PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 145, 28 September 1910, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

! LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the Legislative Council this afternoon the Wianganui Church Acre Bill (Hon. Mir. Osillan) was lead a ss«o»a time and. the Council rose. , HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE VANCOUVER SERVICE. In the House of Representatives Sir J. G. Ward read the following cable received to-diay from bite Premier of Canada in connection with tihe running of ■the Vancouver mail service:—'"ln reference to your letters of 10 th and 20tlh, we are to-day informing the Government of tlhe Commonwealth of Australia that we forthwith notify the contractors tiiat they have the permission of the Government of Canada to make a call en'!' way at Now Zealand under contract. I«m &.4.C that Austral*:- ~ ' .«r a!*) inforrv'A'W .-a.i.-i ;a an.; ...use Canad» im to that front August next New Zealand must be a place of call." THE PACIFIC, CABLE. , Sir J. G. Ward gave notice ito move—"That whereas it has been represented to this House that the Pacific Cable Board desires to construct a deviation of the Pacific cable authorised by the Pacific Cable Authorisation Act, 18 ( J9, and it appears 'to this House that such deviation should toe permitted; thiij House approves, in pursuance of the provisions of section 166 of the Post and Telegraph Act, 1908, of the Pacific Caible Board consfcruating and laying a cable to be used in thiu transmission of messages between New Zealand and Australia in place, if required, of a portion of the Pacific cable at present used for that purpose, the new cable to lie directly between Doubtless Bar and some point in Australia, without touching at any interinediate point."

TOO MUCH TALK. Sir J. G. Ward moved that the Standing -Orders be amended so as to permit new business to be .taken after 12.30 a.m. He referred to the unprecedented delay in carrying on business this session. He had never known a 'session in which there 'had been such a desire to talk until 12.39, so as to prevent new business being dealt with. Fior these reasons, it •was desirable to remove the bar to the progress of business. The Government intended to put through its policy Bills this session. Mr. 'Maissey did not approve of the motion. The Premier could have curtailed the prolongation of the debates had he so desired. Mr. Massey quite agreed that there 'had 'been an unprecedented desire of members to talk up till 12.30 in order to prevent new business being done, but the Government supporters were' responsible for this, Sir Joseph Ward (hiimiself ifoadi been the cGaiief offender in obstructing business. Tile Premier shlould give more details in regard to t(he work of the session, "Policy Bills" was too "vague a phrase. After a discussion in which the motion met with opposition and approval, Sir J. G. Ward," in replying, threw the onus of the prolongation of the financial debate on the Opposition, and declared he (had never seen the Opposition so badly led; He denied that he (had personally wasted time, and said the whole potay 0 f the Opposition was to indulge in grumbling and delay. 0 On division the motion was carried by 31' to 25. . ' VARIOUS BILLS. Tfhe following Bills were read a third time and passed: Butt Railways Amendment, 'lmmigration Restriction, Tobacco Amendment. Ifoe House went into committee on tlhe Aid to 'Public Wor,ks and Land Settlement Bill. Mr. Massey asked the Premier if he would givia details of 'how the inoney was to be appropriated for the purpose® of the Bill and if it would be expended as was usual. OIL FIELDS. Mr. Wilford asked if the Minister would consider the question of including the oil -1 fields in the scope of the Bill. These 'h'e said, oughit to be safeguarded from monopolists. Replying to Mr. 'Massey, Sir J. G. Ward, said the schedule of the Bill would 'be included in the Puiblic Works Statement, which was the proper place for it. Goldfields would also be dealt with in the Public Works Statement. These matters could not be dealt with in the Loan Bill. Replying to Mr. Wilford, ilie agreed that the development of oilbearing fields waa an important question. It would require special legislation. Whetf this was introduced the matter could be dealt with. Referring to telephonic extension, fee ,was not prepared to place larger sums on t'he Estimates for this purpose unless local bodies were prepared to assist in finding part of the monej* necessary. The House rose at 5.30 p.m.

THE RAISING OF LOANS. This evening, in committee on the Aid to Public Works, and Land Settlement Bill, Mr. Alien asked for details regarding the raising of loans and tihe cost thereof. Sir J. G. Ward said it was impossible to accede to the request of Mr. Allen". Mr. Musaey again protested against the passing of the Bill without specific details being given -in the schedule as to railways on which the expenditure was to be made. He moved that the word "following be acteled to t'he schedi ule in the first line, reading, "In respect of railways." iSir J. 'G. Ward said before tlhe lines could be specified, it would be necessary to have tihe Public Works Statement before the House. If the amendment were carried it would ibe necessary to defer the Bill till the Authorisation Bill was carried and the Public Works Statement dealt with by the House. , The chairman rules the amendment out of ordfcr, on the ground that it amounted ■ to an alteration of the schedule. I Mr. Massey disputed the ruling, and moved that progress be reported in order to obtain tiie Speaker's ruling on the'

point. On division, the mot'on was carried by 34 to '24. On the Speaker assuming the chair, he ruled that t'he amendment to the ached-i r.le was in order, as it applied to railways authorised by the Act and only purported to describe railways upon which money was to be spent. The House went into committee and Mr. Massey's amendment was lost by 39 to 24 and! the schedule passed. 'STATE GUARANTEED ADVANCES. T!h« State Guaranteed' Advances Amendment was taken in committee. Replying to members, Sir Joseph Ward said that he proposed to add amendments to endorse tihait those local public bodies who had given effect to the requirements of existing Loans to Local Bodies Aot should be able to obtain loans under the State Guaranteed Advances Acit. Mr. Ross criticised clauses 10 and 11, dealing with advances to settlers and workers on the ground that insufficient time was given to repay small loans. He moved to delete the word "settlers" from clause 10, and the deletion of clause :i, which applies solely to loans to sett tiers. Sir Joseph Ward mH the chiuse was meant to grant loans to m<m who wished advances on slaib h.its or fencing, which would not have a long lease of existence. Replying to further criticism, Sir Joseph Ward pointed out that workers' homes in the country were in a different category to those in the city. The isolated nahvre of the former rendered it a much less advantageous uritv. Consequently it could not be 'ilaced on the same footing as eitv ihomes. (Left sitting.)