PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81877, 30 October 1906, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Bj Telegraph.—Press Association.) The Public Works Act Amendment Bill passed its second reading- and the committee's clause 2 was amended to give the powers conferred by the clause .to the Govcrnor-in Council in lieu of the Minister. Section D, clause 5, authorising the Minster to supply and sell electrical energy in connection with water power, or lease of the same, Mr Jcnkinson moved in the direction of water power being strictly conserved for th» people, and not handed over to syndicates.

Mr Jenkinson's amendment was carried by y tojj, and the Bill passed. The South ""African Reciprocity Bill, which had been passed by the Lower House, was reported with amendment, and passed. The Council resumed at 2.45 p.m. The amendments made by GojWrnoji's Message in the Maori Lands for Settlement Act Amend- - ment Bill were agreed to, and Hie Council adjourned until 4.30 p.m. to wait the Appropriation Bui

The Council met at 8.15, and the Appropriation Bill passed through all its stages. The Council adjourned at 8.45. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. In the House the South African Reciprocity Treaty Bill was passed through its remaining stages and further discussed.

Mr Massey urged its postponement on constitutional grounds, and said that the trade with South Africa was small..

Sir J. G. Ward explained that other countries had arranged a convention with South Africa, and if we allowed the time to pass without now coming in it might do harm to our producers.

The qucston of maize, fish, and sugar being in the list was mentioned by Mr Aitken, who declared thai if the latter wore admitted free it would mean the closing- down' of the sugar woiks, and we were closing down against Fiji. Sir J. G. Ward said that if the country recognises that it should have advantages by such a treaty then members must see that in turn we are prepared to do something. That is the principle underlying the basis of the proposal. Ho had hopes of good trade with South Africa as the Tyser line entered the service without subsidy. The House resumed at 2.30 the discussion on the Supplementary Estimates, which were passed. APPROPRIATION BILL.

Sir j. G. Ward in moving the second reading, explained that the new clause 24 was an appropriation clause for the Cook Islands. Clause 25 was the appropriation clause which had been omitted from the Native Land Act of 1905. Clause 26 removed doubts as to the legality of making certain payments under the Workers' Dwellings Act. Clause 27 was an appropriation for lands to be acquired to give acccs s to public roads. Clause 28 appropriated money out of the Land for Settlement Fund, which had been paid for the pur-i chase and expenses of certain blocks of Native land in the Hawke's Bay district. Clause 29 euable'd the Commissioner of Telegraphs to make arrangements with backblocks settlers for telephones. Mr Massey said the House should take time to consider these new clauses. He said that the Maori lands coming under clause 25 would be deprived of the advantage of the option system. The' Cpok Islands, he thought, ought to be left to the present system, like the other Departments.

Mr Laurenson had never been so disgusted and ashamed as with theso Estimates. He thought there were items which were disgraceful to Parliament. These votes had nauseated him. The Government ought to turn their back on the self-advertis-ing regime on the past, and go n (or clean administration. The vote of .6200 for a football team, which had more than cleared its expenses, was an outrage. The state of the mercantile marine;was getting steadily worse. The accommodation provided by the older steamers of the trade, the Tarawera and contemporaries, was infinitely better than in the new boats, ventilation space, which was everything, on these being inadequate. He had seen an engineroom from which men were coming out in a state of collapse, and he found tht! heat had gone up from 90 to 123 degrees. He had seen the quarters of 12 firemen; dark, clamp, cold, unhealthy and evil. Everything was mildewed. Daylight never reached the place, and the officers would not allow stores to be placed there for fear they might go bad. He knew the average areas of 74ft; that meant a man had to cat, sleep and rest in a space Oft by 4 by 3. Some steamers provide baths, but very many did not, and more provided no' tijbjes, the result being men were lying around at meal times on bunks, boxes, and Hoors. The Minister should look into these matters in the interest of the mercantile marine, which was the nursery for the naval defence of the colony.

Mr W. Fraser said tlie s M p por ters of the Government' were responsible for these undesirable items.

Mr Izard thought that the House, in passing 106 measures, had done much good work, and would have done more but for Hansard. He drew the Government's attention to the need for a better regulation of the milk supply. He knew an establish-

nient which had been refused' a license by the municipal authority, and had immediately afterwards got ou e from the Department.

Mr VVilford said tlu A t everyone voting for clause ? 8, enabling the transactions in Native lands t 0 be settled out of Land for Settlements Funds, would bo committed to clause 3 of the Land Bill on its appearance next year.

The Hon. Mr McNab said the clause merely enabled payment to be made, and there would be no more transactions of the k,ind. It was merely machinery. ' ,: '

!. Mr Hemes characterised the taking of lands from Natives under the Lands for Settlement Act a s 4 svm injustice. Why had t hc Minister not made provision under the Act of KJOS? It wa , because he wanted t„ get a principle settled by opening a back door. It was a gross injustice to the House.

The Premier, interjected that the Government would, in committee, transfer the appropriation to the Nayve Land Act of (903. Mr H°S'fi uuotrtf =a list of votes which he-denied 'were questionable, and affirmed they were typical of the Estimates.

Mr Jennings testified to ihe dissatisfaction, of the Oiiura settlers with the proportion allocated for their

Mr Baume defended the memory of the late Premier.

Mr Gray denounced the extravagance of the Estimates and the flurried legislation of jlm last few' days.

Mr A, !■• P.- Eraser' said that clause -!) was Very 'dangerous. I Mi; lleke and Mr Parala spoke. Sir j. G. Ward, in reply, explained thiil clause 28, which had been done simply at the recommendation ol the Native Purchase Department, was never intended '.- a fj- L -t;t' the land question in : iny w . lv Tho acc(u j,i_ "."■n of 247,000 acres was at s\ake; but some members who were always urging the piuUiase of the 0 lands for uettluincnl opposed it the moment it came down. lie would strike the clause out, but the member for Wakatipu had aspersed the memory ui tlie dead.

Mr Eraser: "f^o." Mr Masscy: "Shame." The Premier, continuing, said Mr Laurensim had mentioned only one item of all that lie had so swecpingly "bjccti'd u>, lhal was the vote for the expenses of Lin; footballers, vet Mr Fiaser had hurled charges of all kinds across the floor, (Mr Eraser: No.) The football vole was not one of which he approved the principle, I but there was an exception, he thoughl, justified by the exceptional character of the fact and the exceptional favour of Ihe public. Mr Jonnmgs' district bad received under the Public Works Estimates. Vet ho had been unfair enough to 'Beak v if it has rewivsd nothing.,

and he had ; c:ad only a telegram from Ohura on t e last day. A scries i>f personal explanations followed. Mr \V. Eraser insisted that he had not reflected on the late Premier, and Mr Alassoy supported him. The Hill was. read a second time and committed. The House adjourned at 0 p.m. EVENING SITTING. The Appropriations went through committee. On clause 13; transfer °f /.735j000 from the Consolidated Fund to the Public Works, the Trca-su-er said that ,6550,000 had already bean transferred, and the balance iwt-uld be transferred as required. Clause 28 was struck out; clause 20 Wirf passod with verbal amendment.

The schedules passed unaltered : isk ordinary revenue account, £4,803,giV, and grants from Public Works Fund. ,£3,352,780; 3>'d, grants from vaxious Acts, £610,853; 4th railways schedule; sth, unauthorised expenditure The Bill was reported and read 3 third time after a brief discussion about local matters. The Appropriation Bill was received from the Council. Mr Speaker and a number of members proceeded with the Bill to Government House, atid obtained the Governor's assent to the nme. IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION ACT.. A Governor's Message was received stating that the Bill had been reSfcrvßd for the Royal assent. I VALEDICTORY, The Hon. the Premier thanked the House for the courtesy extended to himrelf under circumstances of great difficulty and joined his colleagues in their appreciation of the way in which the work of the session had been d<me. For a session of a little under nin» weeks, they had established a record with the number of useful measures. Not many Parliaments had a better record. All would join in his regret that one of their number, who had borne his share in most of this, work, had been laid aside, and 10 the hope that he might soon be restored to them. He thanked the Leader of the Opposition for the assistance he had given in carrying on the work. Ho wished hon. members a pleasant Mime during the recess and good health and strength for the work before them at their next meeting.

Mr Massey thanked the Premier for bis kindly reference, au d the Speaker ior tho urbanity with which he had presided over their meetings. He was grateful to the Premier for his kindly leference.to his friend Mr Kirkbride, and the House would be glad to learn i hat the news received that day was thai he was much better. To the l'remier he wished a ploasant trip to London, homing ijhat lie , W onld| tio good service-both to the Crown and loe colony as indeed he was sure he would, and return fresh and vigoruulJor the work of next session. Mr Speaker wished the House a l-leasant recess and a return in good uealth and spirits. Tho House adjourned at 9.15 till a p.m. to-morrow..