PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 177, 17 July 1908, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

TIIUKSDAI, JULY lb. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Lust Niylit. The Council met at 2.30. The Hon. Mr. Bcenan moved that the attention of the Government he called to the reported discovery of an enormous seam of coal near llunlly, in the Auckland district, and that the Govermnent make enquiries with a viewto acquiring the property as a .stated coal mine for Auckland and other places.

The Attorney-General intimaled enquiries would lie made. The molJMnl was agreed to. Leave of absence for a week was granted the Hon. Air. Anstey owing n> illness in his family. Dr. Collins gave notice to ask the Government if they would communicate with the authorities at Chicago asking if the statement were correct that they had established the distribution of .sanitary cooked milk, and what was the cost to the consumer; further, if the Government would consider the establishment of an up-to-date dairy on theState farms with a view to supplying pure milk. The Meiklo Acquittal Hill was committed, read a third time and passed. The Incorporated .Societies Bill was made the order of the day for Wednesday.

The Attorney-General moved the Inferior Court Procedure Hill, which repealed section 70 of the Judicature Act, 1008 (removal of technical defects), ami certain similar provisions in the: Justice of the Peace Act, 1008, and substitutes more extensive provisions for the purpose of preventing proceedings nt inferior courts from being invalidated by technical and formal errors. Inferior 1 courts means any court but Supreme and Appeal Courts. Dr. I'indlay briefly reviewed the Bill, claiming it was a most necessary measure, not only in the interests of the law courts, but the people of tlie colony. He paid a high tribute to the criminal law in New Zealand, which was in advance of any other country in the world. The Hon. -Welly mentioned the case of a young woman who was recently convicted of stealing a purse and sentenced to a term of imprisonment, and compared this with instances of assault in which lines of 23s or some such amount was inflicted. From this, it appeared to him that efforts were made to protect property, and not the individual. The Hon. Samuel thought-that district courts, which w-ere doing good work should be exempted from the Inferior Courts. Tlie Hill was: one eagerly looked forward to by legal men. Dr. Findlay said he was not adverse to' district courts being placed within the same designation as the Supreme and Appeal Courts under the Bill. A» to the Native Lands Courts, it was questionable whether they slioula ;a, exempted, and before the Bill rciic.ieu committee he should like to have the opinion of legal members of the Council. The second reading was carried and ordered to be committed next day. Tlie second reading of the Declaratory Judgments Hill was moved by the Attorney-General, who explained that the provision was made under the measure to enable local bodies to determine their right to borrow by taking proceedings in the Court, and said it "would also be of assistance to trustees who had at times to lake risks at thcir peril. The motion was agreed to, and order for committal was made for next day.

The Hon.< Kelly mentioned the case of a young woman who was recently convicted of stealing a nurse anil sentenced to a term of imprisonment, and compared this with instances of assault in which lines of 23s or some such amount was inflicted. From this, it appeared to him that efforts were made to protect property, and not the individual. The lion. Samuel thought-that district courts, which were doing good work should be exempted from the Inferior Courts. Tlie Bill was one eagerly looked forward to by legal men. Dr. Findlay said he was not adverse lo' district courts being placed within ' the same designation as the Supreme and Appeal Courts under the Bill. A» ' to the Native Lands Courts, it was questionable whether they slioula ;a, ! exempted, and before the Bill rcnoieu committee he should like to have the | opinion of legal members of the Council. The second reading was curried and ordered to be committed next day. Tlie second reading of the Deelara- '. Tory Judgments Bill was, moved by the ; Attorney-General, who explained that the provision was made under the measure to enable local bodies to determine 1 their right to borrow by taking proceedings in the Court, and said it°wouid i also be of assistance to trustees who had at times to lake risks at thcir peril. The motion was agreed to, and order for committal was made for next 1 day. The Attorney-General moved the se- ' cund reading of the Corporations Contracts Bill, which provides mainly that all contracts by corporations in the futuve shall be governed by the same rules which govern like contracts be- \ tweon individual persons. The motion ' r was agreed to, and the Council rose at 3.30 p.m. HOUSE OP KEPKESEXTATIVES. '.' Wellington, Last Night, the House met at 2.110 p.m. ( A further batch of petitions was presented for a bare majority in lieensiu" , polls. - ' . r Keplying to a question, the Premier said, there was plenty of work on (toveramonf works in the country for the 'I Auckland unemployed if they eared- to * apply. 1 _ The following Bills were read a first time:—Wellington Harbor Hoard JRe- '• clamulion and Empowering Bill \o ■> " (Mr. Wilford), Waimate North County 1 Hill (Air. -Major), Institute Person's ; Act, 18(14, Amendment Bill {.Mr Fisher). 1 . -Mr. lleid (Taieri) resumed the Fin- ■ ancial debate. He Raw the .Minister '■ should visit constituencies more often - than once every three years, flc ndvo- • «ated quinquennial Parliaments.' The tightness of the money market was due to the borrowing of local bodies. Ho ■supported the backblocks' loading po- ; licy, increase in the naval subsidv, and the special land settlement proposals. : '1 he prosperity of the Dominion W a* due chielly to the prices of staple commodities, for which the Government was not responsible. The public debt was increasing at too great a rate, but the proposal to borrow .tT,200,000 was justified. The low rale of interest here showed that people were unwilling to invest money in industries, but preferred gilt-edged securities. Mr. Keid then made some reference to bimetallism, and said if silver were the legal tender to any amount, gold stocks would not be depleted, and the rate of discount would be kept down. Mr. Flatman (Goraldine) .'-aid he hud never heard the Government take credit for a rise in the prices of staple commodities. The, Opposition had no grounds for claiming credit for Liberal measures. They were inconsistent in their criticisms of the Government's liuancial policy. The dominant note in the Budget was sounded in the statement that the prosperity of the .Dominion continued. The workers should beware of Opposition sophistry. lie' supported the special land settlement proposals. irrigation should be paid for by the settler, not bv the Government. He referred to the progress of railway construction, and complimented Mr. Ilall-.Tones on his brilliant administration of public works. The Arbitration Act must be amended in the direction of guaranteeing industrial peace. Mr. Jas. Allen (Bruce) referred to the previous speaker as the Gowfrninent's "corner man." He asked if the Government were proud of the Arbitration Act. Kc did not believe in putting working men in gaol. Tin' Government had borrowed from the I'osl. Otliee and friendly societies, and re-paid £BOO,OOO Imperial guarantee debentures with borrowed money. The Stnte coal : mines were losing concerns. Expendi- ' ture on irrigation in Central Otago had ' long been promised. Keplying to the ' allegation that the Opposition voted . against all Liberal measures, he. refer- ' red to education, female franchise, and so on, which en me from his side of i the House. The Finance Minister hud blundered in psl minting his Ways and ~ "Means by omitting to earn- forward his „ balance of X.K>i/h>;\. f

KVEXING SITTIXCI. I On (.lie Hons,. resuming, Mr. Allon declared. if tlio Government had spent (lie sum devoled by Parliament in past years for roading (.he twckblocks'tlicre would not liave been any necessity for tlie expenditure of a million as proposed. The Hon. .Mr. MeNab opened liv orilieisiiijt Hie speech' liy JJr. Allen, and eon-

trailed that, in the matter of railway . construction 11i« expenditure in 1 nOli-7 t had largely cxT'Oi'ilcd flio amount ap- . propriaiod. The (iovcrninciif. hail In . make provision for £120.000 yearly for five years for the construction of the Otini tunnel connecting (lie Kast and West, Coasts of tlio South Island. ®lle believed that it would lie some years before the Government would be asked , to expend a lesser amount 011 railway 1 • x 1 elision that it was doing at present, and lie pointed out, what oilier conntries wore doing in this direction. He ventured to say I hat it would not be long before a million would be nsltod for normal expenditure on railways. Referring to lanil for settlement, he said it. was intended to proceed with t'lie same reforms and policy as marked the Government's efforts in'the past, and if Parliament sanctioned the scheme outlined in the Financial statement it would nat 111 ally assist the Government. Jlon. McXali. in referring to complaints that southern farms had been treated diil'eveutly from llioso ill the North Island for advances for grass ' seed, he pointed out that, farmers' > cations were not lodged in time. ' Mr. Stevens strongly supported the [ land for settlement policy of the Govcrmnent, which was obtained by evnlu- 1 fcion and not revolution. He favorably J 1 criticised tlio whole policy of the present administration' and li'rged that tlic 0 House unanimously support tlio iliorais- j ed, nawl subsidy. jy

Mr. Thomson followed, and, reviewing the iinancial operations and increase of revenue, congratulated the Minister of finance on the position while ho Jnul had charge of the Treasury. The advance in the price of wool would place the Dominion in a stilt stronger position. -Mr. Thomson said the money borrowed was interest hearing. Koads wore urgently required. The heavy borrowings of local bodies were responsible for the rise in the rate of interest. Local bodies were borrowing too heavily, lie supported tfie proposed naval subsidy, lie deprecated strikes and Said agitators were parasites upon labor. .Some conciliation must be provided. 11 advocated :i .Stale Jimik. Referring to ediiealion, he deplored the neglect of history as a subject. He supported the visit of the American Heel. .Mr. llaniin (Invereargill) supported the llovcnunent's railway policy, and applauded the visit of tiie American lleet. lie also supported the local government reforms, posl-andil, national annuities, and belter salaries for school teachers. Air. Uanan also referred to the necessity for alforeslation. Mr. Wilford (Hull) strongly opposed the scale on which it was proposed ;o entertain the American lleet. llr. I.aurenson (Lyltelton) dissented from the views expressed hv the member for the Unit.