THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1895, 1 November 1913, Page 7

THE HOUSE.

The Houso of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Two days' leave of absence Was granted to tho Hon. JaS. Allen on', account of illness, FOOTWEAR REGULATION. The Footwear Regulation Bill (Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) was road a first.time.

SHIPPING AND SEAMEN BILL, The Shipping niid' Seamen Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Message. ~ TheHon.F.M. B. FISHER said that the Bill Was somewhat on tho lines of another bearing the same title, which was on tho Order Paper. Subsequent to the introduction of this Bill he had '■ouvened a conference of tho Shipowners' Federation and the Seamen's Union. Tho conference recommended alterations which were so important that he had judged it best to bring down an amending Bill, 'and move to strike the first Bill off tho Order Paper. . Tho Bill was read a first time.

DANK Of NEW ZEALAND BILL. Consideration of tho Bank of Now Zealand Amendment Bill, in Committee, was postponed in tho absenco of the Hon. Jas. Allen (Minister of Finance) ttho is incapacitated by illness from attending to 'his Parliamentary duties. \ SCIENCE AND ART BILL. The Science and Art EiH (Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) was read a third tima and passed. PUBLIC REVENUES, RESPONSIBILITY OF MINISTERS, The Hon. W. ERASER, moved thn second reading of the Public Revenues Amendment Bill, which consists principally of machinery clauses. A new clauso provided that Treasury Bills might ho issued in London. Clause 12 increased tho maximum' of unauthorised expenditure in the Railway Department from £100,000 per annum to £150,000. Tho proposal regarding Treasury Bil'.? had been fully explained by tho Minis-, tor of Finance in bringing down his financial proposals. SIR J. WARD (Awarua.) said that in his opinion these proposals were of the most retrogressive character. By tin Act of Parliament they were going to absolve tho Minister of Finance of responsibility which hitherto ho : had be me for the protection of tho people. The Bill proposed to givo authority to tlio High Commissioner to issue Treasury .Bills for any amount'he. liked. Mr. Eraser: No; up to a limit. Sir J. Ward said that tho departure was an extraordinary one. Authority had never before been given to' tho High Commissioner to issue Treasury bills in London. Mr, Fraser: Why shouldn't ho? ■ Sir J. Ward said lio believed that the system proposed would bo inimical to the interests of the country. Tho Prime Minister: You know that other countries do what is proposed hero. • , Sir J. Ward:. To their injury, sorao of them. Ho went on to point-out that for the September quarter the' increase iit revenue was £62,000. Railway revenue had decreased by £1441. Tho increased expenditure by way of appropriations was £217,000, and the increase in permanent .appropriations was £49,000, a total increase of £266,000. Taking into account tho revenue increase of £62,000, the shortage for the September quarter was £201,000. Expenditure upon the railways had increased by £87,000 for tho quarter, and the revenue had decreased. In addition to this, Treasury bills amounted te £450,000, an increase of £200,000. As te tho Minister's question: "Why not?" thev were entitled to b<i told why Treasury bills should be Jawed in Londaft, >

Mr. Fras&r; You have not helped to elucidate the matter. Tho Publlo Aooounts. Another propsal in tho Bill was to take out of tho law tho obligation to show in tho public accounts tho liabilities of every Department at tho end of the financial year. This was tho most remarkable proposal that ho had over hoard emanating from a responsible Government in this or any other country. „ , . , Mr. Fraser: Section 42 of tho Act of 1910 provides all that is necessary, if the lion, gentleman read tho Bill lio would understand it. Sir J. Ward said that what m$ being done was to remove tho responsibility of tho Minister of each Department altogether. Tho Speaker had put tho question that tho Bill be road a second time and declared it carried before any other member rose to speak or tho Minister rose to reply. Both Mr. Fraser and Mr. Russell (member for Avon) were ovideirtly taken unawares. EDUCATION RESERVES. The Education Reserves Amendment Bill, which deals with the tenure of certain education reserves in Otago, was referred to tho Lands Committee. "TROUBLOUS TIMES." Thu Hon. W. H. HMRIES moved to postpone consideration of tho Board of Agriculture Bill, which, was next on tho Order Paper, and in the name of the Prime Minister, until the Local Authorities Indemnity Bill had been dealt with. ' i ■■ Sir Joseph' Ward: Where are we getting to ? Mr. Herries: Tho times are, rather troublous, and the Prime Minister is engaged in a very important conference. I hope the House will agree to postpone this Bill. AN INDEMNITY BILL. THE AUCKLAND EXHIBITION. The Hon. W, H. HERRIES moved tho second reading of the Local Authorities bidemnity Bill. He said that it validated expenditure by local bodies in connection with tho visit of tho battleship and upon tho Auckland Exhibition. As Minister of Railways he I wishod to publicly thank tho Railways I Department staff tor what they had done in connection with the transportation of visitors to the battleship. What had been accomplished, particularly at Lyti tolton, showed what the Department could do. As to tho other proposal in tho Bill tho Auckland Exhibition was going to bo one. of the finest ever known in the Southern Hemisphere. s Ho hoped that if the House was still sitting when the Exhibition opened tho House would adjourn for a week in order that members might attend tho Exhibition. SIR JOSEPH WARD (Awarua) said that ho recognised that the circumstances warranted tho absence of the Prime Minister., He agreed that the expenditure by local bodies in connection with the visit of the ba.ttleship should bo approved. He regretted i. very much that tho pacplo of Southland wore not given a proper opportunity to view tho battleship. It' was a great pleasure to support the proposal to-in-demnify local public bodies lor expenditure, on the Auckland Exhibition. If. tho session had not concluded when the Exhibition opened, ho thought it would bo an excellent idea to obtain two largo rooms in Auckland, and continue the work of Parliament there. A number of members on both sides of tho House complimented tlib railway management on tho excellence of their arrangements for tho carriago of people to the ports visited by the battleship New Zealand. Another topic discussed -was the possible accommodation charges 'at Auckland during the Exhibition, members expressing the hope that rates -would be lower than they wero at tho time of the visit of the American Fleet. The Hon. W. H. HERRIES,- in reply, thanked honourable members on behalf of tlio Railway Department for their appreciative references to tho Railway arrangements at the time of the visit of the battleship. It had been a most difficult matter to arrange all tho special trains, especially as the running times of special trains in some districts had to be changed at a few hours' notico owing to the ship's programmo being changed owing to tho weather. No hitch occurred,' however, aud ho was glad to hear members express their satisfaction. Usually the Department came in for more kicks than halfpence. He thought also that the thanks of tho Dominion were duo to those gentlemen who had arranged excursions and entertainments for the officers and men in the ship. Ho hoped Ihe Auckland Exhibition Would bo a success. The Department wore "hanging on to it, like grim death," hoping that it would pull them through the financial year. Special trains were being \ put on, and people would not bo able to say that there was no means of getting to Auckland. The Bill was read a second time on tho voices. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS.

A MOTOR-BUS CLAUSE. Tho Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill (tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) was further considored in Committee. Clause 23, which empowers municipal oouacils to establish services for tho conveyance of passengers, gave rise to an extended discussion. Mention was made of a proposal to establish a motoromnibus service in Auckland, aud some apprehensions were expressed that tho Auckland City Council might unfairly compete with tho private company to which it had delegated its tramway rights. Auckland members assured tho House that there was nb such intention. Incidentally there was some contention in regard to tho rospectivo merits of tl» ■ dilforent tramway ''systems of the Dominion. A statement by Mr. Laurenson that tho Auckland trsmears were tho worst and dirtiest in tho Dominion drew an impassioned reply from Mr. A. E. Glover. Mr. Speaker's Ruling. Later, tho Chairman (Sir. A. S, Malcolm) ruled two members, Mr. Dickson and Mr. Poland, out of order for referring to tramway matters. Mr. Poland moved \o tftko tho Speaker's nil* ing. Tho Hc-n. It. M'Keiraio said that the clause restricted tho right to construct tramways. Consequently it must bo in order to tiring tramways into tho discussion. Tho motion to taka Mr. Speaker's ruling was agreed to on tho voices. When Mr. Speaker had been called ifl the Chairman -said that ho relied upon a ruling that' the Chairman's decision was final in tho question of relevancy. After hearing argument, tho Speaker ruled that ho had no power to review the Chairman's decision when ho ruled a member out of order on the ground of irrelevancy. . Tho clause (23) Was retained on the voices. ■ • , Miscellaneous Clauses. Br. A. K. Newman moved an addition, to ClnuEo J>4 to prohibit sections, occiipied or otherwise, from being usod"a>i" a rubbish dump. Tho addition 'was' agreed to on the voices. On the motion of tho Minister a now sub-clauso was added to the effect that allotments must bo kopt clear of noxious weeds. v . ;-. A iion- ehuiso was added to empower a council having electric light works to supply current to persons or local au*tliorilies beyond the boundaries of the borough. Electrical Supplies. Mr. T. H. Davey moved to add a new clause to give municipalities power, to. supply and install electrical fittings to oohsuinws, or to fuiaaoo consumers to' *mMo tiwa to s&j;. for elopMial ftt^

[ tinge by instalments. At flret the Mln» istor refuged to accept tho clans?, bui ( as ha confessed to having no very complete knowledge of what tho local bodies desired, or of what-would bo advisable, lio coinprom.i6.od by suggesting that the clause bo put into the Bill in the moan-, time, and if tho Legislative Council con-, sidorcd «t inadvisable to allow it to stand after hearing evidence on the Bubject, tho clauso could be- deleted or amended. This somp.romiso was accepted by Mr. Davey, and tho clauso was added to tho Bill. A now clause to have the effect of allowing a Mayor, after the expiry or his tefin of office, to remain a councillor for one year was rejected on tho voices. Another no*v clause, moved in tho name of Mr. T, K. Sidoy, proposed to givo councils owning tramwaya flower, to refuse iieeiWoa to motor-buses to ply: for the conveyance of paesengers and goads in the streets in competition with the tramways. Tho Minister refused to agree,to th.o clause holding tbat it was not desirable to confer. a. monopoly on any looa-1 body. Th« amendment was supported by Dr. ISowman and Mr. W. H. D. Bell. It waa ultimately defeated by A3 .votes to 19. A now clauso, also hi the name- of Ml - . Sidey, to permit cities or boroughs to ostabfish accident insurance funds, m agreed to on the voioeS, proportional Rpprasor.tatlpn. Mr, T. H. Davev moved to insert a new clause providing that ifoe prnv oi.plo of proportional ropresentatlou Bhould bo applied to municipal e'lec* '°Tho Hoii; F. M. B. Fisher said ttiat l it.would bo perfectly, futilo to put tha clause in tJfa Bill, Before it could bo applied tho municipal system would ltavo to be, remodelled, and the Ward system abolished. i ' Tho Chairman ruled tho new ol&ueo out of order on tho ground that it waa so vaguely worded as to ho Jufennito and was not in acoordanco with tn« Mr Davey moved to take tho Spes-' ker's ruling, and tho motion was agreed °Tho matter was argued at some length before tho Speaker; ,who ruled that in tho absence of machinery clauses tho proposed now clause would do meaningless. It Would U qmto,out of order to put sucn a clause m Bio BUI boforo tho House. ; He ruled that tM Chairman had decided correctly. ■ ■ ■ The schedule of the Bill was passed without discussion, ,and progress waf reported. LQCAL BILLS. Aniondnionts mado by Caunoil in tho Wanganui Harbour Bill and tho City of Nelson Empowering Bill wore .agreed to.. . . The Hbuso adjourned -at 0.85 a.tn<y until Tuesday next, -after a brief discussion, reported in another column.