PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 110, 30 October 1911, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph —Press Association. 'Wellington, Last Night. In the afternoon an amendment made in thi! House by Governor's message to the Post and Telegraph Bill, was agreed to. The Attornpy-fleneral gave reasons why the Council's amendment in the Workers' Compensation Bill should he insisted on. The Coal Mines Amendment and Taieri Land Drainage Bill were received from the House and read a first time. Hon Sinclair entered an .emphatic protest against Bills being introduced during the dying hours of the session. He regarded it as a travesty on legislation that Bills such as these should be sent down on the last day of the session. Opportunily. he contended, should be given to make full enquiry into conditions surrounding any measure which came before the Council. Hon. Carneross also objected to messages such as these being brought down from the House on the last day of the session. Bringing Bills down as was done was !>. deliberate attempt to force measures through when a number of members had gone away, and it was calculated the balance of members would force the measures through' in their anxiety to get home. Hon. Barr. Jenkinson and Samuel also entered protests. On division the second reading of the Coal Mines Bill was defeated by 11 to 0. the voting being: —Ayes: Sir John Findlay. Hons. Baillie, Rigg, Paul. Beehan, Baldv; and Xoes: Barr, Jenkinson. flilmer. Carncross, Collins, Loughnan, Ar stey, Thompson, McOowan, Samuel, and Sinclair. The Council adjourned until 7 o'clock to enable further conferences to take place on the amendments by the Council in the Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill and the Workers' Conference J Bill. I On resumption the Appropriation Bill was put through all its stages, and the Council, after farcwelling Sir John Findlay (reported elsewhere) finally adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House resumed at 2 o'clock. The House agreed to the report of the conferences 'between the Council and the | House on the subject of the Council's amendments in the" Workers' Compensation for Accidents Bill, and the Native I Land Claims Adjustment Bill. j A Coventor's message was received < striking out the clause in the Mining Amendment Bill referring to contracts. This was <lone on the clause being in conflict with tlie Lien Act. The amendment was carried. A new clause was added to the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill, providing that on the recommendation of the land board of the district that Crown tenants of land other than settlement lands, which have not been opened for selection, subject to the provisions of the Bush and Swamp Crown Lands Settlement Act, 1803, of section 127 of the Land Act, 1908, should be afforded relief, owing to exceptional circumstances over which they have no control preventing profitable occupation of such lands. The Governor in his discretion may by proclamation declare any such section's referred to in the Land' Board's recommendation to be subject to the provisions of section 1-27 of the Land Act, 1908, and may fix in the said proclamation the period for which the land so proclaimed shall be exempt from payment of rent and general rates and exercise with regard to these lands all the powers conferred on him by section 127 of the Land Aet, 1908. The proclamation would be submitted to Parliament within twenty-one date of the date of issue if Parliament was sitting, and twenty-one days after the opening of Parliament if the proclamation occurred during the recess. •

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. It was announced that an agreement had been come to with the Legislative Council on the subject of the Council's amendments in the Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill.

The Appropriation Bill, providing for an expenditure of £5,503,473, already authorised under various headings of the Estimates, was put through all its stages.

Valedictory speeches were made ky Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. Massey, concerning Sir Wm. Stewart. Messrs. La wry, farata, Hall. Graham, Dillon and Phillips, who are retiring from political life. The Prime Minister, on behalf of the House, paid tribute to the Speaker (Sii Arthur McGuinness), the Chairman of Committees (Mr. Colvin). and the officers of the House. The members, Sir .Toseph added, were parting as friends, and he hoped they would return as friends. The session closed at midnight.