PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 73, 31 July 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY, JULY £O,

THE LEGISLATIVE bOUHCSL.

Wellington, T if. £0

Tho debate on u» Legislative Council Dill was resumed in the Council to-day.

Tho, Hon. 0. Samir I reviewed at great length the proposals made in past years to alter the constitution of tho J egishuive Council, the effect of winch was to convince him of two things: That a change in the constitution of the Conner was necessary, and that tho constituency to elect Councillors should bo the members of both Houses. The Legislature was not now disposed to summarily reject the Bill, but he felt that more information was necessary. Consequently he moved as an amendment to the second reading: “That a committee be appointed to take into consideration the circumstances, powers, and procedure of the Council, with a view to suggesting any amendments or alterations in tho constitution of the Council, or otherwise, as such committee may deem expedient, with power to call for persons and papers and report in three weeks; such committee to consist of nine persons to be selected as the Council may, by resolution, direct.”

The Hon. J. D. Ormond seconded tho amendment.

The Hon. H. D. Beil stated that he could not accept tho amendment as a substitution for the second reading, but if the Council would affirm the principle that a change was necessary, ho would accept it on the motion to go into committee on the Bill. The Council then rose at 4.25 till 8 p.rn., to give councillors an opportunity to consider the Minister’s sug-

gestion. The Council resumed at 8 o’clock. Tho debate was resumed by the Hon. C. H. Mills and tho Hon. J. Bigg. Tho Hon. W. C. Carncross said the Bill could be killed that night if so desired, but they did not wish to do that. The amendment was moved in the hope of finding a way out o c the difficulty. Ho asked the Minister ,to accept it in tho spirit m which it had been offered.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr T. '-TT. ’Davy ■ asked -for a public enquiry into the circumstances sum rounding the death ' bf' W. A. Tribe, a nationv-, fit, the Sunnyaide,. Mental Hospital, alleging that it was due to ill-treatment. , ,•, , ; -m

Tho Hon. V 7. F. Mas .my said the a 1 : oiiH oi'wjWry ' would be. ’ w?*ng< d for, and the fullest publicity giver, to the. proceedings. -mu i rrc ; ‘ f The Lyttelton Harbor Board Land Bill (Mr Nosworthy) and the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill (Mr Herdman) were read a first time.

The House, on tho motion of Mr Massey, carried, in silence, a resolution affii-pajpg .JtUe services of the late Messrs Barclay hud Swan, former members f'Or Dunedin and Isa-

P l3l '- . 'f he House adjourned at 5.10 p.m., mark' of sympathy.'

ANS WERS TO QUESTIONS

Minister, in 2 -reply to questions, stated that tho question of tho recovery of rates due on native land would r be dealt with in tho Rating Bill to bo submitted to Parliament. Amendments to , the Counties Ac' would be proposed this session. An opportunity would bo afforded the House of considering the question of fixing the pay of county counci chairmen. The function of the allotment of totalisator permits has not bee" handed over to either the Racing 01 Trotting Conferences.

The Government does not consider that there is sufficient indication of local attempts to exploit the people in connection with the price of butter to warrant an investigation by a Roya. Commission.

Thorough tests of the suitability ot pinus radiata and other timbers for butter-boxes" and cheese crates will be made by the Department of Agriculture.

As persons in receipt of less than £3OO per annum are not called upon to pay income-tax, any further reduc tion in that direction was impossible. The question of th© relief from taxation from sources other- than income tax was under consideration by the Government.

Tho question of raising the salaries of assistant teachers in normal schools, attached to training colleges, was now under consideration. It was recognised that it w-as desirable, on general grounds, to give some increases in salaries to secondary assistants in district high schools, and it w-as hoped to consider the matter favorably in the near future.

IMPREST SUPPLY. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Tho Imprest Supply Bill was introduced by Governor’s Message, j Replying to speeches, the Hon. W. H. Herrins, dealing with the Urewera leases, said that the Government had decided that all purchases are to be undertaken by the Land Purchase jßoard. The trouble in the Urewera |country was over titles to leases. Objections had already been received in that connection, and it was possible that legislation may be required to determine the leases. The whole matter would havo to lie decided by the Native Affairs Committee. An average of five hundred thousand acres of native lands had been alienated yearly since 1909. He had supported ~the legislation of 1909, and regretted it had not been brought down eai’lior. He hoped to bo able to bring down a

Bill dealing with the rating of native land which would do no injustice to natives. tie had had a conference with the local bodies, and he was of opinion that, the trouble would be righted. Regarding tha payment ©t medical subsides, lie understood that i lie withdrawal was purely for‘re-ad-justment purposes, and the subsidies would be restored. Mr Massey said that purchases under the Land Settlement Act were not made by the Government but by the Land Purchase Board. He had purchased more land during his term of office than any previous Government during any two years. He askod the Opposition if they knew anything improper in connection with the Got eminent’ s purchase of estates. If they did why did they not make a direct charge on the subject? Tilth regard co flaxmilling hands, ho said that there had not been any delay which it was impossible to avoid. The delay had been occasioned by the nac»ssity of drifting regulations to cover the whole of the Dominion. This was very difficult to do. There had been few complaints of late, and he quoted a letter of application received from the secretary of the Timber Workers’ Federation commending the present arrangements. Replying to the interview given by Mr leitt to a Christchurch paper, he denied that the party was financed by rich men. He compared the expenditure of the Government with the''reckless waste on Parliamentary,' grounds. Mr D. Buddo; contended that Mr Massey was not correct in stating that the Land Purchase Board purchased land for settlement.,(Minister had the right of veto aiid with, him rested the final responsibility.'- The Opposition would assist'the Native Minister to pass any practical legislation to settle native lands, i The Hon. J. Allen said that the Government had done more than they might have done with regard to advances to workers, because the Government wanted to assist the worker-. Over £450,000 had been advanced to workers last year. The financial operations of the past Government had nearly wrecked the colony. For 101? two and a quarter millions were advanced to settlers, and half a rr.ib.inn to workers. How could this country stand that. During times of stringency advances to workers had been reduced temporarily, but had since been placed upon a better footing. than ever. Dufingvth© past two months the Government had authorised .advances to' settlers to tha axj:tbnt of £60,000. /Ho could assure the llouso' that, {die! had - not bebiij a hip 1 iq fulfil of lihei prenbus Gcvfernment. Hei stated that ih© Public,jlTorks Department Wnk spending i' 200,000 a monsij ,amd bad increased pthe ; expenditure over 'last: year by i £178,0005 ’nlO ■' Thb-Bill; Which jfmduhted tor(£*7B&,j----300 +hen passed and the House rose at 12.50.

IMPREST SUPPLY .BILL

[Pee Piuses Association.]

The" Legislative imSt'jtiii* moving aua,passedimprfft* -Sap. plyoßilltou -f 'S vi'/. 'Tjvil