PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 82, 6 December 1913, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. [Peh Prkss Association.] Wellington, December 5. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Counties Act Amendment Bill was considered in Committee,and progress was reported. The Law Practitioners Act Amend-: oient Bill, conferring additional powers on the New Zealand Law Society, i was put through the Committee stage! unamended, read a third time, •and >dSsed. die Education Reserves Act Amendnent Bill, enabling trustees of high chools to pay oA per cent., instead <f o per cent., on money borrowed, uid varying the terms of Education Reserve leases, was, on the motion of the Hon. F. H. i). Bell, read a second Dime. , The Distress and Replevin Act! Amendment Bill was also read a second I :ime without debate. The Naval Defence Bill was read ' second time on the voices. The Council decided to insist upon s amendments in the Shipping and ■Jeamen's Act Amendment Bill. On a proposal to go into Committee >ti the Police Offences Act Amendment Ull, the Hon. J. T. Paul protested •.gainst "panic legislation.' He was igainst strikes, but in some cases they \-Q.ve inevitable, and peaceful picketing mist be allowed, as it was in Engitid, where there experience of inclusrial troubles was greater than ours. le proposed to ask the Council to in,.~rt a clause of the English Act deal;ig with peaceful picketing. The Council was left sitting at 2 i rn. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. Wellington, December 5. The debate on the Public Works itatement was commenced this after--10011. Sir Joseph Ward said he wanted to ■all attention to the first paragraph >f the Statement, which lie considered lid not represent the position. The Minister had slated that the total exjenditure for ji'.st yea' 1 was actual.v .lie largest in any -ingleAear for over 10 years. In the beginning of the paragraph the Minister stated tl at .•wing to the financial position übtamng at the close of last session he did aot feel justified in making available 'or immediate expenditure the whole if the new items appearing, vn the Public Works Estimates, and yet the van of last, year, was not, received i-til after tip. l end of th'j financial .-jar. He asked how much of the .mount to be transterred from the Consolidated Fund (£075,000) was to D to the Public Works Fu.id. lion. J. Allen: The whole lot. Sir Joseph Ward: I am very glad •> hear it.

Continuing, Sir Joseph,,Ward. said ,iafc there was nearly JJo,.per cent. Mortage on tho'Goldlields roads expeniture, between the amounts voted and ie amounts expended. If the Hon. \ r . Fraser was not trying to throw" ust in the eyes of the people, he was' growing dust in the eyes of his foliwers, and lie admitted that they ere pretty blind. He held that in itlier directions the amounts were not •xpended; and yet the Minister proposed to spend large sums on new railways, the routes of which were not reu known yet. Dealing witli the estimates for pubic bridges, Sir Joseph quoted the tern of £660,000, and characterised

as profligate expenditure. Nearly 1,000,000 extra was proposed in that mncction this year, over and above ist year, yet all members of the Miliary had said again that they would ;duce the expenditure. The increase i Public Works Expenditure was normous. The Hon. .). Allen (Minister for Fintice) said that in 1911 not one penny ad been transferred from the Oonsoliated Fund to the Public Works Fund. Regarding Sir Joseph Ward's criticim of thefirst paragraph in the statement, he said that as soon as the suc'ss of the flotation of the new loan •:;.; assured the Minister for Public: Vorks opened his heart. Ho could ci do so before. Mr Allen proceeded -. elaborate on the Minister's policy it caution during the period of financial '•certainty, and held that it was a sue policy to pursue m order to secure ssured finance. Sir Joseph Ward had een in the habit of making promises ■> the taxpayers which were never arried out. The sum of £250,000 year has been promised" for backlocks roads prior to last session, but l was never fulfilled. He agreed that he expenditure on public buildings vas too heavy. He hoped that in Deember, 1914, this country would be [(dependent of the London market. Tile debate was continued on party : nes and was sitting when the Telerapli Office closed. THE DEBATE CONTINUED. Wellington, December 0. After the Telegraph Office closed, he debate was continued by .Mr Mauler, who complained bitterly that only bout £2OO of the new money had been oted to his district. lie advocated , reformed system of local government, living local bodies sound finance te liable them to do necessary public v.irks . Mr Ell advocated the reinstatement if the roads department. The Public Works Department was understaffed •;:. the matter of engineers. Road li.stricts were too large, consequently the roads were neglected. He urged i continuance of the co-operative systorn to provhle for the weaker vessels who had to find a place in the life of

the country. Concerning the shortage of coal, he ventured the opinion that if the Government would put on a State ship there would be no difficulty in getting her loaded to relieve the shortage in Wellington. Mr bT-aser: We have 5000 tons of coal at West port and can't get it away. Mr Ell: No; not in a private ship, but put on a State ship, and you will have no difficulty. .Mr Xosworthy: We will have no more of that sort of thing. Hon. Members: Have you any authority for making that statement? Mr Ell: 1 have no authority for saying so, but that is my opinion. The State coal mine was opened up to reduce the price of coal, and this is one of the occasions on which it should be used for the benefit of the people. The Minister did .tot reply to tin debate, and the House went into committee on the Estimates, which were debated by members who were concerned in votes attaching to their own districts.

Alter four hours, the estimates, totalling over three millions, were passed, and the House rose at 7 a.m. to resume at 10.30 on Monday to consider local bills.