PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1859, 19 September 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY.

Proceedings in tho Houso of Representatives yesterday were iiv marked oontrast to what has been tho nilo for somo days past. In comparison with the state of affairs during the obstruction debate, tho House bccamo a. liivo of industry, and' a number of important matters camo up for consideration as the/ sitting ran its> course. There was a cortaiiii amount of party but in the main tlio Houso was in working mood. Early in tho afternoon Mr. T. H. Davey mentioned the death of an unfortunate tram conductor, who was killed-a few days ago through falling from tho side-step of a car on tho Oriental Bay lino, and asked the Prime Minister to afford facilities for tho discussion of a resolution affirming that all tramcars should bo furnished with a central passago. Tho Prime Minister promised that the Houso would have an opportunity of expressing an opinion on tho subjcct tluis session. Tho Minister for Public Works (tho Hon. W. Fraser) indicated that ho contemplated introducing tramway legislation at an early date, and' stated further that he had called a conference of delegates representing owners of tramways and workers thereon to adviso as_ to tramway mutters requiring legislative treatment. Tho Pnrmo Minister gavo_ notice to introduce the Board of Agriculture Bill. The following Bills were introduced by Governor's Message and read a first timo :—Education Act Amendment, Public Revenues Act Amendment. Shipping and Seamen Act Amendment,. Iwj'S l " taiki Land Drainago Amendment Bui. Hauraki Plains Amendment Bill, and Beer Duty Amendment Bill. Most of tho afternoon and a few minutes in the evening were taken up in discussing the Education Amendment Bill, which confers increased salaries upon members of the teaching profession. Tho discussion ran mainly upon party lines, and to the time-honoured text of "Codlin's your friend, not "/?he Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill was read a .second time pro forma, and referred to tho Labour Bills Committee. It was agreed, on the motion of the Prime Minister, that henceforth Government business should take precedence on Wednesdays, as on other days of tho week. Mr. Massey intimated that the Government contemplated taking up one or two private Bills which had been introduced thjs session, including the Distress Limitation Bill, brought in by Mr. A. H, HindmarsTi. In the eVentng there was a long but interesting ■ discussion upon the Land Tax and Income Tax Bill, amending tho graduated income tar scale, which was down for consideration of report from Committee and thjnj reading. Sir Joseph Ward, Leader or tho Opposition, moved to recommit*the Bill as a protest against the additional taxation imposed on companies. The discussior that followed was clouded at' times by party feeling, but in the main it was illuminating, and throw many important feature? of the taxation problem into high relief. Opposition speakers emphasised a contention that in increasmg the taxation upon companies the Bill would penalise a large number of small shareholders. The Minister for Finance and tho Prime Minister, while insisting that the Bill represented a stop in the right direction, did not attempt to minimise the difficulties and anomalies of the present position, and promised that' further improvements would be embodied iri"~tlie taxing Bill of noxt year. Tho House went to a' division at 0.20 a.m. upon- the Amendment' moved by the Leader of • the Opposition, and it was negatived ;by l ß5 i Vbte'3 , 'td'27. " The roso at 0.35 a.m. Tho debate upon the Reform Bill was continued in the Legislative Coun-, I .oil'in'the afteriioon and evening.' The S leakers were the Hons. 0. Samuel, J. ufTfle, W. Earnshaw, and 'S. T. George. The debate will be resumed to-day. •