HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 39, 2 October 1914, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. In answer to questions, Ministers ,aid the cases of strike prisoners had jeen inquired into individually, and 10 grounds had been discovered that ivould justify tlie Government releasing' ohem. It was not proposed to amend the /elisions Act this session to enable pensions to be paid to orphan children. .'Jbe House resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE LICENSING BILL. The Premier moved that the amendaents made by the Legislative Council n the Licensing Amendment Bill be greed to. :Mr Isitt objected to the-deletion of tie words "and of a strength not exceding 20 per cent, of proof spirit" ;i sub-clause 11 of clause G, as tending o leave an opening for dealers in New 'calami wine to fortify the wine. The Premier read opinions from Demrtmeiital officers to show that, if the ords wore retained it would lie im» ossible to make New Zealand wine jhafc would keep, but he finally agreed j exclude this amendment from the lotion, and a committee, consisting f Messrs Harris, Isitt and Massey, as appointed to confer with the Legisitive Council on the point. The relainder of the amendments were then greed to. The Premier stated that he had proused to set up a commission to in■ostigate the conditions relating to the ale of liquor in the King Country. In reply to Mr McDonald, the Prelicr said he had invited the member or the Eastern Maori District to collar with the law draughtsman, and if satisfactory clause could be drafted sealing with the! cost of the Maori liMising poll he would have it introducd into the Bill by Governor's Message efore his Excellency signed the Act.

LOCAL RAILWAYS BILL. Hon. W. Fraser moved the second jading of the Local Railways Bill, exilaining that it was introduced at the ;eneral wish of the country districts oi .ie Dominion. The Bill divided the )ominion into railway districts tor the ppointment of railway boards with jouer to take land and construct railrays when authorised, as provided .nder the Bill. After a railway was ,uilt, power of purchase by the Crown tras given if that were deemed prudent. Sir Joseph Ward objected to the Bill .s tending to open up the way to mono-. >oly. Jt placed in the hands of the ■oards powers never previously given o anyone outside the Crown. He delout.ced the prinicpie of private people wilding railways and then clamoring o have them taken over by the State t a big advance on the cost. The jroper course was for the tate to find he mone yto construct these district ailways, and not to pursue a policy oi funk'," as the Bill did. Mr 10. Newman supported the Bills t would help the people in the backilocks to get railways when they .could ot get roads. Mr Veitch denounced the Bill. Tf : ulway was a failure, the owners would r.imor to get the Government to take t over. If a success, it, could lie sold o a company, and then it would be run ,s a monopoly, and if the country ha( o take it over, the State would have ;o pay through the nose for it. Mr Isitt opposed the measure, sayug that at the b,ack of the mind of the Jeform Party was the desire to pronote private enterprise as against State enterprise. What an extraorlinary contrast the Bill was to the •ecent action of the Government in ippointing an. expert at £3OOO a year, and suggesting,a loan of one and a-half millions. Xow they proopsed to construct railways outside the control of lie expert employed. The Bill was one if the most vicious ever placed before he country. Mr Guthrie contested the argument hat the Bill was a vicious one. ' Messrs Wilkinson, McCombs. and ' A'ilson supported the Bill, while Hon. I). Buddo, Mr McAllum and Hon H. McKenzie spoke in opposition to it. After midnight the debate was continued by Messrs Okey, Bradney and Escott, who supported, and by Messrs

Hanan and Witty, who opposed the Bill.

! RESULT OF DIVISION OX THE BILL 27—12. Alter the Telegraph Office closed at 2 o'clock Mr McDonald continued the debate on the Local Railways Bill. He gave the measure qualified support and suggested that it be referred to the committee, where it could receive careful consideration. At 2.5 a.m. the Minister for Public Works rose to reply. He said he was amazed at the criticism levelled against the Bill. He could only think-the members had not read the, measure: there was no power to sell or to lease a private railway without the consent of the Government. The fact of the matter was the arguments raised against the Bill were promoted by a knowledge that the Bill was going to be popular. A division was called for the second reading, being carried by 27 to 12, and the House rose at 2.30.