LOBBY GOSSIP

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2205, 18 July 1914, Page 5

LOBBY GOSSIP

AND POINTS FROM DEBATES . DAILY SUMMARY A number of important legislative proposals woro beforo the Houso of Representatives yesterday. There was a stir of interest at tho introduction of the Motor Bill, which proposes to imposo special taxation upon motor vehicles, the proceeds to be devoted to the upkeep of roads. Somo, fault was found with these proposals on the Opposition side of the House, but eventually : tho Bill was read a first timo ' Tho Education Bill was read a second timo pro forma,_ and referred to the Education Committee. On the second'reading'of the annual taxing Bill there were some passages between' the l'rimo Minister and the Leader of the Opposition-in regard to : the Matter's financial criticism of the Government, but the Bill was, read a second time on the voices. The second reading debate upon the Defamation Bill began just before the House adjourned in tho afternoon, and was continued in the evening. A good deal\of criticism "wis directed at- the measure by Opposition speakers, who contended that it would expose public men and private persons to calumny and confer a dangerouß license upon newspapers.: \Th» Attorney-General, in his reply, maintained that the proposed changes in the'law were in the public interest, and, that similar provisions had operated without hardship in other countries,' and wore approved by high legal authorities. : A division was called oh the second reading, and the.Bill was approved by 33 votes to 31. The .House rose at 11.28 p.m. _ > .. At a short sitting of the Legislative Council the remaining seven of the eleven newly-appoinfcd men\bers 'ofthe Council were sworn in. . TEACHERS' SALARIES. Substantial increases of salary . are given to teachers under the, Education Bill - now before the Houso of Representatives. The number of grades - of schools is reduced from ten to seven. Following - are tho salaries Jfor ; head teachers under the several grades:—

. These salaries are subject to deduction'.in .tlie .event of tho teacher being uncertificated. The deduction is 10 per cent, of the salary in-the'case of . every; uncertificated head or solo teacher, and in the'iofise''of every uncertificated, assistant and 5 per cont. in tlie case of every assistant of head.or sole teacher wher is the' holder of a temporary certificate or' license to teach, provided that in/no case shall the salary be' re-; duced below ; £100. • ! ' '■ . '.There;are to some of the seven'grades. Following are'the grades with their sub-grades, and tho averago attendance required , to constitute. the grades .in . mixed ;^schpo]s,.■7^Grs4Q,.lr : -- Attendance,'9—2o,, 2, 21# —85; 3 a'," 36-— 80; 3b, 81—120 : 4a, 121-160; 4b, ,161 -200; 4c, 201-240; sa, 241 —280; .sb, .2313—20,; sc, 321—360; sd, 361—400 ; 6a ,401—450; 6b,. 451—500; 7d, '501—' 550; 7 b, 551 —600, etc. , WASTE OF TIME. . "Read_ the Bill first, and then have a go at it," was a piecc of advico tendered by the Hon. I<\ Mi; B. Fisher yesterday to Mr. 1 Russell, when that honourable.';gentleman; was doing his best to discuss a Bill which he bad not r<!ad, arid about which very little information had been given to the House. 'Ihis practice of talking about Bills in their introduction has grown up entirely iiv recent years.. Formerly, the custom'in the New Zealand Parliament, as in other Parliaments, was . to allow Bills to be introduced aud read a first time without remark. Then, when the" Bill was circulated, members could study it, and later discuss it intelligently at tho second reading, in committee, and at' the third reading;. Now it never-hap-pens by' any chance that a Minister is allowed'to introduce a Bill without Oppositionists clamouring to have it "explained.'.' , Not content with the ex-, planation',, they proceed to talk about it; and the result is loss of. time. The debate can never be of any value, because members have no knowledge of. tho Bill. THE PARISH PUMP. . The Minister of Education was evidently not mistaken in his prediction that the settlement of boundaries for tho 'new enlarged Education Bill would bt,. a troublesome business. The announcement that the district had. been reduced in number, ana that in consequence a few of the smaller education districts had been abolished, was made on Thurs'day night, and on the very first opportunity thereafter, immediately'after the meeting of the House yesterday afternoon, members representing the merged districts began their protests.' .The first was Mr. J. Oraigie, who asked that special evideneb should bo taken by tbo Education Committee regarding the merging' of. the South Canterbury district in the Canterbury district. '' Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon made a similar request on behalf of Westland, Mr. J.. Colvin on behalf of Grey, and Mr. H. J. H. Okey on behalf of Taranaki,.Mr. J. Colvin on behalf of Grey, andJlr. M'Callum on behalf of Marlborough. ■ Mr. M'Callum was inost emphatic in his objection to Marlborough being "swept into Nelson." Mr. Atmore (.Nelson): A very proper thing. ; Mr. M'Callum (to Mr. Allan) : It will sweep both you and me out of it is put through. An hon. member: You will'bo swept out, anyhow. Mr. Allen repeated what he had said the previous night, that the boundaries suggested were suggested in good faith,. but if the House agreed to alter them it could do so, ind if it could not agreo tlie matter could be referred to a Royal Commission. His billy desire was to have the number of districts reduced. He did not think tho Committee 'would require, in order to decide the questions at issue, to hear the evidence of a groat number _ of peonlo who wished to air their, grievances. DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS. A grievance much complained of by the Roman Catholic clergy in New Zealand is that scholarships won by Catholic children in open competition with children from the Stato primary or secondary schools are not tenable at Catholic secondary schools. Tho present law is that the holder of any junior or senior (national scholarships shall bo required to pursue his studies diiigently at a secondary school, "or its equivalent approved by the Education Board and the Minister." Some education boards have refused to approve denominational schools, In tho new Bill tho : pf.prov.il of the Minister only, without that of tho Education Board, is necessary. It is interesting in this connection to note that in reply to a deputation some time ago; the present Minister of Education said that in his opinion education boards, in deciding whether a Church school was equivalent' to,,

a State secondary school .or not. ought to'consider only whether the instruction given at. tho Church school was equivalent to that at tho State secondary school. THE REFERENDUM BILL. The Education Committee 'of tho House of Representatives, it is understood, lias arranged to ask the thr'eo ■mam parties interested in the Religious instruction in Schools Referendum Bill, the Bible- in Schools League, the National 'Schools Defence League, and tho Roman Catholic Federation, to each send two witnesses to give evidence before the Committee. The petitions winch have been received in reference to the Referendum ,Bill will come up tor consideration on 'Tuesday. The Bill 'still .appears on the Order Paper, but it is thought probable that it will bo referred to tho ■ Education Committee on J uesday afternoon. Between tho Referendum Bill and tho Education Bill tho Committee has a great deal of work ni: sight. It is expected that immediate steps will be taken to summon witnesses on tho Education Bill, but that tho Referendum Bill will ba disposed of and sent back to the House before serious work begins upon the other measure, j he Education Committee has arranged to sit on two days ,in each week. , ■ COUNCILLORS SWORN IN. Tho remaining seven'of the eleven newly-appointed members of the Legisawo Council were in attendance when the Council met yesterday, and were sworn in.- Tho Hon. 0. Samuel, of New 1 lymouth. who occupied a seat in the Council during last session, was • the first member to be swoni itij' and the Leader of the Council (the Hon. H. D Bell) and the Hon. Captain Baillie acted, as sponsors. Other members were then sworn in as follow:—The Hon.' J. MacGregor (Dunedin) ; sponsored by the lions. Captain Baillio and Sir ' Geo. MLean; the Hon. R. K. Simpson, supported by. the Hons. John Duthie and G. Carson; the Hon. R. Moore (Kaiapoi), supported by the Hons. H. D. Bell .and Cy.A.-C. Hardy; the Hon. W. Morgan (Gisborne), supported by the Horis. H. D. Bell and C. A. C. Hardy; the Hon. T. Mac Gibbon (Mataura), supported by the Hons. H, D. Bell and C. A. C. Hardy; and tho Hon. J. Fisher (Waikato), supported by tho Hons. T. Thompson and S. Harris. .-■'.: 'MR. PAYNE ACAIN REBUKED. " Intemperate language by Mr. Payne yesterday afternoon brought a sharp rebuke • irom ■ Mr; Speaker. Mr. Paynehad said."something to which nobody was paying . the' slightest heed about the Government going about "lying and slandering." . Mr.; Speaker: Will the honourable member rosumo hjs seat. The honourable member must noti uso such language' in this House.' He must endeavour to keep within the rules for tho conduct of this House, and he must' not do anything to degrade the. dignity, of this House." '. PIFFLE FROM THE OTHER SIDE. Mr. Massey happened toYrnention in the Houso yesterday that some notes he was using hnd been prepared for the speech which he had at one timo thought it would be necessary to deliver in tho Addrcss-in-Roply debate. i ; . Mr. Russell and others: Why didn't you deliver it? . .- ■ . . Mr; Massey: Because the pifflo .from the other side of tho House was unworthy of. an answer! •, (Laughter.) GLENHOPE RAILWAY.. The member for Nelson (Mr. H. Atmore) questioned the. Minister of-Pub-lic Works yesterday on the matter of, tho Glenhope railway, and asked were the rails being shipped away. : In the course of his reply, Mr. Fraser said that,only service rails wore being taken .away, and their removal. would not effect the starting of.-the work. Boththe Primo Minister and himself had made ', it olear. that a sum would '. bb placed on. the Estimates this year to continue the line towards Murchison. Tho work could not be gone oil with for Qve months, and the service rails were not'wanted there in the meantime,

'' Annual inGrade.' Minimum.; Maximum, crement. £ £ < £ 1 ion . wo • 10 2 140 '100 10 • 3. . • 200 ' 250 ... 10 4 2C0 310 10 '> 5 320 v . 360- . 10' 6 370 '. .400 . \ 10 7 410 440 10 For Assistants: 1 - : 100 : 120 • 10 ' • 2 . , 120' 140. 10 ' 3 ' , 150 ISO 10 4 • ' ; 'ldo 220 10 5 , 230-' : ' : 250 ' 10-' 6. . .260 : . 280 ; ■ 10 7- 21)0' ' 310 10 .