PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 21 August 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20. (By Telegraph—Press Association). LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 'the I uiwicil met at 2.;>il. iue Legislative Council Election .Bill was received mini lire House, and negatived oil the iiisl reading on the voices, not a single aye being hoard in support. The following liills were read a second lime on the motion of (he Attorney tteneral, and referred to the Statuses tievisiou Committee: Chattels Transfer Amendment, Foreign Tribunals Evidence, and Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction. | The Council rose at 2.45.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.:10. The Otaki and Porirua Empowering Dill (second raiding) was postponed till Friday. Two days' leave of absence was granted Mr Major on account of urgent public business.

Sir Joseph Ward moved that on and after Wednesday, the 21st August, and for the remainder of the session Government business take precedence on i Wednesdays.

Mr Massey said ho did. not intend to oppose the motion, as he thought a great deal of time had been wasted on private, members' day, and further there! were no important private members' Bills on the Order Paper. He hoped | the (lovernniont would bring down policy measures.

Mr Laurenson entered a protest against the motion, Which was unprecedented at such an early date of the session.

The Premier, replying to Mr Laurenson, said (he amount of work and ilie importance of the measures to be dealt with this session were unprecedented in his Parliiinenliiry experience. He further detailed the business the House had already transacted. Referring to the Hour duty, he said legislation would | be introduced to enalde municip-ilitie.4 if they desired, to erect their own flour .mil's. Tf the Estimates were put ! (hrough, lie was ready to proceed with : the Tariff Bill on Friday. The motion was carried.

Mr Massey asked, without notice, if the. Premier intended to investigate the appointment of Mr Shannon, Chief Customs expert, and all the circumstances relating to the same. The Premier reiterated his statement made on Friday that full investigation was to be made. He would intimate to the House in a few dais what course the investigation should lake. He had c.lled for a report relative, to the appointment Of every officer 5n the ser, vice.

The Land and Income Assessment Bill was rend a second time pro forma, and referred to the Public Accounts Committee. THE ESTIMATES. •. The House went into Committee of Supply. The Marine and Harbors Departments, total vote .-673,891. The first class was taken, and the House adjourned at 5.30. ' ' EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. The Marine and Harbors Departmoat, £33,053, passed unaltered. At the Government steamers, £1(1470, Mr Massey asked what was intended to be done with regard to the Amokura.

Mr Millar said the vessel would shortly be repaired and made ready for sea. The vote passed unaltered. The next class taken was the Department of Labor, total .-€10,420. Mr Barclay thought the time had arrived when the scope of labor bureaus should be widened, and urged tliatthev should take up much of the work at present transacted l.y private labor mvcans. whose charges were often extortionate

The Hon. Mr Millar stated that a greater number of laborers had Twin .sent to private employers last year by the Labor Department than in anv provious year, and the. fullest use would be made of the Department in the direction of supplying the needs of privatfl employers. ' Mr Tanner asked if ti„. _\et poi-emiim' a private registry office w : .s administer ed by ihe Department or the police. If by the Department, why were these officers allowed to charge fees in excess of the regulations laid down. Mr Millar said the Act was administeretl by the Department, and wherever complaint was made fh e Department m-ti!uted inquiries,,!.,,] if deemed necessary undertook a prosecution. Tim vote passed unaltered. The next class taken was Industries and ( online,ce, total £43.74.-) }jr T Mackenzie, referring to 'the items in connection with various exhibitions in London, said it would be better if a c"!it-al o/lice in the business portion of London were procured than in paying small driblets. ' ' b \

Mr Rutherford a*M regarding <he item grading" ( eno), jf nliv ' graders lurt been appointed- ' " Mr McGowan said he recognised that. a central ofliee in London wiu , very tie-1 sirable No permanent grain gradore! had yet been appointed. 1 Mr Aitken sn id ] lO , vas on „ „ f ~,, ! who thought U. useless to send ropresen-l tativos to Canada and the East with a view to finding markets. Cannila could produce all that this colony produced, and so far as butter was concerned we did not, produce enough for our own consumption in winter. London was our market, and if we were well represented there tint was all that wnsnecessary. Mr McGowan said we should look'to new mnrkcts.and ho instance,! the trade done between Australia and Japan and other countries, and New Zealand should endeavor to get into those markets