PARLIAMENT.

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

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY,

Tho removal of the second ballot from the New Zealand electoral system was accomplished yesterday, so far as Parliament is concerned, when tho Upper House passed tho Legislature Amendment Bill after a long afternoon discussion. Tho Bill now only requires tho Governor's assent to become law. In tho House of Representatives last evening tho Prime Ministor announced that tho operation of tho Bill would bo delayed, so that it would not, apply to the Lyttelton by-election. The House, during tho last few clays, has contracted a bad habit of extending its sittings far into tho morning hours, from which it seems to find some difficulty in escaping. Yesterday morning tho debate upon' the Imprest Supply Bill was riot concluded until ■i.lo a.m. According to lobby talk, the two main parties had agreed not to debate, tho Bill at any length, and to rise early, but the Lnbqur members cut,into this arrangement, and took advantage of the wide scope and latitude of an imprest debate to talk about tho strike. Government .members, of whom a number spoke, handled the Federation with the gloves off, and the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher delivered a scathing indictment of its policy and methods. Towards tho end of tho debate, Mr. J. Payne was "named" for continually interjecting. Tho Prime Minister moved to suspend Mr. Payno for tho rest of the sitting, but eventually withdrew his motion when that member expressed regret. The subject of the Lyttelton by-elec-tion was again mentioned by Sir Joseph Ward, who asked the Prime Minister whether it would be possible to extend the time for closing tho rolls. The Prime Minister replied in tho negative, pointing out that the writ had been issued, and that he had no power to intervene.

Material for some animated party bickering was found in a return showing tho travelling expenses and allowances paid to Ministers of the Crown during tho year ended March 31, 1913. From the 'return it appeared tli.it the members of the Mackenzie Cabinet collected considerably more under theso heads in their three and a half months of oflico than tho members of tho Massey Cabinet did in eight months. Sovoral matters of interest were discussed, when the Education Amendment ' Hill.was considered in Committee. A proposal to put ah olid to-plural'voting (in the election of Education Board inonibcrs), by members of committees which control a group of schools, was rejected. , Tho same fato befell a proposal by Mr. M'Callum that school committees should have power to shorten school hours by half an hour per week, this time to be devoted to "religious or moral" teaching. Member's displayed no great- eagerness to tacklo tho subject, and seemed to bo distinctly relieved when, Mr. M'Callum accepted tho rejection o/ his amendment on the voices. There was an extended debate ill Committee upon tho Railways Construction and Land Amendment Bill, in charge of the 'Hon. AV. Eraser. Tho Minister accepted an amendment increasing from £8000 to £10,000 the maximum cost of lines which may' bo constructed bv private individuals or local bodies. in tho latter part of the evening tho Houso made a rapid journey down tho Order Paper. The Stamp Duties Amendment Bill was further considered in Committee, reported, and read a third time, and the following Bills were put through tho second reading and Committee' stages'/1 and, readhra...third time:—Public.Works Amendment Bill, I'Vuitrpreserving Industry Bill, Wangamii School Sites Amendment Bill, and Hospital sand Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill. Tho Kaitain Land Drainage .Bill was read a second time and referred to. the Lands Committee. The Houso.ro'e at. 1.20 a.m. Tho Legislature Amendment Bill, as stated ■ abovo, comploted its stormy passage through Parliament yesterday afternoon. Its last stago was, not difficult, however, and tho fato of tho Bill was never in tho slightest doubt. Sovcral .m>end<nc'it* wain moved, but all tho opposition and all tho amendments camo from a very few members.