HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 30, 28 September 1912, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House, met at 2.30. The Lane! Bill. Mr. • Massey gave notice to move! certain new clauses oin the Land BiH.I Water Pollution. [ Mr. Massey also gave notice of his] intention to introduce a Pollution of, Water Supply Bill. • | The Waihi Strike. | Mr. |Glover gave .notice to ask the!' Primje Minister, if .he would, immediate-j ly release the Waihi strikers now in; gaol,, the. circumstances under. which they were imprisoned riot justii'yiiigl that end: v ', 1 The Member fsr Egmcnt.

Mr. Wilkinson, new member 1015 Egmont,'was sworn in, and took 'his se;it —Messrs. tfine and Okoy acting as. sponsors. The Wanganui River. : Mr.,Massey moved the second reading of the Wanganui River Trust aiiiendment'Bill, providing that the wan. ganui'River Trust may lease- thenlands for periods up to forty-two years. * 1 Mr. Russell congratulated the I'ri ne Minister on bringing in a genuine Leasing Bill. He had evidently recognised that there slioukl be some laird reserved from the despoilers.. He advocated that the Government should' institute a periodic revaluation of: leases. Mr. McKonzie said that the ti.ne had. arrived when a compulsory rev;Uliatiou clause should be inserted in every lease. ! The Prime Minister, in replying,! pointed out that the Bill dealt oniyj with lands held by the Wanganui Biv-| erTrust, to enable it to obtain income for improving the river, and so reducing its claim on the Government for subsidy. Justices of the Peace. -; Mr. Herdman moved the second 1 reading of the Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill, which provided for provision by the Crown of counsel for the assistance of accused who are unable to afford'that aid. Mr". Witty and Mr. Russell congratulated the Minister on having t.iken up a Bill originated by his predecessor, Mr. Hanan. The Bill was read a second time. Pharmacy Amendment Bill. I The Pharmacy Amendment Bill was .read a second time. The Estimates. The House resumed at 7.30, and went into Committee to further consider the Estimates. The education vote, £1,106,211, was first taken. Mr. Ebrbes advocated a uniform set of school books, and the setting up of a council to decide upon a .uniform book. Mr. Glnver suggested that there-be free books and stationery for school children. The Minister, replying to these and other suggestions, said that he was j.p:i in a position to make any declaration of policy in regard to the Education Commission's report, wlich it was intended to submit to the Education Committee. He did.hot think it would bo possible to adopt uniform school books. Mr. Russell referred to the necessity for a general overhaul of the central Education Department, which was showing increased expenditure. Mr. Payne advocated the need for placing the education system on a commercial basis. The Minister said that he did not believe in centralisation. School committees did very valuable work. It was his intention to go into the whole system of technical education, and also the matter of the staffing of the central department. Mr. O. N. Thomson referred to defects of the system due to the discouraging of home lessons. The Minister intimated that n largo vote for back block seine's would be provided in the Public Works Estimates.

Mr. Russell eulogised the work being done by Dr. Truhy King and his wife. Tti Dunedin, where Or. King re sided, the infant rnortalitv was the lowest in the Dominion, solely due, he be!ievcd, to Dr. Kind's preieliin s. Mr. Laurenson had no hesitation in spying that if a nlehiscite were taken the result would be favourable to Bi bl« reading in schools. Mr. Hanan hoped that the Minister would see that in future the Estimates wore not brought up so as to ere-

ate an impression that over a million pounds a year was spent on educa- ■ Messrs. Wilson and Buick pleaded for consideration for the education of children in the backblocks, and for teachers there. , Mr. Bollard moved a reduction of theVoto by £5, as an indication that teachers were underpaid. ' The Minister hoped that Mr. Bollard would not press his motion. A sum of £214,000 had boon expended on salaries*for primary education teachers in the last few years, and in that time tiiore had been an increase in salaries of £150,000. The amendment was withdrawn.

The Minister said that tho question of differentiation of grants between city and country centres would receive consideration during the recess. The total vote passed unamended. The Committee then considered the New Zealand State _Guarantccd Advances Account, £527,1-12.• "-

Mr. Allen said that tho Government would satisfy tho requirements of local bodies sojar as was possible. The Government had exhausted th« borrowing authority of £825,000, but there were commitments against that of £653,700. The balance between th; amounts represented what was available for local bodies for the rest oi the year. The, Government was providing for loans up to £BOOO. Mr. Russell asked if the State Guaranteed Department was not receiving annual repayments of a million pounds., which was largely available for re-lending. The Minister said that there was a considerable loss yearly on loans to local bodies. He estimated that at the 31st March next nothing would be available. As a matter of fact, the loss made on loans to local 'bp'dios since 1910 was £22,557, and'he \vM to make provision for it:. ~ , <