PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 209, 19 September 1903, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

j PUB PRESS ASSOCIATION. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, September 17. l'he Council met at 2.30 p.m. The State Fire Insurance Bill was committed. Clause 12 was amended on the motion of Hon, Mr S. T. George to render vacant the seat on the Board of any member appointed by the Governor absent from three consecutive meetings.

Clause 13, which provides for not entering into any agreements for re"isurance with private companies and fixing the premiums without the content of the treasurer was amended by tha excision of the word " private." Clause 15, relating to reinsurances with Companies out of the colony by agents appointed by the A?' nt-Ganeral, was am> idei by the addision of a proviso miking the consent of the a condition precedent to such appointments. Id clause 24 relating to insufficiency of capital, Hon. Lee-Smith carried an amendment to m"ke the Board's approval essential to any requisition by the general ininagsi for supplementary capital.

T he clauses dealing wi' h the Sicking Fund and application of profits were postponed, and the remaining clauses were passed with some verbal amendments, and pi ogress reported. The Police Offences Bill was further amended in Committee by addHor of a clause by the Attorney General imposing a psnalty of 5s for the unauthorised removal of sand, stones, or ooiier material from the foreshore. The Council mrrel at 4.30 p.m.

BOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, September 17th. After the Telegraph Office closed, in farther consideration of the Standing Order?, a propoeal to allow a member in charge of a B : ll at any time after the Bill had been gone through in Oommitte to have the Bill immediately reported, if supported by a majority of three-fifths of those voting, was'rejected by 31 to 27. It was decided that Ministers Rhall give written replies to all questions on each Wednesday afternoon. A motioi to fix a quorum of the House at 25 instead of 20 was lest by 26 to 25.

This finished the Standing Orders. The Housa rose at 3.50 a.m. Friday, September 18. ESTIMATES. The House met at, 2,30 p.m., and almost immediately went into Committee of Supply fo. 1 further consideration of the estimates. The first class taken was that of Lunacy and Charitable Departments. Mr Bollard urged that hours of warders in asylums should be reduced, and tneir piv increased.

Mr T. McKenzie complimented Mr Hall-Jones upou his admiaistration of his Department since he had taknn it over. He urged improvemnn'.g in regard to fire prevention. Several members advocated shorter hours and increased pay for (he attendants.

Sir Wm. Ru--ge!l contended that the House cou-d not properly consider these es-irnates without b'sing in possession of the annual report of the Department., which should have been presented to the House long ago. He complained that recommit dttions made by the responsible officers, wbioo would hav< resnl:ed in improved administration, ii d been rope ttedly disregarded by >.he Qiiv-irciaent.

Mr Hall-Jones said the Departmental report had not yst been brough' ■own because it was his intec ion tr. include in it some indication of the lines on which he proposed to effac' improvements in asylum administration. He favoured some increase in the maximum stlary of married attendants, and ■ nquiries would be made as to the bast means of imp'oving the comfort and iiouw of warders. Enquiries as to classifi -ation of inmates showed that in arious asylums there were confined 374 persona who were Buffering simply from old age, and were practically harmUss, whil-i there were 143 imbociles and idiots He was determined 'o have these 517 people out of the asylums and put into more suitable establishments. He was also making provision which would more ihan ob viate overcrowding, and the result would be better facilities for classification and a greater percentage of recoveries.

Mr Ell moved to reduce the item "Inspector of Lunatic Asylum* £1200" by £3OO. He did not think that offi: was worth such a high salary, ai>H In adveisely cri'icised the inetmp 1 "' < ua'ure of his annual reports. Re c»m----p im >nted Mr Hall Jo ■ s for t.l e keen inter st he was taking in this reform of the Department.

Hon. HaU Jonss said te was considering the question cf the committment of lunatics, with a view to making the relatives of a certain c'a> s of people now in asylums take their lull share of th-ir responsibilities. He was also m- kiDg et quiries fcr a building to ! which the aged and imbsci'e could be I removed without wai ing for a n<- w | building, and if unsucc ssful in his search he would select a site and eric' ia building. £-•■> was in favour of a I merit s of smaller detached building-" in which cliss.fica'icn could ba carried out. One portion of the building should be devoted exclusively to the I reception of new patients, and there] -hould be wards at hospi'als to which paMents he sent b-frnv being 'liaf'ed t 0 'he Asylums. The :erm lun itic HRvlums vtou'd in futimb i ab li hed »nd the iii*' i'utions - tyl> d hospita's fr m ntal difeas s. He in buiicd to fiy rhe cxperimpn' of w< meri doctors in th« fomala wards of the Iv rp t'ls, and ha w mid have cartful inquiry made into the caute of increase in lunacy rf !a<-e yeais. After f w) and a-half hours discussion the- voto f r 'unaMc asylums was d " th'iur al f cr»Hon. The Ho-ire rosH at 5.30 p.m. Evening Srrn u. The House resumoJ at 7 30. p.m. A* the vote for fhn Oh:,itaMe D - p*r*-ment, Mr Wood movpc. nieexrih'on of th«t item ".inspec'or of spi'nin hup' chvitahl* ins i'uti rf (uls • lunatic '!■) lurns ,£1000) £200," b-.t af'er some discussion t.'.e orf ion wvs lost: ni d 'ho ivot - for the whole di.'partm*n<s passed *. u/. ce'od. 5 The Popartmnr.t of Labour estimates ( we>f n-.-xi; cor-irit red. | Mr Vilo in'* vi'd the redue-iou of tho (fit* i f em y<y £l, es'li" objected to th-. fVhwf (JUirk f-nd putv < i ipf j"r»;i >cj tor being i.-rd the Uovenjinuui; lor political

Hon. Hall-Jines.-aiij'here was not the slightest foundation for Mr Vila's charge. The motion was negatived on the voices and the total vote agreed to unaltered. At the vote for the Mineß Departme<a, Mr Jas Allen urged the appointment of a thoroughly competent ! geologist, ! Mr Mi Gowan after praising Mr McKay's work for the colony, said the Government was now only awaiting the p seeing of a new measure to eo ad-! just matters that a thoroughly competent geologist should be appointed. Mr Herdman urged greater assistance being given to gold prospecting. Mr T. McKenzie moved a reduction of the vote by £l, as indication that a report be obtained by the Department ss to the destruction of valuable agricultural lands by mining, The motion was lost by 29 to 26. In answer to a question as to intentions of the Government in regard to assisting Schools of Mines, Mr McGowan said it was not intended to let them go down. The total vote was passed unaltered. On the vote for Department of Agriculture, Mr Lethbridge suggested that the Government veterinary surgeons should be allowed to attend private cases and charge a certain fee. Mr Harding moved that the item " viticulturist .£3OO "be reduced by £\, as an indication of disapproval of the establishment of a wine industry in New Zealand. He said that the last local optica figurr s evidenced that the end of the drink traffic was within a measurable diotance, and he considered it was a usok?s waste to spend mnnay ou the wine industry. The motion was rejected by 43 to 3. ( Lp.fr. sitting.)