PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1886, 22 October 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY. Much talk and little -work was the order of affairs in tho Houso of Representatives yosterday. More than two hours of tho afternoon wore devoted to tho affairs of a man named Johnson, who was' committed to tho Auckland Mental Hospital some time ago, and after a brief period of detention was discharged as sane. A petition by Mr. Johnson claiming compensation on the ground that'his committal was not justified was roported upon unfavourably by the Petitions Committee. Some of the Labour members dissented from tho finding of the Committee, but after a long discussion a hostile . amendment was negatived on the voices, and the report was allowed to lie on tho table. Answering a question by Sir Joseph Ward on tho subject of tho Huntly strike, the Primo Minister said that lie had not vet received any official report upon ttie stato of affairs in tho mining town, but had sent up au officer to make inquiries. . The Leader of tho Opposition asked tho Primo Minister when ho would make- his promised statement on tho subject of naval policy'. Mr. Massey in his reply did not specify a date, • but said that he had tho material for his statement in hand, and would deliver it as soon as he found a. little time for preparation. On one occasion during the afternoon the Speaker sternly rebuked Mr. JPayne, member for Grey Lvnn ; for the offence of repeatedly interjecting after he had been warned to desist./ The' Lands Committee- reported late in the afternoon on the subject of the sale of New Lynn leasos. The effect of the report was that statements which ■had been made about, tho land comprised in the leases being sold by the State for loss than its valuo, were with- ' out foundation. •. . " J The evening sitting ' until 10.48 was devoted to the tramway difficulties of the Wellington City Council and some other local bodieS. Tho Hon. W. Frasor moved the second reading of the Bill, which provides that all side-step tramcars must be converted to central passage type by March 1, 1914. 'Iho discussion that followed was animated, ■ but did not bring much new matter to light. Mr. Fraser frankly stated his opinion that; the proper course would havo been to refer the side-step lem in the'first instance to a commit-' teo in order to ascertain the . best method, of ; securing the rapid conversion of the tram-cars. At the same 'time, ho stated, ho did not propose himself to move to refer the Bill to a committee because tho Houso. had tc- ! jected his proposal to do so in the first I bltlCO. • • "%'••. • r i/ An incident of the debate "ffaß. Mr. Fr'aser's scathing indictment of the attitude taken up by Sir Joseph Ward in dealing with the latest tramway problem. The Minister bluntly accused the. ' Leader of the Opposition of seeking self-glorification and of being responsible; for the creation of a difficult situation. The Bill was read a second time, onthd voices, at 10.48 p.m. A protracted discussion arose upon ' the .River Boards' Amendment Bill which was considered in Committee. Opposition members objected strongly to a rating clause, but it was ultimately retained in the Bill after several divisions had been taken. The Water Supply . Amendment Bill and the Rangitaiki Drainage Amendment Bill were passed through Committeo in rapid' succession and tho House rose at 0.47 a.m.