PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2259, 19 September 1914, Page 9

PARLIAMENT

RAILWAYS VOTE SHORTAGE OF ENGINES STOCK AND PRODUCE BETTER TRANSPORT WANTED SHIPPING LAW AMENDED \ The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Customs Amendment Bill was received from the House of Representatives, and was read a iiret time. The Imprisonment for Debt Limitation Bill was read a third time, and passed. The Tuakitoto and Kaitangata Lakes Amendment BUI, and the Dunedin City Council Empowering Bill were read a second tirao. The Hon. H. D. BELL introduced the Shipping Documents During War Bill,, and asked that its passage through the Council should be facilitated in order that it might reach the other Chamber with dispatch. v In the bill "shipping document" is defined as moaning and including bills of lading, charter parties, and policies of marine insurance. The provisions deemed to bo incorporated in shipping documents during the war are set out in the. following clause: — "Every shipping document which, after -the commencement of this Act and while a state of war exists, is issued in New Zealand (whether in respect of ships, cargoes, or otherwise) shall, notwithstanding any agreement to the contrary, ba read and interpreted as if there wore set forth and incorpoated therein the following conditions:—(a) Tho ship, in addition to any liberties expressed or implied herein, shall have liberty to comply with any orders or directions as to departure, arrival, "routes, ports of call, stoppages, or otherwise howsoever given by His Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom or of the Commonwealth of Australia, or of the Dominion of New Zealand, 'or of any other dependency of the Crown, or by any Department of any such Government, or by any person acting or purporting to act with the authority of His Majesty or of a.ny such Government or of any Department thereof, or by any committee or person having under the terms of any war.risk insurance a right to give euch orders or directions. Nothing done or omitted by reason of any such orders or directions shall bo deemed a-deviation or change of voyage, and everything done or omitted pursuant to such orders or directions .shall be deemed, to he ex-' pressly authorised by all the parties to this instrument. The master of tho ship is empowered to take such steps as iii his discretion seem expedient with the object of avoiding risk of capture or destruction of ship or cargo by the King's enemies. Nothing done or omitted with that object shall be deemed a deviation or change of voyago, , and everything done or omittod with that object shall be deemed to be expressly authorised by all the parties to this instrument." Clause '4 prescribes that a state of war shall (tor tli'S purposes of ttue measure) be deemed to exist' , until the end of the day on which the Governor by'proclamation declares 1 that a state of ! war no longer exists, and Clause 5 states that tho measure shall continue m operation until January 1, 1916. '■Mγ. Bell explained that the Bill was, introduced in consequence of a, request from tho Imperial Government.' The reason for the measure was that if goods' and hulls woro to bo covered by the Imperial War Risks Office, the control must be in the hands of the Imperial authorities, and the authorities of the dependencies, and, in addition, the committee appointed by the Imperial War Risks Office. It was quite understood that a route might be safe to-day and unsafe to-morrow. It was necessary that ships should go to any port to which they were directed, and stay there for any length of time. Such a procedure, however, would he a deviation under the ordinary contract, and the object of the Bill wae to prevent anything of the kind being deemed a deviation. ■ Tile measure was then passed through all its stages, without discussion, and passed. The r Council rose at 3 p.m. THE HOUSE The House mot at 2.30 p.m. Upwards of two hours were occupied in a wrangle about advertising, reported elsewhere. Tho House then went into Committee, and resumed consideration of tho Estimates, tho working railways vote (£3,030,000) being first •considered. In tho afternoon, tho. Minister ■ of Railways (tho Hon. W. H. Harries), who has been ill for' some time, was present, but in the evening ho did not attend, and tho Prime Minister took charge of the Estimates. Improving Sheep Trucks. Sir Walter Buchanan (Wairarapa) said that seven or eight years ago he had suggested a means of improving sheep trucks,' but, while many trucks had been-improved accordingly, a number still needed attention. Tho im-. provement he referral to M'as the double floor. There were not sufficient trucks for £he carriage of stock, and every season the freezing works wero considerably hampered on that account. He was quito aware that want of engine power had a good deal to do with this. As to facilities for the carriage of dairy produce, Sir Waltor Buchanan said that when in London last year ho had visited tho portion of tho metropolis where dairy prodnco was handled, ant! had seen there evidences of deterioration in cheese through its having been carried in open ' trucks in hot weather. He had known cases where cheese trucked in tho Wairarapa on a Friday had remained in nartially-coy-L-red trucks in the 'sweltering heat till the following Tuesday.. Ho know that to effect tho improvements which ho bad alluded to would cost money, but tho questions were very important. Thousands Lost Annually. Mr. G. V.' Pearco (Patea) also spoke of the shortage of trucks. Ho Raid that thousands of pounds per year were lost on' this account. _ If this was partly due to want of eiiKino power, then more engines were urgently needed, and he hoped that they would bo obtained quickly, even if they had to bc> imported. Messrs. D. H. Giithrio (Oroun) and E. Newman (Rangitikci) spoke on tho same subject, and favoured night trains for the carriage of sheep. Mr. W. Nosworthy (Ashburton) said that more engino power was so urgently 'needed that he hoped that tho Govern'ment would not wait to have engines mado in New Zen In ml, but would import them immediately. Employment on tho Railways. The Prime Minister replied to tho various questions. In answer to ii member who wished to know what was being done to replaco railway men ivliq had.gono to tho war, he said that business was fairly slack in the servico just now, but that a good many casuals had been taken on, and a good many more would bo engaged as occasion reqnired. On the subject of the' civil rights and political rights of Civil Servants, the Priino Minister said

that ho did not think that anything further was wanted in the way of what was called "civil rights," and that it would bo unwiso for an official of the Railway Department to take an active part in party polities. A member: What do you mean by an official? Tho Prime Minister: Anyone cmployod by tho Railway Department. As to motor trains, the machinery for another of those vehicles had been imported. On the subject of sheep trucks, he was pleased to say that the Department had anticipated tho member for Wairarapa (Sir Walter Buchanan) this fcimo. "Thoy are all done," he added. Sir Walter Buchanan: Can't we get somo moro trucks t The Prime Minister said that trucks for tho carriage of sheep and dairy produce were being mado as quickly as possible Respecting the request for a night train from Foilding, a now timetable was arranged, and it included a night train. Tho Financial Aspect, Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) asked how it was that last year the profits ou tho railways had fallen by 3.7 per cent. He said that it was understood that the Government intended to make Eome incroasas in freight charges. He wished to know if the Government had entered into auy negotiations or made any contract for tho purchase of locomotives from America or England. ■ . Mr. J. A. Ha-nan (Invercargill) suggested that Civil Servants should bo given similar political rights to those enjoyed by the Civil Servants of New South Wales, where tho only restriction was a prohibition against auy reference to the work of the Department to which they belonged. Mr. H. J. H. Okey (Taranaki) said that people were very disappointed that only half an houf would be taken off the time occupied in running the mail train between Wellington and New Plymouth. He thought that the time for the run could bo still further reduced. Ho asked that a dining car should he put on the mail train between Wauganui and New Plymouth. . The Required New Engines. ; The Prime Minister, answering Mr. Russell, said that there wore quite a number of reasons for the reduced profits, increased salaries, for one' thing, had run into eometliing liko £100,000. Then tho revenue had diminished in various ways. There was the strike, .Mid, also, the smallpox trouble. Further, there was the fact that a number of new sections of lines were opened in partially-settled country, and the earnings from these were not large, There was hq suggestion to increase freight rates so-far ao he knew, but there might bo a readjustment, which would be quite a different tiring. No engines had been ordered at present, and the Government did not propose ordering auy outside New Zealand uniess it was impossible to have the requisite number mado in the country. It might not, of course, bo possiblo in tho time at the Government's disposal. Tho vote was passed at 9.30 p.m. Native Affairs. Tho Native Department voto, £23,727, was considered. Sir James Oarroll, after expressing regret at the absence of the Minister of Native Affairs (the Hon. \V. H. Merries) (jn il.coluiit <xf scions illness, announc&i that the Opposition did not propose.to discus 3 the .Estimates at length. He inquired about the Orakei Block, how 'far tho purchase negotiations had gone, how much money was to be paid, to whom it would be paid, and how much tho iNative- owners would receive. Mr. Maseoy said that the Government ,did jiofc,propose. i.to, go' much, further with-'tho purchase'of Orakei, because all the land not purchased was some .forty or fifty acres of Native Kesorvo, which apparently was intended fco be inalienable. The Government had purchased the Native freehold .interest, and tho leasehold interest of Europeans in about 500 acres of land, and the purchase price was as nearly as possible £100,0110. .Everything had been done with the consent of the Maori Land Board for the district. He need hardly say that before the Government took action negotiations wero going on between private speculators and the Native owners, but tho President of the.Board ruled that a sufficiently good prico was not being offered by the speculators. Hβ believed that the price now being paid to the owners was a fair and just one to both interests, and as far as he could learn, tho money paid to the Natives had been expended properly. There had been reported a few cases of extra/agance,, but this seemed to be unavoidable. Most of ihe money, he understood, was being spent by the Natives in improving their lands in the liaipara district. Mr. W. Nosworthy asked whether tho Government were acquiring any Native lands along tho lino of tho East Coast railway or the leases of which were falling due, or whether tho Natives were lelettmg their land. Mr. Massey said that the Native Land Purchase Officer was at present on the East Coast negotiating with the Native owners of the lands to which the honourable member had referred.' The vote was passed in 'twenty-fire minutes. State Coal Mines. On the class State' Coal Mines, £263,810,. Mr. G. Witty- suggested that depots 'for the sale- of State coal should be established in country towns. H.e also remarked upon tho fact that the depots were very often short of coal. The Hon. W. Eraser said that there had been a shortage of coal during last year, but this was due to circumstances outside tho control of the Department Mr. G. V. Pearce asked what the loss had been o"n the Seddonville mine. Mr. Fraser. said that tho loss since the commencement of tho mine had Leon about £45,000. The mine had nevor been payable, even before the Government took it over. Tho vote was passed without amendment. Preservation of Scenery. Tho Scenery Preservation Account, £11,163, the Land for Settlement Account, £10,060, and the Public Trustee's Account, £89,612 were passed. Mr. G. V. Pearco asked why the Tates on Native lands in Taranaki were not pa.id to local bodies. Tho Hon. A. L. Herdman said that wherever money was avaijable it was ptiid to tho local authorities, and the rates were always made a first charge on moneys received. In reply to a further question Mr. Herdman said that £300,000 had been lout by the Public Trust Office to the Government. Tho State Fire Insurance vote (£22,591) passed at 1.45 a.m., and the House rose.