PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 264, 8 November 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, 7th Novbmbub. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Minister for Education moved the adjournment for an hour out of respect to the memory of the late Hon. J. A. Bomr. He staged tha* Mr Bor ar had in the early days bad an lion mrable p'ib'ia cirepr on the West Coast as county councillor and as Provincial Superintendent. He had been appointed to the Legislative Council when comparatively a young man, and had given tbe Council the best years of his life. Hon. R. H. J. Reeve* referred to Mr Bonar's uprightness of character, and Hon. T. Kelly to bis geniality and public service. The Council adjourned till 3.30 p.m. On resuming, the following Bills were received from the House of Representatives and pissed through all stapes: —Mining Act Amendment, Public Health Amendment No. 2, Westland and Nelson Coalfields Administratioo, Chatham Islands County, and Remuera Waterworks Empowering.

Hon. O. Jones brought up the report of the conference batween managers of the two chambers on the points in dispute in the Factories Bill. The settlement arrived at by the conference is to tbe following effect:—That "boy" means every male under tbe age of 16 years ; that the exemption of wooll«n mills from the clause prescribing for women and boys certain limited hours (45 weekly and 8| daily) shall apply only in respect of women over tbe age of 18 years, and of boys as defined ; that the sawmills proviso as to overtime be reinstate!; and that the House agree to the othor disputed amendments of the Council (five hours maximum, continuous employment of male worker without interval for meal; and exemption of weekly newspapers from the holiday clause in respect of publishing .day). After some discussion the report of the conference was agreed to, and the Council adjourned.

EVEHINO SmiNQ. The Council resumed at 8.45 p.m. The Timber Export Bill and Nelson Harbour Board Act Amendment Bill passed all their stages. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. (Continued from yesterday). The second reading of the Nelson Harbour Board Ac*-, 1900, Amendment Bill was carried by 31 to 19. 'After considerable discussion in committee progress was reported. The following Bills were put through all stage?:—Westland and Nelson Coalfields Administration, Chatham Islands County, and Public Health Act Amendment.

J A Bill to impose a duty of 3s per 100 feet on exportation of timber was introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. At 5.15 a.m. the House adjourned till 11 a.m. Thubsdat, 7th November. The House met at 11 a.m. Hon. O. H. Mills moved the second, reading of the Timber Export Bill, which provides that the Governor may at any time, by Order-in-Oouneil,oause a duty of three shillings per hundred superficial feet to be levied on timber leaving the colony. Captain Russell opposed the Bill on the ground that it wss wrong in principle to impose an export duty under any conditions. Hon. C. H. Mills emphatically declared that thi Bill was not introduced in any spirit of retaliation. The second reading was carried by 35 to 17, and the House adjourned at 1 p.m. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. . In committee on the Timber Expo*t Bill at clause 2 Mr. Herries moved an amendment taking away from the Go-vernor-in-Oouncil the power to levy the duty. He contended that if there was to be any alteration in the duty tha House should make it, and not the Governor-in-Council. The amendment, after considerable discussion, was negatived by 31 to 19 and the clause passed. At clause 5, fixing regulations in regard to shipment of timber, the penalty for failure to comply with regulations was fixed at not less than £5, Mr, Buddo moved a new olausa to provide that the Act shall cease to have operation ten days after the close of next session. The division resulted in a tie, 24 on each side. Major Stsward gavehis casting vote against the clause and declared it to be lost. Mr. Buddo then moved another new clause stipulating that the Act should cease to have operation thrae months after the beginning of next session. Mr Seddon said he would prefer to drop the Bill than to put in a condition limiting it for twelve months. Mr Massey hoped the clausa would be carried. The clause was rejected by 28 to 21. The p>wer to levy a higher duty than three shillings per 100 superficial fret, but not exceeding five shillings, was struck out of the schedule. The Bill was then reported, and put through its final stages without further debate. The report of the conference on the Factories Bill was agreed to. The Nelson Harbour Board Act Amendment Bill was further considered in committee. An arrangement : having been come to between Government and Mr Graham in regard to the features of the Bill which were objected to, no further opposition was shown, and the Bill passed through committee with some alteratioos. At 5 10 p.m., Mr Seddon moved that the House adj >urn till 7.30 p.m , as a mark of respect to the memory of the la'e Hon. J. A. Bonar, to whom he paid a ti ibute. Captain Russell seconded the motion, which was agreed to, and the House adjourned. Evening Sitting. The House resumed at 7,30 p.m. The Native Land Claims Adjustment and Lands Amendment Bill was committed. Amendments made in the Bill by the Native Affairs Committee were ngrf ed to, and it was then reported, read a third time, and passed. The Reserves and Other Lands S »le Disposal and Enablin? and Public Bodies Empowering Bill was com- \ mitted. : Several clauses of local purport were i Btruokout, M

Mr Field moved a new clause amending section 20 of the Public Works x\ct, 1000, in the direction of providing thai, private streets may be formed in such a manner as may be agreed n tin" lietween owners and the local it.it u.ity. This was opposed by Mr Seddon, who said he agreed that some amendment was required, but this Bill was not the proper pl»oe for it. The clause was rejected by 23 to 20. The Bill was reported and put through its final stages. The Native Lind Claims Adjustment Bill passed its final stages. A Bill to authorise the sale and purchase of the WeH>neton--Manawatu railway was introduced by Governor's message, and read a first time. Mr Seddon explained that the Bill was for the purpose 6? giving the Government an opportunity during the next few months of purchasing the WellingtonManawatu line on the term? the Government was prepared to give, viz,, 30s per share, which would represent a sum of £255,000. He had every reison to hope that before Parliament assembled next year the purchase would be completed. He thought the colony was to be congratulated on the matter being brought to a satisfactory conclusion. The Flax Grading and Export Bill, to enable a grader to be appointed, was also introduced by Governor's message and read a firs); time.