PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 272, 23 December 1909, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

WEDNESDAY, DECEAIJiICK LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL L>.\ leiugmph.— Association. Wellington, Lanl Nigiil. In the Council in Die afternoon, th" am. mmients made by the limine in tin; -New /calami .Society of AceouniaiiLs liill were agreed to, aud those made in the Court Amendment Uili disagreed with. The following Bills were read a stolid lime and ordered to be eommittvl presently. . The \Van»anui School Sites, Master-' ton Lands Trust Kxchange, Customs Dutie*, Old Age Pensions, Race Meetings. L'rewera Native Reserves, and Workers' Compensation. In the Council in the evening, the amended Kiiee Meeting Bill, to provide that the Minister of Internal Allans slnll from lime to time publish in a lia/.nte the list of licensed racing club*, was put through it* linal .stages Ingrlli'T with all Hills mentioned in tm: , afternoon sitting, i HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES j T!IK DKKKN'CK ItILU I The House, after 2 a.m., went throuyli the committee stages of the Dcfcu.c Hill quickly. The Premier moved--'"That all volunteers shall become part of the territorial force." This wan agreed to, and a proviso was added that the position of the volunteers shall nut bo altered except by their consent.

A motion by Mr. Wright to have no camp within live miles of a bar or a brewery was deieatcd. UTIIER BILLS. The Reformatory institutions Bill was passed through committee without amendment. In the Society of Accountants' Bill the proposal to extend the time for registration was carried. The Magistrate's Court Bill was reported without amendment.

On flie fliird reading of the Ito-e Meetings Bill, Mr. Massey moved that "no club I>e compelled to license bookmakers." The amendment was ruled out oi orde r ,as being an amendment to the (taming Act. 'flic Premier said he would vote against the totalisator and the book makers. The Bill was taken in com mittce, anil put through its final stages Tile House rose at 4.1.5 a.m. THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

The House met at II a.m., when the Premier made a statement re the Timber Commission. He said the Government intended to bring in legislation next session to carry out the spirit the report. Mr. Smith regretted that legislation affecting the timber industry, had not been introduced this session, 1 as that would mean a delay of nine month*, "i'lie millers had been waiting to s.;O what the Government would do before discharging employees, which would now

be done. MR. DINNIE. Regarding the Police Commission, Sir Joseph Ward said the Government cam-* to the conclusion that Commissioner Dinnie's resignation should be accepte-i. He will receive six months' salary. There wns nothing to show that there was any foundation for the charge against Mr. reputation, as it

•v:is Volt the duties of his oflice were of such an important nature and in 'he» interests of the public that thev «hon .1 he onrriorl out without friction. T.h? Deportment would lie for the present under the control of the Under-Secre-tary for Just-ire. It was proposed ultimately to appoint a chief commission *r under llir* Justice Department. Mr. Tavlnr (Christehureh). referring to Dinnie's resignation, said the Commissioner's integrity was never 'n question, but his ability was. In Mr. Waldegravo the Dominion had a lino public servant whoso appointment wou'.d prevent the heart burning that wou-ri have resulted if a police officer hiid been appointed. KATIYE LAXD BILL. Ou the motion of Hon. Gtrrol'l , the; amendments made by the Council in the Xulive Land Bill were agreed 1.0. A message from tile Council was read bv the Speaker, to the efFect that th«» Council, while not agreeing with the reason* put forward by the House for refusing to accept the former amendment, did not desire to delay the Bill, and would accept the same. * But such action was not to be construed as a precedent. PUBLIC WORKS. On the motion of Hon. R. McKenzie. the amendment made by the Council in the Public Works Amendment Bill was agreed to. bills THRoucir committee. The following local Bills passed ilirough the committee stage:—lnanga* hua County Council Empowering, 11a ffcra County, Wairewa County, Kiwitea County, Waipara County, Grey Lynn Domain, Blull' Harbor Board, Inglewood Technical School.

The Gold Duties Bill passed through all its stages. The Ilouse rose at 1 p.m. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In the House in the afternoon, replying to questions, Jlinisters stated that Lord Kitchener has accepted an invita-

tion to visit New Zealand, and suitable arrangements for the inspection of the military forces by him will be made, wheu the date of the visit is ascertained; that the proposals submitted by the Imperial Government to the overseas dominions in regard to the formation of an Imperial General Stall' cannot he laid on the table; that the , Rangatatau block, near Waitotara, wiil probably be opened for selection in February, and the road will be proceeded ■with in it month's time. In reply to Mr, Allen's question asking what action the Government intended to take in regard to Mr, Justice Edwards' remarks 011 the Consolidated Statutes, the Premier states that :c communicated with the members of tlu Consolidation Commission, and he quotes tlieir lette r in reply, which admits the truth of Mr. Justice Edwards' statement that the Commissioners did introduce changes into the Consolidat-id Acts without specially calling attenti-m thereto, Tint held that these were unhn-

portant, and that they had power so to do: also that Parliament had full knowledge of the changes and must lie deemed to have accepted and ratified'the iflion of the Commissioners. The renlv goes on to refer to the specific eas.'s mentioned by Judge Edwards, and the Commissioners explaining and defending their actions in regard thereto. TV ielTer is signed by F. Fitchett and '.V. S. Reid, and points out that, Sir Rolnrt Stout, being absent from the Dominion, is not a partv to the memorandum.

LOCAL BILLS. The following local Bills were passed: liiangahua County Empowering, Waircwa County, Grey Lynn Domain, Tuivcra County, Kiwiteii County Validation, Waipara County, Bluff Harbir Board Empowering, lliglewood Technical School. The following Bills .passed through committee:—Christcluu-eh Drainage aii.l Hutt Valley Tramwav. The Napi.'i Harbor Hoard Loan ifill caused considerable discussion iu committee, and was still under consideration when the Ilouse r osi. at 5.30. In the Ilouse in the evening the following Bills were passed:—Manukau Harbor Board Control and Aucklaud Harbor Board Empowering. Christ- • church District Drainage, Hutt Valley Iramway District, Waitara l!oroii"h Reserves, Napier Harbor Board Loan." Mr. Arnold aslteo extended leave for the Tramway Bills Committee to sit. Mr. Jla«sey and Mr. Taylor (Christcliurcht advised shelving till next session. Sir Joseph Wnrd said the committer should 111-ill!! ill the Bill, and if it proved uenatuhlc it could dropped till next tiessitm. Leave was granted the committee to sit to-night. LAND FINANCIAL PROVISIONS.

The amendments to the Native kind Act and Lands for Settlement Administration Act in regard to their financial provisions were introduced by Governr »r s Message, S' r _J°Geph Ward said uwb-r these measures power was given to raise £.)00,000 from tht» sum borrowed annually under the State Guaranteed Advances Act for the purchase of native lands lands for settlement rpsppp•ct 1 * 10 amoun t raised ostensibly for loans to local bodies wou'd either have <T><» Houhled or the whole I million would he absorbed. In order to get ovc r tile difficulty it \v.\e, proposed to transfer tho borrowing sections from file Rills, placing them in tliGuaranteed Advances Act, a separate department bfeing created to carry out the financial operations of the Native Land Act and Lands for Settlement administration. An alteration had been made fixing definitely at £1.000.000 per annum, the amount to be raised for loans to local bodies and the purchase native land. Instead of making- It subject to a resolution of the House, the actual amount raised annually would have to be reported to Parlia* a .meat, t . w , \

After some discussion, the Speaker ruled that the amendments would constitute an appropriation clause dilic''cnt to what had been agreed to by the committee of the whole House and that three messages from the governor commending the appropriation be ma.le under the Constitution Act. PUBLIC SERVICE SUPERANNUATION. Sir Joseph Wnril moved the second reading ol' the Public Service L'-nsaiiiM-tion and Superannuation Amendment Bill. He briefly explained the provisions of the Bill, which include clauses minting grants of £3OOO to £25,000 respectively to the police and railway supeianimation funds in order to put the .sinio on a sound financial basis. Clause 8. which fixes the maximum retiring allowance at £3OO a year, would be struck out, as it would be unfair to ask a man to pav upon a higher salary thun £3OO and only receive that amount as u retiring allowance. Mr. Allen, while approving of Hie provisions of the Hill generally, regrctt.-d that clause 8 was to be abandoned all') -ether. It was desirable to have a maximum pension of C3OO. arid this J provision should have been on t.ie Statute Hook long ago. Mr. Wilford .supported Die Hill, but asked that the police should be consult ed before further legislation affecting their superannuation fund was int.\>ditcod.

Mr. Herd man asked if the eivil servants a fleeted by the Bill who contributed to the fund were consulted before the Bill was introduced. Sir Joseph Ward, replying, said he could not eee his way to hold over the provisions of the Bill as they affeet»d the Police Department. The Becond reading was agreed to. UIEXDtXfi AND CIOXSOUDATINO BILLS. Bills to amend and consolidate the law relating to native lands, lands for settlement and Stnte-guaranteed advances were introduced by Governor'* Message (these refer to the financial provisions of the Native Lands and Lands for Settlement Bills previously menj tioued).

A discussion of a highly technical jature ensued, resulting in progress being reported to obtain the Speaker's ruling on n poTnt raised by Mr. Massev whether th,e clause which had been previously rejected could be brought down bv Governor's Message for re-considera-tion. The Speaker ruled that this could be done so long as the Bill had not left the House. THE DEFENCE BILL. The Defence Bill was read a second | time, put tlirough committee with | minor amendments, and passed, j The Hold Duties Bill was passed. I (Left Sitting).