PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 133, 23 October 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ,'i By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. PUBLIC SERVICE BILL. The Public Service Bill was recommitted for the purpose of making a number of amendments, all of which were of a technical character, save that in clause 12 it was thought desirable to provide that the Government should inspect departments before the Commissioner entered upon his duties. The original clause provided that the Commissioner himself should inspect the departments. Clause 37, requiring separate examinations to be held for the professional and. clerical divisions, was deleted.

The Bill was reported as amended. THE DEFENCE BILL. Mr. Bell moved the second reading of the Defeuce Bill passed by the House. He said that an effort had been made to meet the difficulties of the religious objector so far as was possible, arid he hoped members would recognise that these objectors could be accommodated with ambulance duty. After a brief dweussiou the second reading was carried on the voices. MINOR BILLS. The Widows Pensions and Taieri Land Drainage Bills were read a second time, and the Council rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met at 2.30. THE IRON INDUSTRY. The Prime Minister moved to fiet up a Select Committee to consider a petition from F. W. Haybittle and Ave others regarding the iron and steel industry in" the Dominion, the committee to consist of Messrs, Craigie,' Eraser, Lee, Malcolm, Nosworthy, McKenzie, Sidev. Yeitch. fl. M. Thompson, Wilkinson, Davey and the mover, and to have power to call for persons and papers, the committee to report to the House within seven days. The Government'had no intention*of introducing legislation on the matter this session, he said, but he understood that some important evidence was available, and would, be put before the committee, The motion wae carried. i- w _.