PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 90, 26 August 1903, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

pe.'! r-iiiss A.Si)(n;i.vririN[. j HOUSE OS UtP'vWsKSrATTVES. IUKSDAY, .'* UO! T BT 25 rjl. The Homo met at- 2 30. p.m. Tho Rutt Kvilw-sy [mprov. mntßiP (Ward) was iutuuuced and mad a first time. ESTIMATES. The Houso wens in-.o Oommitteu of Supply for further consideration of the,. Estimates. The Ihib rlasi taken was that of L^uda<ive Departments, total vote £21,101. Ooo>id.<rab'o (xc<=p ion wa--tik'tn to the it;c!u-ion of a vote of £SOO For passages and expanses of witnesses* to tpposr b foro Prli'mnntiry Oommitets, only £B4 taei;,g ipeut undii thii huadiiig last year, and it was considered unnecessary to vote largo sums this year. Sir Joseph Ward slid that provision had to be made for possible coutingen cies. After further discussion the class pissed without alteration. At the vote for Colonial Secretary'* Department £55,052, Mr Jib. Allen complained that several unsatisfac'ory appoint man's had bean made of regis ti'ars of electors, who were kept in office in spite of complaints from the public. Sir Joseph Ward end complaints bad only been made against three registrars during the last election, and he thought thit was a very small proportion. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. Etening Sitting. The Houso resumed at 7,30 p.m. A further lengthy discussion took placa on the subject of registrars ol tlco'ors, their payment, duties, etc. Mr Lewis complained that a certain returning officer and registrar of electors was ati active cinvasser for a Government candidate at the last general election. Sir Joseph Ward said it was unfair to make a general cha-ge of this kind j, now. No complaints had been received as tu the offica>- referred to ; in faot no returning officer at the last election . had bean asked to do anything but Lis i duty to the general body of electors. , Mr Baume protested against the electoral rolls being printed sa lata, and \ this the main rolls should be roaiy at least s ; x week 3 before the elec- . tioo. j Sir Joseph Ward B.id this was pro- . vided for in the legislation to be ■ -brought down hter on which would j co. tain sevara!important arnenlments. , The vote for tin Electoral Department was passed. I A 1; the vote for the Audit Depart- , raentMr Dn'hia considered stiff , was not sufficient and some of the • salaries too small, , Mr Buchaian said many looal bodies . labored under a serious difficulty by . the dehy in their audit, i Sir Joseph Ward prom'sed to look , into the matter, j Tho vote was agreed to. In connection with the Registrar--3 General's Depirtment Messrs Jennings and Harding urg-d that a simplerfoim j of registi ation cf births in out of the r way districts should be adopted. Sir Joseph Ward said be would make a no'e of the matter. At the vote for the Agent-General's Department Sir W. Russell, after paying a high tribute to Mr Reeves' srJ vices, eaid he thought it was unfair t that he should hold office only on a l ' yearly tomre and urged that he should ba appointed for a definite term, s Sir Joseph Ward siid tha Agent--0 General's appointment was terminable - at six month's notice on either side, and f he did not see anything invidious or unfair in that position, and no Ed vice - had been received by tha Government ; of any fdeljcg of dissatisfaction on the i part of the Agent General. i The vote passed unaltered. , iron sand industry bo.«us. s The next item was miscellaneous - services £25,681. Mr Tanner drew attention to the ; , item " bocus on account of manufacture ', of iron and steel from ironsand or ofe on terms to be agreed upon, £IOOO. 3 Ee urged that the House should not - agree to bonuses of this sort without 1 being ma io awai e of the stipulations to bo nude with the intending competii tors. Sir W. Russell did not think that s the (ff<*r of £IOOO would induce any r company to come to New Zealand. Mr H. M. Smith siid the arrangement with regard to the vote of £IOOO w .s that a b mm of £1 a ton should b » paid up to 20,000 tons. The company must hate a capital of £250,000, and efeoS machinery to the amount of not !e*s than £250,000, and pro luce the 20,000 tons before it got ono shilling. Ki<" J w ph Ward said the voto of £IOOO was put down as fin ioitial vote, - with the "' r 'j ct to enable expenditure '', i up to £20,000 to be ma 'a if the in- '; dusffy w;f esti.Mi-h d. Smo of he i : c.'U'ii(iuiis, he un lei stood, whig that si the Übmr f.r'ho ii d"Btiy was to b 1 1 obtained in the colony, tho S atn un- ! dort king to t ke a cor tain portion of 1 the material for its otvu work* if su'jh f industry was esta'dishud. The expsn--1 diture of £20,000 would repay the " colony over and over again. 3 Mr Jas. Allen wanted to know if the s Minister for Mines had granted any - lease of tre Parapira mineral bearing ' lands, and witat provision there was \ for deaiifg with the leases if the [ deposits wei e y.iJi opened up. E Hon. J, McQ iwan reviewed the pro- ; greds of tho proposals regirditg the , industry ia detail, aud remaiked , that the Government was not d<iog i aoy more for S r Alfred (Jadman than ! it would do for anybody olse. If better \ terms Wt-ro cil'uod by anyoue else than by Sir A, Oadm in he could bavo the lease, (Laf• siting.)