PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 171, 23 July 1904, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

House of Representative* FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1904. The House resumed at 2.80 p.m. PETITION FOR RELIEF. Sir William STEWARD (Waitakj) presented n petition from a number of Crown tenants in Canterbury and Otago, praying for relief on account of losses sustained through a heavy snowstorm in .July of last year. The petition was referred direct to the Lands Committee. OLD AGE PENSIONERS. Mr T. E. TAYLOR (Christchuroh City) gave notice to ask the Premier whether he will make provision for separate homes for old ago pensioners. AN EXPLANATION. Kir Joseph WARD (Minister for Railways,; referred to a statement made by Mr Taylor in the House last week, (luring Ills absence in the south, reflecting upon the administration of the Railway Department in Christchurch, to the effect that a man had been improperly reinstated in the Addington workshops, and that the reinstatement was attributable, indirectly, at any rate, to the influence of a certain denomination. Sir Joseph said the man had been reinstated without reference to him, untl no pressure whatever was brought to bear on him in the matter. Mr TAYLOR said he hod not made any charge of favouritism against Sir Joseph Ward personally,"but the men in the workshops strongly believed that in the case referred to favouritism had been shown. He recognised that Sir Joseph always tried to do ,the fair thing by the men under him, and admitted that personally the Minister had not allowed religious considerations to influence him in hepnrtmental matters.

After a short discussion the subject ! dropped. FIRST READINGS. The following bills were road a llrsrt time .—Morgues (Steward), Feaiherston West County (Buchanan), Auckland Waterworks Extension, and Auckland City Borrowing Act Amendment (Kldd). A RETURN, Mr SEDDON (Colonial Treasurer) laid on the table a return which he said showed that the nett amount realised by the 1902 loan was £9l 15s Bd. FINANCIAL DEBATE, Mr SEDDON intimated that it was intended to proceed with the financial debate at 7.30 p.m. He was prepared to agree to an arrangement under which the debate should be confined to say half a dozen members from oauli side of the House. This would prevent a tedious, long>-drawn-out debate. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BILL.

Mr SEDDON moved tho second reading of the School Attendance Bill, which was agreed to on the voices.

UNIVERSITY DEGREES. Mr SEDDON moved the second reading of the University Degrees Bill, which extends the powers of the University of New Zealand in regard to the conferring of degrees. Mr J as. ALLEN (Bruce) said it was necessary to provide the university with the means to train students in the subjects for the extra degrees, otherwise it was useless to give power to confer degrees. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. FINANCIAL DEBATE.

Mr MASSEY (Lender of the Opposition) opened the debate on the Financial Statement. Ho congratulated the Colonial Treasurer on the early appearance of the Budget, and also thanked the Government for I granting his requests for returns and complying with tho advice of the Opposition in this matter. He hoped a like consideration would be adopted in rogard to the Public Works Statement and Estimates. Mr MasKey regretted the proposed reduction in public works expenditure, which meant that extravagance was to be continued in all public departments but the development of the country I was to be retarded. Ho had no objection to money being raised for proper purposes, but he strongly objected to it being raised when not required, U nd protested against tho curtailment of public works expenditure when economy was not practised where it should be. Ho would support a policy of retrenchment, but not until Ministers showed a dosirc to retrench in other directions Mr Massey criticised the Government administration at some length oiid was followed by Mr McGowan who defended the Cabinet. The debate continued until the House rose