PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1800, 12 July 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY. The atmospliero of Parliament yesterday was not very oxcitiug. Throughout the day thero was a poor attendant ot members. Just after the supper adjournment thero were barely *10 members in the House, about a third of that number being on. the Opposition benches. JNothing that could bo described as o party collision occurred at any time during tho day. The ruling spirit from first to last was ono of tamo placidity. Tho report of the Amokura Inquiry Committee was tabled early in tho afternoon by the Hon. F. 31. B. Fisher. Very little interest, was taken in the matter and the Houso quietly accepted the Minister's statement that the charges which had given riso to the inquiry had been disproved. Mr. Fisher mentioned thafctho use of the rope's end and public floggings had been abolished and tnat henceforth offending boys would be punished with a cane, in the privacy, of tho captain a cabin. ( The Hon. Jasc. Allen (Minister for Dofence) was given a quiet and attentive hearing when he read the Departmental reports upon tho charges made a few days ago by orati-militarists, regarding the treatment of youths .undergoing detention at Dipa Island for failure to comply with tho provisions of tho Defence Act. Ihe discussion that followed was markedly temperate in tone. -The Minister was answered from, both sides of the House' that ho could count upon the support tit members of all parties in adminstcring tho Defence Act and his-announcement that some problems of administration would bo remitted to a committee of the House seemed to be generally approved. During the afternoon tho Hon. K. H. Rhodes announced that the tender of the Western Electric Company had been accepted for tho installation of automatic telephone systems in Auckland, Wellington, Blenheim, Masterton, Oamaru, ana Hamilton. . _ . ' The debate on tho Address-in-Rejply Teaumed at 1.5! p.m. b>; Mr» H. «• H. Okey, who dealt interestingly with some problems of settlement. He was followed in the evening by Mr. G. W. .Forbes, Opposition Whip, who ran a tilt at Ministerial touring and had a good deal to say about an elleged land administration scandal in Canterbury. The Prime ilinister at once stated that h ewould refer tho matter to tho Lands Committee and have Mr. Forbes called 59 a witness. ' Mr. E. Newman traversed various aspects of land settlenient and indnlged m some effectivo criticism of the Opposition. Ho vigorously defended the policy adopted by tho Government in dealing with the Waihi strike and the more important reform measures which it has placed npon the Statuto Book. ■ The last speaker in tho debate was Mr. C. Paratn, Southern Maori. He belaboured the Government with ponderous" witticisms at which both sides of tho House chuckled. \ For half au hour before it rose, the Houso discussed the epidemic which has broken out in tho north. Tho Mi ma ' eT for Public Health informed members that the infected Maori kaingas had beenisolated, and that other precautions coiv sidered necessary were being taken. Tho Prim© Minister stated that there was no cause for panio or even for serious alarm, although it, was. necessary that all possible precautions should be taken. Tho Houso roso at 11.40 p.m.