PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 177, 5 November 1910, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the Legislative Council this afternoon the deoate on the second reading of the Commercial Trusts Bill was resumed. The Hon. Beehan alluded to the fisli combine in Auckland, and urged the inclusion of iish in the schedule of the Bill. Tiie Hon. Carr did not think the Bill would attain the object for which it was introduced. The trouble was that there were too many manufacturers. If certain classes of manufacturers combined, they would be able to produce at a lower cost, to the benelit of the consumeh The tendency towards combination was benelicial, more especially in a sparsely populated country like New Zealand. i Mr. Sinclair did not anticipate interference which would hamper the operations of combines, unless the Government were convinced that interference ' would be in the intcnsi, of the consumer. The Bill was one of those thav I depended almost entirely i.pon the way 'it was administered. | The Hon. Wigram thought the Bill i would act chiefly as a notice to foreign combines to "keep off the grass," and ; so would do good. The Hon. J. G. Findlay having briefly replied, the Bill was read a second time. The Stone Quarries Bill was passed. The Opium Act Amendment, Kaiapot Reserves, and Inspection of Machinery Bills were read a second time. The Council then rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Premier announced that he proposed to take the necessary authority this session for the erection of new Parliamentary Buildings. Tenders would then be called for, and the building commenced before the next meeting ot Parliament. The Judicature Amendment Bill (Hon. T. MacKenzie) was read a second time. The Hon. R. McKenzie moved the second reading of the Counties Act Amendment Bill, which was agreed to. Sir Joseph Ward moved the second reading of the Education Reserves Amendment Bill, which was intended to abolish the present method of administering education reserves by means ot School Commissioners. The Bill proposed to place the endowments in the hands of district land boards, who would lease arid otherwise deal with them in. a similar manner to that in which educational endowments were now controlled by them. The second reading was carried on the voices after a brief discussion. The second reading of the Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill (No. 2) was moved by Sir Joseph Ward. It provides for loans negotiated previous to the passing of the State Guaranteed Advances Act, 1909, bping granted under the old system without fresh proceedings being necessary. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. In tbe House in the evening, oil the debate on the second reading of the Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill, Sir Joseph Ward, replying, said that since the passing of the State-Guaranteed Advances Act a sum of £1,239,(501 had been advanced to local public bodies at 3% per cent, throughout the Dominion in less than eight months. Eighteen months ago local bodies could not get money at 6 per cent. Local bodies were now in the position of being beyond the usurer. Apparently, however, some of them did not like it, judging by some of the statements made. He was prepared to consider the proposal by Mr. Mac Donald that small grazing runs should be accepted as security for loafis. The second reading was carried on the voices. The Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill was reported without amendment. NATIONAL PROVIDENT BILL. The National Provident Fund Bill waa taken in committee. At clause 8, Mr. James Allen asked if a person who had become a contributor to the fund and left New Zealand would be allowed to remain a contributor. Sir Joseph Ward replied that persona who joined the fund could Teniain so a 9 long as they kept up their payments. Replying to other questions, he said he could not throw the fund open to persons receiving salaries of over £2OO, as this would mean re-constructing the scale of contribution. Any person of sixteen years and over, could join the fund, which was as nearly as possible making it universal. Mr. Massey agreed that it was undesirable to make the scheme universal at present. In time, compulsory universal insurance would be enforced. The Premier said he was prepared to insert a provision whereby any contributor to the fund remaining out of the country for two years and upwards should not be entitled to any benefits while resident outside the Dominion. He would exempt students and others who left the Dominion for the purpose of gaining knowledge and experience. Clause 9 was amended by adding a' proviso that any person who has ceased to be a contributor may be readmitted on terns fixed by the Board. A proviso was added to clause 15, providing that benefits accruing to a contributor from any registered benefit sqciety shall not be taken into account in paying the contributor allowances in respect o£ I incapacity. ' Clause 18 was struck out, and a new one inserted, providing that no person j shall be entitled to any benefits under the Act unless he satisfies the board that he has not been absent from the Dominion for a longer period than two years, or for an aggregate period of five years, unless in the case of persons who go abroad for educational purposes and remain abi sent for a period of less than five years. The Bill was reported with amendments. The Public Revenues Bill was taken in committee. (Left sitting). 1