PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2246, 4 September 1914, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

THE WORK AHEAD.

, STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER

DATE OF THE ELECTIONS

The House of Representatives met at 7.30 p.m. The Dunedin City Council Empowering Bill, the Onehunga Borough. Council Enabling Bill, and the fuakitoto and Kaitangata Lakos Bill were read a third time, and passed. BUSINESS OF THE SESSION. BILLS TO PROCEED. The Right Hon. W. F. MASSEY (Primo Minister) said ho was glad to say thai a truce had been declared between the two parties in the House, but ho had failed to see why business should not proceed as it had in the past few days, witliout heat or vituperation.' Certain business was necessary, and would havo to be dealt with by the Houso this session. There wwe the National Provident Fund. B'll and the Fire Brigades Bill, both in tho Committee stage. Ho did not say that anyone would suggest that these two Bills ought not to bo proceeded with. Two other unconteiifcious l>il!s nere tho Rangitaiki Drainage Bill, and the Hauraki' Plains Bill, both asking Parliament for money for important •works being carried on. There were also the Public Bodies Loans Bill, and the Mastoi and Apprentice Bill, the Local Railways Bill, and tho Local Grants and Subsidies Bill. This last measure was a policy Bill, but he would •remind tlie House ihat it had been promised to the country for two years. Others were the Customs Amendment Bill, and the Legislative Council Bill— the latter practically in its final stages. Mr. Atmore: What about tho .Crimes Amendment Bill? Mr. Massey: The Crimes Amu.dment Bill is a very goad Bill to discuss at about half-past two in the morning, when the galleries are clear, and I don't propose to discuss it now. With regard _ to the Motor Bills, ho he was not sure that the object it aimed at could not be achieved in another way. H<k was very strongly of opinion , that tho Legislative Council Bill should be proceeded with. Undoubtedly it was contentious, but the people, of country had been asking for reform of the Council format, least ten years. In view of this he thought Parliament would not be doing its duty unless it dealt wit-li-the Bill. He did not say Parliament should pass the Bill in its present shape without debate, and he would be prepared, as hoad of tho Government, to accept any reasonable amendment. Sir Joseph Ward:, The Defamation Bill—whit are you. going to do about that? Are you going to drop it? ' Mr. Massoy: We'll talk about that later on. It will be quite time enough to discuss the Defamatiyn Bill when'we reach it'. Then, he continued, there was the Education Bill, a Bill which was being a-sked for all over the country. Sir Joseph Ward:-Not the division of districts. Mr. Massey said the Minister of Education, when introducing the Bill, had made it clear that, the subdivision progosed was only tentative, and if the [ouse wished, tho whole question could be submitted 10 a Commission. This need not dolay the Bill. A Land Bill bad been introduced a few days ago to remedy, .defects in ... the present law. ilfc'fyould be necessary'to pass at least one Loan Bill. An Electoral Bill was also necessary, but it would not be a policy Bill There would be an important Native Bill, and a very important Cook Islands Bill to consolidate and amend the present law. The Washing-up Bill was now in preparation. These were all Bills to which no exception could be taken, and he thought it was the. duty of Parliament to deal with them. Date of the Electrons.. As to the date of the elections the position was simply this If he thought the present state of stress and excitement was going to continue for long ho would Bay that the elections should be postponed. But he did not, think this. The war would probably last for a year, but in the course- of a. few weeks ho I hoped to seo matters settle down, end tho elections could go on. 'Parliament bad been advising the people to go on with their ordinary business as usual, and he thought Parliament should sei an example in this. Sir J. Ward: You intend to go on with the elections this year if you can? Mr. Massey: 'If there is nothing to prevent it; if nothing comes in tho way I think the elections should bo proceeded with. _ The matter would be decided by Cabinet in a few days, he continued. and as soon as a decision was reached he would take' the House and tho country into the confidence of the Government. The notice given to the country would be ample'.' An Appointment Justified. Referring to the report of the General Manager of Railways he said ho would not commit the Government to all the proposals contained in it. The report had been brought* down without any interference from the Government, and ho was satisfied now that the report justified the appointment of Mr. Hiley. Sir Joseph Ward had condemned tho appointment, but one of his lieutenants, Mr., Myers, had supported it strongly. He (Mr. Massey) believed that in Mr. Hiley New Zealand had secured the services of a very good man. As to . the importation of engines, according to his reading of the report Mr. Hiley was only suggesting that they should go abroad for some engines as a last resort. The report made it clear that the General Manager wished to establish a locomotive-building shop at Newmarket (Auckland), but that it would, take two years to complete tho shop, so that it might be necessary to import engines meantime. He was'and always had been opposed to,the impor-, tation of rolling stock where it could' bo avoided and so, ho understood, was tho General Manager. As to the expenditure of £3,250,000 recommended by the General Manager, it was proposed to spread it over five years. In the existing circumstances, ho doubted' whethea- /it would be -possible to take those works in hand' for another year,' but ho hoped that most of those present would live to soe tho works completed. Tile Primo Minister commcnded tho General Manager's proposal that two railwaymen in each year should be given a scholarship engineering course at Canterbury College. The proposal to appoint a commercial agent in each Island to stimulate railway business was also 011 right lines, and lie believed that it would pay handsomely to make tho appointments._ After touching upon other details in tho report Mr. Massey said that he was quite willing that mefnbers, later in the session, should take a wholo day to discuss tho report and the Railways Statement. It would bo time well spent, and it would pay them to do it. • Discussing the cry raised about Mr. Hilev's recommendation that a certain numbor of locomotives should be imported, the dehato dragged on until 1.25 a.m., when the Hon. J. Allen replied. The Houso went into Committee on the Estimates at -1.48 a.m. Tho first item was passed without discussion, and the House rose at 1.52 a.m., to sit again at 7.30 p.m. to-day. "NAZOL" cures Coughs, Colds, Bronchitis,, Influenza, Nasal Catarrh, or Cold in the' Head.' It never fails; 'GO doses, Is. 6d. Get a Nazol Inhaler.—Advt, ■ j_