PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1925, 6 December 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY. Olio of tlio last milestones iu the Parliamentary session was roaehed in tho Houso ,of Representatives yesterday, when the Public Works .Statement and Estimates cam'o up for consideration. As is always tho caso on this annual occasion, all Other questions were dropped for tlio tihio being, and tlio House settled down to a long day and night of wrangling about roads and bridges and railways. When The Dominion - wont to press yestQrday morning tho Nativo Land Laws Amendment Dill was being considered iu Committee. Tho Pill was reported with amendments at 2.45 a.m., and tile third reading was postponed. The Rating Amendment Bill was then put through Committee, and read a third time. Tho Houso roso at 3.5 a.m. Yesterday aftcriioon tlio Hon. F. M. B. Fisher gave notico to introduco the Customs Law 'Amendment Bill, a consolidating measure, and tlio Harbours Amendment Bill, in charge of tho saino Minister, was read a first time. The debate upon the Public Works Statement was opened by tho Leader of.tho Opposition at 3 p.m., on tho motion to go into Committee of Supply on the Estimates. In the latter part of Ilia speech Sir J. Ward said that if the Government, proposed at tho present junctnro to' reduce taxation ho would not support tlio proposal. Tlio Hon. Jas. Allen made an effcctivo reply to the Leader of tho Opposition, and afterwards tho debato was continued iu tho form which has hecomo stereotyped. For a' long timo the only interesting contributions to tho discussion were' tho speeches of a number of Government members, who agreed in strongly advocating tlio abolition of tho present system of grants in aid, and tlio establishment of a lion-political board.' Talk dragged on into tho small hours of tlio morning without any development that could bo called important coming to light. Tho Houso emptied as tho :iight wore on, and at 2 a.m. only about a, dozen members wero sitting up iu their places. Enough to complete tho quorum wero 'lying on their benches asleep. Tho subject of discussion, was still, as it had'been from 3 o'clock in the. afternoon, tlio motion to'go into Committee on tho Estimates: Tho situation was unchanged when-The Dominion wont to press. The Legislative Council sat until after midnight." Of the Bills dealt with, the most important wero tho Naval Defence Bill and tho Police Offences Amendment' Bill. , Tho Naval Bill was received almost with unanimous approval. Tho Police Oftcncos Amendment Bill was discussed at considerable length, but the opposition to it was confined to fivo or six members. Both Bills went'through all stages. Other Bills of less importance were passed also.