PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 239, 12 October 1908, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

|iV FRIDAY EVENING’S SITTING

[Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, Oct. 10. In the House after midnight, on the Maori Land Laws Amendment Bill, Hon. J- Onrroll having replied, the motion that- tho Bill be committed was carried on the voices. The Council’s amendment to the Public Service Classification Bill was

disagreed with, and a .conference was asked for.

. --fir Tho Council notified that it did not A/ insist upon its amendments to the Old /Jsjr# Ago Pensions Bill. The amendments tnado by the Counts oil in tlie 'Workers’ Compensation Bill •Tf . were agreed to. The Coal Mines Amendment Bill, providing, inter alia, for overtime after eight hours at time and a quarter and for thirty minutes’ crib time was committed. The Land and Income Tax Bill and Land Drainage Bill were read a second time. . In tho Coal Minos Bill, payment on Sundays and holidays was fixed at time and a half. Crib time was fixed at 30 minutes notwithstanding awards to tho contrary. The Maori Land Laws Amendment, the Laud and Income Tax. and the Land Drainage Bills were put through their final stages. Tile Stamp Duties Act Amendment Bill was read a first time. The Supplementary Estimates were introduced, and the House rose at , v/; 3.50 a.m. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. "'-MORNING SITTING. The Council met at 11 a.in. It was decided not to insist on its amendments to the Public Service Classification and Superannuation Bill. , - Tho Secret Commissions Bill, from tho House, was read a second time, and referred to a select committee. - Tho Attorney-General intimated that ho did -not intend to proceed with tho measure this session. The Mental Hospitals Reservo Bill and 'the Wellington City Town Belt Reserves Bill were put through all stages and passed. The Coal Minos Amendment Bill and tho Land Tax and Income Tax Bill passed their second readings. The Council adjourned at 12.45 till 2.30 p.m. AFTERNOON SITTING. Tho Council resumed at 2.30 p.m. Tho Coal Mines Amendment Act,' tho Land Tax and Income Tax Bill, and the Maori Land Laws Amendment Bill wore put through all stages without amendment and passed. . Tire Stamp Duties Amendment Bill, <Cthe Validation Court Empowering Bill, and tho Fisheries Amendment Bill woro received from tho. House, I .Af- J put through all stages without rfmMZt endments, and passed. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m. % till 9 p.m. EVENING -SITTING. Tho Council resumed at 9 p.m. and adjourned until 10.43 p.m., when the Appropriation Bill was received from the House, and put through all stages without amendment. . Hon. J. E. Jenkinson eulogised uic Government over the appointment of Hon. W. Hall-Jones to. the High Commissionership, and congratulated Unpeople on having secured such a wor,tliv representative. Mr. Jenkinson went on to compliment the AttorneyGeneral 011 tho way he has discharged -his duties. Ho considered it was time more assistance -was granted the Council, as tho work which fell on the representative of the Government in the Chamber was too much for one Minister to do, and tho skill and ability lie had shown ivas the .discharge of a superhuman task. He went on to say that the work transacted this > session would be a credit to any Labor Government, and the people must adit- mil. that they had received every con- > sideration, but in spito of this Sir Joseph Ward was getting abused by a section of tlio Labor party. HOll. W. AV. McCardle said that never in the history of New. Zealand ' r ‘ had a Government made such a bona fide attempt to grapple with the needs of the backblocks settlors in regard to Toads and bridges, and be desired to express his'gratification to the GovernraeD.t on behalf of. tho settlers. Hon. C. Louisson endorsed 3lr. ~ Jen'kiuson’s remarks. Tho Attorney-General briefly returned tliante for the expressions of Councillors. The Council rose aF 11.00 p.m, and. the session terminated. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. MORNING SITTING. Tho House met at 10.30 a.m. - W • Mr. J. T. Hornsby, speaking on (he Quackery Prevention Bill, considered it might have been made more iarreaching, but tlio Bill now stands as S.. a safeguard to tlie community. Mr. W. F. Massey said that the Bill was too drastic upon newspapers, and y,. should be. allowed to stand over until next session. Mr. A. W. Hogg contended that tlie Bill was mildor than a dose of Sal The Premier was strongly of the opinion that the Bill being placed on the Statute Book-would bo subject to improvements from time to time. The amendments made by tlio Legislative Council were agreed to. Amendments to tho Destitute 1 orBill were introduced by Uovor-dibiv.s-message and agreed to. -M. The Stamp Duties Amendment, 5?-*7 Validation Cmrrt Empowering, Ohakuno Town Board Election \ alidation vjf; Bills were passed through their hnal - stages. . , Hon. C. Mills took occasion to ad--3-; dress a valedictory, speech upon Ins v£>v retiring from political bte. Tho Premier eulogised the many qualities of the retiring member and his honorable political career. Mo trusted he would live long to enjoy tho well-deserved rest. SThe Supplementary Estimates wore then discussed. ~JC. Mr. J. T. Hogan contended that the House should tako into consideration how increases in salaries. were made. ' v Ho did not believe in piling up the salaries of those on top while it was so difficult for those on the bottom ST to get only a small rise. ■V- ' Mr. J- C. Thomson endorsed Mr. ?■' . Horn’s remarks, and said that.BorV?"- vants on small wages woro continually asking why they cannot get increased W Tk' A. W. Hogg congratulated the Govornmont- on not increasing 1-nge W'• salaries by leaps. i S.. Mr. A. S. Malcolm referred to the gBT nuisance caused in trains by the continuai moving about of persons selling «:-■ that he would mb bo pleased to have the matter invest,gated. He was anxious to deal taiilv. vbetween both parties.

AFTERNOON SITTING.

The House in eoininitteo resumed at 2.T0 p.ni. .. . Ail item, £l6, compensation to John Freebody for alleged wrongful imprisonment, Mr. J. T. Hornsby pijotested at the use ol' these words, the ; UGovernment had itself established . the innocence of Freebody, who did ■y v.' not ask for compensation but only for a sum equal to the old age pension. Ho moved that the vote be reduced —"f by £1 to mark disapproval of the Government’s action. The motion was carried by <Jb to

25 - At item £11.525, for Electoral Do- ■ ' partment, Sir Joseph Ward, replying to criticism'!, said that canvassers ~.r- were not employees. Each electoral district return showed more on the ■t the previous election, the . instructions to meditate , arid there was little r complaint. members held' an opposite nd it was pointed out tha could not covor ba-ckblocKs. o was passed unaltered. 1 £16.633, for miscellaneous Mr. J. T. Hornsbv moved /the amount of £oooo to J. j Meikld ibv £4999. He contended •• ;v the country should never pay a ptmny to a man whose innocence had never been proved and who had vitlmeu

public men all over tho country when other moil- whoso inuocense had been established got liothing. . Mr. C. B. Major took a sum tu ground, and said rumor had it tn-u thoro was a symheato bohuul Moiuk . Sir Joseph Ward pointed out that two judges of tho Supreme Court-had. declared that Meiklo should not have been convicted, no evidence being adduced. It was the duty of the Government to give fair compensation, and that had been assessed at LoOUtt. As to abuse, every public man was abused, and if lie could not stand abuse he had no business to be a public man. . _ _ The motion was carried, by 9 1 .to 26, and the result of the division was received with applause. The following is the division list:— •\ves (37): E. G. Allen, Arnold, Bollard, Chappie, Colvin, Dillon, Field, Flatman, A. L. D. Fraser, Graham. Gray, Grcenslade, Italian, Hardy. Hogg, Hornsby, Houston, Lawry; Lethbridge, M-acplierson Major, Malcolm, Minder, Ngata, Olccy, l olaiid, Poole, Peid, Remington, Rhodes, Ross, Scddon, Stallworthy, Tanner, Thomson, Witty, and Wood. Noes (20): Barber, Barclay, Baume, Buddo,Carroll. Dayev. Fisher, Fowlds, Guinness, Hall, Hall-Jones, Hornes, Hogan, Izard.’ Jennings. Kidd, Lang, Laurenson, McGowan, McNab, Massey. Millar. Mills, Steward, Ward, and AVilford. EVENING SITTING. The House in Committee of Supply resumed at 7.30 p.m. Objection was taken by some members to the Government spending £IOOO as a contribution to tho Tercentenary celebrations in Canada without authority. • , . - Hon. J. McGowan sard that the contributions had. been. sent from all parts of the Empire. Mr. W. Herrics did not object to the amount, bus maintained that the expression of opinion au<[ the message to Canada should have come from the House as representing more directly the people than from the Government, which in a sense represented' only the dominant party in tho House. The vote was passed. At tho item £10,784, Department of Agriculture, Mr. Massey moved to reduce the salary of tlio Secretary, to. the Department- as a protest against the now dairy regulations, which constituted a serious and unnecessary tax upon dairy farmers. ■ The regulations had caused a storm of anxiety and indignation all over tlio Dominion, and presently every dairy farmed would have to pay 10s if ho milked more than 10 cows.

Hon. R. McNab “said that much of the misconception at first aroused in the minds of dairy farmers by those regulations had been removed. Complaints now only came from that section which could not tolerate a state of interference in anything. Were it not for the action- of the State, tlie industry would not enjoy its present reputation on the London market. The motion wag defeated by 33 to 19. A tribute was paid by Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Massey, and Hon. R. McNab to the work done hv Mr. Gilruth. The. rest of the Estimates were passed without alteration. The Appropriaton Bill was brought down and passed all sta'ges without ■debate. The Bill was returned from the Council at 11.25 p.m. A “tangi” was held, and the third session of the sixteenth Parliament concluded-shortly before midnight.