PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 17 August 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

riiIDAY, AIX! UIST lli. t {Uy Telegraph.—Press Association). , HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE ESTIMATES. AYellingtou, August 16. The House met at 2.30, and went into comniitlee-ol'-sup|>!y and proceeded to dcai with tlie Colonial Secretary s Department. At the Mun-nm and Meteorological Dtpariiue;:! UiHll, Air i'isher asked il the (lovernmrut had lakeu any skps to ereet a new Museum. Tin- L'reniier was understood to say ih.it lenders were being called for the eri'ctioii of a ii' W museum in brick, iwiuch would alsu have the .Maori relics And other curios. The vote passed unaltered. Under the miscellaneous services vote,

C-ih,3Sl, .Mr Fisher, referring to the

votes relating to the late Premier (the I portraits, busts, and so oil), urged thai tiuy should all be put together, and tint the Government should commemmorate deceased's mem.try in a prope: find litting manner, instead ot frittering away money on all sorts of objects. Mr Massey a4:cd if the item of £llls for a picture was for one hanging in the V\ iii; 's The Premier thought the amount wa-: jui the picture in the lobby. The Go* jvenunent had iu>t purchased the picture in the Whip's room. ilr Wilford remarked that whether 1'• \; s v Ir.id purchased the pieunv in thf> Whip's room or not, the (Jovcrnnient would be called on to pay for damages* as someone hail put a walking stick through it. Mr Massey, referring to the item. • "Cost Native and Tenure Commission. ■ 10.000," said it reminded him of the

fable of the mountain which labored and brought forth a mouse lis asked how ihe ai.iouui, v/.is to be distribute.!, j The Premier said the details would be Available when the Bill was brought down, and the payment of the Commissioners would be provided for in the Mli. Tiie item under notice was for travelling expenses. { .Misrie;, urged that the llouso ■ ii 1 11i*11 !•(• .-uppiied with details of the •; v.yw nndi r V.n> heading ''Travel•bng allowances for Ministers." it Iwould lie interesting to know, for inIsitaii'.'f, what it had cost tlu: country j v.* 1111 c the ATin isitci' for Lands wa.-< trav* (llinj- ab.;Ut the country <\\piaining his kind Pill.

Tlie Colonia 1 Secretary's Department* total vole, -C75,5."»:. pn-sed unaltered.

The next, taken was the Crown k•/ Depart mont. aM:Uu. Mr Hanan ; .-ked for particulars of the work done by counsel oi' the. department, who was paid ;CIOOO a year. Mr Jolifl'e, the law draftsman, had done excellent work, and was specially qualified for the work. Some reason should be given for this new appointment, as there was no necessity to have two men doing the same work.

Mr Ileke objected to gome of counsel's methods, and moved an amendment that the salary lie reduced to .C9J9. i Mr Barclay said that if every Kill had ( to remain in the law draftsman's office until he had mastered every detail, some of which might coiue before liiui for (he first time, great delay and inconvenience , would arise. Counsel would take a Ion;; time to make himself conversant with the statutes of the colony, as he ' had only recently come from a university, ami was really in a position of a j round per; in a square Me. Mr Wilford said those who had been in tliu House for any length of time ( must recognise that if ever they had a . conscientious servant who was willing to sacrilice himself and his time, even to ilie detriment of his that man was .Mr Jolitfe, who tor eight years to iiU (.Mr W'iilord's) knowledge, hud been at the beck and call of Ministers and members through long sittings, and lian been called upon to draft important amendments to important Bills at a few minutes' notice, lie did not think that the salary of .€IOOO a year paid to counsel was ti/o high., lie thought members' objection to Professor Salmond was not that he was not a capable man, nut because a capable and proved servant had been relegated to the background. (llcar, hear). Mr Buddo felt very sore that Professor Salmond had superseded a servant who had done invaluable service to the House and colony. If it were found necessary to puL an additional £1001) on the iOstimutcs, that should have beer granted to the servant who had done tin work. The Premier said that some of the member.-, had not the knowledge of tne position they thought they possessed. I'rofe.ssor Salmond did not supersede Mr ioiille. Thousands of pounds had been [laid in the past to other than the, JJe[lartiuent's law officers, and it was in or;ier that this work should be done by .he Department's officers, under the eye Ji the House, that the appointment; had been made, and it was represented to .Le Government that Professor Salmond .'ssessed the qualification's that weie Cijuired, and that was why he was aplointed. lie (the Premier) held a very ugh opinion of .Mr Jolitl'e. Continuing, ic said Professor Salmond's services «re available ior all the departments, utd the appointment was made with a 'iew to saving the colony money. Since 'loi'essor S.ilmoiul's appointment, he tad been offered by cable a far better 'Osition'thau he held here, bul having iCecpted the offer of the Government, he iid not intend to leave. It was not intend:d to dn an iiijUslies to -Mr Jolill'e, and provision was being made to increase hi., alary. Had Professor Salmond not been .{■pointed, some other person would lavo had to be appointed. ..'■lt Wilford reiterated that the salary a J.IUOO was not too high ior the posi.loll.

The iiuu*u adjourned at 5.3 U. Un resuming at 7.3U, -Mr Tanner deprecated Uu: discussion tliut aad taken place, aud wlueh would cause a stranger . in tin- gallery Lo think the House was merely a court of registration, lie as- ! ?.cru:d thuL the draitsmanship of tlio J'lire Food JUli tvaa nut, a creUit to the draftsman, aud ii this was the work of any oilicial drawing a salary oi a thousand a year, the colony was getting the worst of the bargain, and in iuture the iiouse wulild have to exercise ten times the vigilance it had hitherto exercised. Jle also referred in terms of condemnation ot the drafting of the Motor and Kire Brigades Bills. Mr considered Mr Jolill'e had been very badly treated in regard to the appointment oi the uiliccl'm charge of the draiiing oillce. lie had given good service tu the country, aud had been superseded by a man who was not conversant with the requirements ol the olltce. lie was opposed to the setting up of this new ollice without lirst consulting Parliament, and urged 'that notice should have been placed on the order paper relative to the creation of the oilice, or the matter should have been placed on the estimates before an appointment was made. Mr -J. Allen said Professor tfalmoml was perhaps better known in England than any other New Zealandcr asa jurist lie was veil known and was a product of the .New Zealand University, lie eulogised the drafting of the I and. and Income Tax Assessment Bib- wlin.li waa a line piece of draftsman a.p. ihe Premier said that appointments had previously been made in a similar mannci tu Professor Salmond's. The Government hail power to make these appointments. If it had been a life appointment then it would, perhaps, be reasonable for members to make objection. The appointment would save many hundreds of pounds to the colony, as the work of the legal department was increasiu" tremendously. At this stuge Mr Hekc sought permission to withdraw his amendment, but members objected. Mr Stevens urged that the question oi pounds, shillings aud pence should not be unduly considered in connection with the services oi a gentleman with Ju**:lt attainments. > The amendment was negatived on the ; voices, and the vote, law drafting Oilice. .CLSOU, passed ualtercd. The (Ymvu .Law Department, £4310, was ipa-M-d unaltered. | The next diss taken was the Deienec 'Department Total vote of £184,024. Mr .lames Allen asked a number of! ;uu)'-li(iii-s a< to what w;is intended to 'M dune with regard to the defence of the shores. j The linn. Mr Mf-Nah replied m terms leonteim-d in the defence report. Mr ViMier considered that the House -hoiild lwve an opportunity of discussin4' alterations in the policy outlined in the. tie!em i' report. It was said lhat the volunteer system for the present s-hould remain purely voluntary. What did this nienn? Were wc to have compulsory military training? The volunitcer system was lievM' at a higher standard of apreeiation than at present. He

urged that the (iovernment should give | particulars of the defence scheme, and |let the House have the right to discuss it he matter Mr Hogg disappointed with the estimates for this "Department, inasmuch as tJicy were .€1.5,000 in excess of last year. He asked if it were intended to alter the regulations in regard to rifle chilis, that they could regain Die strength previously held. fie eontended that if reasonable opportunities were given residents in ihe country districts to join rifle clubs, there would j In l absolutely no necessity to resort to j cuutpLvivy military service. ' . Mr liarber expressed satisfaction that

an attempt had been made to better I the conditions of the defence T ;;:e*. Jle pointed out defects existing in rethe rates of pay. and expressed .i- wish th it they be remedied on the Supplementary Estimates. The Hon. Mr MeNab said the colony was looking to see on what lines #Jefence should bo continued. If ihe I Council was not supported and volunteering ceased, the colony would have I to go i n tor a larger and more highly paid permanent force- Tf the volunteering system was not supported, it would have to end, and a more costly system be brought into force. The Government

wished to warn tile colony to this effect. It was intended to extend the the privileges of rifle clubs and to jehiove restrictions from those clubs situated a distance from the centres. Mr Field expressed the hope that a butter supply of rifle ranges would be provided, especially for country districts. Mr Jan. Allen asked if the Council of Defence intended to keep the Royal Artillery for their own particular work, as they had been utilised for police and I prison warder duty. He also desired to know it it was intended to carry out flic" recommendations of the T)efetice Council relative to equipment. Mr iaurenson hoped the increased vote would prove advantageous. He emplnsised the necessity for encouraging volunteers and rifle clubs- One way to encourage volunteering was to •rive noncommissioned officers who made themselves Ticient positions in the permanent forces. had become recognised that-it wit. possible in the permanent, forces for n roan to rise from Iho ranks to the position of'a commis-' sioiK't officer. Tie urged on the Minister that opportunities to rise to commissioned rank shoi.ld he given che rank and file of the forces. Mr Davey wanted to know what system wis adopted in appointing commissioned officers. Mr Mt'Xab said Mr Laurenson was entirely in error in saying that noncommissioned officers were liar red from promotion to commissioned ranlt. Only recently two non-commissioned officers had received commissions, and it wis the Government's intention to extend the system of promoting to commissioned ranks. Mr E. G. Allen advocated a system of rifle ranges of 200 yards for the v. :e of cadet?. Mr Bavev asked why a gentleman from Auckland, with one and a-lialf years' service in the permanent force, had been appointed assistant AdjutantGeneral at Chriftchnreh. whilst a volunteer officer who had risen to Ihe highest rank he could obtain in the volunteer force, and who had 20 years' service, was altogether ignored- The lii-m had now left Ihe service. The Defence Department, ClO.jS passed unaltered. Mr Fisher, referring To volunteer encampments, said if money was going to he spent by the Council in the same manner as by the Commandant, a gr<dt deal of it would lie wasted. As an officer he had been present at parade-when there were more officers than men. lie meant there were three officers and two men, and capitation should not be paid on such a turn-out. He asserted that the submarine mining corps at Wellington had been in a state of mutiny for twelve months, and should be disbanded. He asserted that if the Minister, were conversant with tlib aoures of the trouble in thi3 corps, he would settle it in 24 hours. TTc suggested that where volunteers displayed enthusiasm, as in the case of the Wellington Engineers, they should be encouraged. MrMeJfab sni.d although only a small number might turn up on parade, that was no .reason why those who turned up should be punished by the refusal of capitation. Mr Fisher urged that, when a corps turned out, regularly with less than two thirds of its strength, it should be disbanded. or turned into a rifle corps, and so save the capitation. A corps in Canterbury consistently turned out with less than two-thirds of its strength, vet claimed capitation on its full strong I ,h. which was fraud of the very worst class. He asserted that numbers of volunteer officers never took their corps up hill, because they were unable *o climb it themselves. Others were >raable to see even with the aid of fieldglasses. Numbers of officers did .lot take ihe trouble to mike themselves efficient, and he knew of an instance where a number of officers refused to take instructions from an instructor been use Tie, being a non-commissioned officer, they thought, it uufva dig. Such nonsense should lie put a stop to. Stores and magazines, £5453, pas-wl unaltered. Mr Thomson, replying to a question by Mr Herrics, said instead of commemorating t'ae soldiers who fell in k'lttle by the ba.baric practice Of tombstone decoration, they should create some sort of arsKip. As it was. tew people took the trouble to read gravestones. Mr McNab said be approved of keeping the graves of fallen soldiers in order, and would not allow, where it. was known, graves to remain unittended. Mr Tanner deprecated Hr Thomson's remarks, as he thought nolhing tended to make the young generation patriotic as association with historical events and records. Mr Thomson said he was quite in favor of erecting monuments in public places to commemorate soldiers' deeds. Mr Poole thought the upkeep of historical records and graveyards containing the remains of soldiers should ! e the duty of local bodies. The Defence Department total vote, £184,024, passed unaltered. The next, class taken was the Working Tfailwnys Department, £1,830,000. At the amount £53800, "allowance? to employees receiving not more than 10s per day, also allowances for Sunday duty and special services." Mr t Tas. Alton asked what amount was expended last vear when f !.l,ftf)o was voted. The T'reuiier said that under the prccent system it was not possible slate the figures in detail, but the to ■ amount, expended appeared at the fo (if the statement. Mr Massev pointed out that the detailed expenditure appeared in the Post and Telegraph estimates, and if it could be done in tile Postmaster-General's Department, he could not understand why if could not be done in the Railway Depirtment. TTe urged that stationmastevs should be better remunerated. As compared with postmasters, they were badlv paid. The Premier said he intended to submit an amended classification, and to improve the remuneration of a number of railway employees.