PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 178, 18 July 1908, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

FIU.UAY, JULY 17. " LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Js'iglit. The Legislative Council met at 2.30. Replying to a question liy Dr. Collins respecting sanitary bottle distribution of milk, this Attorney-General said the Chief Health Ollicer had been instructed to obtain all information on the subject from Chicago and elsewhere which ■would, on receipt, be available for lion, members. As to the establishment of proucrly-ei|iii]ii>ed dairies, at the. State farms, the Alinistor replied that everything that could be done was being done to secure purity of milk. The JJeelaratory Judgment Bill and Corporation' Contract* jjill passed their final stages without amendment. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Law Practitioners' Amendment Bill. It repeals' section u of the Law Practitioners' Act, 1!)0S, which re-enacts tlie Law Practitioners' Act, 181)8, which provides that solicitors may be admitted without further examination to practice as barristers after they have practiced for live years as solicitors or managing clerks of solicitors.

The Hons. Jones, Calkm, and Louisson supported the measure, und Hons. liigg, Kelly, and Jenkinson opposed. On a divistion, the second reading was curried by 21!' to 7, and ordered to be committed on Wednesday. The second reading of the Interpretation Amendment Bill was carried without Amendment, and will be committed on Wednesday.

The Towns Boards Amendment Bill was read a second time without amendment, and will lie committed on Wednesday. The New Zealand Society of Accountants Bill was considered in committee. An amendment was carried providing that a person, whether exclusively carrying on business as public accountant or not, be entitled to be enrolled as a public accountant. The remaining clauses were passed without amendment, and the third reading set down for Wednesday at 4.35 p.m. The Council adjourned until Wednesday.

HOUSE OF iiiiPRFSENXAXIVKS. The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Roiii'in Catholic Archbishop of Wellington Empowering Bill (Mr Jzard) was read a second time. Mr. Major's Farriers' Bill was withdrawn. Tile financial debate was resumed hy Mr. Fisher (Wellington Central), who congratulated the Minister upon the. Budget. He supported the member lor Hutt in the view unat Parliament should not be prorogued for the visit of the American Ueei. lie could not understand why the burden of taxation increased as the prosperity of the colony increased. What was the use of borrowing a million annually and coming down with three-quarters of a million surplus? The Customs concessions had not been real, the revenue therefrom being now higher than ever. Government valuations of land were excessive. Tile unimproved and capital value of the colonv had increased in ! live years by .1:81,(100,(100.' He protested against trusts and the operations of the Standard Oil Company. He advocated settlements of bush lands rather than lands for settlement, and said the rents on the latter were so high that soon, if prices fell, Crown tenants would nsk for rent reductions, and the Government would have to grant the freehold. He asked why dissatisfaction was so rife all over the country in volunteering circles, and said Parliament should have an opportunity to debate the matter on the defence question. Mr. llornsby (Wairarapa) said Air. Fisher's land arguments had been condemned again mid again. He justified the statement that the prosperity of the country was due to the Liberalsi, and at great length criticised the organised attempts of those opposed to the Libera! parly to belittle the Dominion, and shake its credit. He paid a tribute to the work of the Advances to Settler.- Department, and said the superintendent deserved recognition for his administration •of the Department, which was a blessing to many. He was a modified freeholder. He did not believe in the doctrine of the unearned increment. Lands for Settlement tenants

should have the option of the freehold at the original valuation. He advocated banking reform on the Canadian system, lie supported the visit of the American licet.

Dr. Chappie (Tuapcka) followed with a lengthy speech on the industrial situation, contending that the Act.had not broken down, but had prevented universal strikes, and lui.it substituted a combination, for competition. He objected to the present constitution of the Court, which, not consisting of experts, gave absurd decisions. In each dispute, four experts should be appointed to sit with the Judge. The Conciliation Board should be abolished, and awards should he enforced in the Magistrate's Court. The principle of our arbitration system was to guarantee a living wage, not to decide upon the division of profits. Unfortunately those two things had been confused. The right to strike should be allowed to a union, but aiding and 'abetting should be sternly prohibited. The House adjourned at 3.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30. Dr. Chappie, continuing, said preference to. unionists necessitated a compulsory Arbitnilioa Court, which should make an award on piecework only In', dividual cll'orts must ue paw for as unitormity of wages, was lowering clliciellcv. °

Sir. Hemes said it was refreshing to li>U'u to Iho new member, who Juid spoken with suck candour and quite regardless of ins constituents, He declined to believe anybody Jiad deliuerately attempted to misrepresent the colony as. to nuances. This speaker dealt at length with the various loans. Mill ernes went on' to refer to the small deposits m the savings bank, which had talleii by £IOO,OOO in the past year. lh,. railways had not doae well, The cost of running had increased, and the Tluriinui-Rlutf line paia Jess every year . Mr MeGowan; followed with, a speech «i which lie justified tue administration ot the Government, and replied to the Opposition criticism. Taxation kid been induced. The apparent increase per head showed the people were so prosperous that they could spend more m dutiable goods. T ] le Government had spent over £300,000 per annum on roads in the past five years. The State coal mines were being run without any loss to the community and had cheap, died fuel.! '

-utcr supper Mr. AleGowan referred o the mag,,,, mic of the mining output. He said the proht „„ t h o Port Uli/aheth "one was £|.,.451, while the loss o„ tlie Seddonville mine was £oSHO lie justiiicd his poUcy in regard to prison tree-planting climps, and objected to a prisons commission of enquiry which, would d» -more harm Ulan good. \ s . sisteil imniigration brought the best class of settlers. considerable length with the kauri g„,n industry, and 11|)]1)? ., M fcl] . jlu . ,„, control of an imporlanl industry. He I""" 11 '' »«Mlmt the public debt' had inci eased at a much slower rate than the eapu.il value. Tlierefore the colony was m a better position now than ever it was. (Applause). Air. Stallwoifliy (Kaipara) followed. M . loole Auckland M'cst) applaudeil tin. liudgel. The debate was adjourned. ihe Ueclaratory Judgments Pill and Corporations Contracts Hill were received Iron, the, Legislative Council and luiu a nrst tunc. The House adjourned a fc 11.30 p.m.