PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2274, 7 October 1914, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

dUUuM Uγ nfitV dILLo. LOCAL RAILWAYS. COMMITTEE STAGE. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT NEXT WEEK. The House of Representatives sat at 2.30 p.m. The Orchard and Garden Diseases ■Amendment Bill (tho Right Hon. W. F. Massey) and the Wages Protection and Contractors' Lien Amendment Bill (the Right Hon. W. J. Massey) were introduced and read a first timo. In reply to a question,- Mr. Massoy Baid that the only provision of importance in the latter Bill was ono to safeguard contractors against tho withholding of their deposits for-an unreasonable time. , PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. Mr. J. G. COATESCKaipara), asked jhe Minister of Public Works when tho Public Works Statement would be brought down. ■ • - The Hon. W.' ERASER, said that he: could not say exactly when the State-., nient would be ready. It was now in the hands of tho printer, and as the printing was a somewhat heavy undertaking, the Statement would probably not be presonted to the House for a Week.. . •'■..'. NEW BILLS. . The Remounts Encouragement. Bill, the Workers' Dwellings Amendment Bill, the Iro.i and Steel Industries Bill, the Cook Islands Shipping Bill, and amendments to the Education Bill were introduced by Governor's Message. The Iron and Steel Industries Bill and the Cook Islands Shipping Bill were read a second time pro' forma,and referred to committees, the former to tho Mines Committee and the latter to the Statutes Revision Cominitteo.

TOO MUCH TO DO. AN OPPOSITION COMPLAINT. Mr. G. W. RUSSELL (Avon) asked the Prime Minister if he would state what further legislation the. Government ■proposed to hring down during this session. Four'new Bills had been brought down by Governor's Message that afternoon. These Mf. Russell described as an avalanche, and he asked tho Prime •Minister how many more Bills were coining down. There was, he continued, a huge Order Paper, and members were working hard' to get the business through, but as soon as they..worked some Bills off the list others took their place. There was still a total of about 30 Bills to be dealt with"; and yet it was hoped to bring the session to an end in about 25 days' time. This-would hardly ensure proper consideration of the measures. If ever tliere was legislation by exhaustion it would be during this session. .. . ■ The Right Hon. W. F. MASSEY said it was quite evident the honourable gentleman had forgotten the state of things that existed ..prior, .to., the Reform era. Counting 'the' Bills' introduced that afternoon there would now be 2b' Bills in all on tho Order Paper. Did the honouraßlo .gentleman remember liow many. Bills .were, introduced after October 13 in the corresponding ses'sion of last Parliament?. His recollection was that the number was greater than fhafnow before the House. And anyone who looked at the Bills onjthe list must know that they were mostly non-contentious. Bills.. The. Education Bill, for instance, was a Bill that ought to he put on the Statute Book, and in that sense it was a non-conten-tious Bill. It would he discussed, pf course, but it was nonsense to eay that the House should take ■ a week discussing it. Then there was the Legislative Council Bill. Would tho honourable gentleman say it -was a contentious Bill? . ■ . . ....-■ ' Opposition Members: Very. Mr. Massey: Very well. The House (indorsed the principle of this Bill by two to one, two -years ago, and the country had endorsed it prior to last election. , These were tlie two big Bills on the Order Paper, .and neither of ihein should.trouble the House. H,e had not- finished the introduction, of Bills for this session.. Among those still to come was. the. Legislature Amendment. Bill, which was only a machinery Bill. Mr. Russell: Do you propose to uso it to reinstate tho Second Ballot again? . Mr. Massey: I certainly 0o not. In getting rid of the second ballot we have got rid of something that was an absolute disgrace to New Zealand. Mr. Russell: Are you going to introcluco a substitute? Mr. Massey: When I find something tetter than the present system I-shall ask the House to adopt it. by legislation. But I think it will take a lot of looking for. It has not been discovered by any statesman that I know of. Hβ concluded by saying that he did not think Ihero would be any trouble about putting all the business ' thrpugh before the end of the present month.