PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1853, 12 September 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY. Tho appointment of Sir Joseph Ward as Leader of tho Opposition was formally announce:! in tlio Housq of Kopresentatives last evening when members reassembled after tho dinner adjournment. Brief complimentary speeches were made by tho Prime Minister and the now Leader of tho Opposition. Mr. Massoy mentioned that it was just ten years that nigjht since Mr. Seddon had congratulated him upon taking up tho position to which Sir Joseph Ward had now succeeded. Most of tho afternoon was spent in discussing a report by Mr. E. Nowman, M.P., upon agricultural education in New South Wales. The document had been printed as a Parliamentary papjr, and'tlie Primo Minister moved to lay it on tho table. Tho debate had not concluded at 5.30 p.m., and was adjourned. Members who took part in it agreed in praising tho public-spirited enterprise Which Mr. Nowman had shown in visiting New South Wales and in compiling an interesting and valuable document. At the evening sitting a number of Bills wore advanced a stago. Amendments made by the Legislative Council in tho Methodist Union Bill and the Amendments Incorporation Bill were agreed to after brief discussion. The Land Transfer Amendment Bill (Mr. Herdman) and tho Land Drainage Amendment Bill (Mr. Massey) were read a third time without discussion. ■ The Land Tax and Income Tax Bill gavo riso to a fairly extended discussion in Committee, the principal topic being tho taxation of companies. Amendments altering the scale upon which income tax is assessed were incorporated on the motion of the Hon. Jas. Allen, and tho Bill was reported. Tho second reading debate upon the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill in charge of the Hon. A. L. Herdman occupied the Houso for the remainder of the sitting. Tho Bill, which provides machinery for tho detection and prevention of plural voting, recounts of votes, etc., in connection with local elections, was commended by members on both sides of the Houso, although exception was taken te some of .its minor provisions, a fid was read a second timo on the voices. Tho House rose at 11.25 p.m. In the second reading debate on tho Public Trust Office Amendment Bill in the Logislativo Council certain members raised the question, so often raised already in tho Houso of Representatives, as to whether the Government were really friendly to the Public Tmst Office. The Minister refrained from replying to the extraneous matter, but he was able to show that ho at least had not been ono of the enemies of the office even in his private capacity as a practising barrister beforo he joined the Ministry. Tho Bill' was read "a second time, as was also the Irrigation and Water-supply Bill. The Pensions Bill went through Committee with formal amendments. Tho Wellington City Empowering Amendment Bill went through Committee unamended, and was read a third time.