THE COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1569, 12 October 1912, Page 6

THE COUNCIL.

PUBLICvSERViCE BILL. COMMISSIONER'S TEEM OF OFFICE. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 yesterday afternoon. The Public Service Bill was further considered in Committee. Throughout Clause 10, which deals with the removal of the Commissioner, it was decided to make the word "Governor" read "Gover-. nor-in-Council." A further alteration was suggested giving either. House of Parliament power to declare by resolution, in the event of the Commissioner being suspended, in favour of the removal of the Commijsioner, instead of giving the power to tho House of Representatives, as the clause originally provided. . The Hon. H. D. BELL explained that if the clause was made to read "botlx Houses of Parliament," as some members urged, it would bo possible for tho Legislative Council, by refusing to pass tho ■ resolution, to retain in office- a man. : against the wish of the Government and the House of Representatives. , At length the amendment was with- ■ drawn. . It Was decided, on tho motion of the Hon. Mr. Bell, that the Governor-in-Council, on the recommendation of the Commissioner, be given the power of suspending or removing the assistant Commissioners, or either of them, from office. Previously the power was in the hands of the Governor on tho recommendation of tho Commissioner. Concerning Superannuation flights. The Hqn'. J. E. JENKINSON- moved a new proviso as under: Provided that where any Assistant Commissioner was appointed from the.Public Service, his removnl from office shall not affect any rights or obligations in respect of tho Public Service Superannuation Fund. f The Hon H. D. BELL did not think fthe clause was necessary, but he agreed that if it was taken, on tho voices and lost - he would consult the Crown Law Officers, and if it was found to bo in the, least necessary, he would havo tho matter rectified.

Tho proviso was lost on the voices. Discussing .the term of office of tho Commissioner, . .

The Hon. J. T. PAUL moved that the terra should lie reduced from seven years to five years. The scheme, said Jlr. Paul, was an experiment, and they did not want to burden it with any unnecessary difficulties and drawbacks. Granting this, }w thought it.would be a fair propositioii that the Chief Commissioner should bo appointed for'five years instead of soven Tears. If j:ho experiment was a success, rhero would be no "difficulty in reappointirj! tho Commissioner, but if it was not a Buccess, soven years was too long, _ and they would have to pay tho Commissioner a large amount of compensation to get rid Tho Hon. it D. BET,L urged that the terms should be allowed to stand at seven years. The question of tho term was important. The Bill proposed a salary of .■£l3oo. Tho Hon. J. 1!. Jenkinson: "Its too lit-

was common consent with members of both Houses that the £1300 was perhaps not sufficient. Continuing, the Hon. Mr. Bell said it would make it far more difficult to get the best man at this salary; unless they could oiler him a term of seven years at least. The seven years would also ensure that tho appointee would see the fruit of his labour. The Hon. 0. B. CALLAN thought the term was, if anything, too short. He hoped that the Government would go outside the public service for the Commissioner, and got a man. engaged in business himself, or as manager, of a large business. Would any such man, ho asked, take the position for less than seven years. The whole success of the scheme depended on the appointment of a firstclass business man. The Hon. 0. SAMUEL expressed the opinion that the Bill would do repealed within five years, but said he would not voto in any way which would hamper the Government or prevent thorn .giving the scheme the start they considered necessary for its success. A Close Division. After a lengthy discussion the Council divided on. the question, and the amendment was rejected on tho casting vote of the Chairman of Committees, who remarked that as the clause had passed through the House of Representatives without disoussionor revision, and as the Council considered it'of such vital importance, he could not take upon himself the responsibility of making such a serious alteration. The original division lisb was oa under: For the Amendment (li) — Paul • ~ ■ M'Cardio Barr . Anatey Jenkinson ■■ Harris' Jones . Thompson ■ Tucker - Louisson Beehan . Mills Baldey .. Duncan Against the Amendment (U)— Bell -Johnston Baillie . Miller George Collins : Callan . . Ormond Luke- v Loughnan -Gilrner . .■. Wigram Parata * - - ■ Samuel At Clause 12 which gives the Commissioner power to inspect and reorganise the Departments and discharge superfluous employees, . ' The Hon. J. BARR moved a new subclause, to provide that persons who had been twenty-five years in the service should, if dismissed, 'received a. retiring allowance to the end of 'their, life, or till such timo as they were re-appointed to the service. < ■ . The sub-clause was ruled out of order, on the ground that it conflicted with the Superannuation Act. - . . The Hon. J. T..PATJL also spoke of the position of old servants of the Government who had put in the best part of their lives in the service, and had now nothing left to put in, and who might be retired.

The Minister undertook to give the mattor consideration during the recess. Progress was reported at 5 p.m., after a considerable number of machinery amendments had been made in the clauses up to No. 21. PHARMACY AMENDMENT BILL, On resuming at 8 p.m., the third reading of the Pharmacy Amendment Bill was agreed to, and the Bill was put through its final etuge and passed. LOCAL AUTHORITIES' SUPERANNUATION. Tlib Local Authorities' Superannuation Bill was'read a third time and passed. Tho Hou. H. D. BELL took the opportunity of expressing his thanks to the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson for the caro and attention he had bestowed on the amendments to tho Bill. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE AMENDMENT. . The Justices of tho Peace Amendment Bill was put through its Committee stage, and reported with technical amendments. Subsequently the Bill was read- a third time and passed. WANGANUI RIVER TRUST. The Wanganui River Trust Amendment Bill was committed and reported without amendments. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY. The Hon. H. D. BELL moved the second reading of the Auckland University Amendment Bill. The main clause of the Bill provides that professors may sit upon tho University Council. Tho Hon. J.- E. JENKINSON expressed some doubt as to whether tho proposed innovation would be a wise change. Universities where this scheme had not been in force had been successful. He thought more attention should be given to the representation, of primary and secondary education on these bodies, and he hoped the Government wduld take, steps in that direction in the future. This, he argued, would promote uniformity and cohesion. Mr. Jenkinson argued that the place of tho professor was to look after the students, and not the government of the college. The. Hon. 0. -SAMUEL contended that tho Bill was wrong in principle. Ho did not think any servant of an institution of tho kind should assist in governing it. The- Hons. W. Beehan, J. B. Callan, and/C. M. Luke supported the Bill. Tho second reading was agreed to on the voices.

PUBLIC TRUST AMENDMENT. The Hon. H. D. BELL moved tho second reading of the Public Trust Amendment Bill, details of which havo already been published. Tho Bill was debated at great length. . The Hon. H. D. BELL, in the course of his reply, referred to a suggestion mado during the debate to establish local boards in Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, where tho Bill proposes to establish deputy trustees. This, he said, would mean having a body of people to whom all .the affairs of local trust? would be divulged. Tho Government, he eaid, would strongly object to the appointment of local boards, ao that in tho' localities where there were deputies ' thero would be a kind of supervision which did not exist at head office.

The second refldipg was agreed to on the voices.

LAND TAX AND INCOME TAX. The Hon. H. D. BELL moved the second reading of the Land Tax and Incomo Tax Amendment Bill, details of which have been set out.

The Hon. J. ANSTEY approved tho Bill, tho best point in which, ho considered to be that it reduced the anomalies that had existed in the old system of taxation. Ho congratulated tho Govovnment on reducing the jumps in graduation to two. The ouly pity was that these jumps were not wiped out altogether. Jlr. Anste.v urged that the lnrgft estates which should bo taxed were being let off lightly. When tho Valuation of Land Amendment Bill wus roiisidered it would be found Hint the estates that should bo attacked wore let down too

not to burst up large estates, but to get as much tax as possible. The present alteration would not, lie clnimod. burst up tho large estates. It taxed people who had not got surli laTge estates that they should bo attacked. If they wore going to make the graduated tax effective they must' decide on a point at which to start and from that point there should bo a steady increase right »p to tho top. Mr. Anstey admitted that notwithstanding (lie defects he saw, the Bill was an immense advance on tho existing system. The Hon. H. D. BELL said tho Ooveminent did not pretend to have invented any new system. They had only tried to make n process of graduation as gradual us possible from .£SOOO up to .£20,001), so that after a certain, point the rate of increase should bo higher than before. The Government had not lightened the rate on the larger estates, although this had been suggested during tho debate. Tho second reading was agreed to on tho voices. Later the Bill was put through its final stages and passed without amendment.

VALUATION OF LAND. The Hon. H. D. BELL moved tho second reading of the Valuation of Land Amendment Bill which' originated in tho Lower House. After tho Leader of tho Council had explained the measure tho debate was.adjourned on the motion of tho Hon. J. Anstoy. Tho Council rose at 10.55 p.m.