LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 55, 31 October 1914, Page 8

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

IPsa turn Association.] Wellington, October 30. The following Bills were passed with amendments:—lnspection of Machinery, New Zealand Loans, Wellington Milk Supply, War Contributions Validation, Mortgages ' .Extension Amendment. The Now Zealand Loans Act Amen 1-

meut was passed without amendment, and the Pensions Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Pensions Amendment Bill passed through the committee, and was read a third time.

The managers at the conference on the Education Bill presented their report. Hon. Bell explained that the representatives of the Council had, with regard to district councils, so far evaded its amendment as to provide for a district advisory committee,which the Minister might call together to advise and report to him; The Council’s objection, to the selection of a joai'd from urban school-, committees xad been submitted to . by the House. There would be urjban popular elecions of school, committees, but not of ducatiou boards. The Council bad. allowed the provision as to the. x-elu-sion of the chief medical officer as a i member of the board to be exercised. ' With regard to the section dealing with, religious and moral instruction, xJhe Council has yielded, and allowed ’the House to retain the for ‘what it might be worth. He movedl that the finding of the conference he’ adopted.

After a short; discussion, the mbtion was agreed., and the Council adjourned m 8.40 p. m . uniil 1 o'clock to-morrow...

.HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES.

The Hcruse met at 2.SG p.m.

THE-WAR LOAN. Sic Joseph Ward’ asked th e Minister of Finance whether the cablegram published yesterday describing certain financial arrangements made by the High Commissioner had reference to assurance of the British Government that they would guarantee the New Zealand war loan, and whether the amount raised was at 4£ per cent. Hon. Jas. Allen said that while wishing to give the High Commissioner every credit for what he had done, the negotiations did not start with him. He (Mr Allen) had asked the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie to see what could be done re raising the loan, and the result was very much as described in the cable. The rate of interest was not necessarily Vi per cent. What the rate was he could uofc disclose, having been requested by the British Government to Observe secrecy.

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS. Mr G. H. Thomson, Chairman of the Education Committee, brought up the report of the committee on various petitions referred to it. On the subject of religious instruction in schools, the committee recommended that the Religious Instruction in Schools Bill be not allowed to pass. The committee also recommended that full opportunity be given for the adoption of a voluntary system of religious instruction, such as the Nelson system, in which teaching is imparted outside statutory school hours.

Mr G. W. Russell spoke in warm appreciation of the committee, supporting, as it did, the national system of education. Hon. Alien said he could not accept the suggestion that the Nelson system was the most suitable means of giving children religious instruction in schools, Mr Guthrie wished it to he known that the report was not unanimous. Mr Mine regretted that the principle of the referendum had not been adopted. Mr Isitt said that his objection to the BibloriurSphpqls movement was that they would not admit any alternative system into the referendum, hut insisted upon the people accepting their systeyi or none, Mr Dickson moved that the report be referred back to the cprnmittee. Mr Atrnore twitted the Government with vacillation on the subject. They ought to have given the House a lead. Mr Dickson’s amendment was lost by 4(3 to 17. , STATE PURCHASE OF WHEAT.

The Premier announced that he had arranged with the Premier of Canada to purchase 250,000 bushels of wheat! This, with what was being imported by private individuals, would, iie thought, provide .sufficient to protect us from shortage. Mr Massey added that the wheat would be sold at the price fixed by the CommissioUj but to do that there would bo a slight loss on the transaction. THE MAORI CONTINGENT. Jn reply to Mr Ngata, the Premier said he would see that provision was made for members of the Maori contingent to record their votes at the general election. AMENDMENTS AGREED TO.

The amendments made by the Legislative Council in tjie Laud Laws Amendment, the Homan Catholic Bishop of Auckland Empowering, and the Wages Protection Bills were agreed to.

The Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill was read a first time. At midnight no progress had boon made in the Bill, and it appeared that a stonewall was possible. At 1,45 a.in. the House was still discussing the short title of the Bill. Wellington. October 31. After tho Telegraph office eloped amendments in tlTe Penrfo'na Amendment, Inspection of Machinery, and New Zealand Loans Amendment Bids

■man the two Houses on the subject of the Council’s amendments to the Education Bill, it was reported that the chief features were the setting up of Advistory Committees instead of District Councils, and the retention of the existing right of hoards to admit teachers of religion for half an hour during the school work. The Bill was reported with amendments, and the House rose.