PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 31 July 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

TUESDAY, JULY 30. , i By Telegraph—Per Press Asosciition. ] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ' Wellington, July 30. The Council met at 2.30. . The Attorney-General moved tlie second reading of the PURE FOOD BILL received from tho Lower House. He explained the object of tho Bill, which is to make Dotter provision for tho sale of food and drugs in a pure state), in terms similar to the Ministor when introducing it in tho other Chamber. Dr. Findlay went on to show glaring instances of fraud in connection with the manufacture of foodstuffs, and declared that conditions such as he had referred to should be remedied. With reglrd to the shortage of weight in bread, tit said that where a baker took money for . bread of a certain alleged weight, he I should bo punished if the bread he sold was of less weight. Tho Hon. Mr Goorgo contended th:it the title of the Bill was absolutely misleading, inasmuch as it enabled impure

food to be sold if the nature of thfs adulteration is set forth. He complainod that if tho measure passed it would I prevent the introduction of all propric-

Tory medicines. Tho Hon. Mr Jones said the Bill provided a certain thing should be done, and then made a proviso that it need not be done. He objected to Justices of the Peace determining cases brought under the Act, on the ground tha,t Justices might be interested in the person prosecuted. The whole thing was like a siove. One could get out of it any way one choose. The Hon. Mr Paul traversed the Bill's

provisions, and pointed out a number of articles which might bt included in the measure. If it wore necessary to have a Pure Food Bill, it was desirable Up

protect the community until the food passed tho lips of the consumer. He made special reference to cooking in Hotels, etc., and the utensils ussd.

There was nothing in the Bill regulating the manufacture and sale of breadthe sale of meat ftlso required consideration, and the objectionable practice of conveying it in open vehicles should be a|x>lished.

The Hon. Mr Callan was surprised ', that tobacco and cigars had not been . included in the Bill, and manufacturers of these brought under Its provisions. The Hon. Mr Jenkinson suggested that the Attorney-General submit the Bill to a Select Committee to consider the objections raised. The Attorney-General, replying, defended the provision relaitive to drugs as necessary to prevent the sale ofwaat is injurious. Generally, ho contended that there was ample provision in the Bill to cover the objections raised. The second reading was agreed to. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE AMENDMENT BILL, passed by the House, to amend the Public Trust Office Consolidated Act, 1894, defining powers of the Public Trustee >n respect of uncared-for property. The second reading was agreed tfy and the Council rose at 4.40.

HOUSE OF REPRSENTATIVES, The House met at 2.30. The Whangamomona County Bill (Symes) was read ai first time and referred to the Local Bills Committee. MILLION LOAN BILL. In moving the second reading of tire Million Loan Bill, (the Premier stated the Government would have a total cf| £2,115,800 available for Public Works | expenditure as against £2,040,319 last 1 year. It was important that the House should authorise the raising of the present loan. Last year's loan realised a profit of £4116. The amount raisedla* year in the colony was £660,500 and in Australia £340,500, the total amount raised being £1,000,800. jfteferring to tho present loan, he had received mi offer of the whole amount at a premium of 2 per cent., but had rcrfnscd it, as. hj« had reason to know he icnnld obtain half a million outside the colony at 102, by paying brokerage of onei half per cent, which he thought very patisfaictory. Mr James Allen said the information

as to how tho loan was raised last] year had only just been made known. He desired to know if it was not time to cmso borrowing money at '& per cent. He conftended it could be borrowed at less outside the Colony, and we should be able to raise a loan at 3%". If the Government had borrowed outsido the ' colony at 3'/ 2 , he would have beer satisfied. The colony borrowed from it; 1 own Department, the Post Office, aft 3'/, and !). He conßiderod the money of th< Post Office should be uaed for the l&tic ' for Settlement, and not for Piibli Works purposes. He was perfectly ii agreement with )the policy of borrowraj to assist local bodies, and it was neces sary to borrow money for aettleiincn purposes. Yet tho Government seismci afraid to borrow for land for suttle ment purposes. He contended that th money should be raised 5n the cheaipes possible markot, and he hoped the iPrt mier would not be tied down to tKis per cent. The colony was progress ii<3 and 'ho hoped nest year- to hear ihv the colony had raised its loan at 3'/ s even if it had to go outside. He tie sired to know if repairs to briflge (railways) and trucks, replacing rails etc., were charged to revenue. Ther was no depreciation account in th Railway Department, and he contefldei that stake of affairs should be reme died. He maintained that the £200,001 on the loan Bill for additional rollinj stock should be charged to revenue, t>< Uiat wo could know what the exact position was. It was rumored tiha,' there would be a £400,000 vote for thi North Island Main Trunk line this year He agreed that 'the railway should bi pushed on. Further,, it was also rum ored that £500,000 would be spent oi the Arthur Pass Tunnel, and he desired to know if this amount was included in the present Loan Bill. He considers tho colony should have waited for a fev years before committing Itself to t&if expenditure. Referring to the £25,001 on the Bill for goldflelds development he. marked a, similar amount on las year's Bill, but what did he find. Wha the Estimates came out ho found thi the amount was £55,000. He wantei to know where all this monqy went. I was far .better for the Minister to ou down this amount in the scfiedule am place it to the purpose of opening mot lines. Dealing with the £50,000 a/

propriated for telegraph extension, he wanted to know what had become of

the material purchased out of this vote. Tt seemed to him it was utilised for or>

dinai-y repairs to the. telegraph service. The money should be spent on new works, and new works only. The growth of expenditure on contingent defence Out of Public Works money was enormous of recent years. Ho urged that not one penny of the loan money should be spent on that object. He had hoped that reform would liave, amongst others, been taken in hand by the Government. In congratulating the Government on starting a Sinking Fund, he urged that a sinking fund should be established for this loan. I'f this were done the colony's credit would be much sounder, and the colony be able to raise loans at a much cheaper rate of interest. J The Hon. Mr McGowan onoted fVur»B showing that during his period of office he had spent more in nrospectiner.Sch-iol of Mines, and goldflelds development than during the previous nine years. He declared there never had been a Minister fn» Vi—= n*- w ■'•• Vdire tmrt w*r»t i~ i-:e.~ -- -■-- ■■ . .

interests nt fV cv.M«»V* Mr Ferries PT"r»»«"'I *b" h~n" f V>t. tho Premier would (rive the defaced amounts of last year's loans. Referring to the railwavs, he honed the Premier would devote a little more money to tho Oishornc-Eotorua line, which, if extended four or five miles, would p->y handsomely. Ho asserted that no line in the colony would pav better than * line from Gisborno to Auckland, ro melfcter bv which route the Government might take it. He objected to the Government investing tho funds of tho Post Office in Government debentures. Mr Laurenson expressed surprise that anyone should object to investim? Post Office funds in Government debent.ur-s. It wis a good thine for the depositors, who have the advantage of their savings InvttWd H 8003 Woarity. E« sup.

ported Mr Herries in advocating the 1 I extension of the Gisborna-Rotorua hnc.l Mr Mills urged that the Picton-Sed-1 don lino should bo continued so as to J give a through route from Piodon to' Invercargill, and thus complete practically a line from Auckland to the southern extrouu'ty of the South Island. Mr Ross urged that tho Government would have to come to the relief of local bodies in tho back-blocks, as rates ware very high, and unless the Government came to their assistance with public works, local bodies would be strained to breaking point.

Mr W. Fraser said tho Opposition could compliment tho Treasurer on bis succoss in raising last year's loan. He did not think better terms than 4 per cenjt. could have been obtained in the Homo market, hut he hoped to see the colony obtaining loans at 3% P er CBn tMr Hogg said the Bill was a measure that should realise the general support of jtho House. Ho urged on the Minister of Railways the urgent necessity for revising the railway tariff. He

urged that along with the development of land for settlement, the rough country should be roaded bo as to allow jsnwmlUers to remove timber and subsequently place settlers on the land. If

thcro were only good roads available, they would not see tho Spectacle of country -workers flocking to tho town, but if good roads and bridges were made they should havo townspeople taking to the country. He considerod the Government would do well if taoy devoted more money for roajls and bridges, and less to railways. Mr Barber supported the borrowing policy for the colony. Mr Mackenzie advocated jthe adoption of a number of narrow guage railyntys as feeders for the main lines. Mr Thomson advocated the construction of narrow gauge railways, and advocated tho pushing on of the smaller lines on the completion of the Norlh Island Main Trunk.

Mr Hataan complimented the Oppv tion on their attitude adopted toward the Bill. Members of the Oppositioi had been accustomed to bowl down pr. vious Loan Bills, but they had now at parcntly recognised that borrowing wa loceaßary for the development of th olony. He urged that the Governmen hould give attention to completing th nain trunk lines of the colony to i laying point before proceeding any fui her in the direction of opening new am mailer lines. He advocated a vigorou oad policy, which was necessary to *h level'opment of land settlement. Mr Mander advocated the construe ,ion of railways by small contracts rhich were more satisfactory than da; abor. He severely condemned the con itruction of the Midland railway, whid ie asserted was only taken in hand f•> he purpose of giving the city of Christ ihurch cheaper coal. He character™ he work as a waste of money, and hai loped the Government would have lu lufficient backbone to refuse to proceei vith the Arthur's Pass tunnel. Mr McLachliiM offered his advice t> he Premier in two words, "Don't boi ■ow." Mr Major advocated construction c ;he Main Trunk lines, after which et niiry should bo made as to which o 'he Bmallor lines should be proceeds \r Grey urged that the Midlanc lailwajy was of colonial importance ,nd should bo completed as early as lossible.