PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1905, 13 November 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY

Wednesday afternoon in the Hou6e of Representatives is usually a patchwork time, owing to tho divorsity of subjects raised in the discussion on questions ■ put on the Order Paper by members during the preceding weok. , A few of tho questions related to the Strike situation, but as the replies cou- ■ tained no matter that had not been made public in the meantime, only the Labour members spoko on them. Those gentlemen found so much to talk about that they dissipated their energies, and -yery little of moment was said by them. ' There happenod to bo a question about Mr. Tregear's utterance about, mounted : special constables from the country. This utterance was recorded in one shapo by the nowspapers as "outcast scum from the country," but . Mr. Tregear denied that ho had said this,'and declared that the words, used were "outcasts como from the country." Some members of tho Government party had a little to say about the gentleman on His Majesty's Commission of the Peace, who dared to say such things about gentlemen who had come to the city to assist in maintaining law and order. ' The revised version of. the Bpeeoh was not by thorn considered sufficient to explain away the fault; and one honourable membor declared that the explanation was "an afterthought." There ,was no Ministerial statement on tho matter; except that contained in the answer to the question; to'the effect that the Government were still in communication with Mr. Tregear about his : Speech, • ' ' • ■ The introduction of "'ining Bill by Governor's Message Leader of the Opposition an opportunity to ask . the Prime Minister how many more Bills he, proposed to introduce before the end of tho session. Mr. Massey said that he could not say exactly, but there were some half-dozen Bills to come whioh would have to' be dealt wrtn this session. The Mining Bill, which H the biggest Ineasure dealing with mining that has been, introduced into the New Zealand Parliament for very many years, was read a first time without debate. . The piece de resistance of the day was the debate on tho motion to commit the Bank of New Zealand Bill, virtually ,the second reading debate. .There was . i little difference of opinion about .the , Bill except as' between the Socialistic members of tlio Chamber and th© others, and the Socialists;.' condemned the-Bill, as they condemn all Banking Bills, because it did not propose to set up a,' State bank. . There were other 'differences of opinion, but they were 'advanced in such temperate' language that no party .rancour was aroused. The Committee stage having been' reached, progress was reported after the short .title fras passed. . : • . •■. The New Zealand Society of Account-, imta Bill was read a "second time after jbrief debate. ■■ ■ * - The House rose at 11.50 p.m. In tho Legislative Council. the Hon. tH. D. Bell introduced the Medical ■Practitioners Bill, 1913, and the Temporary Employees Bill, 1913. Both these 'Bills were read a first time, and the Council then proceeded with the second readings of the Mutual Fire Insurance ■Amendment Bill, the Government Railways Amendment Bill, and the Shipping Ijntt Seamen Amendment Bill l .