HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 261, 5 November 1901, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Monday, 4th November.

The House met at 2.30 p m. Mr Seddou moved thit this House d s igree with the amendments made in the Factories Bill by the Legislative Council, and that a committee be Mt up to frame reason for disagreement. The motion was agreed to on the voices.

The Public Accounts Committee n> ported on the Midland Railway petitions r< commending that the of £IIO,OOO be offered to the reoeiver for ! the df Banture holders on condition that he given a receipt on behalf of debenture holders, setting forth the colony has dealt equitably and justly, and that ho is fully satisfied on their behalf; that the sum of £20,000 be offered on similar terms to Mr Dalston on behalf of the shareholders; that a Bill be passed this session to give effect thereto, with such conditions as may be jdoem'-d advisable to completely safeguard the interests of||the colony; t hat each debenture holder, and each shareholder shall give a receipt to the receiver, and attorney for the company for the money in similar terms to the receipt givrm by them. Mr Fisher (Chairman of the committee), moved that the report lie on ■the table and be printed. Hesiidit | was his duty to move this motion, although he totally dissented from the report. He complained that these petitioners were seeking redress after having tried by every means in their power to injure the credit of this colony at Home. He had always opposed the Midland Railway Company and all ite works as being nothing better than a gross political job, of which the colony was now reaping the fruits. 1H it not been for the faot that some of the petitioners were persons who are capable of exercising great infloenoe at Home, they would not have suoceeded in getting this favourable recommendation. He strongly oondeuuei the action of the debenture h(dden» and hoped Parliament would not agree to make them any grant. Mr G. W. Russell said the honour of the colony required that matter should be settled on honourable lines, and he could not help feeling that justice was on the aide of the petitioners. He thought the petitioners were entitled to some consideration, but he would not agree to give them, the whole amount recommended by the. committee.

Mr Seddon said the thing be took most exception to was that whra the casa wan pending before tbb Privy Council, the debenture holders influenced the press at times against the colony, and asked the Stock Exchange not to quote ok register our loses, £ House that, in face of suc'a oonduet, would make a grant to the petitioner* was generosity itself. However, ha thought something should be given because thera were a number of poor shareholders who were induced to invest their mon«y by the "colouring" put on the speculation by some persons from the colony. Tho debenture boldera were fin*itied to some cooaideration ; besides which, if the company bad noi [done tbe work, the Government would have been forced by political pressur* jto make the line. Bis advioe was to i cle ir thw matter up once and for ill, He did not fear that anyone cw',| injure <mr credit, but they should ' oß ' T # some regard to the of the case, and by such a rjft u pro. posed, heal the woaods had b*,„ 0 , ÜB f d ;. however, see that whau thay did left >^ o loopholes for any further claims.

: .f r / 88i Allien supported (he com* rai JJ ee ® re lom mendation. . .cGuire could not see that the had harmed the shareholders or i /6utura holders, and that Imng ao .ie moved that the report be rent back to the committea for further consider*tion.

Mr Hogg suppor'ed the amendment. Several members spoke and the debate was interrupted by the 5.30 ad» iournment.

Evening Sitting.The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Saddon moved that the folio Wny Bill, be discharged from the Order Piper :—Public Heal'h Amendment (No. 2), Gnv rnm-nt Railways Super' annnation Fund, Government Railway Servants Superannuation, Food Medicil Practitiooers, Hospital and Charitable Aid Hoards Election, S.feoff Preventive* Prohibition, Second-bandl D a'evs, Stud Pioduots Export, awl School Att indarce (No. 2). The mo-ion was agreed to on tbw voice". The Railways Authorisation Biß wa» brought down by message* •ind read a first timr. Mr Seddon, in moving the second reading of the Payment of Member* B'U, said hu felt he was remedying; what had been required for many ytarti He had always advocated payment of members at the r»te <f .£3OO per annum, so that there was \ o incon-* sis'pney on his part in bri si™ forward fais Bill, C itig zpons 'S* of elections, and o«il« upon m> mb.rs, hr did not <hink £240 a ye a- mifficenk- : remunera'ion, and be ur#ed that * man ought not to be barr.d by his position from bring a member. T1... prows* remuneration vu a bar, «.4 w «nr - membecrtodfcfc Parliament 4 i-ML

Ho did not think the colony should I «sk such a sicrifice, and he could not! understand why there should be any opposition to this measure. His idea

being that if they wantcl a thing done well, they must pay for it. The amount now asked was reasonable and fair, and he believed the country would be with those who voted for the Bill. In regard to the Legislative Council, the proposed increase was necessary to ensure the full representation of all classes in that branch ofjebe Legislature. Mr. Pirani opposed the Bill. He contended it was improper to launch into this expense within some twelve months of the termination of the present Parli ment The Government

was at its wits ends to raise money for Becess'tiei and yet expenditure was going up rapidly . Mr. Hornsby supported the Bill. Mr. Thos. Mackenzie suggested that the Government should bear certain jaecesstry election expenses, but he did not support this Bill. Mr. Napier supported the Bill. Mr. Fisher believed if the fate of the Bill could ba decided by a ballot of members there would not be more than eight or ten dissentients. Mr Collins his opposition to the Bill solely on the ground tbat they had so latgely increased expenditure that it was sound reason to refuse to

Btill further increase expenditure for their own sp cial benefit. Mr Hntcbe«on expressed similar views to those of Mr Collins. Mr McGuire opposed the Bill on similar grounds. He bad entered the House at a certain remuneration, acd was prepared to carry out his contract Bt that figure. Mr Massey was io f iveur of allowances for election expenses in certain Cases. Mr Fowlds could not support the Bill until it had been considered by the electors.