PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1933, 16 December 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY. Parliament concluded ti very long and arduous session at 11.34 o'clock last night. The House of Representatives met at 11 a.m. yesterday, in a working humour, from which it did not often lapse during tlio day. Within a few minutes the Prime .Minister moved that tho House go into Committee of Supply on tho Estimates. This" paved, the way for a General debate, but it only lasted for half an liour, the principal subjects discussed being the respective powers of the Government and of the Public 'Service Commissioners in fixing the salaries of State employees, and naval policy. Tho latter, question was discussed at intervals throughout tho day, but nothing of importance was added to the body of information ibrouglitrto light, in tho exhaustive. debate, which took placo recently on the Naval .Dcfenco Bill. Tho House went into Conimitteo at 11.40 a.m. Fairly, rapid progress was made, and the. last iiam was massed at 3.33 p.m. Some questions were askod about 'tho voto of £100,000 to meet the cost of tile strike, but it was not debated to any extent. An agreement was arrived at by the two Houses in.reference to the disputed motor-bus clause in, tho Municipal Corporations Amendment liill- • In its final l'orm tho clause , empowers any , municipality in the Dominion to acquire and i un mi) tor-buses', but in t-jie ease, of Auckland limitations are imposed w'hicli arc designed to meet the fact that in the iiortiiern city street tramway , rights have been delegated to a company for a term of years. In the latter part of the aftornoon an opportunity ..was afforded of discussing tho report of tho Joint .. Defence Committee.' This being disposed of, tho Appropriation Bill was., .introduced at 5.50. p.m. .. It . emerged from Committee .unamended al 6.10 p.m. and was read a third time six minutes later. Tho Houso then rose until » * The evening proceedings consisted mainly of standing by, and the House adjourned several times untu_ the ringing of the bell." The Appropriation Bill was returned from tho Council at 8.42 p.m., and soon afterwards most■ ot the. southern members left to catch the ferrv steamer which, had been delayed for their benefit until 0 p.m. 'lho memWs who Remained wliiled away tho time bv organising a mock Parliament. The Licensing Bill was circulated during the, oveiiiiig. It .was not '-until 11.10 o clock that tho Speaker returned with tho Appropriation Bill'hearing tho Governors A The usual' farewell speeohes were delivered, and tho" House rose at 11.d4 P 'The Legislative Council devoted most of the day to consideration of tho Labour Disputes' Investigation Bill, and the measure was discussed at great length. It passed through all stages, villi - machinery amendments dealing Nvith lock-outs. -