PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1231, 13 September 1911, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

THE HOUSE. HAURAKI DRAINAGE BILL^ Tho Houso met at 2.30 p.m. Tho Proportional Representation Bill [Hon. G. Fowlds) was read a first time. Tlic Hon. G. Fowlds was granted four lays leave of absence on account of urjent privato business. Mr. E. 11. Taylor (Thames) was granted 6ix days' leave of ibscucc, and Mr. It. E. Rhodes (Ellosinero) M days. THE BUDGET. Soon after Hie Houso of Reprosonta* lives assembled yesterday. The PRIME MINISTER stated that sinco tho delivery of the Financial Statement on Friday evening he had mado some slight corrections in its text. Thcso he asked the House to approve. Mr. W. FRASER (Wakntipu) asked whether tho lion, gentleman intended to proceed with the debate that evening? He had been unable to obtain a copy of the Statement until tho preceding afternoon. It was unusual that members should bo asked to discuss so important a document twenty-four hours after reading it. Mr. Fraser added that, to his knowledge, a dozen or twenty members had been in tho same position as himself in this matter. Mr. HERRIES agreed that it had been impossible to obtain a copy of the Budget on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday morn- 1 ing. Only members who secured copies immediately after the Prime Minister read it had had a chance of reading it boforo the previous afternoon. Tho PRIME MINISTER said he would bo very much surprised to hear that tho lion, gentlemen mentioned had not posted away their copies of tho Budget. As a matter of fact, over one hundred copies had been taken up by members beforo twelve o'clock on Saturday. Until tbat timo no attempt was made to withdraw copios of the Statement from members' boxes or elsewhere. Tho lion, member for Wakntipu had been offered a copy of tho Statement early on the previous morning, and would not tako it, Mr. Fraser: Ono of tho wrong ones— at cloven o'clock. No objection was raised to tho corrections mentioned by tho Prime Minister. The Speaker ruled that in any case tho corrections might bo mado without reference, to tho Houso. Tho report of the Budget debate appears elscwhcro in this issue. HAURAKI PLAINS DRAINAGE. '. RATES AND REPRESENTATION'. Tho Tlaurnki Plains Amendment Bill (tho Hon. I). Buddo) was considered in Committee. Mr. W. H. BERRIES (Tauranga) objected to clauses empowering the Government to rate settlers, on the ground that it was not proposed to give the latter any representation or any control over tho expenditure of their own money. Tho Minister had said that a drainage board would ultimately bo set up, but there was no provision for anything of tho kind in tho Bill. He hoped tho Minister would striko out these rating clauses altogether. The Hon. D. BUDDO admitted that there was something in tho contention that sottlors would lw rated without being given representation. Tho troublo was that a conflict of opinion might arise between the Government engineers nnd tho local ljody if a drainage lx>ard were sot up prior to the completion of the work. . Mr. MASSEY suggested that tho matter might bu allowed to stand over for twelvo months. Bv that timo the settlors. concerned would probably bo prepared to consider tho formation of their own drainage boards. Mr. 11. POLAND (Ohincmuri) supported tho view taken by tho Leader of tho Opposition and tho member for Tauranga. Mr. HERRIES urged that since tho Minister had agreed that rates should not bo imposed for a year and nino months, consideration of the rating question might Uo ' postponed until next session. Tho MINISTER vofused to consent to leave tho matter in abeyance for another year. Mr. HERRIES moved, as. an amendment, that a proviso in Section 3, empowering tho Minister to levy a rate "for the expenses of tho general administration of that Act" (the original Act) bo struck out. Tho amendment was negatived. It was agTocd, on the motion of tho Minister, that tho power mentioned in tho previous amendment should bo exercised only in so far as it related to tho maintenance of tho drainage work. Tho clause as amended was carried oo> a division by 32 votes to 22. At this stage tho Minister stated that, if members would withdraw their opposition, ho would agree that no rate should bo levied until 19U. Mr. HERRIES said that if ho vera, member for tho Thames he would not ask for "better electioneering stuff" than this Bill.It was agreed on tho motion of tho Minister that no rate should bo levied under tho Bill until after March 31, 19H.. The Bill was reported with amendments,

ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT. Tho Hon. A. T. NGATA moved tin second reading of the Administration Amendment Bill. He explained that it was intended to give effect to representations recently made by '.ho Imperial authorities. It was proposed that tho Enghsk Public Trustee should bo exempted lroni tho obligation to execute a bond on receiving a probate or letters of administration from New Zealand. It was proposed later to incorporate further legal provisions, in regard to tho administration of estates, in tho Bill. The second reading was earned on tho voices.

TRAMWAYS AMENDMENT BILL. The Hon. R. M'KENZI3 moved tho second reading of the Tramways Amendment Bill, He stated that it was not of a contentious nature. It dealt with tho regulation of licenses, the bringing into use of lands now lying idle, and. similar matters. Undor Clause 5, control of electrical matters in connection with tramways was transferred from tho engineers of the Telei'raph Department to those of tho Public Works Department. Another clause, empowered the Government to issuo licenses to lav tramways on country roads. The Bill further provided that pedestrian traffic should not bo permitted on such tracks as those to Wadestown and Brooklyn, savo under tho oontrol of tho local authority. ..,,,,, „.,. Mr. BERRIES suggested that tho Bill could not be proceeded with as it had not been introduced by Governor's Message, and Clause 2 was certainly an appropriation clause. Tho SPEAKER said tho Rill need not be arrested at that stage. It would devolve 'upon the Chairman of Committees to rule it out of order when.it camo before him, unless the clause were meantime brought down by Governor's Mes"jfr. T. 11. DAVEY (Chrisfchnrch East) said he. had been asked by tho Christchurch Tramway Hoard to oppose Clnuso fi. It meant that private individuals might bo permitted to construct tramways and run them in competition with those, owned by local bodies lie did not say lliii was' the intention of the Minister. At this stage further consideration of the Bill wa= postnoned in order that the debate upon iho Budgst might commeivca.