PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1926, 8 December 1913, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

PUBLIC WORKS. STATEMENT & ESTIMATES. / ; — END OF THE DEBATE. WORK AT ALL-NIGHT SITTING. The debate on. tiro Public Works Statement was continued; in tho Houso of Representatives after .The Dominion went to press on Saturday morning. Tho speeches of members dealt almost entirely with the votes on tho Estimates for works in their sei-eral districts. Tho last, speaker in the debato was Mr. J. Payne, who was ordered to resume his. seat after having boon warned for failing to keep to thb question. The Minister did not reply, and tho Houso went into Committee at 4.50 a.m.

Floods in the South. In Committee, Sir Joseph Ward asked the Minister what. tho Government proposed io do to relieve the local bodies in tho Mataura district of tho burden imposed upon them by tho . expenditure consequent upon the heavy floods during the past year. Tho Hon. W. Fraser said tho honoura'blo gentleman seemed to bo prepared to assumo that the Government had done nothing. As a matter, of fact the people of Goro publicly announced-after tho llood that they wanted no relief, and that they would accept none. Tho borough of Mataura had applied for £300, and bad been given that amount, and ho believed they were well satisfied. Tho new Mayor of Goro had thought tho action of his predecessor quixotic, and had applied for relief. He (Mr. Fraser) had asked, for particulars as to actual less suffered, and he did not think this was an unreasonable request. The borough hail, however, demurred'.at furnishing an account cf' the cost of the works made necessary by the flood, and hp had refused to grant a lump- sum without some particulars. Hp had, however., put £10,000 on tho # Supplementary •Estimates to meet claims for flood damage. Mr. G. J. Andersoni said tho borough and tho county , would give an account of tho amounts spent, and they asked for a pound' for;<potmd\ subsidy on tho cost, and they asked for it in a lump sum. Mr. Fraser said that if ho could havo the accounts and tho vouchers to satisfy liim 'how tho monej-s wero spent he would bo prepared to givo a pound for pourfti''subsidy to .meet, the extraordinary expenditure. ' Sir Joseph Ward said he thought, the Minister's proposal .a very reasonable one. Ho was quite content to accept it. Mr. G. J. Anderson said ho had never had tho assurance from the Minister explicitly 'before, but now that hb had it ho was perfectly satisfied. A "Stop-Work" Proposal. Tho Railways vote, £1,325,000 was passed- at 5.40 a.m. At' 5.42 a.m. Sir Joseph Ward asked tho Minister whether it was proposed to put thowhole of tho Estimates through at that, sitting. On being informed by _ tiie Minister that that was his intention, Sir Joseph . Ward said ho would divide the House on a motion to report progress, and after t! at he would 'not'tako any further part in tho Estimates. • .

Mi-. H. G. Ell lashed liimself into a lino fury protesting against the "bullying tactics" .of the' Government. The expression ''bullying, tactics"; he was ordered to withdraw. He suggested that tho House adjourn for some liours to allow memberß. to rest Tho Han. W. P. Massey said ho (lid not care whether tho House reported progress or not. Members could on or not exactly as they felt inclined. He was quito happy in-Wel-lington. ; Ho.had. been doing his best to bring the session to a close, and had dropped certain Bills, but ho felt icry sorry now that he had done so. If he had known members wero in such a lino working humour lie would not have dropped tho Licensing Bill. While Mr. Massey was speaking, and afterwards, members of tho , Government party, and also not a few of tho Oppositionists, urged that the business he finished out of hand. Tho motion to report progress was defeated by 31 votes to 16. Sir Joseph i\Vard forthwith loft tho Chamber. After that the progress was fairly rapid. ... Tho House rose at 6.58 a.m. until 10.30 a.m. to-day.