PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 32, 24 September 1914, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wellington, September 24. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Customs Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Dunedin City Council Empowering, the Tuakitoto and Kaitangata Lakes Amendment Bill, and the Wai Bisks Insurance Bill were read a third time, and passed. The Council rose at 4.5 p.m. until Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. [Pie Fbibs Association.] The House met at 2.30 p.m. 11l reply to Mr Craigie, the Hon. W, H. Herries said the report of the Food stuffs Commission on the pi ice ° wheat and flour had not been considered by Cabinet. The Hon. Herries stated that it was not possible to arrange an extensive system of railway excursions in connection with the fare well to the troops. It had only been possible to provide for trains from Palmerston and Masterton. The Cook Islands Bill was introduced by Governor’s Message, and rear a first time In reply to Sir Joseph Ward, Hon .las. Allen said it was intended to ad journ at the end of the present sittinj until Tuesday.

Asked for a reason why the Hour* was not to sit on Friday, the Ministci replied that it would perhaps be bette if an .answer were not pressed for.

INCREASING RACE MEETINGS

Mr Hunter (Walpawa) moved the second reading of the Gaming Ac Amendment Bill, explaining that, tin measure was intended to increase tin number of totalizator permits in conn try distnets.

Sir Joseph Ward said he would sii; port the second reading of the B' 1 but did not approve of the allocation made in the schedule. He wanted t see more encouragement given to tro ting clubs.

Mr Buick condemned trotting merr.. ings, saying they were “the biggest: gamble on earth.” The horse he encouraged was the hunter. Mr Malcolm condemned the Bill vs one calculated to encourage gambling, not sport. Mr Isitt vigorously denounced the Bill, and claimed that a percentage o}' totalisator receipts expended on good hunting sires would do more to impro\• ■ the breed of horses than an increase of permits. On resuming at 7.30 p.m., the discussion was continued. The second reading was carried by 28 to 10. By indulgence of the House, the member for Waipawa was permitted to take the committee stage of the Bill forthwith.

Mr Forbes moved to reduce the number of permits for racing clubs from seventeen to fifteen, in order to increase the permits to trotting clubs.

The Minister said he was prepare', to accept the amendment as a corn promise./

Mr Ell'pointed out that a large number of members were absent from the House, and had paired on the Bill as it stood, and it would be unfair of the Minister in charge of the . Bill to accept material alterations. Sir Joseph Ward protested against any suggestion that the Bill should not be altered. Had it been suspected that no alteration was to be made, the Bill would certainly not have got into committee. Continuing, Sir Joseph said the agreement with Mr Hunter was that the racing chibs’ permits were to be reduced to fifteen, hunt clubs from ten to six, and trotting ciubs were to bo increased from three to nine. Mr Forbes contended that the North Island members did not realise how popular a sport trotting was becoming in the South Island. On a proper percentage the trotting clubs were certainly entitled to nine permits. The allocation was entirely a North Island allocation. , Mr Rood contended that the allocation had been agreed to at a conference and the House should abide by the decision of the conference. The discussion centred round the claims of the three branches of sport until 11.45, when, on the suggestion of the Hon. Fisher, Mr Forbes withdrew his amendment to enable him to move a prior amendment increasing die thirty permits provided in the Bill to thirty-one, with a view to giving hunt and trotting clubs eight permits each. This compromise was objected to ny Mr Davey and Mr Isitt, who said it was a broach of faith with, those members who had all along understood the crux of the Bill was to bo thirty permits.

The Minister’s amendment was carried on the voices. Mr F orhos then moved to reduce the seventeen racing club permits to fifteen.

On a division the voting was: For the amendment 45, against 9. “Fifteen” was then inserted in the Bill as permits for racing clubs.

The Bill was then further amended by fixing the hunt club and trotting dull permits at eight each, and in this form was reported and read a third time and passed. I

The Factories Act Amendment Bill was put through committee without amendment, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 11.59 p.m. till Tuesday.