PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 271, 22 December 1909, Page 3

PARLIAMENT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. *By Telegraph.—Areas' Association. Wellington, Lost Night. Council met at 2.30 p.m. On the motion of the Hon. Luke, it was agreed that the Government take into consideration the establishment in the tour large centres of institutions for epileptics unfit for "treatment in ether hospitals. ° The debate on the second reading of the Native Land Bill was resumed by the Hon. McArdle and others, und the Council rose at 5.30. In the evening the Native Land Bill .was read a second time and put through committee with verbal amendments and lead a third time and passed. The Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill was passed. The Public Works Amendment Bill was committed. Clause 8 was struck out on the voices, members holding that the effect of the clause as it passed the House would be to prevent the sale of any land fronting a road less than 66 feet wide. • The Council agreed not to insist on its amendments in the Land for Settlement Administration Bill and the State Guaranteed Advances Bill, as they did not wish to endanger the measures at ithis late stage of the session, but it .denied it had infringed tue privileges of 'the House.

The Stamp Duties Bill and the King Country licensing Bill pawed through all their stages, and the Council rose at 11.45. HOUSE Or REPRESENTATIVES i __ ! SUNDAY LABOR BILL. ' The House met at 10 a.m. The Labor Bills Committee recommended, that the Sunday Labor Bill be {deferred till next session. AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. ' The Agricultural Committee recommended to the favorable consideration of the Government during the recess the question of establishing agricultural colleges.' Mr. i'owids contended it [would be better to taKe pupils out to farms and instruct them in that way

than to spend large sums of money in establishing colleges. . The report w&b received. , VARIOUS BiLLS. Tile following Bills were read a se:md time.—Masterton Trust Lands !£»• (huge and the Wanganui School Sites. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. On the second reading of the Customs Duties Amendment Bui, Mr. Massey proteated against the increase in taxation, and asaed where this was going to •top. lie went on to refer in tteiau 10 articles upon which duties had been increased, contending that tae two principal industries of the Dominion—milling and agriculture—nad been the chief sufferers thereby. There was no need for the Government to raise farther revenue by taxation this session.

Sir, Joseph Ward, in reply, said Mr. Maasey's remarks seemed to be made for electioneering purposes. lie' he;d that Mr. Massey's figures were misleading. The total amount expected to accrue from taxation proposed in the Bill was £50,000. It was necessary that people should' pay for the extra Service rendered in the way of defence. Mr. Allen replied to Sir Joseph Ward's statements and the debate was proceeding when the House adjourned at 1 pjn.

In the House in the afternoon the debate on the Customs Duties Amendment Bill was continued by Messrs Hemes, £ll and Massey.

The Hon. G. Fpwlde contended that the working classes had received the benefit of the decrease in Customs duties. He denied the statements of the Opposition that the duties to be levied under the Bill would be permanent. They would only be imposed until March, 1911. On a division, the second reading was carried by 43 votes to a.

In the House in the evening in committee on the Customs Duties Amendment Bill, Mr. Maesey moved to strike tobacco out' of dutiable articles under clanse 2 of the Bill. On division the amendment was lost by 44 to 27. The Bill was reported with minor amendments. MR. GILRUTH'S PETITION.

- The Agricultural and Stock Committtee reported on the petition of Mr. J. A. Gilruth, late Chief Veterinarian, for compensation for loss of appoiat--ment in South Africa;'that it had no recommendation to make.

Mr. Herdman gave the facts oi the ease as already reported. The position offered to Mr. Gilruth wae one with a salary of £IOOO or £I2OO, while the Government position held by him had « salary of £BOO or £650. Mr Herdman read correspondence on the subject. One letter was from the Bon. K. MoNab, late Minister for Agriculture, -who stated that the late Mr. Seddon had told him that he had refused to transmit the offer from the Transvaal to Mr. Gilruth out of regard for the interests of New Zealand. This letter was considered by Cabinet on November 27, 1907, and the Government was of opinion that Mr. Seddon was justified in declining to agree to the withdrawal of ft capable officer from the services of the country. Mr. Herdman strongly condemned the uovernment's attitude in the matter, and moved that the report be referred back to the committee for re-consideration.

' Mr. T. E. Taylor (jDhristehurch) had little sympathy with Mr. Gilruth, whose work and methods he criticised. The Hon. T. Mackenzie said it would be useless to refer the report back io the committee as no further evidence was available. The offer of the Transvaal Government to Mr. Gilruth could ;HOt be found on the files, and there was no evidence that such a document was ever received. The Government lad assisted Mr. Gilruth by allowing him to navel at a cunt of £I3OO. thus establishing a moral claim to his sertrice*, and Mr. Gilruth's present position in Australia was equal to that offered him by the Transvaal. The offer most have gone to Mr. Seddon personally, if It had been received at all. After further discussion by Mr. Maskey and other members, the amendment was put and lost on the voices. oui: ■•?. TENSIONS.

The seco;:.! . g of the Old Ag-i , Pensions Ameuuii....i, Bill was moved by I Sir J. G. Ward, who explained the oi- I ject of the Bill, which is to provide for' the owners of homes being allowed Jieneions starting at £340. The ownera of houses at this value will receive fieflsions reduced below £26 a year on * sliding scale, ascending as the value jef the house exceeds £340, until it reaches '£6l '. wlrn the pension ceases. Mr. M.wev said he would support the second reading, and reserve his criticism for the committee stage. Mr. Allen said fie could find no reference in the Bill to tb* property limit mentioned bv Sir Joseph Ward or to a property vatue of £340, and said the effect of the Bill 'would be to make owners of property ten times worse off than they were at present as regards old age pensions. Mr: Taylor (Christchurch) approved the principle of the Bill, which was a valuable concession to humanitarian principles, and he credited the Government with courage in granting the concession at a time when many financial jdemands were being made upon it. Sir Joseph Ward explained the comparative effects of the existing law, and those of the Bill as follows:—Taking a J"v««p value at £2OO, a single person " r-ning the same under the present law v-uld get a £24 pension; under, the v.' Bill, £26; on a house valued at under tte present system £lO. •!■ 'it the Bill, f 26; with a £3OO house] -ingle person at present receives £ll, der the Bill £26. A married couple uresent would receive £l9 each, and 've the Bill £2B ieach. On £SOO pr.i----j «/ at present debarred from a pension; but under the Bill would entitle S single person to £lO and a married , ee»ple to £9 each. The cost of the con v centals would amount to £25,000 a !■ year. Property would be valued on a I 10 per cent, 'oasis, mnrtiwjes being *■>■ i ducted. That is, the value of nropev.v I *wned by persons otherwise eligible for £ ft pension is deemed to produce an i.i- ---£ come of 10 per cent., upon which penP Bwns are calculated. J The second reading was agreed to. f <Jn consideration of the Old Age P.,n----e OMi Amendment Bill.-Mr. Massey said L members did not understand the Bill. K ftnd he asked the Prime Minister if hi' f would have a table printed showin? th« f effect of the slidinj «cnle nronosed nu £ der the Bill in regard to property own; f led by pensioners. K Sir Joseph Ward repl'-l thnt .';< E -weuld have this don", unci '.lie Pi'V £ mirc*£ated anions member?. I On the motion of Sir .T"*cnh Wnr< & '-clanse S v?.« «n as to owlub I" property trnnefei-n.il »n t|,c> p,ii,';, frof *h" nwitinii of the Bill ULiwhich was, rr"or*P'l with nnendmenls ' SECOND HEADINGS. HffiUjfhe followinsr Bills niwsml their »*: Hnifc readin(?s:'-Bare Meeting (Hoi HHBJB!ffibwtir»wNat>ve„ Djstrict R<

safion Smeaamcnf i[Hon.' Millar), Reformatory Institutions, New Zeakiid Society of Accountants and Magistrates Court Amendment (Hon, Fowlds). The House went into committee (n various Bills and the House rose at 5 pm. RACE MEETINGS BILL. ]

Mr. Wright moved that the Bill

operate from January instead of April, ™* tEs was rejected on the voices. Mr. Davey moved to insert a new clause providing that race meotngs \v reduced by 40 days per annum. ThW was inied out of order, mid a motion to report progress in order to obtain the bpeaker'e ruling on the point was carried by 56 to 14? The Speaker ruled that the newclause was not in order, being an amendment of the Gaming Act. A further amendment by Mr. Davy was also ruled out of order on the ground that it was practically the same as the first amendment. The Bill was reported with amendments. WORKERS' COMPENSATION. The Workers' Compensation Bill pawed through committee and was reported without amendment. THE DEFENCE BILL.

The Defence Bill was then taken in committee.

On the motion of Sir Joseph Ward the following amendments were niade:Clause 26, which provided for tukui« over assets and liabilities of volunteer corps by the Crown, was struck out. i new clause, 20 (»), w as added providing for the volunteers becoming territorial forces, and 40 (a), providing for defence cadets and reserve corps ceasing to exist. r °

■ At clause 30, which classifies persons exempt from militia eervice, Mr. Allen moved that medical practitioners be excluded from the list pf persons exempt. The amendment was lojt on the voices.

In respect to the clause* imposin" general liability to training, Sir Joseph Ward introduced an amendment provijmg that boys attending secondary schools shall remain in the senjor caders unfJl they leave school, even if they are then over 18. This was agreed to.