PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1851, 10 September 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY.

The Land Bill was introduced by Governor's Message fivo minutes after the House of Representatives met. yesterday afternoon. It is first and foremost an extension of tho freehold policy' upon which tho Government took ollice. In addition it ;ombodic» important projwsals regarding tho subdivision ol private estates, and tho suppression of land aggregation, amends tho tenuro under which pastoral runs and grazing runs aro leased, gives Crown tenants of . settlement lands tho right to acquire tho freehold; and' extends from nino to nineteen years tho period over which payments may be extended, under tho deferred payment system. Tho more important features of the Bill wero explained by the Primo Minister, and it was referred to the Lands Comniitteo. Tho adjourned debate'upon tho Publio Trust Office Amendment Bill was not resumed. The Bill was xegd a third time, and passed without discussion. Tho Munioipal Corporations Act 'Amendment Bill was~rea*d e! second time, and referred to tho Statutes Revision Committee. At : 3 p.m. the House went into Committee upon several Bills. Tho Land Transfer Amendment Bill was reported with technical amendments. An extended discussion aroso upon tho Irrigation and Water Supply Bill. The. bone of contention was an appropriation clause which Mr. G. W. Russell contended conferred ttnduo power upon the Government. Tho bottom fell out of this criticism when Ministers showed that an exactly similar clause had appeared 'in tho Appropriation Act for two, or three years past, and that tho only new departure consisted in bringing down the clauso at a timo when it could be considered by tho House at leisure, instead of in tho "closing hours of the session, when'it had to bo rushed through. ' The Bill was reported as amended. The- Land Drainage Amendment Bill was passed through Committee, with_ a number of amendments, after a dispassionate discussion. • Two hours sufficed for tho consideration of these Bills in Committee,, but |tho debate upon the Irrigation mid Water Supply Bill was resumed upon tho third reading, and occupied tho first hour of tho evening, sitting.

Tho remainder of tho sitting was spont in a debate upon the Land Tax and Income Tax Bill, which gains its chief interest this year from tho fact that it imposes the income tax upon an amended graduated scale. The Hon. Jas. Allen explained that the Bill substituted a scientific assessment scale for one fjhat gave rise to numerous anomalies, and . was estimated to . produce additional revenue/ to the amount of £40,000. _ ' Opposition critics mostly resorted to a declaration that the Government had failed to carry out' a pre-election promise to reduce taxation. The Hon. Jas. Allen, having made a spirited reply to his critics, the Bill was road a second time 'on the voices, and the House rose at 0.57 a.m. The calm of tho proceedings in the 1 Legislative Council was disturbed by an almost violent party speech by tho Hon. G. Jones.. Several members censured him roundly for his speech, saying that it was notfittipg in a revising Chamber. . The amendments made by the House in the Commercial Bank of Australia (Limited), Bill wore not agreed to, but a motion was passed revising tho Committee on the Bill, and referring the Bill' to- the/CoWmitteft ngairi. ','.Another private Bill and a local Bill were advanced a stage; the Amendments Incorporation Bill went through Committee, 'and the' debate on the ' Pensions Bill was continued and adjourned unfinished.