PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81859, 6 October 1906, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Tin.' Council met at 2.30. Tlic lion. Stevens moved, drawing the attention of the Government m liio last two paragraphs of the report of the Public Trustee of the 31st March last, in which it is shown that native recipients of rents from reserves under the administration of the Public Trust Oliice suffer injustice through the operation of the existing Land and Income. Assessment Act. "Colonel Pitt said the report related t'j certain native lands on the West Coast of the North Island, and asked why native owners should be exempted from taxation more than owners of native lands elsewhere. lie failed to see that there was anything unreasonable in asking the natives to pay a tax. —The motion was agreed to. The Hon. Feldwick moved for the reason, giving the full text of a'l the tags, placed by the Audit Department on the balance-sheets of local bodies at the end of the last financial year, of each such body, together with any explanation that may be necessary, where, on the face of it, a tag is not absolutely explicit in itself.—Agreed to. The Attorney-General moved the second reading- of the Government Advances to Settlers Bill, received from the other Chamber, which he explained was a consolidation Bill, with a minor amendments.

The lion. W. Carncross spoke in approbation of the Bill. The Hon. Stevens said the measure was one which had yet to be tested during hard times. He condemned the system of lending on leasehold securities.

Tho Hon. Jones was surprised that any financial man could condemn in any way a law that had given such general satisfaction. The Act ha(l made a difference of between 12 per cent and 5 per cent for money. He 'applauded the amendment, which would enable Government assistance to be of some value to leaseholders.

The Hon. MacDonakl pointed out the danger there was in measures of this kind where there was a probability of a drop in values, while he agreed as to the advantages tho Act had conferred. He held that we could not adequately judge of the vahie of such measures until we had undergone hard times, and 10 this extent iie coincided with Mr Stevens.

The Hon. Marshall spoke strongly in support of the Bill. The Attorney-General, having replied, the Eccond reading was agreed • o on tho voices, Colonel Pitt moved the second reading of the Testators' Family Maintenance Bill, to consolidate and amend the law of insurance of provision for testators' families. The alterations of the law consist in enabling the Court to order that provision mayconsist of a lump sum or a periodical or other payment, to be made out of an estate or any specified part of an estate, and for that purpose may direct abatement or alteration of the shares of all or any of the bencficiarie, under a wiH in such manner as it thinks fit. The lime for making- application is extended from six to 12 months fronj the date of granting probate of a will. The Bill was read a tecond time. The Government Valuation of Land Act Amendment Bill was reacl a third time. The Council rose at 4.45.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. ESTIMATES The House went into Committee of Supply. Customs, £43,880. A motion, made by Mr Tanner to reduce die amount by £BBo,' as ap indication ot" the I louse's'opinion that the potato dutyought to be abolished, was defeated by 35 i" 33i Mr Ba-ume nioved reduction by £1 for the sapio reason. A long discussion ensued, and the motion was deleated, ayes 28, noes 29. The following is the division list for the reduction (28): Messrs Alison, Arnold, Haiber, Baume, Buddo, Davey, EH, Field, Frascr, Gray, Graham, Greenslade, Gui'ness, Hanan, Herries, Hogan, Hogg, Jennings, McLachlan. Malcolm, Mander, Massey, Poland, Seddon, Sidey, Smith, Tanner, and Thomson. Against the reduction (29); Messrs Barclay, Bennet, Bollard, Colvin, Dil'on, Duncan, F/atman, Fowlds , Hall, Hall-Jones, Hardy, Houston, Kidd, Lawry, Lethbiidgc, Lewis, McGowan, McNab, McPherson, Major, Millar, Parata, Remington, Ross, Rutherford, Siallworthy, Stevens, Ward, Witty. Tho vote passed unaltered.

Miscellaneous services, £2762, passed unaltered. Class XVill., Marine and Harbours, Government Steamers, Inspection of Machinery, and Miscellaneous, £61,125, passed unaltered, after s|ight di»cufisio'n. Class XIX., Department of Labour, £l},pS, In reply to Mr Herries, the Minister explained that recently certain immigrants had arrived without notice, and therefore the Department had po( had them met. Later everylung- was done {or these people. The vote passed. Class XX., Land and Survey Department, £141,176, was under discussion when the House adjourned at 5-30.

EVENING SITTING. \ The House resumed at 7.30. The v.ote passed unaltered, afier discussion of unimportant ikins. Vote for Miscellaneous Services (Lands and Survey, J-,, answer to various repiesentations, the Minister explained tnat the great and growing subject of river control was engaging the attention of the Government, and there might be a comprehensive system later on, but for the present the Government would deal impartially w.th ail cases lequinng its assistance. Mr Uerries laisecl the question of subsidising dcctois in outlying districts. IJis experience was ihat more doctors would apply if the readiness ol the Government to subsidise were known. He hoped the vote would be over ralhei- ihan under spent. The-Minister said that no difficulty would be placed in the way of genu'-' me applications. In answer ro Mr Bollard, he explained that it had beim thought advisable to bring out a second edition of the Settlers' Hand Bo»k for the information of the hinre number of visitors shortly to be expected at the Exhibition, 'and to satisfy Ihe very large number of enquiries from all quarters. 'The vote jiass<d unaltered.

Department u f Agriculture, -N3. Traversing i M criticisms ievedcd on .ill sides ai (he Department, the .Mmisi,,- said .1,0 Scc.ctarv is absolutely too pool oil paid office;- in the service in view uf ihe magnitude ol his Department and the rapidity wit 11 which that Depigment has conic in the. front, yet every cxtfn.--Sun of the Dc.partm<ni had bceiit met with ridicule. The result had been, o.tnpaia lively speaking, paralysis of the Minister's hand. The Department ivs s nut yet- organised on the complete footing- of'ihe "older Department ol Slate. Thorn had not been time. Moteover, when the House is prcparto to pay ungrudgingly for the 01'g.4i)i.Siiihin of llie Department, adc-quaie'sa'ar-es and so forth, the Department will be organised. Hi-, picdeccssors had been great l )' liainpcicd in their clfuits Ijv the ridicule of Ihe House. for his own part,, he h:;d not had time, to go into the mailer properly, bid lie hoped bv m'xl year to be able' to place befoie the House a .scheme. It was his !,iteodoii 10 ivlv chicflv on trie, mii.nv for Ihe 'cchnical ski 1 required in the cxP'ri scirniific positions. As a matter of fact, it has been arranged jhai ali young' men en.cring- the sc'ivioe of the DcpaitnieM shall have a tliree months' coijise tinder the vclcrinariaus. That was the i;,st -11-1> in a comprehensive scheme of classification, which would cvemually make the Department self-contained, and satis?! laclory lo cvciv man in its si'rviee, I and the public of the colony; bill the House must not expect that scheme: before next vear.

Several members expressed satisfaction at Ihe Minister's statement. Mr I lei lies crilieis-d ihe work of ihe experts, complained lie never saw any results, and concluded that was because they weie not supplied by

sufficient equipment. The question of the Stock Tax was raised and discussed.

Referring to complaints of cruelty to farm animals, the Minister said that sort of thing always cured itself by reason of the loss it entailed. The Minister sketched, in reply to many questions, the scheme of the Department for collecting information far the ilax industry, and assured (he Committee that the precautions against the introduction of anthrax wen; faithfully enforced. Tnc vote passed unaltered. Class XXII., Valuation Department £11.156. Mr 11'-rrk's moved to report progress. The motion was lost on cite voices. : After more discussion, the vote passed unaltered. The Government Valuation of Land Bill was reported from the Council with amendments, which were agreed to. The Advances to Workers Bill was received by Governor's Message and read a first time. I The House adjourned at 11.35.