PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 682, 6 December 1909, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

THE ESTIMATES.

WELLINGTON CITY STREETS BILL. , MINISTERIAL OPPOSITION. FURTHER DEBATE ON HOSPITALS-BILL. THE COUNCIL'S AMENDMENTS. : A. morning' session. of the House .of Representatives was :holdson Saturday. Tho 'Wel- ;•>: lington City Streets. Empowering l Bill passed ,• ■ its second readmg,, despite tho opposition of tho Prime Minister. Tho Otaki County BiU v...... . was withdrawn, and a irumber of -other local Bills wore read a second time A discussion - tookplaco oiytho aroendtnoirts made by tho Legislative .Council illthe Hospitals ■ and Chan table Institutions Bill. Tho principal amendment was the delation of tho clauso' to •. - . sHow contracts to .be -made :.with l friendly Fowlds wished the Bffl 1 "1 to be put through in its amended form* and 1 stated that if that were done, he would in-! corporate tho dolotod cfcmso in a spocial Bill ■ which. ho would bung .down later this session Otherwise ho was afraid, tho whole Bill might f■! ■- • • bo : lost. This ? opinion .was warmly contested v .-.:. .. bymembersVwho .desrred -to. hare the clause &V- replaced. - The discussion was- rat short by tho < adjournment. Both Houses, meet again this s®^V;3vk£ttji™oi)i/ : S';-'s^ THE HOUSE THE ESTIMATES. , INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT. ■ •., . After The Dokutzok .went to prees on Satnr- ■<::> day Illuming. ■ j'the ; ; Hobso : . further ■■ considered - t portions of the Estimates. -'-With respect''to . thfl votes' under tho headling Inland Revenue Department, ■ , Mr. ALLEN (Bruce) said /he wished to be .... .informed whether'it was a fact that Government valuers .wero m ;tlie :habit of doing out* ■; ■-s eklo work. He'.would also 'like to .know if it -.-' .were the .case .that compensation was not'paid • ■ to, some valuation officials in Dunedin as promised on retiiwnont. K Ho- would :be elad -to know how tho work of the Valuation Dcpart- • mont was going to be conducted in tho future i s ■ Tho*PRIME MINISTER said tlurt not half' a dozen valuations, for 16aaa companies \sero " • made■ m, ayear.; -As regards ; tho matter of\ . .-'if ;- allowances to,:wbicli xeferwice had been made, . v .'....jwery.i promise .that,,had.'been. given would bo ; fnflillea. ,Tho number .of ' vaixiers had been . aredueed, and tho districts of the remainder increased m size Total Saving by Retrenchment Scheme. i „. -Questioned,as to .the. savings.in tho various • .Departments as, a. result: of tho retrenchment 6cheme, . t .The PRIME ;MTNI££FER-said that .the merg- --. irig..of .the Land;and .-Income Tax . Valuation ," v . and Stamps 'Departments would effect a -saving year.:-UTKeh, -afjaiTSi a -saving of ./ •. .£IO,OOO had been effected by TeiicnclHitciit in E : . iMie Land 'and ■ Income -Tai, Department The ! - total sttvings- that had, been; effected since the ; ; : jetrcnenment proposals wero "inaugurated would amount to <£303,603 i'!-.'*/■: ■ Mr*- OKEY (Taranaki) thought that ex-offi- \ . . *lal\3oi the Valuation 1 Department - should be . « -.given- preference: if additional . hands were re- '.) ,s . \|Uired.. H9.bi!ew. of soveral districts, the 1 lists «n'regard to which had not been revised for ' seven or eight ycapra. .! 1..; ..- PRIME MINISTER said tbats the men "Tore told when they left the service that from j... .-v: > lime .to . time, -as iTKin va'i-o taken- :■ on, their !' ilnims , would; be ■reconsidered. Instead of put.u-,. ;..t : "* in g:'inen -.back;; Government was .'busy ' atpresent lit .the opposite direction,' and - during ; •the recess would be busier still :ivk '. .-' 1 to-Mr.. Berries, the Prime Muiistcr ';|iv' etated tnat .tne; changes ;in tho Stamps' Depart-ment-wouldTjo finally settled the' re :i • cesd. 1 ' The -rote was then agreed to on the voices Post and .Telegraph Department, The votes m connection with itho Post and 1 cKgraph Depaitmenti then came up for consideration , ' n^ r - (Auckland Central) asked' tho InmoAunister to postpone consideration of the i:: ■: Fotsot ±67, (00 for the conveyance of mails by sea Sir Joseph I would hko to get through this class at this sitting. , Kr - Glover. 'Well, I don't think you will, tor i have a lot of amendments to propose. lYou know this matter is the first plank m " ■ Jny political programme. (Laughter.) The PRIME MDIISTER then agreed thdt j coiKDderation rf that pdrtion of the Estimates ungiox be deferred. < ' to a 9 D «>faon, the Pnme Minister stated ttet a saraig 0 f over had been effected m t<Bs Department by retrenchment. •x Hems on winch saratgs had been effected tho followiDjt:—Cadets and messengers ! 652°' of hues .07717, long service * » es POB fie s «£IOG9, specral allowanco expenses , e£4610,-.,. fcravelhnc > and (f&thcr expenses .£3463 : : " items.. wifcli •• the,,,esceptron • of mail sorocss wero then agreed' to. Ptfbtic BoHtfmgs, etc.' 'Ihseusßon w coimecfaon with tho Eetimatee for public buildings, domains, and inaroteuancc , of roads then took plate.. The 1 votes for , alterations, etc-,, to the oM tmd present Parliament Buildings and tbe new Oovemors rraidenco occasioned a heated de- ' 5? to . (feportod elsewhere), in winch the Prime . Mmister, Mr. Massey, the Hon. R. MTCenrie, .•• a, !Ji -''r. Allen wore the clnef participants. ;- ;^!L'^^v.-v -\^- , ':ft lfl ® n dnients.;wore. , ,mo7ed-; , in' conrrectjon vith tho votes for this class, whrch TOro agreed to. i Progress -was reported at 330 a m. HOSPITOLS BFLL. . • . Hon. 6. POWLDS moved :- that . tho #mM«lments made m tho Hospitals Bill by tho I - lrfOTsiafare Comcil. should: be agreed , to. Mr. ELL (Chnstcburch Sooth) thought the JJonso should be given an opportunity to discusa /the action of tho Council in dcletrm: Clarase 72, which provided that fnendlr ... societies and boards might make special agreo- , 'inents.< It was-his opinion that somo effort- >(. .. -Bhorud ibe made to lotaan the clause. ' 1 ; 1,1.- ■■ (The/MINISTER: Elsewhero in the Bill ia ' power for the making -of such ' agreements. ihe matter can be discussed when the Jmendly Societies Bill comes down* fWelhnjjton Central) suggested ik: ; -that.a conference might take place. • - Mr. ■ STALLWOOTHT I ..(lCaipa r a). held -that • tho clause wa-i rejixiod.by tho Council owing to pressure by tho British Medical Association. ~ As it-seemetl evident-.-that the'amendments /.woulu be made tho subjcct of a lengthv »: ; 3Jr. MASSEY .claimed -that tho debate could ■ . cot proceed at Iliat sitting, _as tho Bill-was new business,-.. j , / The SPEAKER (m vigtt of the opposition} > i tfnled the debate ont of'order •• ••••-•• Tbe Honsc roso at a.m, , IN'ANGAHUA COUNTY EMP&WEOTNG , BILL. i - Tbe House met at 20 a.m. on Saturday. , Ore second reading of the Inangahua County <....- T^ -Bill..was -movad by Mr. •• Colvin The; PRIME MINISTER objected to tho • propreal that a railway to Reofton towrfship' nught.. bo-guaranteed >by tho County Council. ' Tho Hon. E. MUENZIE raised the point of -:,.v. order that tho Bill was a. private Bill. The .SPEAKER overruled tho point. There --'i.- was nothing- m tho Bill,. hoi said, to authorise - tho County . Council -to construct a railway. . 'AIL that was proposed .was to gnarontoe a-rail-way if the Crown constructed its Tho Bill was clearly a local Bill. Mr. 'Allen and :Mr. Hemes pointed out that . ; the Bill;only proposod a; principle embodied in : '■■■: tho Government policy. a 8 announced oarlier in the session. • . • :

The Prime Minister said ho would swe notice that tho rnling j-ust given by the Speaker be referred to tho Standing Orders Committee.-, , The Speaker said the Prime Minister could do that whoa the propor time arrived. Meantime, tho Bill wonld go on. The Hon..Ts. Mifonzio tbun tho Prirao Minister seconded, that tho dobato he adjourned. *■ The motion was carried by 27 votes^to-^.

WELLINGTON.STREETS .EM. r POWERING BILL. '

OPPOSED' BY THE PfIJWE MfmSTEH. Mr. LUKE (Wellington Scbnibs) moved the eccond rcadiiE of the Wellington City Streets Empowering Bill, the provisions of which he briefly explained. Tho Bill omporocied Iho City Council to tako,' over certain ' private •beets in tho Boscneath, Eilhirnie, Brooklyn, and "WofctowD dfetriets, yM<& toe® recent^

come into Greater Wellington. The city propo<!od to get a portion of tho cost of forming S e f ro ,? ts - fmm tho frontage owners and, to collect the amount by instalments. Tho Ix>cal Bills Committee had struck out the clauso exempting such streets from the street-widening clauses of the Public Worts Act Tho PRTIUI MINISITR opposed the Bill. It contained a should never bo agreed to, vi 7,, tho iorraation of streets 33ft. wjde. ■ ' ;Mr. Luko: Tho streets aro already formed. The Pnmo Minister still opposed tho proposal. It mcaut, ho said, tho creation of ilunis. in Wellington. Mr.Abikc There nro no new streets at all. Tho streets referred to aro already in etistenco, and havo been built upon. There is no new street proposil in the mattoi at all. Tho Prime Minister It is proposing to do something that the Legislature all along has guarded against Ho would endeavour to prevent tho pissing of thp Bill Tho Hon. H. M'KENZIE said tho Bill should bo thrown out Mr. OKEY Raid tho difficulty in oblammg land and streets in <;omo of the Wellington localities necessitated different treatment from other cities

'itr.'.ASNOLD opposed the Bill. Indeed, he (thought , the City Council before .taking over these;'. should be .compolled : to see that:;'.ttey were widened to their' full "width. ■ i. Mr,; pIrLAREN pointed put-the difficulties that had ito face in' this matter owing Oto. the. hflly configuration of tho residential;' area; , There were some places where it Would: be • practically impossible to nave wide streets./' The Bill had come backi from Local Bills in a perfectly reasonable form. . . . ... ':-■'.■ : ! Mr. LtFKE, in reply, said the Bill was necesBary! in the interest of good government and of/ good ;If the Bill.: was.,thrown out th'e'.health of the residents concerned would; be.affected, and the Houso of K«presentatives and not the' City Council would be responsible. Tho'. City Council was not - responsible ; f or. the .present;position.V'lt was a''.legacy'that : ;they' iad had to take over/ " ';".' .. ■, . ■KWhen;. the. question' of the second reading wos. ,' the 'Prime ' called■• for. a divisi9ii.; "Tie motion for, the second, reading was'carried wgainst. the Prime>JliTiister by.32 ivotes.to 21; : ; v : y: 'KAtTAKE CpUNTYBTLL;; .. The-Kaatake';Bill, introduced- by Mr. Okey, waSj opposed iy the 'Hon. " J. A. Millar in, respect. to the •jurißdiction which: it was pro-: posed to,' give. , the'new county over ..areas that did 'not wish to bo , included.. .' .' ■,'■.'..: : :,Mr. he, was prepared."to accept amendmenra in Conmrittee. ■■ ■•.' ■ /• .'..■ 1,-ilie , ;.'second reading was .agreed .to. ■■.. ' :.. OTHER LOCAL; BtLLS. -\ '■ The Opnirake.'Harbour 'Amendment 'Bill' (Mr/ Dive), /.Waipukurau Reserve ■ Bill ; (Mr. Hall), Taranaki Agricultural;; Reserve.;: Bill (Mγ'. Okey); New Plymouth Harbour. Reclamation Bill (Mr. Okey), and Reefton Recreation Reserve Bill (Mr. .Wilford for Hon. , :A» . R. ,Gninnesß), v with other local Bills, also, passed their second readings. ■■: ':•■. :.',■■.>] : : •■ :.•;- :-.'■■ Tfc. Otaki Connty :; Bill- (Mr. Luke)- was?with-i draiwii.■ i,-'..'.-,•.;.,-;-..; -. -'■■■;■.•■.': '•'■' ■■ '.' ; .,-^■. ;. v ■''• '••■'..• ". i'-.i^' ; '';->KospiTALs .bill ; - : .■:>;--■

POSmOTJ OF FBrENBLY SOCIETfES. Tho amendments made by th« Xegislativo Council to the Hospitals and Charitable Institnfaona BiU were considered. Tho principal Kmondment made by the Council was the deletion of Clanse 72, which gav« power to hospital boards to mate arrangements for special terms for the maintenance of members of friendly societies in hospitals. The MINISTER m charge of the Bill (the Hon. G. Fowlds- moved that the amendments of the Legislative Council be agreed to. 'He stated that Cktuse 69, which was still m tho Bill, gaxo hospital boards as much power in regard to contracts with friendly societies as was contained in the- clause that had been struck out.

It f was pointed orrt that there was a difference m terms between the two chtnses, and that it wns by no means certain that Clause 69 garo tho power contained in Clause 72 mt PISiIER moved its an amendment that the Housa disagreed with the striking out of Clauso 72.

Mr J./P. LOKE said he wos prepared to accept the Bill as amended by the Council 1 Mr MASSITY desired the retention of Chmse 72. He could see no objection to specifically providing that friendly societies should be empowered to contract with hospitals for the treatment of their members for an annual .payment.^,, After further,- discussion, , The MINISTER stated that if the Houso agreed to his motion and passed the measure in its' amended form he would before the close of the session bring down a separate'Bill embodyrng the clause that had been struck ont. Mr. HBRBIES said that there was no dangei of the Bill being lost by the House disagreeing with the Council's amendment. Tho Hon G FOWLDS denied that his proposal was made to frighten new membeis. Mr. IWlds's remarks were cut short by the adjournment at 1 p m.