PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1847, 5 September 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

• » A DAILY SUMMARY. Small Bills occupied the attention of the House of Representatives yesterday, but some livoly discussions took place, ' and at one tiino during tho ovoning there seemed a prospect that brisk hostilities would break out between the parties. Tho prospect did not material--ISB to any groat extent, and, boforo it rose, 1 tho House put through a largo amount of work. In tho early afternoon an hour was spent in a general discussion on banking, the opportunity arising on tho third reading dobate on the Commercial Bank of Australia Bill, in chargo of Mr. Myers. Eventually tho Bill was read a third time on tho voicos. Attontion was next turned to half a dozen local Bills. Tho "Wellington City Empotvoring and Amondmonfc Bill (Mr. - Herd man) was put through Committee, and read a third timo, without discussion. Tho Gisborno Harbour Board Enabling Bill (Mr. Mao Donald), authorising a loan of £200,000, proved to bo a more contentious measure. No objection was raised to tho loan proposal, but'strong exception was takon by a number of Opposition members to a plural voting provision inserted by tho Local Bills Coimnittco. Tho debate continued until shortly, after nino o'clock, when tho second reading was agreed to. Responsibility for tho plural voting clause was attributed by Oppositionists to Mr. G. V. Pqarcc, Chairman of tho Local Bills Committee, : but Mr. Pearoe showed that a similar provision had been inserted in local ' Bills during tho timo of tho Continuous Ministry, and with tho approval of tho then Ministers. Another long discussion took placo • upon tho Wanganui Harbour, District and Empowering Bill' (Mr. Veitch) which authorises a loan of £150,000, and also contains the plural voting clause. Tho Bill was allowed to' pass its second , reading unopposed. When the House rosumed at 7.30 (the Gisborno Bill was then being disoussed), the Prime Minister complained that time was being wasted. Mr- G. W. Russell' assorted, that tho Government was delaying tho roal work of the session. This drew a detailed reply from the Hon. A. L. Herdman, who contended that more work had been done this session than had been accomplished in tho samo timo in previous sessions, and that both Houses had ample work ra eight, - Tho Primo Minister returned to the subject when tho Wangatroi Bill was being discussed, and stated that when the House wasted timo it would have to make Tip for it by siitting late. ' He entered an emphatic protest against tho introduction of party issues when Local Bills wero being discussed. Tho following Local Bills were read a second time aftor brief discussion Timaru Harbour Board Empowering Bui (Mr. Craigie'l; Westport Pu'blia Parks Vesting Bill (Mr. Colvin); Springs County Council' "Reclamation and Empowering Bill (Mr. Rhodes). At ,11.40 p.m. the House turned its attontion to a number of pm'blic Bills, none of which proved to be contentious. Amendments made tho Magistrates Courts Amendment Bill in the Legislative Council ivero agreed to, _ • The. Bank of New Zealand Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Public Accounts Comjnittee. . ' ' _ , •Tho Irrigation and Water-Supply Btf and the Land Drainage Amendment Bill wero each read a second time. _ The Auckland Weekly Half-Holiday Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to tho Labour . Bills Gomimittoo.. • ' The House .rose at 0.28 a.m. • The . Legislative. Council sat for .perhaps fourteen minutes, diunng winch timo a motion.affecting tho Inspection of Machinery Department,was passed, and the Methodist TJniioji Bill was read ,a, tihird time. •