PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 166, 22 October 1910, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. I Jiv Telegraph. ■ I'ress .v>>»n-iatinn. \\ ellinylon. Last Niglu. In the Legislative Council this 'afternoon, the report of the managers ol' both iiousos on tile amendments made by the House iu the indecent Publications Hill were agreed to, lJr. .b'indla\ pointing out that only two alterations hud been made, namely, in the prosecutions for distributing an• indecent document. Defendant will be permitted to show that lie had 110 reasonable means of knowing the document was indecent, and 11 clause giving a constable power to arrest without warrant, is deleted. The Uamaiu Harbor iioard Enabling Hill was read a third time aiid passed. The Attorney-General moved the secono reading of the btone (Juarries Hill, which was agreed to on the voices. in committee 011 the liner Hoards Dill/ clause -J, extending tile time for making claims for compensation, was .struck out. Un the motion of the Attoniey-Ueiierai the Hill was reported with amendments. The Animals Protection Hill was taken in committee. At clause 7 (removing protection from hares, weasels and sLoataj, a proviso was. inserted giving tlie Governor-in-Uouncil power, 011 lilt recommendation of the Minister of Agriculture, to suspend, within any specilied area, tile operation of the section w'itu respect to weasels, stoats and hares. A new clause was inserted on the mo tion of the Attorney-General, providing a penalty up to £2O for destroying indigenous birds, or tiieir eggs. The Bill was reported as amended, ana the Council rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House mct*at 2.30 p.m. DEifEiNUE DEI'AIiTMJfiiNT (JIUTJOISED.

i la CominiUee of Supply on tlie JJefonce Department ( X21(i,400), Mr. Taylor (Christchurch) moved to reduce the lirst, item, £(>2i> (salary Of till! Chief of the General Stall), by £IOO, ;i.s a protest against any defence officer being paid a higher salary thuu a schoolmaster. Replying to Mr. Fislusr, Sir J. (J. Ward said the Chief of the Genera) Stall' wuuln' remain in that position after the arrival of tlie Commandant, being the second executive officer. The linanec member oi 1 the Council of Defence would also be retained. The fact that the Council 01 Defence was to be abolished did not do away with) its work, which was being well done. The position of InspectorGeneral was vacant at present, and would not be filled till the Minister had Conferred with the new Commandant oj tlie Forces (Brig.-lien. Godley) on the subject. » Replying to Mr. Taylor the Ministei said the senior o'lficers were being paid very much lower salaries Ulan those recommended by Lord Kitchener, and it would be impossible to get men to fill the higher appointments unless adequate salaries were paid. Mr. Taylor contrasted the treatment, accorded to railway servants in the matter of travelling allowance, with that granted to defence officers. In regard to house allowance, he animadverted on the conduct of defence officers in the House during such discussions, saying that they sat behind tlie speakers "grinning like Cheshire cats," and almost took part in the debate. Mr. Allen took exception to this remark, which was disrespectful to the officers. The amendment was lost by 54 to 8. Mr. Hogg moved to reduce the salary of the Director of Military Training (£GSO) by £SO, as a general protest against the high salaries. The amendment was rejected on the voices. Mr. Taylor (Christchurch) moved to reduce the salary of the staff officers to the Chief of Staff (£325) by £25, as a protest against increases being made, the merits of which the House had no means of knowing. Mr. Allen supported the amendment as a protest against staff officers being kept at office work and not allowed to equip themselves for the work of officers. Mr. Taylor (Christchurch) moved that the next item (£330), the salary of staff officer to the Adjutant-General be reduced by £25 as an indication that, in the opinion of the committee, no member of the Defence Force should be employed as a servant by another member of the force. The division resulted in the amendment being lost by 51 to 13. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. HARBOR DEFENCES. In the House in the evening on the permanent force vote, Mr. Taylor (Christchurch) asked what Lord Kitchener had reported in regard to harbor fortifications. The common impression was that Lord Kitchener had reported that these were obsolete. Sir Joseph Ward replied that he could not disclose tlie nature of the report, which was confidential, but the Govern meiit proposed to do what was necessary in regard to the harbor defences. MA.I&R HUGHES' SALARY.

On the Territorial Force vote ( .1:83,230), Mr. Allen moved to reduce the item of £357, salary of the officer eomiminding at Nelson, by £lO, as an indication that the officer holding that position (Major Hughes), if paid for doing work, should do it. Mr. Allen said this officer was now at Home on full pay, where he was receiving a course of instruction at the Dominion's expense. This was the sort of ! thing the House should not put up with. Mr. Fisher said that Major Hughes had been away from the Dominion foi two years, lb' hoped the Minister would lay the papers relative to this officei on the table, so that the House could see why he had obtained leave of a.bsenco, and why he, had been paid foi the.two vears which lie had been absent. Mr. Hughes did what he liked when in this country. ITe had obtained leave to go to Australia in connection with his marriage, but desired to go further afield, and dictated his movement to the Department, who endorsed them.

in (lie Dominion this oll'ieer was a "social put," and li(! seemed to be one still; otherwise lie could not have done what, he did. Oh a division the amendment was rejected by 39 to 22. TRAINING CAMPS. Mr. Ling moved the reduction of ;i vote of .CIO.OIH) for training camps by CI, as an indication that better provision should be made for volunteers when in camp.