PARLIAMENTARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2160, 16 August 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

Fross Association. I HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES s I The House met at 2.30 p.m. I Tho Premier gave notioo of his in ’ j tontion to move that in future Gov ; I ornmont business take precedence oi , I Wednesdays. I Tho Otago Harbor Board Empow I ering Bill (Mr. Millar) was road i [ first time and referred to tho Loch { Bills Committee. I The whole afternoon was taken up I in discussing formal! business. I Tho House adjourned at 5.5 p.m. I to allow members to attend a recopI tion to Webb, tho ohnmpion sculler. I Tho House resumed at 7.80 p.m. I Tho Waitara Harbor District and I (empowering Bill was read a second I time. I During tho afternoon petitions eonI tainiug 36,000 signatures were proI son ted, prnyir.g for tho abolition of I the totalisator. Several petitions wore also presented praying for the continuance of tho totalisator. Tho Gore Streets Bill, and Wellington City Empowering Bill, woro read a second time. On tho motion to go into Conuuittoo of Supply Mr. Barclay moved as an amendment, —“That in the opinion of this House the time has come when the Government should take control of the food and clothing supply of the people.” Ho said that the ovils which had oxistod for so many years past had reached such dimensions that something was necessary to bo done in tlie interests of the people, as tho rich wore becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer. A state of tilings existed in which tlie producers of wealth received tlie least, and Lived in imminent danger of distress and starvation, whilst the ric.li became more wealthy. There

I was not a member in tlie Houso who I was not conversant with tho wretchedness, poverty, and despair of the poor people in all countries. The ArI Litration Act had done a certain amronii t of good, but it stopped too I soon. It provided a certain wage for I i man in work, but it. did not provide for a man who had no work. If 1 American Trusts could produce for I personal gain at cheap rates, how I much better and cheaper could not che Government undertake the control and supply of necessaries for the I benefit of tlie people.-r—Alr. Arnold I seconded the amendment pro forma. I —Mr. Heke urged that Air. Barclay I should include timber in liis amend- | pent, as the existence of a timber I ring in this colony had increased the cost of this necessary building maI ferial. On a division the amendment was negatived by 55 to 10. Mr. James Alien asked if the GovI eminent intended to take any steps | m regard to mining on rich agricultural lands. He suggested that something required to be done to nave soil to bo replaced whore land was broken by mining operations, even I oil private lands.-—Air. Reid urged j chat beforo a miners’ license was I planted the regulations should enI iorce that the soil be replaced.—-Air. Bennett said that when tlie soil was first disturbed it should be placed in position ready to be replaced when mining operations ceased, and allowed to be washed away.—Mr. R. AleKonzio said if the suggestion of the member for Bruce were brought into force it would ruin the dredging industry of the colony.—-Air. AlcGow.a.n said the Government had not been neglecting the matter, which had been looked into, and ho was going to obtain another report. Some lands Irad actually been improved by dredging. —Air. Duncan said that the report of the Commission that inquired into the subjeot was to the effect that agricultural land should he protected, and miners were agreeable to this course. It had been stated that for

a cost of about £3OO dredges could bo fitted with an appliance not only to save the soil but to improve it.—Air. Flatman endorsed Air. Duncan’s remarks. He said it was, a standing disgrace that tho Island Block soil was being washed away. Tlie land of the Island Block was come of the finest agricultural land in the colony, and if the appliance mentioned by Air. Duncan had been used with the dredge the land would have been made more prolific in tlie growing of crops. The motion was oarried, and .the House went into Committee on tlie vote, Colonial Secretary’s Department, total £75,554.—Air. Lang, refering to the Electoral Department, £5767, urged that returning officers in tho country in scattered diistriots should be better remunerated than in compact districts.—The Premier, in reply to Mr. Barclay, said' that' the main electoral rolls would be printed by the Government Department, and. the supplementary rolls could be printed locally. In reply to Air. Lang, lie said he was perfectly satisfied that the remuneration granted to returning officers (twentv guinea's) was adequate for tho responsibilities and duties, and he would not agree to a variation of the rates.

WRECK OF THE SURPRISE. THE NAUTICAL INQUIRY. Press Association. AUCKLAND, August 15. An inquiry was held this afternoon before Air. R. AY. Dyer, S.M., and Captains Sellars and Adamson (nautical assessors) into the circumstances attending tho wreck of the scow v >”. l : se: .'-l .1,22 th Is 1, off SVp>er Island. The principal witness was Harry Jackson, tho young Norfolk Islander, who was the only survivor of the crew of five. Tlie Court found that the wreck was duo to tlie captain’s error of judgment. No order as to costs was made.

ALLEGED ARSON. Press Association. DUNEDIN, August 15. At tho Police Court to-day Thomas Miller, grocer, was charged with having wilfully set fire to his house. Evidence had been tendered and he was committed for trial. The evidence waa to the effect that the house belonged to Miller, having been purchased in 1904 for £250. Of that amount £175 was still on mortgage, while ho borrowed another £IOO oil security of tho property and lie held an insurance policy for £225, covering the premises. Accused went to a chemist’s shop and purchased a pound tin of phosphorus. The same day he was seen to go to the house, ivliich. was unoccupied at tho time, accompanied by his father and left in twenty minutes. Shortly afterwards i girl had occasion to go to the house for some clothes of a recent tenant, and noticed the first signs of fire and a strong smell of phosphorus. She gave the alarm and the neighbors put out the fire before much damage was done. On tho police visiting the house it was found that phosphorus had apparently been poured between flic bricks of the chimney and the lining boards from tlio roof, and a little distance from a man-bole in the veiling an empty cannister was found, which the chemist identified as having contained tho phosphorus which ho sold to accused. Tho former occupier’s furniture and effects, which wero uninsured, wero lying in tho house at tho time.