PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 77, 21 September 1911, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1911. I LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph —Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Attorney-General welcomed the Speaker (Sir Charles Bowen), who has just returned from a visit to England. The Hon. Callan moved the second reading of the Guardian Trust and Executors' Company Amendment Bill, passed by the House, which is intended to remove certain doubts as to whether the company is empowered to act as a trustee under any deed or will, and also certain other doubts in connection with the operation of the Property Law Act, 1908. The Bill was read a second time. After a brief discussion, in which the Hon. Samuel and others pointed to the necessity of the Government taking steps, to ensure the solvency of such companies, the Hon. Rigg moved to disagree with the Library Committee's report, forbidding the issue of any works of fiction to hon. members during a Parliamentary" recess. The motion was lost by 14 to' 9. The Friendly Societies' Amendment Bill and the Stone Quarries Amendment Bill were Tead a second time, and the Council rose.

HOTJSfe OF REPRESENTATIVES j The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. PURGING THE ROLLS. Replying to Mr. Massey, the Premier said lift had ordered the purging of the rolls to cease to give sufficient time to ascertain if legislation was necessary to deal with the matter. It was beyond all doubt that the rolls would be all right before the -elections. If necessary he would later on ask Parliament to sanction a measure enabling him to put on sufficient officers to ensure that all persons over 21, who had been twelve months in the country and orie month in a district, are on the rolls.

The . Family Homes Protection Bill (Mr. Massey) was read a first time.

An Imprest Supply Bill was introduced by Governor's message, and consideration of it was deferred until the even-AUCIvTjAND-VANCOUVER SERVICE.

Sir Joseph Ward gave notice to move a motion authorising the Government to join witk Canada in establishing a mail service between Auckland and Vancouver, the contract to be for five vean, and payment by New Zealand not to exceed £'20,000 per annum, vessels to be of not less than 0000 tonnage, with first-class passenger accommodation, and fitted with refrigerating machinery, and the journey between the two'ports not to exceed nineteen days. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Minister, replying to questions, said that steps hail been taken, and other steps were being taken, to prevent persons suffering from disease immigrating to New Zealand. All youths who were desirous of proving a claim to exemption under clause 92 of the Defence Act are afforded the fullest opportunity of doing so through the non-commissioned officer of the permanent staff in charge of the area in wluich applicants reside. That of the sum of £2OO voted last year for the renovation of military graveyards and headstones, only £lO had been expended, no applications having been received by the Defence Department from local bodies in this connection. The House adjourned. EVENING SITTING. When the house resumed this evening, Mr. Massey enquired whether the Government proposed proceeding with the Town Pluming Bill. Sir Joseph Ward-replied that it was not intended to go on with a Bill which took the power of control from the Gov-ernor-in-Coimcil.

On a motion to go into committee of supply on the Imprest Bill, Mr. Massey referred to the neglect of the Government to lay on the table the returns ordered, some as far back as last session. . Tliis he characterised as little short of contempt of Parliament.

Mr. Herries asked for some information regarding the five million loan. There was, he said, no information in the Budget. Very little of the loan had 'been converted as far as he .could see. Mr. Buick expressed pleasure that the

Government had decided on the pasteurisation of milk and were pushing on the policy of experimental farms. He complained that the Premier's promise to erect a dairy school at Palmcrston North had not been fulfilled. Mr. Allen referred to the unrest at Tonga, and said the Tongans were looking to New Zealand to set things right. They had asked to be placed under the control of New Zealand, and if New Zealand did not move in the matter, Australia would.

Mi% 'Buchanan pointed to the fact that railway freight charges for sheep were dearer in New Zealand than in Victoria.

Mr. Wright, reintroducing the Chiei Justice's report on the Cook Islands, maintained that the charges levelled against the Government had been proved. Replying to an interjection bv Mr. Glover, Mr. Wright stated that Mr. (Hover iknew more about bookmakers than the matter under discussion.

Mr. Glover pleaded guilty to having once been a bookmaker, and challenged ilr. Wright's ability to rise from the base to the apex as he had. Sir Joseph Ward, replying on the subject to-night, said that nothing that had occurred had lo do with New Zealand and New Zealand could not interfere. He declared that the financial all'airs of tile Dominion compared favorably with •other countries. As to the five million loan, he held that even the Port of London loan of two millions had not done as well as ours.