PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 55, 10 July 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wellington, July 9

Tho Council met at 2.30

In reply to Mr Beehan, Mr Bell said the Government intended to set up a committee to consider the question of the subvention of friendly societies on the lines of the New South Wales legislation.

THE SMALLPOX SCARE.

|)r. Collins moved that the Council views with anxiety the increase in the number of cases of smallpox in Sydney, and respectfully suggests to the Government a more rigid onfoi cement of the Public Health Act, 1908, ,vith reference to vaccination. He said that it was reported that only j per cent, of our population was vaccinated. The position was most serious. In the event of an epidemic >f smallpox breaking out, vaccination vas the only effective preventive. He iskcd for a more rigorous administration of the present law. Mr Carncross advocated the repeal of the exemption clauses of the present Act.

Mr Barr strongly opposed this, conending that vaccination was worse han smallpox.

Mr Jones contended that the exemption clauses hampered the administration of the Act. , Mr Bell said that the position was lot serious enough to warrant the Government coercing the people to; idopt vaccination, but the PublicHealth Department was both competent and zealous. Every step necessary would he taken to protect the •>ublio against the epidemic.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL

The Legislative Council Bill, 1913, was read a first time.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

QUESTION DAY

During the discussion on answers tr inestions, in the House, this after icon, Mr Allen said that Mr Rove! Ga click’s appointment as physical instructor had been made after consul a capable committee. H< bad not thought it necessary to cal! for:' applications, Mr- Garlick being je) I.qualified. } Dealing with medihal inspection o school children, the Minister said. tha J be had a new system under considers :';ipiV'the details of tvhicli ■ would be

made known in due course. j In- the House this afternoon .Mr Allan made a statement concerning the allocation of the loan monies recently raised as follows: —Public Works £l, 118,200, Advances to Settlers £325,>OO, Advances to Workers £150,000 Lands for Settlement £400,000, Ad vances to Local Authorities £475,000. State Coal mines £50,000,. Payment if Debentures £451,800.

OTHER QUESTIONS

In reply to other questions the Min inter stated that an amendment o:

oho Local Elections Polls Act, dealing, among other things,'with the con duct of elections, will bq, introduced this ;Session. , ~ •; ■ , :

, The first civil, service, classification list will be a provisional one, again, s yyhich officers will bo allowed to ap peal. This will probably bo ready hi about the end of this month, but tin final list cannot be prepared until ab the appeals are settled, which will take from, one to two months, aftei the issue of the provisional list. The matter of amending the Vt ork crs r Compensation Act so as to in chide “miners’ complaint,” was un der consideration by the Government

The repealing of the mortgage tar and the taxing of incomes was under consideration.

No doubt the hydrographical condi tions would render Picton a suitable harbor for, the sheltering of ships, both naval and merchant, but there an many more important consideration? ■to he taken into account in the selec tion of a naval liase for the Dominion. In selecting a naval base foi New Zealand, the Admiralty would be consulted.

Tho question of increasing teachers’ salaries was under consideration, but it was doubtful if any legislation could be introduced this session. It was not the intention to cancel the circular issued by, the Education Department, by which the advantage of free places and scholarships were withdrawn from boys who fail to carry out the obligations imposed under the Defence Act.

Prosecutions under the Defence Act have been instituted a second time in Christchurch, in the case of refusal to register on the part of a few youths, when every opportunity had been given of allowing them to comply with the Act, and after a reasonabb* lapse of time. It is not the intention of the Department that any person should bo allowed to evade his responsibilities under the Act. Despite every effort, a few may succeed in evading detection, but as soon as they can be traced they will be dealt with.

There was no objection to local authorities making arrangements with their hank to accept any surplus monies on deposit, and so derive interest for such amounts. Sometimes also, in cases where an account was in credit and others in debit, arrangements eoidcl bo made with the banks, so that interest on overdrafts, would only apply to the net amount withdrawn; but it was not considered advisable to allow money that had been borrowed for special purposes by a local body, to he transferred temporarily to the credit of its general account.

The question of devising warning hells or other signals at level cross-

ings was engaging attention. It was the intention of the Government to go fully into the question oi the rates charged on the New Zealand railways,, with the new general manager, on his arrival, and in the meantime the Government did not propose to make any alteration in the tariff charges. The question of raising the age of protection for girls to 18 years at least was receiving consideration. It was not proposed to raise the marriage age from 12 to, say, 16 or 18 years, though the matter was one requiring very serious consideration. ' It was much to he regretted that the arrival of New Zealand mails in London was occasionally delayed. During May a series of mishaps, had interfered with the regular delivery of the mails in London. The Makura was delayed by heavy weather, and a fire in the mail >. room. The mails arrived in Vancouver two days late, and missed the London connec-

tion. The Warrimoo missed the couaection at Sydney, and the .mails were six days late arriving in London.

A sum would be placed on the estinates for compensation to Captain Atwood.

The Christchurch Domain Bill (Mr T. H. Davey) was read a first time.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY.

IN THE COUNCIL

In the Council, Mr Barr, continung, complained that not sufficient vttention was given to the conciliation md settlement of labour disputes. The Court was too prone to vary igreements made between the employers and employees. He advocated insurance against unemployment. Mr Jenkinson contended that power vas more cheaply developed by steam md gas than by hydro-electric ichemes.

The Adclress-in-Reply to the Govertor's Speech was agreed to, and the Council adjourned until July 22.

IN THE HOUSE

The debate on the Address-in-Reply

,as resumed by Mr Luke, who depreated a reciprocal tariff with Australia. He advocated the prosecution f light lines opening up the back ountry, also the adoption of the ydro-electric power as a jpieans of ssisting industries. ' ' Mr Barr contended-that the majorty of the unions were loyal to the Vrbitration Act, and that all the -ranches .should not be classed -with hose who were not prepared to ob.prvo ap a groom nt. Mr Harris, dealing with defence, i.raued that on the present rate of * jt ii ~ ti n - n.d iL f , , jrogress, the German, navy would, n the course of time,' exceed that of Iritain. There was also danger from :he East, particularly from Japan, vho must, sooner or later, find an mtlet for her surplus population. Chat was the only reason why she ras maintaining her great navy, and

here ,was no better field,former emi 'ration pdlicy than the Pacific, anc :his meant that we must take oui

hare in defending British interests

n that portion of the world. So fai s internal defence was concerned, i< vas clear that the opposition arose rom a -section of the i! 'Community .ho have no respect for law and order,

Te urged the Government not to dea

oo leniently with that class of person. 'Te urged 'the' Governrrterit to grant acilities for the furthering of the

ruit-growing industry in New Zeaand, especially in the direction of the iccond stages of the industry, canning aotories and cool stores.

Mr Colvin said that he desired to mow what the present Government I vas doing in connection with the minng industry in New Zealand. For lie year ended March 31, 1912, the Vard Government had expended £21,:24 on public works, and the Massey lovernment had expended less than ’.alf that amount—£lo,643. He wont m to refer to what he called the esult offered him by the Minister of Vfarine in the House. He dubbed the Minister as “untrustworthy, unreliible and untruthful.” ZSIr Fisher had men round the coast looking for a mat. He was not looking for Buller ;eat, but for his friend Mr R. Mcvenzie’s seat. Mr Wilson defended the actions of he Government in carefully guarding die country’s money when it was scarce, but the Government deserved. peat credit for raising l the loans to local bodies, workers and other l)o----jartmonts of the State. He had hoped :ho Otira tunnel and the new Parlianent Buildings would not have been lone on with while the conditions of he women and children in the country -eraained as they were at the moment, fie entered an earnest plea for the back-block settler, the conditions of whom, he contended, were a disgrace the country. The putting on of a graduated land tax was not in the best interest of land settlement.

Mr Glover pleaded for humanitarian igislation. He had always championad the cause of the poor and needy. Re also desired to protect the natives in any land transactions which may transpire. He was a firm believer in the O.R.P. system. He criticised the system under which immigrants were brought out. Most, he said, who came out as farm laborers could not tell a pair of hames or a collar from a barrow wheel.

The House rose at 11.10 p.m