PARLIAMENT. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. READ A THIRD TIME AT 2.25 a.m.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 79, 24 July 1914, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

READ A THIRD TIME AT 2.25 a.m.

[Peb Pekm Association.] Wellington, July 2.3. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. lion. Paul, continuing the debate upon the Council Reform Bill, «aid he was firmly opposed to the nomination principle. Hon.. Bailiie supported the Bill, but pointpd out that the. Government, in 'nominating Councillors, had fallen into the same error as Air Seddon andj Sir Joseph Ward. Ho advocated an Electoral College. Hen. Be.echan said ho was satisfied that the new members would change their views if they had had seven years' experience of work upon the Council. Hon. Barnslaw supported the Bill. .'Hon. Bell replied at 4M), and the. second reading was carried by 21 to 8. The division was as follows:—Ayes (24): Aitkin, Baillie, Barr, Bell, Carson, Collins, Earnshaw, Fishet, George, Hall-Jones, Hardy. Mac Gibbon, MacGregor, McLean, McGinnity, Mills, Moore, Morgan, Nikoro, O'Rorke, Parata, Paid, Simpson, Wigfcim. Noes (8): Baldey. Beehan, Carneross, Harris, Johnson,' Jones. Ormond, Thompson.

The House mot at 2.30. In reply to Mr Wilford, the Minister of-Education said he was agree-able-tfiat any evidence might he given before the Education Committee on the , Education Bill, so Jong as the passage of the measure was not unduly delayed.

In rcpLv to Mr Russell, Mr Massey saidi he would be able to state in about a. week's time whether the Motor Bill would be referred to a Select Committee. TMPREST SUPPTA- BTLL. An imprest Supply Bill was introduced by Governor's, message.—Sir Joseph Ward entered an emphatic protest against the fact that ho had not been advised by the Government that the Bill was coming down.— Mr Massey pointed out that Sir Joseph Ward had not intimated that he was going to bling down his no-confi-dence motion' ft few weeks ago, and /he had deliberately refrained from inarming Sir Joseph Ward that the imprest Supply Bill was coming down to bring him to a proper sense of what was duo to him (Mr Massey)' as leader of the House from the leader of the Opposition.

Mr Payne protested against .the introduction of the Biil at ibis time, as it was calculated to block Jiis Eight to Work Bill. It was- a palpaDie trick on the part of a Tory Government to do injustice to the workers. Mr Jill declared that the Premier had deliberately interfered with the rights of private rnerabeivv . |. ;(!r , u; i Mr Sidey said it was unworthy oi tlje Premier to cherish feelings of resentment against the leader of the Opiipsition. Ho understood that the "lteform" spirit held to higher ideals than -that. The conduct of the Government was at least unfair to private members who had set their bills down for discussion that day. Hon. Fraser declared that he was doing all he could to find work for the unemployed.

Mr Russell &\id the veal reason behind the, present action oi' the Government was a desire to block private members' Bills.

Mr Galium, Isitt, Myers, Poland, Colvin, and Forbes entered their protest against the tactics of the Government in bringinig down the Imprest Supply Bill without notice. Mr Allen replied to Mr 11. MacKenzic's criticism of Public Works expenditure, stating that appropriations were not taken'' to carry on works until the 31st of March, but to October and September. A fair average expenditure had been maintained on every line where possible. Be contrasted, by means of ligures, Public Works expenditure under the Ward Government and under the "Reform''Government, claiming that there had" been no tapering off by the latter, who had spent £2,421,000 last year. A great deal of the unemployed difficulty in the Dominion was the aftermath of the strike, and should be a. lesson to ail who believe in strikes that suffering must follow. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. The debate was continued by Messrs Glover, McCombs, B, McKenzie and Yeich. Sir Joseph Ward pointed out that fourteen old members of the Council had voted for the Reform Bill. ,This gave the Government a majority of six, apart from the new appointments. The figures of the division showed that no such appointments were necessary, but in the now appointments Labor had not been given fair representation. He Ulun went mi to deal with financial matters, and said Mr Allen had not been generous enough fo give him credit for any good work done for the country. Mr Massey said even if he had to sit- right up to the date when Parliament' expired by effluxion of time the Government programme was going through. Mr Russell said that the events of that day bad proved conclusively that the new appointments to the Council were not justified. Mr Veitch said the Government had strengthened its finance by withholding expenditure.

; )■' Wellington, July 24. After the telegraph office closed,

i Ilia Bill was read a.second time, the amount asked for being JJi.irG.ono. On the .-•:■:•.;:(! reading. Mr Russell proceeded to point out that the I*llo- - ' Service could not have been so disorganised as the Government mado imt, because no incompetent servants had been discharged, while the salaries of many officers had been raised. Mr K'l followed in a similar strain, J and the Bill passed the conimitieo [stage unamended, and wat, read a j third time at 2.2-j, when the House ; rose.