HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 87, 9 October 1895, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30, Mr Guinness being in the chair in the absence of the Speaker, on account of illness. Further leave of absence for a week was granted to Mr Houston because of illness. The Ministers' Salaries and Allowances Bill was introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. Major Steward brought up a report of the Reporting Debates and Printing Committee, which was to the effect that the permanent Hansard staff was insufficient to cope with the work and that it should be strengthened by the addition of one gallery reporter. The consideration of the report was deferred until the evidence taken by the Committee had been printed. The Government Advances to Settlers Act Amendment Bill was committed. Clause 2, making provisions as to the constitution of the Board, was discussed at great length. Mr Thos. McKenzie protested against the proposed alterations in this Board, which made it entirely of a political character. Mr Ward said these remarks were unwarranted. He denied that he wished to make the Board have any political colour, and Government were only anxious to see an important department effectually administered in the interests of the colony. He proposed to put another member on the Board, who would be outside the Civil Service altogether, and whose salary would be voted by the House. Mr Seddon said it was found necessary to remove the Solicitor-General and Surveyor-General from the Board, as they had already large and important duties to perform. Eventually the clause was passed with the alteration proposed by Mr Ward to appoint a person outside the Civil Service to the Board. Clause 6.— An addition was made to include in land on which advances could be made endowments of Harbour Boards, municipal corporations, and school commissioners. The Bill was reported with amendments, and the third reading was fixed for next day. The House went into Committee of Supply for the further consideration of the estimates. The Department of Labour, £3630.— A long discussion took place with regard to the Levin State farm. Several members expressed the opinion that the farm should be administered by the Lands Department and not by the Department of Labour. Mr Beeves said a very few farms would show such good results for the first year as the State farm had done. He should prefer that the Lands Department should manage it, but the Government considered that as it was a matter connected with labour it should be managed by the Labour Department. The remainder of the ordinary estimates were passed unaltered without much discussion. At 2.10 a.m. the House adjourned.