PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1875, 8 October 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY. Fifteen speakers carried on tho second-reading debato upon tho Land Bill in tho House of Representatives yesterday, and it had not been concluded at tho adjournment, although it occupied tho wholo of tho sitting, save for a poriod of about an hour just after the Houso met. Somo timo was spent in determining the position of tho Auckland Half-holi-day Bill, which provides for tho taking of a special half-holiday poll in the Auckland combined district, an area that has been considerably extended since tho last poll was . takon. The Bill was introduced as a public measure, but, reporting upon it yesterday, Mr. J. H. Bradncy (chairman of the Local Bills Committee) moved that it be allowed to proceed as a local Bill. Tho Leader of the Opposition raised a question as to whether a public Act (in this case the Shops and Offices Act) could bo amended by a local Bill. , Tlio Speaker expressed the opinion that tho Bill did not amend a public Act, but agreed, as the question had been raised, to refer tho measure to the Joint Com-, mitteo on Bills. What the member for.- Avon desigr nated "a bolt from the blue" fell ( into the House when tho Judicature Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Message. Tho Hon. A. L. Herdman explained that the Bill provided for tho appointment of two additional Judges of the Supremo Court. This would raise th(j nuniber of Judges to nino, exclusive of the Chief Justice, and would relieve the existing pressure upon tho Supremo Court and Court of Appeal. The Bill, upon the whole, was favourably received, and was set down for second reading pro forma, on the understanding that it should be referred to the Statutes Revision Committee.

Tho publication in Hansard of tho report furnished by tie Solicitor-General last' month regarding tho respective powers of the Public Service Commissioner and of tho Government was commented upon by Sir Joseph Ward, who contended that the publication was irregular. Tho Speaker stated, however, that ho had directed, without consulting tho Prime Minister,- that tho report should be included in Hansard and that he was within his rights in doing so. .

The second reading'debate upon the Land Bill was resumed at 3.20 p.m. During the afternoon and in the early evening the tone of tho debate was fairly lively, but interest waned as the night woro on, and the concluding ■speeches of tho sitting were delivered before a House in which many benches were empty, and others were tenanted by members who looked very tired and weary. Very little detailed or analytical criticism was offered by Opposition members. Some of them, in the wofds of the Hon. W. H. Herries, "gently patted the Bill on tho .back," and others indulged in such general denunciations as that tlis Government was selling the birthright of the people. A number of Government members delivered speeches that were eminently practical in tone, and throughout their utterances _ there Tan a note of strong confidence in.the future of freehold land occupation in the Dominion^ The debate seemed to be in some danger of breaking down at 0.10 a.m., when Mr. Scott, a Government supporter, sat down, and the Opposition did not put up a speaker. The Prime Minister was not in tho Chamber, and the Hon. W. H. Herries carried on the debate. When he resumed his seat ten minutes later, Mr. G. W. Forbes (Opposition Whip) rose to speak. An Opposition interjecter intimated that at least half a dozen members on-that, sido . still panted.to speak. '! The debate was adjourned, on the motion of Mr. G. R. Sykes, and the House rose at 0.50 a.m.