PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 247, 12 October 1908, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

L\l) OF A STREXUOLS SJiSSiOX. I'liE .SL'i'l'LEAlEMTAltl' ESTIMATE.:!. COMPENSATION 10 MEiiiLE nLI»ATIVED. LEUIfcEAT'IVK COUNCIL. By Telegraph.--J/ioss Association. Wellington, October IU. The Council mot at U a.m. me council decided. n>u to insist on its amendments undo ill tiie Public Service Classification and Supcraiinuatiou Hill. The Coal Mines Amendment Bill, tue Maori Land Laws Amendment Jiul, and tin: Land Tax and income Tax IJi.l were received from the iluuso and lead a tirst Lime. Tile Secret Commissions, .Menial Hospitals, and Wellington City Toivji Belt Kesenes liilla were read a second tniK'. Ameiiilnients to tile Destitute IVvsoi'S

liill, introduced by governors Message, were agreed 10. T'lie Mental Hospitals Keserves Bi.l passed tlie committee stage without material amendment, and was read a third time and passed. The Wellington City Town Belt j>'.- . serves Bill was put tiirougn committee ( with slight anieniiineiiLs, read a iniri lime and passed. The Coal Mines Amendment Bill and the Land Tax and Income Tax Bill passed the second readings, and l!ic Council adjourned at 12.-W p.m. The Council resumed at 2.30 p.m. The Coal -Mines Act Amendment aul Dand 'i'ax and Income Tax Bills were put through all stages without amend-

nient and passed. The Stump Duties Amendment J3;»l, Validation Court Empowering Bill, ami Fisheries Amendment JJiil were received from the House, put through all stages with amendments, and passed. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m. until U p.m. ' The Council resumed at 0 p.m. ivna adjourned until 10.45 p.m., " vV^iell Appropriation -Bill was received from the ilourii 1 and put through all siage.? without amendment. The lion. -Mr. Jenkinson eulogised Ue Government over the appointment of Mr. Jkll-Jones to the liigh Cummissionership, and congratulated the people on having secured such a worthy representative. Mr. Jenkinson went on to compliment the Attorney-General on the

I way lie had discharged his duties, lie considered it was time more assistance was granted the Council, as the work which fell on the representative of the Government in the Chamber was too much for one Minister to do, and the skill and ability lie had shown was tindischarge of a superhuman task, lie went on to say that the work transacted this session would he a credit .0 anv Labor Government, and Ihe people must admit that they had received every consideration, hut in spite ot tlus Sir Joseph Ward was getting abused l>v a -section of the ijiibor Parly. The lion. Mr. McArdle said th-u never in the history of New Zealand had a Government made such a bunalide attempt to grapple with the needs

of the backblocks settlers in regard 10 roads and bridges, and he desired to express his gratification to the Government on behalf of the settlers. The Hon. Mr. Louisson endorsed Jlr. Jenkinson's remarks. _ '. The Attorney-General briefly return.'d thanks for the expressions of councillors, and the Council rose at 11.50 p.lll. and' the session terminated.

HOUSE OF HEI'KKSKNTATIN ES.

The House met at 10.30 a.m. Mr. Hornsby, speaking 011 the Quavery Prevention Bill, considered it inigiit have further reaching, but the Bill jis it now stands is a safeguard to the community. . Mr. Massev said every clause 111 the Bill 'except the short title should ;e struck out by the Legislative Council. The liili was' very dangerous, and too drastic upon the newspapers, and should be allowed to stand over till next sessioii. , , . ; The Premier was strongly of opinion that the Bill being placed 011 the Statutes would lie subject to improvements from tiino to linw. Tlic anu'iulnuMiU Jiuuk' l>y llu' i/'gisMtive Council were agreed to. The Stamp Duties Amendment ami Ohakune Town Board Bills were read a sciMind lime.

The Validation Court Empowering Bill was committed. The Hon. C. 11. Mills look occasion to address a valedictory speech upon his retiring from polities. 'lhe Premier eulogised Ihe high qualities of the retiring member and :us honoura'ble political career, and tiuste'l he would live long lo enjoy a wedi';i rued rest. (In consideration of tlie Estimates. Mr. Itogau contended that the Hou«c should take ii'.to consideration how increases in salaries were made. He did not believe in piling up the salaries ol those at the top, while it was so difficult for those at the bottom lo dii'\ get a small rise. Mr. Thompson endorsed these remarks, and said that servants 011 a small wage were continually asking viiiy I liey cannot gel increased wages. .Mr. Ilogg congratulated tlie Government in not increasing large salaries by leaps. \\ir. Malcolm referred to the lnusan.e caused in trains by the continual moving about of persons selling newspapers,

etc. The Premier replied that lie would be pleased to have the matter investigated. He was anxious to deal fair'/ between both parties. The House, in committee, resumed at

2.30 p.lll. At the item, .C2O compensation to ,lohn Ereebody for alleged wrongful imprisonment, Mr. Hornsby protested at the use of these words. The Government had itself established the innocence of Ereebody, who did not ask for compensation, but only lor a sum equal to the old-age pension, lie moved that the amount be reduced by £1 to mail; disapproval of the Government's action. The motion was carried by 30 to 20. At the item for tin- Electoral Department, Sir Joseph Ward, replying to criticisms, said canvassers were not employed ill each electoral district. Ihe return showed more 011 the roll now than at previous elections. The poli.'c had instructions to facilitate enrolment, and there was little ground for complaint. ■Several members held the opposite opinion, and it was pointed out that the police could not cover the backblocks, where, in some districts, they would have to cover 200 miles of countrv. The vote passed unaltered. At the item £10,033 for miseel-

laneous services, Mr. Hornsby moved to reduce the amount of £SOOO to Meiklc by £4!)fl'.i. lie contended the country siiould never pay a penny to a man whose innocence had never been proved, and who bad vilified public men all over the country, when other men whose Innocence had been established got nothing. Mr. Major took similar givind, and said rumor had it that there was a syndicate behind Meiklc. Sir .1 oseph Ward poinled out 'li.il two Judges of the Supreme Court lia.l declared Meiklc should not have be 01 convicted 011 the evidence adduced. H was the duly of the Government to giv l fair compensation, and that had lien assessed at I'otlllO. As to abuse, every

public innn was abused, ami if lie could licit stand abuse lie had no business lo lie ;i public- man. Tin' motion was carried by IJ7 to 2!}. The result of llio division was receive! with applause. Tin* folk)\vin«r was the division-list on the MeiJc compensation vole: —Ave-. 117: V. 11. Allen. Arnold, "Mallard. C'lii\]>i»le, Colvin. Dillon. Field. Klalm:ii>. A. L. I). I-'rascr. (iraliani. f.'ray, Oreenslade. llunan, llanly. I llornsby. Houston. Liwry, r/elhbridjje. Mael'he/son, Major. Malcolm. Mander. Okey, Poland. Poole. Ueid. Kcmin«jloi». ■ Rhodes, lloss, Si'ddon, Slallwortliy. Tanner, Thomson, Witty, AVood. Not"-, Mcsms, Havber-, Jkrciar. Baame, I T'uddo, Carroll. !)avoy. Kisher. Fowld:-. (in in lies-.. I Call, Hall-Jones, I lorries Hoiian, Izard, .lcnnin<zs Kidd, Liiijj. Lnnrenson, Me(u>wan, McNab, Millar, Mills, Steward, Ward. Wilford. The ITonse, in Committee of Supp y, resumed at 7.30 p.m. Objection was taken by some members to the fiovernmenl spending DU)l)i) a* a contribution to the tercentenary memorial in Canada without authority. ]\lr. McCowan said eonlribulions had , been sent from all parts of tlie Kmpir". j Mr. Merries did nof object to tlie j amount, but niainlaincd tbat an ex- ] prcssion of opinion and (lie to Canada should have come from (iie

I House ns representinf; more directly tlic people tliini from tin. (loveiiimeut, which in a sense represented only Hie dominant parly in Hit' 1 louse. The vote passed. AI the item C 10.751. I)e|i;irl ment of Agriculture. Mr. Massey moved to reduce the salary of the Secretary to the Department by CI, its a protest iifjuinst tlie new dairy regulations. which constituted a serious and unnecessary tas niton dairy farmers. The regulations had caused storm of anxiety and indignation all over tlie Dominion. Presently every dairy farmer would have

to -pay 10 a if he milked more than ten | com. Mi'. McXab saiil much of the misconvopLioti :it Jirst aroused ill .the minds of dairy ianiieis by these regulations had been removed. Complaints now only came, from that section which eou'd not tolerate State interference in anything. Were it not for the action of the State, our industry would not enjoy its present reputation in the London market. The motion was defeated by 33 to li). A tribute was paid by Sir Joseph M ard, -Mr. Alassey, and ill'. McNab to the work done by Air. (jilruth. The rest of the Estimates passed without alteration. The Appropriation liill was broug'it down and passed all slaves without debate. The lliil was returned from fie Council at 11.23 p.m. A "Tangi" was held, and (lie third session of the sixteenth Parliament concluded shortly before midnight.