PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1841, 29 August 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY. The House of Representatives eat for only three hours yesterday, and adjourned for tho day,at 5.30 p.m., in order .that members might • attend the reception last evening at which tho Governor entertained the visiting British Parliamentarians. Soon after' tho House met in tho aftornooni Air, G. W. Russell asked when the Public Works Statement would be brought down. The Minister for Public -Works' said that it would not bo presented until towards the end of . the session-. Iu announcing this fact, he described the procedure which he had adopted-in connection with the preparation of the Public Works Estimates. The Minister stated that the system of road and bridge grants would be. continued this year.- • An unforeseen discussion arose upon the' report of the Railways, Committee on a petition by a number of Southland residents for a Toad from Wairio to Nightcaps. The discussion, as it do-' veloped, became somewhat disconnected, but in referenco to the point of principle involved, members were almost unanimous. It was generally agreed that people in want of any road or other public work should' address their request to tho member for tho district.or the Minister for Public Works'. One or two members, however, favoured,tjfiecreatioii of a committee to act as. a sort of buffer between tho Minister for Public Works and the people of the country in the matter of applications for grants. The Orders of tho Day were local Bills, and four of these measures were advanced a stag© in tlhe space, of half an hour. One of the number, the Wel- ' lington City Empowering and Amendment Bill (Mr. Herdman), was read a second timo. It extends the powers of tha City Council in acquiring limited interests in property required for streetwidening and similar purposes. ■ The last half-hour of .the sitting was devoted to a discussion, on the, Public Trust Office .Amendment Bill, which wa-s recommitted, on the motion of the Hon. A. L. Herdman, in order to amend l . a. new clauso inserted at the instance i of the member , for Avon. . As inserted/ the .clause provided that an annual re- . port upon the. working of the office should be prepared by . the _ Public , Trustee and presented to Parliament. Mr. Herdman's amondiment was that the Minister, and not the Public Trustee, snnukl. draw tip tho annual report. This Was agreed to. The discussion upon tho Bill was' still in-pro-press at 5.30 p.m. At that hour the debate was adjourned, and the House rose until 2.30 p.m. to-day. /_ ■ . The Legislative Council 'held a bnot sitting veste-rdav, and passed tho Imprest Supply Bill.-