PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 82, 27 September 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER. 20. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 2.30. FOUL ATMOSPHERE OF THE HOUSE. Replying to a complaint by Mr. Craigie a 9 to the foul atmosphere of the chamber, and illness of members caused thereby, Sir Joseph Ward said the pressure of visitors to the galleries was mainly responsible and must be stopped. The matter was referred to the Standing Orders Committee to consider. THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. On the motion of Sir Joseph Ward to go into committee of supply, Mr. Laurenson moved as an amendment that the time had arrived when the seat of the Government should be removed from Wellington. Ho contended that the present capital city was not made by nature for the purpose. The amendment was lost by 33 to 22. THE ESTIMATES. A. general discussion then ensued on the original motion. Mr. Massey referred to what he called the unfair distribution of Government advertisements.

Messrs. Merries, Jennings and Okey put old soldiers' claims for consideration, apart from old age pensions.

These references to old soldiers Sir Joseph Ward characterised as "nothing short of political hypocrisy." The magistrate's reports on the claims of old soldiers wouM he shortly laid on the table of the House. The arguments on the subject made him sick, and he never heard such twaddle served up by the Opposition. As to advertisement there were 83 New Zealand papers which did not receive Government advertisements at all, and he believed these papers supported the Government.

The House went into committee to consider the Estimate?.

On class 4, railways £2,37.),000, Mr. Massey suggested that the railway estimates be deferred until the railway committee reported upon petitions now before. it.

.Mr. Arnold, chairman of the Railways Committee, said it wwuld be a fortnight before the committee's report were completed and finished, and then there would not be full time lo discuss the matter.

The Minister said the proper time to discuss, the matter would be idion the Government brought down the Bill to increase salaries, as had been promised. He would keep the Bill back as tote in the session as possible, so that members would be in possession of all available evidence, lie wanted the House and the public to know exactly what the position was. The opportunity for full discussion would come this session. Mr. Herdnitin asked the Minister to say haw it was that railways in the South Islam); <lon't pay, while those in the North Island do pay. He would also like to know whether certain repairs were paid out irf revenue or out of capita). It was uuite impossible to discover from the accounts how much of the alterations and repairs were paid out of capita] or revenue. The House adjourned. FANNING SITTING.

In the Mouse in the evening the vote for working railways was further considered.

Air. Ma s sev asked Hie. Minister for Railways to make an alteration in the present scale of suburban fares.

Mr. Poole a.skcd for revision of classification of freights. Mr. G. Thomson urged ilwi railway tickets should 'be trunsferruble and available any day.

The Hon. A. Miliar pointed out that many of the requests made would result in a loss to the Department. He had been asked to reduce charges and rates and add to the service. Where, he asked, was the money coming from? It was impossible to derive reivemie from the service if such demands wer.e acceded to. He declined-to entertain the propositi to make tickets transferrable and usable at any time. The system in vogue enabled the Department to have a check on tickets which would not otherwise be Uic case.

Continuing. Mr. Millar said the question of carriage of food stufi's on railways would be considered. lie coula give no promise to extend suburban rates to branch lines. He had been asked to reduce charges on hard timbers, but this be could not do, as this class of timber was more than twice as heavy as the ordinary article. There had long been preferential tariff in favor of New Zealand timbers to protect them against imported timbers. Mr. Herdman sought an explanation of the increased cost of maintenance of railways from £220.04 per mile last year to £253.58 this year.

The Minister explained that a great deal of relaying was going on.