PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 143, 11 July 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

JPBR PRESS ASSOCIATION ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Tuesday, July 9. SECOND KEADINGB. Onre umiDgat7.3o p.m. the Premier moved the second reading of th 6 Local Authorities Indemnity Bill, to indem-« nify various local authorities for expenditure of moneys in coDwction with the Royal visit. He said there was only one opinion as to the advisableoerß and necessity of passing tbe Bill, and afterdiscussion ths recond reading was agreed to on the voice". ' Tha Premier moved the second reading of the Referendum Bill, to provide for certain Bills and legislative pro posils being referred to a poll of the electors of the c 'ony, i The Rebate continued until the adjournment cf the Home at 11.55 p.m-

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Wednesday, July 10. Tin Council meS at 2.30 p.m. NEW SILLB.

The Miniater for Education r&th notica to intioduca the Public Officers Act Amendment Bill, Young Purson* Protection Bill and Chinese Ifamigr .n's Act Amendm nt Bill.

Hon. Bolt introduced the LiwAct Amendment Bill, which was read a 1 first time.

OHAIBMAN OP COMMITTEES. The Miaibter for Edu.a*ioa moved the appointment of Hen. W. 0. Smitli at Obairmtn of Committees. The motion was lrst by 16 to 14. Aftr a ballot of rand dates was taken, Hoo W. D. H. Baillie was elected CVa'Tina-i The Council adjourned at 4,15 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE! Wednesday, July 10. The Hou?e met at 2.30 p.m. BANK OP NEW ZEALAND. Mr. Seddon m .v. d th >t the balance ahedt of the Bank of New Z ;.iland, laid on the table yeste day, be pr nted. In doings) be cilltd a tenMon to the fao' that it had b en sti'ed in tho p iUic pr ss that tbe Baak was gong to pay a dividend. He printed out that very litt'e had baen pud off by the Bank ic> respect of the A-sa's Heiligitioa Board, and he himse'f thought it would b. better if tbe Bink first of all p id off its debts instead of paying dividends. Tbe lesponsi ili.'y of the 0 owa still remained in'pc" in lespact of th« Asset*Board, and be thought he sh >uld spe4k plaioly so ih it th»re would be no mistake afterwards. If they did not say anything it would be t»k<n "thio thGovernment tacitly agie d with wha was bei>g don°, He m ; git s\y that no one was batter pleasei than himseil at th) Hiocesi of the Btnk.

Mr.-Pirani co'imcUred it imp operto ask the House t) criticise the Bunk od hearsiy evidence. He diJ not think .direc'ors would dream of paying a diwdnH und r the pe en', cir. um stino.s, as it was prob.ble that with n two yeaw they would have to oome to the House for a renewal of the hrge guarantee.

Mr. James Allen regarded the Premier's statement as chtuiagiog to the Bank. The B.nking Act of 1895 provid d that the B<nk could pny n diviiend in due coursp, but he took the Premier's remarks to imply a thr at tr repeal thesa dami g. (Mr. Seddon : No") He considered the Premi.rV Statement would dj harm to the B mk, and dishearten sharehjjlders and those who were admifiUt-aing tht Bink't affairs.

Mr. Seddon, iffrepty, admits tint the B u.kcou'd pay a dividend in due roirse ; but he thought it was bet'e that, they sVuld not do fo. If the direc'ors piid a dividing io thepresent circumstances of the Bank, they would he liible under i he»xisting commercial l»w. The Chairmm Bonn time ago mads a s'atement that the B»tk mis(ht be ab'e to pay a divid-tcd, but he sub--8 qua tly w thd ew it, a? hi fund it bad led toaime mU<ppte' earn n. He (Mr. Se'do") could t>ll the House there was no inten'ion to ameni o rcped aiy of the proviso- s of thBmking Act, an! t'ere was robbing behind the stalpme-t be hi had nude It w s q litvi cl iar that in two years or si th* Legish ure would Lavtito rerw.i or extend the time and p - si'ion in re f-peot of the coluoy's guarantee. Th liahili'y of ihe eo'imy through the A 86*8 Realisation Board st ll remained, as very little hid been pud off. He! went on to say he d:d n,t think the Bank would cost the colony a penny p'ece. The actnn of the J>gisla'ure hid saT'd millons if npney and av> red disas er. In faci r-f ■he fact that tha Bank's shar s wtre feoing to a fio itious v,-lue though" it bitter to stanl up manfully an') st'te the true po-ui' nof nffiirs. The paym-nt of a divid-nd was not manda ory, aud the statemeit that had jbt >ined tir uUt.ion might lead to »xP"cta f , 'o s that might not be re dice 1. It had nlre<dy led to sp'cu'.itio", and it was better to do as he had doue thaallow the s ate aunt to gt u cocked. He complimeoted the JBaik and its officrs on the tucc.ss of the bu iness and siid tha"; never wnce i s inception was the Bank in a better po ision thr.:i at present. The Premier's mot'Qjj was agraed t > od the voio s.

LEA.YE OP ABSENCE. | Leave of absence was g an'ed foron' | week to Messrs McNab and R. I MfiKftnzie, and for thr<e days to Mr Rhodes. FIB ST EE AD I <3B. I The fallowing Bills we r e iotroJuccd and read a first time Dunedtn City and Suburban T amway Ac , 1900, Amendment Bi'l, (Millat); Duoedin Wa»e works Ex'ersion Bill (Milla-); Temp'eton Domain Board Einf owning Bill, (Q. W. Rusfell) ; Scbo .1 Attendance BM,(Piraoi); Libel Bill, no. 2, (Oarncross); Itidus'rial 0 inciliition and Arbitration Bill, (Seddon). questions. ' In reply to qaes ioos it was a'ated

that the Referendum* Bill would supply , machinery to enable electors to txpren their opinion on the question of Bibb reading in schools, though Mr. siid he was oppas.d to the introduction of Bible reading in school*; that Loti Roberts had recommended a mi rumor to Oalonsl Pole-Penton as commandant of the forces, and an announcement on tbe subject would be made to the House next day, but the sew commandant would not be one of our own men; that it was unreasonable at thia <*rly stage of tbe session to ask the I Government to commit itnelf on tbe question of further reducing duties on necessaries of life; that enquiries wen being made as to the emotion of a sanatorium at Mount Efwont j that he present system of military drill in public schools would be continued and •"Xteoded. SITTINGS FOR GOVERNMENT DCSIMMS,

Sir Jdf eph Ward meved that until further ordered this session on two of tbe days set apart for Government business the House meet at 10.30 a.m. and rise at 10.30 p m. Toe motion was agreed to. THB ROYAL VlSrj. On the motion of Mr. Monk a return was ordered to fee laid before the Housi showing in detail the expendituie by the Government in oonneotion with tbe Royal visit. The House ro-e at 5.30 p.m.

Evening SrrriNa, The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. SECOND HEADINGS, Mr. Palmer moved the second reading of the Workers' Right of Appeal Bill, wh<ch was, after discussion, thrown out.

M. Buddo moved the seoond reading of the Counties Act Amendment BilJ. Agreed to on the voices.

Mr. Hogg moved the second raiding oftbe Babbit Nuisance Act Amendment Bill, which was oarried,af tar a long debate, by 36 to 10. Hob. T. Y. Duncan moved tie second reading of the O?oMtery Trustee Validation Bill,—Agreed to. The Live Stock Auctions Bill (McGowan) was read a second time pro forma, &nd refqgjed to the Stock Committee.

The Local Authorities Indemnity Bill was amended in committee, and p<it through its final stages without debate. The Premier replied to speaker* opposing the second reading of the Referendum Bill, movid the pr eviodanight, and the motion was agreed to on the voice?. ■ -

The motion for the second re-dingef the Police Offences Act Amendment Bi l (WLQowan) was being considered when the House rose at 0.30 a.m.