PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 240, 3 October 1908, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. jjy Telegraph."~Pres3 Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Council met at 2.30. ■The report of the conference of ma agers of both Houses on the amen ments to the Second Ballot was agre< to. Tlie Infants' Amendment Bill, froi the House, was read a first time. ■The amendments made by the Hous to the Justices of the Peace Anient ment Bill and Harbors' Act Amend ment Bill, were agreed to. The Defence Amendment Bill wa read a second time. The Bill propose to vest the power of dismissing a vol unteer lor disobedience or miscouducl in th e hands of the Council of Define*) * acting on the recommendation of tht officer commanding a district, alter en quiry by him, the power to power lio disrate non-commissioned officers to remain as at present with the officer commanding the district. The mil also proposes to admit equipments for officers of the defence forces fre'e. The Bill was put through committee, itad a third time ,and passed. The Government Advances to Settlers' Bill and Immigration restriction Amendment Bill, which have already Passed the House, were read a second time, put through committee, read a third time, and passed. The Palmerstoa North Dairy School Reserve Bill was rvad a second time, put through committee and passed. The Public Bodies' Leases Bill was put through committee with an amend, ment making the Bill permissive. The BUI was reported as amended, and the tkird reading was set down for Monday. The Local Bodies' Lpanß Amendment Bill, and Waipuku Block Road Vesting stall, from the House, were put til rough *ll tftages and passed. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m. till ' 11 tun. on Monday.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Public Petitions Committee reported that it had no recommendation to make respecting several petitions of veterans J'—ying for :i----eognition. Several members urged that old soldiers should be granted further opportunity to establish their claims, Many not having been aware of tjie test commission. It was pointed out that a very regrettable feature of our national character was our disregard for those who in years gone by foualit our battles. It was urged that Magistrates should be instructed to investigate these claims as they do claims for old-age pensions. The Premier said everyone was desirous of doing what was right hv old soldiers who had fought for New" Zealand. In the past 2<l years, no less than five commissions had been appointed to investigate daims and had travelled all over the country, and it was remarkable that in a very short time after eaoV of these commissions had reported a fresh batch of claims came forward. Government was quite prepared to deal in a proper way with all legitimate claims, but did a ot tliink Magistrates should deal with them, nor aid he think there should be another etynmisA'dn, THe" Government would consider the settlement of these claims once and for all during the recess. The fiouse then went into committee on tiff. Public Works Estimates. 'At class 28, railways £1,250,000. a nnmlbcr of South and North Island members urged the construction of branch lines. The Minister said tlie Government were not justified in carrying on many of the small lines. He urged that others would be pushed on in due course.

■Replying to Mr. Guinness, the Minister said the Ngahere-Blackball railway .would be completed by January or FebMr. Guinness said his constituents would Burely have a bon-firc to-morrow to celebrate such good news. He thanked the Minister. Mr. Thomson said the debate snowed members were playing the game of grab in which in spite of professions on other occasions, they showed regard neither for the Minister of Finance nor for the welfare of the country. He then proceeded to enumerate the wants of his own constituency, and concluded with a condemnation of what he called "political hypocricy." Mr. Hall-Jones said no doubt at this time members were well advised in asking for all sorts of things for their constituencies, but he had to do the best possible with the money at his command in the interest of the Dominion «s a whole. The vote passed unaltered. At the public buildings' vote, £292,450, the Minster, replying to Mr. Herries, said the item of £SOOO for the old Parliamentary Buildings was the amount payable for the cancellation of the contract for additions together with materials taken over from the contractors a« a result of the fire. The Tote passed unaltered." Class 30, lighthouses passed unaltered.' Class 31, tourist and health resorts ,'£3s,ooo—Mr. A. L. D. Fraser protested that the expenditure was a pure waste of money, only benefiting a few hotelkeepers. Mr. McGowan pointed out that Rotoraa belonged to the State, as also did T e Aroha. The expenditure was justified, and had been more than repaid.—The vote passed unaltered. Class 32, immigration £lo,ooo—Cu.;BideraWe discussion took place regarding the class of assisted immigrants. Several members said New Zealand only wanted agricultural laborers, but many were not fit for that work.—Mr. McGowan quoted figures to show that immigrants brought capital with them. He said some mistakes occurred, but every care was adopted in selecting asIslsted immigrants.—Mr. Tanner said a lot of wasters and the industrial scum of England were shot out on the ,wharves here to "take down'' the firsts confiding idiot they eame across. He H'd not say these were assisted immigrants, but still they eame here.—After further discussion the vote passed unaltered.

~ Class 33, roads and bridges £OOO.OOO, •—Mr. Herries pointed out that tliiere. ';was a reduction of £170,000 on the general class of main roads. The vaunted £250,000 for back Mock roads was therefore not an extra at all. Many of the wads appearing as backblock roads this year appeared as ordinary roads last year.