PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 148, 1 October 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. _ j, t Wellington, Last Night. In the Legislative Council this afternoon the New Zealand Portland Cement Company Reclamation and Empowering Bill (Mr. Thompson) was read a second time. The Attorney-General informed the Hon. W. C. Smith that the official history of the New Zealand, contingents who served in ,the South African War was now in hand, and the question of publication would be considered when the work was completed. lhe Law Practitioners Amendment Bill was committed and progress reported. The Cantorbur ■ College and Canterbury Agricultural College Amendment Bill was puit through the final stages. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. SALARIES OF CIVIL SERVANTS. In Committee of Supply on Class 2, Finance Department, vote £43,375, Mr. Taylor moved to reduce the salary of the Assistant-Secretary to the Treasury ( £000) by £IOO, as a protest against salaries above £SOO being increased, while subordinate officers receive no consideration. Excessive salaries should be discouraged, while there were men earning £.IOO a year, on which they had to support themselves and their families. Sir J. G. Ward said that Mr. Taylor was wrong in assuming that men in the lower ranks of the service were not receiving increases. The Assistant-Secre-tary was doing the work of an officer who had received £BOO a year. Mr. Wilford pointed out that the As-sistant-Secretary was doing additional work, 'consequent on the reorganisation of the Department during retrenchment. It ought to be recognised that a position of responsibility should carry a reasonable salary. He denied that classification was being held back. The work was going on. He deprecated attacks on men who were in hiigh positions. After further discussion Mr,. Taylor's amendment was negative'd by 44 to 16. He moved to reduce tlhe vote by £s',.\ This was lost by 40 to 15. An amendment was moved by Mr. Arnold to reduce the vote by £l. He raised a further discussion on similar lines. On division the amendment was defeated by 30 to 23. Mr. Herdman moved that the totai vote be reduced by £5, as an indication that the House was entitled to more definite information as to economics effected in the public service during the last year. Full details of the men affected by the retrenchment scheme should be given. He suspected that other men had been appointed to the positions of those retrenched, which meant in effect that there had been no retrenchment at all. Sir J. G. Ward said it was unfair to put on record the names of these men to be bandied about to their disadvantage. He "was prepared to give information sufficient to satisfy. any member. The fact that the country's business had increased since the period of retrenchment accounted for the appointments referred to by Mr. Herdman. The House rose at 5.30. This evening Mr. Herdiman's amendment was put and rejected by 28 votes to 21. Mr. Hogan moved that the item be reduced by £1: as am indication that definite salaries should fee allotted to different positions in the public services, and that the increments of salaries should be made gradually from the lowest to the highest position in any Department. The amendment was carried by 28 to 26. The vote as reduce! was passed. In the discussion on the item of £I2OO for rates on Crown lands, replying to Mr. Massey, Sir J. G. Ward said the Government did not propose to pay rates on Government property. The vote passed unaltered. Land and Income Tax Department, £'17,405.—Mr. T. Taylor moved that the Commissioner's salary ibe reduced by £lioio as am indication that some limit to increase o.f salary should be made. He objected to the (haphazard method of maiking increases. Sir Joseph Ward said the salary had not been altered The sum of £ 800 was not excessive for the work done, which was of a confidential nature'.—The amendment was negatived. Mr. Massey moved to reduce the vote by £5 as an indication that the House was not satisfied with the refusal of the Government to supply information in regard to the finding of judges appointed to enquire into irregularities in connection with the work of the Department. Sir Joseph Ward said Mr. Massey was asking an improper thing. If the House carried a resolution fee would not lay , title papers on the table. Somebody else could. There was nothing in the papers that he personally was afraid to see published, but it would be wronj to divulge the private affairs of individuals who hart nothing to db with the irregularities. On division, the motion was lost by 35 to 24. Mr. Taylor moved! to reduce the vote by £ 1 with a view of affirming the desire of the House that a secret committee should be appointed to peruse the reports of the Judges' Commission. Sir Joseph Ward emphasised his determination not to allow the report to be divulged. He was prepared to insert a clause in the Taxing Act empowering the Government to refer any dispute to a committee of the House. This would relieve the Minister of the responsibility. ifr. Taylor remarked that the clause would! onily apply to future cases. What the House was concerned about was the report in the cases now being discussed. He simply desired that the' House should have the riglht to handle its own business. The motion was rejected by 37 votes to 23.—The vote was passed. Post and Telegraph Department, £91.3,-733.—-On the item of £ 37,000 for maintenance of telegraph and telephone lines, Mr. Pihillips moved the reduction of £1 as an indication of dissatisfaction at the impost of 3d per call in the case of suburban subscribers.