PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1882, 16 October 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY.

Tho wholo of yestorday aftornoon was spent by tho Houso of Representatives in discussing the question of converting all tramway cars and particularly those ownod by tho Wellington City Council into the central passago type, so as to do away with tho risk incurred by conductors employed on side-stop cars. By Bomo members it was alleged that tho Wellington City Corporation had been guilty of neglect in the mattor of converting cars of the dangerous side-step typo and had unnecessarily dolayed the work of fitting them with central passages. A statemont by Mr. T. H. Davoy, who has taken a prominent part in the agitation for tho abolition of tho side-step, that tho. Wellington Corporation had failed to keep faith with the Minister of Public Works in tho matter of converting tho cars, was confirmed by that Minister. Members of all parties agreed that tho conversion of tho cars should bo expedited and tho discussion that arose dealt in part with details, and for tho rest consisted of party bickering upon side-issues. A proposal by tho Minister of Public Works that a committee should bo appointed to mako inquiries into tho existing position upon tho Wellington tramways and report within seven clays did not prove acceptable, and Mr. Eraser readily consented to withdraw it. Aftorwards an amendment (subsequently made a motion) was proposed by Sir Joseph Ward. Eventually this was sot asido .in favour of an amendment by Mr. Davoy' (which was accepted by tha Government) affirming that all tramway carriages should bo providod with a centre passago within a period of four months from the present date and that tlio Government should introduco legislation to givo effect to this resolution. Mr. Davey's proposal was talked out at 5.30 p.m., but during tho evening sitting the Hon. W. Fraser intimated that ho intended to accept tho proposal of tho member for Christchurch East as expressing the will of tho House, and would take immediate steps to introduce the nficossary legislation. A budget of • Ministerial replies to questions was circulated, but the usual discussion was crowded. out by tho tramways debated

During tho dinner adjournment the Prime Minister received a large deputation representative of the liquor trade. Answering a question by the Leader of the Opposition early in tho evening, the Primo Minister said that tho Government had not received any communication from the Imperial.Government on the subject of the next Imperial Defence Conference.

_In roply_ to another question the Prime Minister indicated that the Government was not prepared to make any revelations in advance on tho subject of Customs Tdriff revision.

Technical amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Land Transfer Amendment Bill were agreed to with one exception which was referred back. The Council's amendments in tho Local Elections and Polls Bill were agreed to after a brief discussion in which some mention was made of voting, machines. The following Bills Were read a second time: River Boards. Amendment, Water Supply Amendment, Rangitaiki Drainage Amendment, Counties Amendment.

Amendments made in the Police Force Bill in Committee were agreed to and the Bill was sot down for second reading next Bitting day. • ■ The House rose at 11.54 p.m. The Legislative Council unfc for only ten minutes. Three now Bills, the Stallions Bill, tho Victoria College Amendment Bill, and the Canterbury < College Amendment Bill were introduced and read a first time.