 'workers 'arid"their: families through-: out the;-year..'."' The Bill proposed-'to reduce the salary, to "which .;was tho ; ; amount' tor ' many;years';prior ,to'the;dato:'of-'the.incrcasp; ' Statement jby: Primei Minister.;'.,'.;■;' ■ .-,'.;' - ;' ; -The PRIME MINISTEE; pointed ;.'out ; thai : Now:z;caiana stoou'ioiirth.lh impor- ; lancb: among,;the; coßntries- aitaehed : to'"■ the •:Empir'e.:- : He,placed India first, Canada.second: : .Australia'.-third,'.:and'' IScw;-&aiand' 'lourtn -Soutn Africa, had. yet to ■ develop.. under, .it! ' .union, ,'ilembers 'siiould.look.at tho qiiestioi :irom'ti broader standpoint than that of & si'U Attached -to tho : position': there : wero trauitiom ■. whi'cli ..rendered" it :e3seutiatVtnat'. it. siiould, bi . . maiiitaincd in a;proper way.; .{The last threi :Governor's. spentVa.'.great uool -more. in '..ttiii , country: thaii they,: received in. trio Way: :o; -. salary and 'allowahcbs.' ■■••';-;."' • .. • "■;-.- ■ •-.' i •: Mr. /Taylor:'.lt" would, be very difficult .t< ' prove; that-, by-.documents;; : ,-, '; ■/. ■■-',: , - ■ ,:;'';./;.;.-.:' 'Sir; Joseph;' said", that the Governor spent; i ; great aeal,in travelling about trio counti-y, am - ho could not.travel about just'like an orumar; citizen. Tho, test ,'ot tho .value of.'. the. pbsitioj ; .was not the nopuiatson of the country. He wa ;. "just "as .ahxions: lis anybody to : see • economic i' v-arried out, butihe must tase exception to-Mr : 'iaylo'r's allegations ' of'.. past.- recklessness ; am i caruiessaeas.,',.|'i , 'ro'm January ,to iie«!mber:.th > Government ; ; had 'to resist : demands from at • parts'ot'tho country, for:y'otes,for: public works J- The Need:for Rotronchmont. :■ j. , :• .(Invercargill) saitl-lhat he ha ': voted' ajjainst:-tne:'proposal to • increase tn '; Governor's salary.. He believed thatin practi: - ing: economy^the.,Government should begin' t | the head, aud : not at the -bottoin. .Theprosoß ; Governor': was one of. the'most capable an '~• distinguished.'ineri. who had "occupied the: pbs ,: tibn.',: He;,was .pleased to hear that fiirthc ' oconoraies'Werb;: : .td'''be'-/' effected.. There ■ wt :•.- an; amount of bstentatipri and frill in conne ". tiori; with "tho; 'Parliamentary, machinb whic V- ahould not'be' further, supported.; It .was h 3 opinion, that .tho. cost in connection, with tl 1 library, was far: too much.-:.'.'; Th- salaries ( '■"' tho staff.alono'amounted to iC2203.' For tl - Crown- Law Office, the total of salaries an I Charges .carao..to" something like, .£27,000, i !' which; salaries represented i' 23,900. They had '.. Solicitor-General receiving ~£looo' a year; "c l * assistant ~law -officer getting anothi * law'-'ofiiccr in' receipt of''.W2o,.besides In n olerks.- Tlien- there;,was tha i :. "connection, with law' drafting. From the esl ', mates, it would be seen'that counsel was pa: 'J: illOOO:- per annum. In.' nddltion, thcro.was . ! v law "draughtsman who received £000,. and' n .' clerk'.who was paid .Seeing that tl '".; functions of - the .'-llepartmonts. werb similar, tl heavy expenditure.in keeping them up shou •'■..!; be roduccil.v.; , ;'j ■/■'.''■■■■'■■■■ S; ;Mr.':Taylor■*-In .;; % .'; Mr.; that"tho' salary' of tl v ; ' tho-'Oomntonwealth ::w j) : ;.«10,000, arid the, salaries ; of the Stato Govcrnb „' did -riot exceed :<£sooo. : ' ; Tha; Govbrnor-Genor ,7 of:• India was;receiving .a'salary;;very- mm ){'■ smaller.iri. proportion,to'; that; ,which::Was;;pa ,:_ in' New Zbalabd,'/: He : <sw no' .justification : f i. : .-itlic -mdintenahcolofj.'the ■•.Qove'rnOrfaV residon

; Zealand' would,'. he believed,' consider' itself j strong enough; and important enough-to select its own Governor. .■'•:••: ;;■ v : - . :, : '■■'■'.. ■■■■■■■ ■.'. :'-. The Bill was: read ,'a fiTst .time,■.and' the. second ■reading sot doivri. for. Wednesday next, ■';" ■

GRAND JURIES ABOLITION BILL.

;A; RECENT CHRISTCHUriCH XASE. : : iln moving thoArst reading of- Hs'. Grand' Juries, Abolition Bill, . :■ . : ■'. Mr.iT. B. TAYlOit said that certain recent ; occurrences had raised the issuo whether all men"stood cqual.in the eyes of the law. The G.raud Jury, judging-by occasions that. Kad happened in the Inst few years; only hampered tho.system 'of.trialyby jury. . A few years, ago -in' Cliristchurch , a person of.food family 'admitted charges of petty theft;in.tho 'Magistrate's. Court, yet when, the case canio to tho Supreme Court tho Grand Jury caused much comment by throwing tho Bill out. Moro recently,- to the surprise'-.pf. tho city, d Grand Jury -had: thrown out the Bill against a person charged with misappropriation oii'a'largd scalo,,i andrecently there.had.bceri another case which 'had 'startled tho .Cliristchurch ; public/ -.' .An" Auckland tram conductor had' recently .liceii sentenced to" nine months' imprisonment for negligence in his duties,' but the latest' Christ church case suggested .that. there v-as one law for: tram . conductors and another for wbnlthy .-ndividuals:- Mr. Taylor referred;,to'"thb recent charge. against' Humphreys in connection'; with the- death, of Captain Poivitt by a,'motor-car accideut. . Tho Stipendiary. ' Magistrate,'. he; stated, said that a prima facie ,Caso had 'been established, and sent the case, to-.the: Supreme Court .fpr trial. ,He hold that ,a. magistrate was better, qualified -to juflge.if a prima facie,, cass'had been made put than any. Grand Jury. In tho Humphreys ,casb,:Mf. Justice. Bonnistbn charged thoGrand Jury that -thoy had to consider only.the.evidence for the prosecution, 'and whether thoro was- a. prima facio case '.against-'-.the accused. : The .Grand Jury examined witnesses for .the dofenco, .who.had not been heard, in tho. Magistrate's !Cpur't—an unprecedented -.and absolutely.wrpng.thing, which'he undertook to say-would not'liav.o, been allowed in 'thp'cas<!:of : the , tram! condiictbr. - Tho - Goveroment had ■a; right .to call on' the CroTO..Prosecutor to .'.'justify that: special 'departii.ro.'- He ■ was informed that this; iibw evidence ivas.made the :occasion, for throwing out'tlic Bill. .'There! wore sonic other; roinarkablb features of Hie case. \At tho:inquest the Coroner!.invited counsel to.address the jury, which was nbt-tlio usual , custom, and a ; special sitting \vaslickl by ."the riiagistrato; pna:Suhday-to admit.HumphToys'tp.bail. Tho case! ho '-had mentioned was. a scandal !bf, tho, first magnitude, and emphasised the! contention, which., Sir William Steward?had .raised in tho-House twenty.years before,-that Grand, Juries-should, be. abolished. .; ...•.;;■ -,-■-■ V:/f he. discussion was'then adjourned till; today;.;."; ,: ; ..... ■'■.■:- ;::;:■' ■ ~- -: ■ .:■>■ ./--. -.-,.. !-i■'■','!•'ji