PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 262, 6 November 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

PZB. MESS ASSOCIATION. 4t LEGISLATIVE COtfNOIL, Tuesday, sth Notbmjbee. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Cook and otbec Islands Government Bill was further considered in committee. On the motion of the Minister for Education a new clause was added providing that for the purposes of the Shipping and Seamen's Act, 1877, ships trading to or going between the islands referred to in the Bill and New Zealand shall not be deemed to be home trade ships. Hoa. O. C. Bowen moved a new clause p 1 ovidiog tbat all federal and looal ordinances assented to by the Governor shall be laid on the table of both Houses within ten days of their being passed. The Minister approved of an opportunity being given to Parliament to review tbe ordinances and express an opinion on tbem. The clause was carried on the voices, the Bill reported as amended, and passed final stages. The Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill was further considered in committee. Hon. R. H. J. Reeves. moved an alteration in clause 6, that instead oi eight hours day'n work underground the clause should provide for eight hours employment underground exclusive of meil time. Carried by 16 to 8. The Bill was reported as amended, read a third time and passed. The Council adjourned till 7.30 p.m.

Evening Sitting. The Oouocil resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Maori Lands Administration Act Amendment Bill passed through committee, with technical amendment?, and was put through its final stages. The Payment of Members Bill was received from the House, and reid a first time. The Council rose at 8.50 p.m. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, sth November. After the close of- the telegraph office at midnight on Monday the debate on the Payment .to Members Bill was continued by Mr Atkinson, who movtd that the second reading be postponed for six months, upon which a division was taken with the following result: For the amendment: (25) Messrs. Atkinson, Buddo, Collins, Ell, A. L. D. Fraser, Fowlde, Graham, Hardy, Herries, Hutcheson, Lang, Lethbridge, | Massey, T. Mackenzie, Meredith, Monk, Pirani, Rhodts, G. W. Russell, W. R. ;RusseK, G J. Smith, Tanner, R. j Thompson, J. W. Thomeoo, Willis. Against the amendment (31); E.G. \ Allen, Arnold, Barclay, Carncross, Oarroll, Oolvin, Fisher, Fiatmnn,Gilfedder, Hall, Hall-Jones, Heke, Hogg, Hornsby, Housto , Kaihau, Laurenson, Lawry, McGowan, McKenzie, McNab, l Mills, Napi»r,o'Mear», Palmer, Parata, Seddon, Stevens, Steward, Symes, Ward. Pairs for:—J. Allen, Millar, McGuire, Bennett, Bollard, W. Fr»ssr• against: H*nan, Morrison, E M. Smith, Wi Pere, McLachlan, Duncan. The Premier, in the course of his reply, indicit'd that there was nothing in the contention that the colony could not afford this iocrease, as a surplus or over £250,000 was assured for this year.

The second reading was cirried by 31 to 25. In committee on the Bill an amendment by Mr Laurenson, that the Bill came into force on January Ist, 1903, instead of January ler, 1902, was lost by 31 to 25. A motion by Mr Seddon that the Bill come into force as soon as passed was carried by 29 to 21. A motion by Mr Pirani to make the salary of Legislative Councillors £l5O instead of £2OO was lost by 29 to 25, and a motion to make the honoiarium of/members of the House £240 instead of £3OO was negatived by 28 t) 25. Several hours discu-sion took place on a motion proposed by Mr Homsby, tb.it every member who desires to obtain piymentuf the hoaorariura should make application in a prescribed form. At 7.10 a.m. this was lost by 28 to 14.

Sir Joseph Ward then moved, on behalf of the Premier, to add the following words:—"Any member of the House of .Representatives who shall in writing intimate to the PaymafeterGeneral that he desires during the cur rency of the present Parliament to receive only £240 per annum shall be paid accordingly." A discussion proceeded at great longth on a motion by Mr G. W. Russell to make Mr Seddon's proviso apply to the General Assembly, instead of to the House. At 8 30 a.m. tbe House adjourned till 10 am. The House resumed at 10 a.m. In the course of further discussion on Mr Seddon's proposed proviso, Mr Herries expressed the hope that Ministers would not press this obnoxious proposal. Mr Collins said there was no doubt this proviso was intended t> punish those members who had the tererit >o oppose t:c second realing of the Bill. Sir Joseph War! expvessel his; willingness to accept Mr Russell's pro-' Poshl to wake Mr Seddon's proviso apply to both Houses. Ho added that if the opponents of themeasuie tuought that if by a prolonged discussion they

would succeed in killing the Bill, they* tuey wouH find the members on ateGovernment side of the Home prepared to resist the attemptf'as long as theothers were disposed to carry it on. The supporters of the Bill would in* siat ob the adoption of the proviso, but I those who for conscience etke protested against increasing their payments without consulting their constituente should be given an opportunity of writing to the Paymaster-General declining to accept the extra £6O a. year. The discussion was carried on till £ <rcloek, when the House took the, luncheon adjournment. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. Consideration of the Payment of Members Bill in committee was continued. Mr 0. W. Russell's* amendment striking out House of Representatives with a view to inserting General Assembly was carried by 36 to 8. The discussion was continued on an amendment to insert the wosdn General Assembly. Mr Seddon, with a view to solving the; difficulty, suggested an alteration to. the proviso as follows:—"Provided that members of the General Assembly shall not during the currenoy of present Parliament be compelled to accent the increase of salary provided for by this Act." The House did not agree to the Mg. gestion. Captain Russell could not help thinking that there was a deliberate attempt by this episode to insult those who had opposed the Bill. It was bud enough for members of the Lot*er House to insult themselves, but he objected to their insulting members of the legislative Council in the same way. Amotion to report progress by Mr- ' Massny was lost by 28 to 26. On a division, tbe motion to insert 1 " General Assemb'y " was lost by 87 to ' 21 - Mr Hutchesoo moved to injert 1 " Legislative Council,'' instead of 1 House of Representatives. Lost by 5210 6". Mr Hutoheson proposed that the words " the police foree" should b*n» ! serted. Mr Seddon maintained this was en- ' tirelyforeign to the Bill. A proviso increasing salaries of members of the police force could not be included in a. Bill for payment of members of Parliament. Mr Guinness (who was in the chair), ruled the words out of order, as irrevelant, and reflecting eu the dignity of the House. The House rose at 5.30 fjn. Evunao Sirruio. The House resumed at 7.80 p.m. Without further discussion the pro- : viso to clause 2, moved by the Premier, ; that members should notify the Pay- ' master-General if they do not intend to accept, the increase of honorarium, ins 1 rejected by 33 to 31. Mr Atkinson moved a new clause to ' the effect that any member of the House or Council failing to elect whether he will take the salary as provided by the Act of 1892 in lieu of that stated in the Bill shall be disguali--1 fied for a period of three yean. This was lost on the voices. Mr Collins moved a new clause, that the Bill do not come into force until 1 31st December, 1902.-Lost by 29 to • 27. The Bill was then reported, with amendment*, and read a third tin* and passed without debate. The House at 8.10 p.m, formally adjourned, and Tuesday's sitting commenced at 8.20 p.m. Sir Joseph Ward tabled a return i showing expenditure out of capital on L the working end maintenance of rail- . ways last year | Leave of absence for the remainder I of the session was granted to Mr t McLachlan. Amendments made by' the Council . in the Railways Olassiuoition, State , Coal Mines, and Cook and other . Islands Government Bills were agreed , to. , Mr Seddon moved that amendments . made by the Council in the Old Age , Pension Bill be agreed to except that , providing a penalty of £lO for all . offences under the Act, instead of all . offences not otherwise provided for. , Agreed to, and managers were ap- . pointed to draw up reasons. , In committee on the New Zealand , Ensign Bill, the Premier moved that ( clause 5, providing tbat the Bill be , reserved for the Royal assent, be struck , out. This was agreed to, and the Bill j passed through committee without , further amendment. In committee on the Criminal Code i Amendment Bill, on the provision in • clause 7 (penalty for criminal libel, imi prisonment with hard labour), an : amendment by Mr Homsby that the , penalty be witL or without hard labour was lost on the voices. r New olauses added by the Statutes Revision Committee were passed on . tbevoioes. [ Mr Pirani moved a new clsuseto the effect tbat a plea of Parliamentary ; privilege shall be no defence to an indictment 'Jor libel under this Aut.— , Lost by 35 to 10. [ The Bill was reported, and put through its final stages without debate. i Tbe New Zealand Ensign Bill, was , read a third time and pissed. , Amendments made by the legislative Council in the Jggraont National Park Bill and Pareroa Native Rt serve Bill were agieed to. Mr. Seddon moved the second reading of tbe Railways Authorisation Bill. Mr. Herries regrettei tbat the Bill did not provide for tbe extension of tbe Waihi railway towards Taurines. Captain Rug8"ll urge 1 the construction of the Gisborne-Karakt railway towards Tauranga, and foiesbaoowed a complete railway scheme from Cape Colville to Cape Turnagain. Mr. Pirani urged that losal bodies should be ompowered to' oons-ruct light lines of railwHy, Mr. Rhodes hope J the Minister would look into this matter during the recess.