THE EDUCATION BILL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1918, 28 November 1913, Page 4

THE EDUCATION BILL.

ELECTING EDUCATION BOARDS.

RELICIOUS TEACHINC. I At ,1.50 p.m. the House went into Committee upon the Education Amendment Bill. A proposal by Mr. Witty to rociue? the minimum line of live Ahillimrs imposed on parents who fail to oiircr tlicir children on the register of some puhlie rohool was negatived on a division liv 39 votes to 21. School Committees— Voting Pawors. Mr G. AY. Russell proposed an amendment providing against plural voting by School Committees on the election of Education Board member..-*. In Christchurch one School Committee controlled three schools, if not four. Each ol theso committeemen exercised one vote for citch scliool.

Hie Hon. James Allen refused to accept the amendment, on the ground that it would lead to -great injustices in places like Auckland and Waiigaimi, where,the School Committees had boon agglomerated and tho schools were controlled by one largo committee. If the amendment passed into law, such committees would be swamped by these in the country districts. Mr. J. Hanan said that he favoured electing Education Boards on the Parliamentary franchise. The Minister said that he intended to go into tho whole; question. Mr. I). H. Guthrio said that the effect of the amendment would be that schools now'grouped under the control of one committee would all seccd? and elect tlicir own committees. Mr. T. M. Watford said that ho was of opinion that members of Education Boards should bo elected on a popular franchise.. The amendment was negatived on the voices. Religious Teaching in Schools. Mr. It. M'Callum (Wairau) moved to add the following new clause: — "Notwithstanding anything contained in tho principal Act, a School Committee, shall have power, on application being made to it by any person or association of persons 'desirous of giving religious or moral teaching, and apart from the control of tho board, to reduco tho legal scliool liours by half an hour per week, so as to allow of such religious or moral teaching during such half-hour of ordinary school hours. "Provided that no public school Lcacher shall be allowed to give such religious o'r moral teaching, and only children whose parents consent shall bo permitted to remaim in school during the said half-hour." Mr. M'Callum said he recognised tho .difficulty of such a class as this and did not wish to go back on the present non-sectarian system. His object was to put the proposal on record so that it might be considered between then and next session in tho hope that some solution would be arrived at which would remove this subject from the arena of political discussion. The Hon. Jas. Allen said tint he could not possibly accept the amendment.

Mr. T. M. "Wilford said that ho was against Bible-teaching in schools. Ho did not think that the proposal beforo the House would bo workable. ' It would enable the committees to over-ride the board—a pernicious suggestion. "Devisus Methods." Mr. G. J. Anderson said that the amendment proposed .to. get round the religious question by devious methods. For that reason he could not support it. He had entered tho House pledged to leave .religious questions as they were. Mr. J. A. Hanan said that religious teaching should be introduced universally or not at all. As to the- referendum it was for'the Government to give a lead. Ho opposed Mr. M'Callum's proposal. The clause was rejected on the voices. RAILWAYS CONSTRUCTION. BUILDING PRIVATE LINES. THE MAXIMUM INCREASED. The Railways Conctruction and Land Amendment Bill was next considered in Committee. Mr. T. M. Wilford asked tho Minister of Public Works whether he would instruct his officers to survey the Akatarawa deviation. Mr. Eraser said that the Bill before tho. Houso had nothing to do with the Akatarawa line. So far no practicable route had been found. If the member for Hutt could suggest a practicable route he would have a rough estimate made. Mr. Wilford said that if tho route suggested by Mr. J. Barton, of Upper Hutt, were surveyed by the Departmental engineers and condemned, ho would be satisfied.

Mr. Wilford opposed the provision enabling local bodies and private individuals to undertake tho construction of light railways. . Mr. E. Newman said that the work 'fell properly to the share of local bodies becauso light railways in many instances would take the place of roads. Mr. G. W. Russell asked what pre-' cautions would be taken against the construction of non-paying lines.' An engineering inspection* of proposed routes was not enough to guard against such a possibility. The Hon. W. Eraser pointed out that all contracts entered into .under the provisions of- the Bill had to bo laid bciorc both Houses of Parliament. Every opportunity would be given for a lull examination of all railway-con-struction proposals under the Bill. Mr. 11. 0. Ell objected that members of the House would have no control over the railway contracts. Mr. Eraser: They could move a resolution. Mr. lill said that there was no effectual control. The Minister should insert a proviso that all railway contracts under the Bill must be referred to a Select Committee, that body being given power to take evidence aiid conduct a proper inquiry. Tho Minister said that lie considered this unnecessary. Under the Bill as it stood proposals would be before the House for four or live months before they could he proceeded with. Practically the Bill enabled settlers to build railways for themselves if tlit-v wore prepared to rate themselves for the purpose. Practically it was an application of the betterment principle. There was no danger of any such trouble arising as Opposition members had suggested. Mr. G. W. Hussell said that he considered it unlikely that the Government would give members an opportunity of condemning these contracts by resolution. It would bo a good plan to reler theso proposals to a Committee ot the. House, such as the; Public Accounts Committee, and instead of its being enacted that a railway proposal might be gone on with if no resolution to the contrary worn passed by the House, the provision should be that no proposal should bo gone on with unless a resolution approving it \vp,v passed bv the House,

Nothing Wrong,

llr. W. J). .S. MacDoiiald said ho SilW llollljllg VCI'V <lllj(<Pti()llnl)|(. in Iho Hill and ssi fa,- as U„> ~ r ., is|l( ] | )V Air. I'.ll mid .Mr. Russell was conce-nod lie thought th.il, the fewer hampering conditions were imposed on the construction of railways the better There were places in tho Xortli Island where tlm Government would not be. iusti'lctl

in making a railroad, hut where the settlers could do so with advantage. Especially was tins so in timber areas, where the settlers could very easilv enter hue an agreement- with ;i timber company ami mi have a permanent railway laid. -Mr. J. J'ayne objected to the Hill, because he objected to private ownership of railways. Mr Walter Buchanan directed the last speaker's attention to the fact that the Hill proposed only to give better elfect to what was already in the Statute Book. There were "projected railways in different parts' of New Zealand which should be built as soon as the finances of the Government would permit. Tliej could not be built atonce, althougu it was admitted that they would be ''mmodiately remunerative. While this condition obtained, surely it was a dog-in-the-manger policy to prevent the settlers, tlironijk the local bodies or otherwise, to make the railways for themselves. liven light railways in some of these districts would relieve settlers to a very largo extent of a heavy burden of rates paid for very iuditrerent communication facilities.

Air. H. G. Ell gave notice of an amendment- making it a condition of tho validity of a contract concermns the construction of a, railway that tho House should pass a resolution approving of it. 'J lie Hon. W. Eraser opposed tho amendment for tho reason that it Would mean piling up expense for tho local bodies who were willing to help themselves. The result ot Mr. lid's proposal would bo that all contracts would be investigated by a committee of the House, and experts would be. called at great expense to provo the same things as the Government would always find out beforo agreeing to the contract in tho first instance. Mr. H. J. H. Okey also thought tho amendment was objectionable, for tjio reason that it would tie the hands of the ratepayers who were anxious only 'to help themselves. Tho short title was passed at 3.30 p.m., and on Clause 2 Air. M'Cnllum moved au amendment to increase tho ' permitted maximum cost- from £8000 to £10,000 per mile. Tiie Minister said he bad no objection to tho amendment, but when it was declared carried on the voices Air. T. ].i. Davey called a division. Tho amendment was agreed to by 47 votes to 17. • Mr. Ell moved tho amendment of which he had 'given notice. 'It was defeated, after a division, by 42 votes to oo •

flic Bill was reported, with amendments, and read a third time.

STAMP DUTIES, The Stamp Duties Amendment Bill (the Hon. A. L. Herdman) was committed. An amendment moved by Mr. 11. M'Cnllum, providing for' graduated stamp- duties was defeated on the voices. Mr. J. B. Hino asked the Minister whothcr ho would take steps to prevent the publication of the value of deceased persons' estates., Objection was made to the practice, and he. thought it should not be continued. Mr. Herdman promised to give the matter and if be found that it was desirable that the particulars referred to should not be given out ho would issue instructions to tin? office that it should be discontinued, j The Bill was reported and read a third timo. I

EDUCATION BILL. The Education Amendment Bill was reported from Committee, read a third time, and passed. PUBLIC WORKS. The debate on tho second reading of the J'ublic Works Amendment Bill 'was resumed. Mr. W. D. S. MACDONALB asked the Minister whether he would consider a proposal to give, more adequate compensation to settlers whose land was taken for a railway. He knew of eases where tho compensation had not lyen reasonable. He wished to make it clear; however, that lu did not believe landowners should get excessive compensation. The Hon. W. ERASER, in reply, *aid it seemed to him that the equitable way of settling this question was not- by the payment of moro money bv the State to individuals, but bv the levying upon tho lands of others "benefited by the. railway to compensate the persons whose land was taken. The Bill was read a second time on tho voices. DRAINACE BILL. The Hon. W. E. MASSE Y moved tlio. second reading of tho Kailaia Land Drainage Bill, the object of which' wi\s ,to provide for the drainage of Kaitaia Lako in the North of Auckland. The effect of tho drainage scheme would be to make availablo for settlement about 50,000 acres of land, which would accommodate from 200 to 300 families of ■settlers. The Bill was read a second time without de-bate

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY, The Hon. W. F. MASSE Y moved tiis second loading of the Fruit Preservin«Industry Bill. The industry, ho B ai<L was last assuming considerable importance, and its future was already assured. The Government had thought that some assistance should be given to fruit-farmers to establish their industry, and with this end in vW it was proposed, that the Government should raise annually a sum' of £25,000. It was hot expected, however, that this amount would have to ho borrowed every year for several years. Probabhone expenditure of £2o|ooo in providing cool stores lor fruit would he all that would l>c- necessary. The Bill met with general commendation. In reply, Mr. Mnsscy stated that the Government proposed to guarantee tin's season a trial shipment to Vancouver! but at present there was an unsatisfied" demand for our fruit in South America, lie looked forword with confidence to the ■increase of tho area under fruit cultivation, and ihe result would no doubt be increased production and increased export. * The Bill was read a second time.

OTHER BILLS. The Wa'.igaiHii School Riles Amendmtiit Hill (tin; lion. J. Allen) was' road a second time without dehate. The lion. K. 11. IUIODKS moved the Mrcoud reading of the Hospital and Charitable. Institutions Amendment Hill, and explained that the 15111 was largely'based on the.' recommendations of the conference of representatives of Hospitals and Charitable. Aid Horn's which met in lijil. The Hill was read a second, time, The Hills which had been read a seeon dtime, with the. exception of the Kaitaiu Land Drainage. Hill, were eonsidered ill Committee, reported, and read a third time. A Detention Clause, When the Hospitals Hill wsa in Committee, -Air. (!. )V. Husscll divided the Mouse upon a clause providing for the detention of persons suffering from contagious diseases. the clause was retained by :):; V eles to Hi. On (lie I bird reading -Air. ('.. \\, IJ„Ssell put on record bis ohjecilnii to the clause and was supported in thai aUitilde hv Sir Joseph Ward. The Hon. I<\ 31. 11. Kisher supported Hie clans.' as being necessary jii i];e public interest. The lion. I!. 11. Hhodcs, in replying, said that the clause was intended to apply only to persons whose continued ! liberty constituted u menace to tlie ouh- j lie health. Tho Loader of the Oopii-1

■vjmi! had spoken about infringing the liberty of the subject, Imt .such eonKidccatinns_did not apply in the case ill criminals, and tiirro \xqvp persons who might l)i- described j, s v |! o criminal:; lllillOllfill l.]>l\V (lid Hot CO|l)i> under the | Inn ol' the law in <•'•/, ordinary way. The third reading was carried' bv 31 VOtr..; to i;{. The Mouse rose at 1.20 a.m.