PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1238, 21 September 1911, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

»r— — THE COUNCIL. WELCOME TO THE SPEAKER. LIBRARY PRIVILEGES, Tho Legislative Counoil met at 2.30 yesterday afternoon. • The Speaker (Sir C. C. Bowen), who has teen on a visit to England, resumed his seat. In welcoming Sir Chas. Bowen, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL congratulated- him on his improved health and vigour, and expressed the hopo that lie would bo long spared to continue tho work; ho had done so well in th'o past. Sir CHAS. BOWEN, in reply, expressed his thanks for tho welcome extended him. i' Ho hoped that he would continue to satisfy members, as they were pleased to, say they had been satisfied in tho past,' 'the hutt road. The Hutt Railway and Road Improvement, Amendment Bill was received frohi the Honso of Representatives, find was read: a first time. , GUARDIAN, TRUST, AND EXECUTORS' CO. AMENDMENT BILL. Tho Hon J. B. CALLAN moved the secjnd Reading of the Guardian Trust and Executors Co. Amendment Bill. He explained that tho Bill did not seek for •any. fresh, pow;ors, but. was only for tho purpose'of. removing , doubts as to certain powers conferred on "tho company by tho original Act. The company desired to chango its office from Duucdin to AuckThe Hon. W. BEEHAN (Auckland) seconded the motion. Ho know the names of most of those connected with the scheme in Auckland; and they wero all solid, reliable men. The Hon. 0. SAIIUEI, (Taranaki) said he would not opposo the Bill. On the contrary, lie would vote for tho second leading. At'the same time ho thought tho, Government should take some steps to ensure the eolvcncy of such companies. 'This company proposed to undertake for profit the business of trustees of estates. Ho did not think they should establish a monopoly in tho Public Trustee, but lie (lid think tho Government should institute somo periodical examination into the financial standing of such companies. Tho Hon. T. Kelly (Taranaki), tho Hon. M'Gowan (Auckland) Hon. G. Jones (Otago), Hon: T. Thompson (Auckland) and the Hon. J. E. Jenkiuson (Wellington) dwelt on tho need for caro in regard to euch companies, in tho interests of thoso whose estates were placed in tho care of the companies. Tho Hon. J. Barr (Canterbury) opposed the Bill. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL did not think that tho Government should create a monopoly in any calling which could bo reasonably carried on by private enterprise. Unless there was a very goi'd reason to the contrary, but did not think tho Government should prevent private companies making a livelihood. Ho thought that the State should see that companies of this kind should furnish the fullest information of their financial stability. He ■ thought that sufficient ground had been made out by tho various speakers, and he would represent what had been said to his colleagues with a view to some action being taken in the direction of legislating in, a general, but not in a special, way. The second reading was agreed to. THE LIBRARY., , Tho Hon. J. RIGG (Wellington) moved that th'o report of the 'Library Committee relating to the issue of fiction' to persons having the privileges of the-.library 'during the recess bo disagreed to,'viz'., "that for the future no worksrof fiction be issued to non-members during Parliamentary "recess." The mover said-that tho proposal of the committee had arisen out of some paragraphs in tho Librarian's -report regarding recess privileges. It • would give the impression that the' Library existed' for tho purposo of supplying cheap literature for the public. This was not; so.' The amount of fiction'giveuout was only about 15 or 20 per cent;,'and only fiction that had become virtually classical was issued. If the motion wore carried,'studonts would be debarred from."'using"this class of literature. Ho"wa= afraid that if this privilege was curtailed, other- restrictions would lie imposed. The Library should bo a national one. : .

After a lengthy discussion by members, , The ATTORNEY-GENERAL remarked 1 that he agreed with tho .various speakers, i who said that it was unfair that NewZealand as a wholo should be asked to subsidise a' library which was for the use I of the people of Wellington alone. Again', Wellington already had an excellent Pub-1 lie Library of its own.- He'.did not -think any complaint could bo* made against the limitation imposed, as- it would not, he understood, prevent students taking out works of biography and verse, or anything which would bo used for' student purposes. On a division, tho motion was lost by 11 to 9. Tho Hons. Dr. Collins, C. M. Luke, J. Rigg, J, E. Jenkinson, W. Beehan, A. Baldey, K, A. Loughnan, T. Thompson, and J. A. Sinclair voted for the motion. T * KELLY (Taranaki) moved that tho Council agree to tho recommendation of the Joint Library Committee that an additional assistant in the. Library should be appointed at a salary of not less tban <£156 a -year. Tho Hbn. J. RIGG (Wellington) seconded the motion. The Hon. J. E JENKINSON (Wellington) thought that the fact that the lending privileges were being curtailed was a peculiar time - to- apply, for. an .addition to tho stall. Ho did not think the assistants could find enough to do to "keen themselves warm" in the recess. Ho rlii £ ln °tion would be rejected. +w ° if m"' ,T ' ' r ; p ; vt l L (ota °'°> that if the assistants had not enough to do in the reccss, they should make themLibrary C<lUam with everything in the Tho motion was carried after' a londiscussion. ° FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved tho second reading of tho Friendly Societies' after F'r' J '' l ° lllolion was Carried alter a brief discussion. STONE QUARRIES, ATT ? RNE T-«P ERAL move( l the second reading ot tho Stono Quarries Amendment Bill, and the motion was agreed to after tho Hon. J. T. p a „l had remarked on the fact that the Ilil was unsatisfactory, for what it did not contain. Many provisions that should bo there wero lacking. In his opinion tho Government might have extended the Bill 'if n w ? r ' i ers in this occupation •the Council rose at 5 p.m.