PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 58, 8 July 1915, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Pick Pni;sm Association. Wellington, July 7. The Legislative Council mot at 2.J0 p.m.

Sir Walter Buchanan and tli® Hon. J. A. Millar were introduced and took the oath.

| The Education Act Amendment Hill 'passed all its stages. This measure amends a defect in last year’s Act relating to the * election of parents of pupils to governing bodies of secon'darv schools.

The Trading with the Enemy and the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Bills were read a first time.

j A call of the Council was then made, the Hons. Nikora, Haillie, Moiand Simpson being absent. Jhe Hou. Johnstone was elected Speaker. , The Hon. Camerons offered his congratulations. Ho was only too pleased to give any assistance in his power. Congratulations were also offered by Sir Francis Bell, the Hons. Jones and Samuel.

The Speaker expressed ids high appreciation of the remarks, and said he believed he would have the hearty

support of members. ! Sir Francis Hell moved that the Council record their sense of the long and faithful service rendered to the Council by the Hon. Sir Chns. Bowen. The Hons. Jones, Mills, and Moore 'spoke in support of the motion, which was carried.

I The Bon. Sir Clias. Bowen made a brief reply, expressing Ids thanks for the courtesy and the kindness received from Councillors.

i The Council adjourned at 4-15 p.m to Friday.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tim House of Representatives met at 2..'10 p.m.

I The Speaker announced that owing to the resignation of Colonel Shepherd, Commander Cecil Horne hud been appointed to the office of Ser-geant-at-Arms. In reply to Mr Wilford, the Munster for Defence said every arrangement had been made to give the re- ! turning troops a fit and proper welcome on reaching the Dominion. The question was what was a fit and proper welcome for men who had to go into hospital.

NEW BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time-.—Lights on Vehicles Bill (Mr Buddo); \\ aipu County Council Grant and Empowering. Bill (Mr MacDonald); Expeditionary Forces Bill 1 the Hon. .las. Allen); Tauranga Foreshore Nesting and Empowering Bill (the Hon. NV. H. Berries). ■ t S i On the motion of the Premier,; Mr Malcolm was elected Chairman of Committees. | On the motion of the Hon. A. L. Herdman, the Statutes Compilation Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. I The Enemy Contracts Bill was also read a third time and passed without debate.

( The Hon. A. L. Hierdman moved the second reading of the Local Authorities Empowering Bill, explaining the Bill was intended to enable local bodies to pay members of their staff who enlisted while on active service. Clause 5 of the Bill validated all such

payments as may have been made in

the past. Mr Wilford asked the Minister il he would introduce into the Bill a clause empowering local bodies to establish bread depots. Dr. McNah asked if the Minister would take power under the Bill to remit rates on those properties which were handed oyer to the Government as convalescent homes.

I Messrs Veitch and Payne urged that power he given to borough councils to enter generally into municipal trade. ) Dr. Thacker contended that municipalities should he empowered to establish cold storage for perishable food such as fish and irmt.

Mr Hanan urged an amendment of the Municipal Corporations Act to enable municipalities to extend their [functions so as to empower them to 1 establish a municipal milk supply and bakery. Legislation was also required to give effect to the remits to the Municipal Association.

The Minister, in reply, said he could not consider many suggestions made in connection with this Bill, but he would make the necessary representations to his colleagues, in whose charge municipal matters were. The Law Practitioners Amendment Bill, the Arbitration Act Amendment Bill, and the Settled Lands Amendment Bill, all measures of a strictly

technical nature, were read a second

time without debate. The Education Amendment Dill was received from the Legislative Council and read a first time. The House rose at L.‘fb p.m. till 2,; 10 p.m. to-morrow. GENERAL TOPICS. In reply to questions, tne Minister said the present site of Trentham camp was considerably healthy. A gravel subsoil and many other advantages make it most suitable as a camp for training the expeditionary forces.

'The Minister intends to amend the Pensions Act in the direction of making provision for those Maori Bar veterans who are not holders of the New Zealand War Medal, and who are not at present entitled by law to receive a pension.

It was expected the first section of tha now Parliamentary Buildings would not be finished prior to I.UJ7,

1 1 ni the LegislOnre Chambers .it was

hoped, would be y in 1916

The Government was quite sympatehetic towards tiu* proposal to subvent friendly societies, and a Bill would be brought down as soon as circumstances permit. It was not thought advisable to special subvention to induce the insurance by those who enlist in the expeditionary force*.