PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 18 July 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY, JUDY 17

Following new Bills were read a first time :—Murchison County (Mr R. McKenzie), Waimate North County (Mr Major). Practically the whole of the afternoon sitting was occupied with questions and motions for returns. Mr Major moved the second reading of the Public and Bank Holidays Bill. He explained the provisions of the Bill, which proposed, inter alia, to give the Go-vernor-in-Council power to fix certain of the holidays to take place on the nearest Monday, an arrangement which, he said, would meet the convenience of business people and others. Mr T. McKenzie said no Bill would be satisfactory which did not aim to bring banks under the Shops and Offices Act in regard to the hours of labour and the wages of their employees. The Bill passed its second reading, and was referred to the Labour Bills Committee.

The Quackery Prevention Bill (Mr Hornsby,) Eights on Vehicles Bill, and the Farriers Bill (Mr Major) passed their second reading.

The Noxious Weeds Bill (Mr R. McKenzie) was considered in committee, and progress reported on it, in view of a Ministerial statement that the Government would bringdown legislation this session dealing with the whole matter. .■*

The Pure Food Bill was further considered in committee.

The House rose at midnight

Hansardisms.

Mr Hornsby criticising the 1 ailway administration referred to the treatment meted out to a certain stationraaster : —Wellington Traffic Superintendent said that no part of the line was better looked after than this man’s, and that his books were a picture. He was Stationmaster at Carterton, and was promoted to Martou Junction. This man —one of the smartest in the service—was driven from the service by Mr Stringleman, the Traffic Manager at Wanganui, who ought to be called ‘ ‘ Strangleman,” lor he is one of the most unmitigated pests in the service of the colony, and has [done things that would not be put up with lor five minutes in any private firm. He has driven some ot the best men out of the Railway service. This is the sort of thing that is going on all over the colony, and it is high time something was done to remedy the evil.

Mr Wilford “My opinion is that when any country tackles Great Britain the fighting will take place in the region of the English Channel. The fate of the British fleet in any English waters will settle the fate of the dependencies of Great Britain, and the only part that the people of this colony will have to take in its fight will be a kind of guerilla warfare against the war-ships sent out by the foe not for the purpose of taking possession of our colony, but for the purpose of taking from the main base some of the war-ships that form the British navy, thereby weakening the main body.”

In reply to the Opposition criticism, during the Address-in-Reply debate, the Premier referred to the Advances to Settlers Department. ‘‘Every one admits the Government management of that Department has been most satisfactory and most exemplary, and that magnificent results have been attained in the interests of the settlers. There is a Department which has loaned five or six millions, which has been a wonderful success, and which has been under the administration of the Ministry of the day. When the leader of the Opposition says that the management of a business concern by the Government is not satisfactory I give him this one Department, and if time permitted I could give others, to confute his statement. ’ ’' The Premier brought down the Financial Statement in the House on Tuesday night. He occupied an hour and a quarter in delivering it. The debate on the Statement will commence on Tuesday next.