PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 49, 22 October 1912, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

o MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1912. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (Per Press Association.* Wellington, October 21. The House met nt 7.30 p.m. NATIVE LANDS. Mr Massey stated, in connection with a letter referred to in a discussion on the Land Bill, which affected natives offering land to tile Government, that the communication referred to was in his office at the time he spoke, but he was not aware of the fact. He wished to make this statement in fairness to Mr Ngata and others.

THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS INCIDENT

Sir Joseph Ward brought up the matter of the incident at the Public Accounts Committee meeting (in connection with the investigation of loans to local bodies) on Friday last. He said that, owing to a difference he had had with the chairman of the committee, a set of circumstances had arisen, and he wished to know if the matter should not be brought up at once. He desired to know whether he could go back to the ( committee without the matter being referred to in the House. Mr llinc, chairman of the committee, read the words taken .down at the meeting. Sir Joseph Ward said that the report simply gave his reply to the chairman’s question, which was: “That is a downright piece of impertinence,” and d d not give all the words used. The report of tiro committee was onesided. Mr Myers said that the whole of the trouble was caused simply because Sir Joseph Ward did not answer a question just as the chairman desired it should be answered. Sir Joseph Ward was there to refute some statements made on the floor of the House. Had he been in Sir Joseph ' Ward’s place he would have done exactly the same tiling. Mr Hine should end the incident by making the amende honourable. Mr Malcolm suggested that Sir Joseph Ward should withdraw his words and end the incident. Mr Myers suggested that Mr Hine should apologise. He repeated that the manner in which the question was put was what was taken exception to. Mr Witty field that the report as brought down was very unfair. The House was getting very low clown when it adopted such methods of procedure. Debates should be carried on in a dignified manner. Sir Joseph Ward said that he had sat under three Speakers and eight different Chairman of Committees, and had never been in conflict with any of them during twenty-five years. He declined to withdraw his remarks. The chairman had not been fair, but biassed in his rulings. He had been a partisan and on the side of the Minister of Finance and the Government, The chairman had shown distinct bias throughout the proceedings, and had acted offensively. He would leave the matter to the judgment of the House.

Mr Homes said that if Sir Joseph Ward had used the words in a court of law he would have been committed for contempt. He contended that the prestige of the committee had ro be upheld, as it was a reflex of the House. Mr Allen regretted that the words had not been withdrawn. He denied the existence of bias on the part of the chairman, who had conducted tin committee in a very unbiassed way. Mr McKenzie contended that the chairman had exceeded his duty, and brought about the. whole trouble. Further discussion ensued, and Mr Hordman moved that the report be referred back to the committee. This was agreed to,and the discussion closed. RAILWAY AMENDMENT BILL. The Government Railways Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma. PUBLIC REVENUES ACT. Mr Allen moved the second reading of the Public Revenues Act Amendment Bill to- repeal the provision of the Act of 19U0 permitting the transfer of one vote in one class to one vote in a similar class, at the will of ihe Government. The Bill also dealt with the Eire Insurance Fund and other matters. Sir Joseph Ward pointed out that the amending Bill still permitted the transfer which was objected to. The only stipulation was that the particulars of such transfer muse be laid before Parliament alter the expenditure was bevond recall.

Mr Massey said that the Government was proposing to deal with the whole of the section in the old Act, which had been used improperly for increasing salaries of members. It had also been used for increasing the salaries of judges of the Supreme Court, and he could enumerate several cases in which railway and road votes had been transferred, and they should be careful to see that there was good reason for such transfer. It was the intention of the amendment that full publicity should he given to such transfers by reporting them to Parliament for approval. He considered, also, that a certain sum should he set apart each year for the purpose of insuring public buddings. Mr Russell declared that the Parliamentary amendment about transfers of appropriations', was merely an excuse for retaining the present law, which the Prime .Minister condemned when in Opposition. As the law now stood these transfers had explanatory notes. In the Public Revenues Amendment Act they amounted to putting a notice on the stable door that the horse had gone. The Bill was read a second imo. WASHING UP. The Cemeteries Amendment Bill was

read a second time, also the Savings Bank Amendment Bill. The second reading of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill, initiated in the Council, was moved by Mr Ilcrdman, who explained that the principal provision was to permit an application for divorce when a respondent bad been in an asylum for seven years in the aggregate during the ten years immediately preceding the filing of the petition. The second reading was carried. Mr Allen moved the second reading of the Local Bodies Amendment Bill, which was read a second time after Messrs Ell and Craigie had exp'eased opposition to the proposal icpeal of the section compelling focal bodies to lodge' sinking funds of certain bodies with the Public Trustee. The Marriage Amendment Bill was road a second time. The Birth and Deaths Bill was reported from committee. The House rose at 1 n.m.