PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 263, 7 November 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

PBE PRXSS ASSOCtaWW - «i LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.. Wednesday, 6th Novucbib. The Council nut at 2.30 p.m. The Shops and Offices Bill, and Property Law Amendment Bill were, on the motion of the Minister for Education, discharged from the Order Paper. The payment of Members Bill pawed all its stages, practically without debate. The House having disagreed with the amendments of the Oounoil in the Public Health Bill,, and Old Age Fen* sion Bill, the Council decided not to insist on its amendments. The Council decided to insist on its amendments in the Fiotoriis Bill. The Council agreed to the amendments introduced by Governor's message in the State Coal Mioes, Local Bodies Loans, and Uook and other Islands Government Bills. The Oounoil adjourned till 8 p.m. On the Council resuming at B.SO p.m.. the Public Trust Office Amendments Bill wis read a third time and pasted.. The following Bills were received from the House and put through si) their stages: —Criminal Code Act Amendment, New Zealand B&*ign t Railways Authorisation, and Military Pensions. HOUSE OP BEPEESESTATIYia, (Continued from yetterday.) 'i he debate on the second reading of the Railways Authorisation Bill w*i ontinued, several members drawing tan attention of the Government to their respective loral requirements. 1 The Hoc. Hull-Jones in reply laid that power for the cons ruction by a 1 county, or by a combination of counties of Ugh*, lines would be given under ; the next Counties Bill, but he objected ' ta any narrowing of gauge, except fak 1 special cirtums'ances. The second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill pasted through committee without amendment. The second reading of the Statute! Revision Bill was agreed to, and the. Bill passed through committee without amendment. ; The following Bills passed their final i stages: Military Pensions, Public i Trust Office Amendment, School Ati tendance, and Railways Authorisation. i The Statutes Revision Bill WM dis- - charged from the Order Paper, i The House rose at 0.35 a.m. Wednesday, Oib Kovimbib. The House met at 2.30 p.m. f Sir Joseph Ward presented a ©on> j parative railway return as between New Zealand and Queensland, showing thit New Zealand bad had a fruitful re'urn from its increased expenditure on railway maintenance as compared with Queecslaod. The Reportin* at d Debate* Own* mifctee recommenced that two permanent committee reporters be appointed, their services to be at the disposal of the Hansard staff when not 1 engaged on committee work, and tint * a bonus of £IOO be granted the Bon--8 sard staff in recognition of extra work entailed on them this session. Some amendments to the State Coal Mine Bill were brought down by Governor's message. One amendment proposed to increase the amount which could be borrowed for the purposes of tl.e Act from various lending departments, including the Public Works Fund, from .£IOO,OOO to (160,000. It was also proposed to add a proviso that H the money received for the sale or supb ply of coal may, without further apptoe priation, be expended in carrying out t the purposes of the Act. In the course of a discussion Mr •- Seddon stated the State coal mine* I. would be under the oontrel of the g Minister for Mines. d The amendments were agreed to, and they were then forwarded to the - Legislative Council for its ooncurrsnos. r An amendment to the Locil Bodies ■ £ oans Bill, providing that it come into o force on January Ist, 1902, Wat brought down by Governor's nusaage, 8 and agreed to. ' Amendments in the Uook Islands :, Bill were alto brought down by Go- * vernor's message. They provided that on all go-ds imported into the islands '.. from countries other than New Zea- ;. land, which are cow on the free lis*, 2 there be paid an ad valorem du*y, not y exceeding 10 per cent, as the Go-vernor-ib-Council may from time to f time determine.

Mr H( rrics strongly opposed (be amendment. Captain Ruesell considered the amendment was in direct oon'radkrtton to the Bill as already passed, which stated that the duties on goods imported into tbe Islaoris should be the same as under the New Zealand tariff. Mr Seddon said if these good* were imported fi ee into New Zea'and thaw could be admitted to the (elands free. In the course of further discussion, Mr Ssddon stid he would be no party to a retaliatory taiift against tbe Commonwealth. The amendment, he said, w.iß brought down on the recommendation of the officials of the Islands and the traders of Tonga. The amendment* were agreid to by 34 to 21 and sent into the Legiilative Council. Sir Joseph Ward moved the stowd reading of tLe Companies Bill (No. 8) which had p.tsed the Legislative Council. After a short discussion the second reading was agreed to on the voices. Sir Joseph Ward mov d the second ieadiog of the Nelson Harbour Board Act, 1900, Amendment Bill. Mr Graham raised tbe point that this was a local Bill, and the D»puty Spanker said hu would refer the point to the Joint Committee on Bills, The de' ate was accordingly adjiumed. Sir Jiseph Ward movel tLe terood reading of the Regis'rjtion of Births Gxtens'on Bill, which t e expUinrd was a tichn'cal measure to <n»tilo people *-ho had f«i)ej to register their obi'dnn within the statutory puiod to sow do so. Agreed to without debate. A motion to go into c >mmittee on -he Mining Act Amendment BUI waa igned to without debate. The second reading of the Victeria College Sits Bill wascariind after oonsidsi able debate. The House tose at 5.30 p/n. Evening Srrrura Tin Houte r.sumed a*. 7 30 p.m. A messngo was if ad ffom the Right Hon Joseph Chamb rhvin conveying o I oth House' of Pin liam<aiit <he OOtdial thanks of the King and Dote of Cornwall for their kind corgratulatioM which the message stated were waimly appreciated. The Public Htalth Act Amendment

"KD which, a few days ago, was dis•charged from the Order Paper was reintroduced by Governors message. The Companies Bill was passed through rimmittee witnout amendment. Mr. Millar moved anew clause to, empower shareholders in mining companies to inspect the companies books,! as io the Mining Act. jf* Sir Joseph Ward accepted the clause, "which was agreed to. I The Registration of Births Exten-' sion Bill passed through committer without amendment. The Miring Act Amendment Bill was committed, i At the clause extending the right of inspection ol a mine by workmen, Hon. I J. McGowan moved to Hd a proviso' that men employed outside the mine to *>e inspected shall before inspecting the I «nine produce an order signed by a Justioeof the Peace that he is satisfied' with the bona fide* of the application j was agreed to, and the by to a new hours day for such, hours commence at the time of entering, and to finish at thej time of leaving; further, that overtime| at the rate of time and a quarter shall be paid for all hours worked in excess of eight boars—thin provision, however, not to apply where the hours and rate of payment for overtime have been previously fixed by any award under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. j The clause was carried by 45 to 11. On the motion of Hon. J. McGowan a new clause was added providing that J after June 30th, 1902, every person in, charge of a dredge shall hold a certi-, ficate issued by the Board of Exam- J iners. In committee an the Victoria Col- j lege Site Bill strong exception was itakea to th* land proposed to be given "to the Wellington Oity Council in ex- ( «h*Bge for the site to be given by the, College, the land being described as' practically worthless. A long discus-• sion ensued, lasting some three hours, j Eventually a motion to report progress' was agreed to, on the understanding that an attempt would be made to arrange a compromise on the points in dispute. The Companies Bill, Registration of Births Extension Bill, and Mining Act Amendment Bill were put through their final stages.