PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5, 6 September 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wellington, September 5. The Legislative Council met at 2.30. The Wellington City Empowering Bill was read a first time.

The Hon. H. D. Bell moved that the Council do not insist on the amendments made in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, explaining that the amendments made gave the measure a wider effect than was contemplated.—The Minister's motion was carried by 16 votes to 13.

The Methodist Union Bill was committed, clause 10 being struck out on the motion of the Minister.

Mr Bell moved the second reading of the Pensions Bill, explaining its new features and proposed alterations in the existing law.

The debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr Jones, and the House adjourned at 4.55.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30. Speaking to a motion by Mr Laftrenson seeking information regarding the annual report of the Public Trust Office, Mr nerdmari'said that he took the full responsibility for not laying the report before the House. It was nob as had been alleged, the universal custom to lay the report on the fable. He considered that the report furnished by the Public Trustee was a confidential document and should not go before the House. Any repe ■-■

treated should not contain a statement of policy, but only a review of the past year's work. The Public Trustee had no right to discusa some of the question;! be bad done. They were purely matters for Ministers of the Crown. It was very obvious from what had transpired lvoently thai someon.: in the printing office or the Public Trust Office had committed p very grave breach of faith. The fact that a garbled report had -appeared in the New Zealand Timeg was evidence that someone had betrayed his trust. THE -ESTIMATES. | The House into committee ou the Estimates; \ : . %a s—Pijblic buildings, domains, and maintenance of roads, £116,589. , | 'Mr njioved to reduce the vote cf £45,000 for the maintenance of roads as an iadicatipn that fuller de r WfTg' vr th , du:d lie given. On being assured that the Minister would!supply, the details, Mr Rusfell said (that he would not pursue that course. He the Govemmoni; in-, tended to go on with, the., proposed, motor car tax to assist in the maiuir'jnauce of roads.

Mr F-ra&er, replying, said that th qticstioh of a motor car tax was not in his department, but lie. understood chat motor car owners desired to be taxed in order to properly maintain the" roads they usedj ~, ~,, > ..., • Tho vote passed unaltered. , ~ ,*, Class 6, N'ativo Department, u 42; considered. Mr Wilford suggested that the vote should bo held over-to allow two of the four Native members in the House who were away (one through illness and the other owing to being occupied on publio business) being present to natch the- interests of their people. Other members upheld the attitude adopted ,by Mr Wilford.

Dr. Pomaro said that there were two Xative members present. It could not bo said that those members could not conserve the rights of their people.

Mr Hemes said that if the Native members had given him natice that they desired to have the estimates postponed he would have done so. He was bringing down a Native Bill this session and the whole affairs of the Xative race could be thoroughly discussed whin that measure came before the House. Ho would say that he, as Minister of Native Affairs, or as a private member, had never done anything detrimental to the Native race. He had, as a matter of fact, on more than one occasion, been against his party on matters affecting the Native race.

The House resumed at 7.30. Consideration of the Estimates was continued. Mr Pnrata advocated the abolition of the Native Department, and the putting oi native affairs under the Justice Department. He protested against the salary of £3BO provided for the chief clerk.

The Miniwfci ggid that the question of salary was in the Jbelting-pot. The position or chief clerk was vacant, owing *o the death of thj late Mr Gordon. His successor had to bo appointed, iuid the salarv fixed by the Civil Service Commissioners. Mr Wilford asked the Minister whether Mr Criiilieman, who had been acting as chief clerk for some months could be superseded by the Commissioners without any power of interference on the part of the Minister. Mr Heme's replied that that ivas

Mr Witty said that this only proved the folly of handing the Civil Service over to the Commissioners. Mr Ell twitted the Minister with being placed in an abject position, showing that lie had to go cap in hand to an outside body and ask what was to be done about the appointment of his own officers.

Mr Hussell complained of the paucity of information given to the House about native affairs. No papers were available. Only 31,035 acres of native land had been settled, against 91/195 during the last year of the Ward Administration. This was "taihoa," with a vengeance.

Mr Young urged that power be given to obtain road access through native lands. He also asked that something definite should be done in

the matter of securing rates on iiative lands.

The Minister said that these problems were being dealt with ia legislation ho was bringing down. Mr Partita contended that the natives not being able to deal with their lands as Europeans did, should not be taxed. Not more than 200 out of 50,000 natives were capable of managing their own affairs on an equality with the pakeha. Legislation placing them on the same footing as the pakeha would mean the destruction of the race. Mr Laurenson said that at the present rate of disposal of native lands in 24 years the Maoris would not have an acre left. We were in honor bound to do all in our power to conserve sufficient native land to keep the race in comfort.

On the vote "Maori Councils," Mr Parata raised the question of appointing inspectors to seo that sanitary precautions were observed. In the past, the Minister said, the question was one of expense. Ho would go into it with the Minister for Health and Dr. Pomare, and something would bo done to make the working of the councils more effective. The clause was then passed.

On Class 7, Justice Department, Mr Wilford drew attention to the appropriation by the Crown of part of the salary earned by clerks of court as clerks of licensing courts. The Minister said that no complaints had reached him. Mr Wilford also complained that a clerk of the court had been appointed at Dannevirke who had passed no examination and had been preferred to others who hnd passed examinations, and had had longer service. Mr Herdman replied that no injustice had been done, and that the appointment was a perfectly proper one.

Mr Russell ' asked whether officers whose salaries were being voted were to get the monies voted, or was there a body dictating to Parliament in the shape of the Civil Service Commissioners. If the House voted a salary, had tho Commissioners power to reduce that salary if they did not think the recipient v orth it ?

Mr Herdman said that not only would, the officers get the monoy, but they would,get more, which would be provided on the Supplementary Estimates

Mr Russell .said that raised the question as to who was to framo the Supplementary Estimates. Was' the Crown abrogating the light to originate all. financial votes? . .'

MrJHerdmaii Laid ; that the position ;Typs e l}llat the,officers would be"classified and ( their salaries fixed, by :hc' Commissioner?. '.The salary fixed iu' th.it way would then 'be paid' to the particular officers.

Mr Hanan contended that it was only a waste of time to discuss and vote salaries that were not fixo.l and might bet) altered by. a power-. Parliament.

Mr Herdman said that there was jn'eyer a greater boon to New Zealand than the passing of the Civil Service Act, and' when the classification scheme was completed it would give great satisfaction'. On the vote for the Prisons Department, Mr Buddo asked what the Governor's proposals were in connection with tree-planting operations in prison camps.

The Minister said that ii was' proposed to stop plarting in the South Island and remove the camp there to the North Island, where the work could ho dono at less expense. After 12 o'clock the Labor representatives took up* the discussion of the Police Estimates in relation to the W.'iihi and Huntly strikes, Messrs Webb and Robinson demanding a public enquiry into the conduct of the police there. Mr Payne denounced the expenditure of nearly £SOOO to assist mir.eownefs to crush the workers. ,

The class passed without further discussion

Class 9, Customs and Marine, was lieing discussed when the telegraph office closed, and the House was left sitting. Wellington, September 6. When the telegraph office closed at 2 o'clock, the House was discussing the Estimates in Class XII. } - Customs and Marine. On the vote'for Government steamers, the Minister (Mr Fisher) said nothing would be done tins year, but next year it would be necessary to provide another steamer to tak-i the place of the Hinemoa, which was rapidly b. comb* unsafe in a heavy The House adjourned at 2.33.