PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2312, 3 October 1908, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

THURSDAY EVENING’S SITTING

[Press Association.]

AY ELLIN G TON, Del. 2

In the House, after midnight, tho Auckland: University College Land, the Justices of the Peace Amendment, tho Harbors Amendment., and tho Waapuka. Bloc'k Bills passed committee stages with minor amendments. In committee on tho Old Ago Pens'; ms Act Amendment Bill, Hon. A. 11. Guinness complimented tho Government, but thought that money in a savings bank should not be treated as income for the purpose of penalising couples. Thrift- should not be penalised, and pensions should not be withheld from residents of thirty years and over in broken periods. On the motion of Sir Joseph Ward, a now clause was inserted providing that if a pensioner saved up to £2 ■a week in any year it. shall not operate against a pension at .renewal, provided ho can snow he has ceased earning money.

Tho Bill passed tho committee stage without further amendment of consequence, and was reported. The other Bills mentioned above passed their final stages, and the House rose at 2.40 a.m.

C GISLATIVE COUNCIL

AFTERNOON SITTING.

Tho Council met at 2.30 p.m. The report of the conference of managers of both House® on tho amendments t..;> the Second Ballot Bill was agreed to. the Infants Amendment Pill, from the House, was read a first time. the amendments made by the Tiouso to tho Justices of th© Peace Amendment Bill and HarlKirs Act Amendment Bill .were agreed to. The Defence Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Bill proposed to vest tho power of dismissing a volunteer for disobedience or m'isconduct in, the hands of the’Council of Defence, acting on the recommendation of the officer commanding the district, after enquiry by 7 him. Power to. disrate non-commissioned officers is to remain as at present with the officer commanding the district. The Bill also proposes to admit equipments tor officers of defence forces free. The Bill was put through committee, read a third time, and passed. The Government Advances to Settlers Bill and the Immigration Restriction Amendment' Bill, Which'have already passed the House, were read a second time, put through committee, read a third time, and passed. The Palmerston- North Dairy School Reserve Bill was read a second time, put through committee and passed. The Public Bodies Leases Bill was put. through committee with ail amendment making the Bill permissive. The Bill was reported as amended, and the ■ third reading was set down for Monday. The Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill and the Waipuka- Block Road Vesting Pill, from the House, were put through all stages and passed. The Council adjourned l at 5 p.m. till 11 a.m. on Monday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SITTING. Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. The Public Petitions Committee reported that it had no recommendation to make respecting several petitions of veterans praying for recognition. Several members urged that old soldiers should be granted further opportunity to establish their claims, many not having been aware of the last commission. It was pointed out that a very regrettable feature of our national character was our disregard for those who in years gone by 7 fought, our battles. It was urged that magistrates shouldi be instructed to investigate these claims, as they 'do claims for old age pensions. The Premier, replying, said that everyone was desirous of doing wliat was right by old soldiers who had fought for New Zealand. In the past 26 years no less than five commissions, bad - beon- appoljtfecr to ' investigate claims, and had travelled: all over the country, and it was remarkable that in a very short time after each of these, commissions had reported, a fresh batch of claims came forward. The Government was quite prepared to deal in a proper way with all legitimate claims, but did not think magistrates should deal with them, nor did he think there should’ be another commission. The Government would consider the settlement of these claims once and for all during the recess.

The House then went' into committee on the Public Works Estimates.

At class 28, railways, £1.250,000, South and North Island members urged the construction, of branch lines. The Minister said the Government ■was not justified in carrying on many of the small lines urged. The others would be pushed on in due course.

EVENING SITTING. The House in Committee of Supply resumed at 7.30 p.m . Replying to Hon. A. R. Guinness, the Minister said tho Ngahere-Black-ball railway would be completed by January or February. Sir. Guinness said his constituents would surely have a bonfire to-morrow to celebrate such good news. He thanked the Minister. Air. J. O. Thomson said the debate showed members were playing a game of grab, in which, in spite of professions on other occasions, they showed .regard! neither for the Minister of Finance nor for the welfare of the country. He -then proceeded to enumerate the wants of Ids constituency: and concluded with a condemnation of what lie called “political hypocrisy.” > \ Hon. W. Hall-Jones said there was no doubt that at this time members were well advised in asking for all sorts of things for their constituents, but he had to do the best possible with the money at his command in

the interests of the Dominion as a whole. The vote was passed unaltered. At the public buildings vote, £292,450, the Minister, replying -to JVlr. AV. Herries, said that the item £SOOO for the ohl Parliamentary Buildings was an amount payable for the cancellation of the contract fo-r additions, together with materials taken over from tin; contractors as a result of the fire. The vote wa-s passed unaltered. Class 30, lighthouses £17,500. —Passed unaltered 1 .

Class 31, tourist and health resort, £3s,ooo—Mr. A. L. D. Fraser protested that the expenditure was a pure waste of money, only benefiting hotel-keepers. ' Hon. Jas. McGowan pointed out that Rotorua belonged to the State, as d-iil -also Te Aroha. The expenditure was. justified, and had Ueen more than repaid. The vote was passed unaltered. Class 32, immigration, £IO,OOO. — Considerable discussion took place regarding the class of assisted immigrants. Several members said that Now Zealand only wanted agricultural laborers, but many were not fit for that work. Hon. J. McGowan quoted figures to show that, immigrants brought capital with them. He said some mistakes occurred, but every oare was adopted in selecting the assisted immigrants. ~,,,, i Mr. AV. AV. Tanner said that lots of men, the industrial scum of England, were shot out on the wharves hero to take down the first, confiding idiot they came across. Ho would not say there wero assisted immigrants, but still they came' here. . After some further discussion, the vote was passed unaltered. Class 33, roads and bridges, £690,000.—Air. AV. Herries pointed out that (here was a reduction ot £ J/ 000 oil the general class of main leads 'flic vote of £250,000 for backblocks roads was therefore not an extra atoll. Alany roads appearing as back blocks roads this year appeared a ordinary roads last year.