PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 36, 6 November 1919, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

END OF THE SESSION

THE APPROPRIATION BILL

PLAIN TAUt TO A LABOUR

M SMBER

Tlie Legislative Council met at 10.30 a.m., but rose within u few minutes, and resumed at 2.30 p.m.

Tho Council passed ro.-olutions similar to those carried by the House conveying the thanks of Parliament, lo those who served the Empire in the great war.

A SCENIC RESERVE. Sir Francis Bell was granted leave to mako a statement regarding an offer by the Maoris of lands for a scenic reserve about Lake Kotoiti. He said that ho desired to place on record that the Natives hap! offered to grant free of all expense to the Government the reserves which were desired for scenic purposes. The result had been legislation promoted at tho request of the Natives to defino reserves containing the greater part of tho forests on tho shores of Kotoiti. It had been gratifying to hear a Maori member of the Council propose that the provisions relating to Rotoiii should bo extended to lioto-ehu. (The Council had made the extension on Tuesday.) The Council, at its evening silling, received from the Lower House the Appropriation Bill, which it put through all 6-tagcs and passed, EPILOGUE AND "CURTAIN." Sir Francis Bell moved the final adjournment. I Following the usual practice Sir FranI cis Bell said that he would tako the opportunity of bidding farewell to his fcllownicmbers, and to the officers of the | Council. He' paid a special tribute to ! the manner in which the Speaker (tho Hon. W. C. F. Carneioss) had presided over the Council. He also said that while the late Clerk of Parliaments (Mr. Stowc) had left a place which it was difficult to fill. Mr. Stowe's duties had been ably and well performed by his successor. The Parliament that had reached its closo had seen momentous days, and every member would possess the pride of having been a unit of the Legislature of one of the countries that had borno its part when the Motherland was, in danger. Wo had never faltered in our resolution to bo ono nation and ono people, and because the Council had united in support of the Government and in the determination that no effort should be spared, it could without vain 'boasting' be assured that it had a mark of service beyond the ribands that marked sonic special distinction in civil life. As tho members parted, they ail knew that there wero trials ahead as great ,iii another sense—even danger as great in another character—as the dangers that had had to bo faced' during the past iivo years. If Parliament faced these new trials with the samo quiet confidence as it had displayed in the war time, the peoplo would find no. cause for regret in the people to whom it entrusted the guidance of its'fortunes.

Sir William Hall-Jones cordially endorsed the. expressions of the Leader of tho Council. He spoke of what our men had achieved in the war. Tho Coalition Government, ho also said, had Join; good work, and every Minister had. done, his best to further the great causa of. tho Empire. The Prime Minister had borno a great burden. Ho was sure, too, that tho Council would agrco that tho courtesy, tact, consideration and judgment of "the Hon. the Lcider: of the Council hatl been a help not only to tho Council but to the country, and to the Empire. The -days .ahead would not be times, ho thought, for party shibboleths. It would be best for tho country if, until we could settle down again to normal conditions, wo could abandon mere party activities. The legislation of tho session ended hardly afforded a handle for criticism. All tho Bills had been on progressive lines, and ho believed that every part of the community would be in some way bene, tited'by what had been put through. Ho could not recall a promise made by the Leader of tho Government that had not been kept. lie looked forward, therefore, to the proposals in tho Housing Bill being put into operation at the earliest possible opportunity, The Speaker referred specifically, with approbation, to the various measures just put upon tho Statute Book.

Tho Hon. W. Barnshaw said that the years in which tho Reform Government had held ofUco showed a greater record in tho service of the real interests of Labour than .any oilier live years recorded in the history of New Zealand. Tho Government had also done everything that it could for the men who had made sacrifices' to defend tho country.

The Hon. the Speaker thanked the Council for the way in which it had assisted .him to bear the responsibilities of his position. The session had been an interesting one, and he had been called upon to decidb one "or two questions of considerable importance, ilv hoped the day would not come when the Council ■would claim slighter privileges (in tho determination of its own constitution) than those attributed to the British House of Commons. He had learned one lesson in particular, that it was wise not to have a supersensitive idea of the courtesy due to another place. Judging from newspaper reports, he was inclined to think that such courtesy was not always fully appreciated. The Council rose at 11.30 p.m v