Parliament

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 59, 30 July 1914, Page 4

Parliament

WEDNESDAY, JULY 29. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. AFTERNOON SESSION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Local Elections and Bolls Amendment, Harbors Amendment, Victoria College, and Fruit Preserving Industry Bills wore read a first time. The Land and Income Tax Bill was put through all its stages, without amendment. THE COUNCIL REFORM.

The Council went into committee upon the Legislative Council Bill. Upon clause 17, defining who may be elected to the Council, Hon. Duthie moved that no person shall be elected who is a member of the House, or who is not thirty-six years of age, or who has not been for at least three years either a member of the Council or of the House in New Zealand; or the mayor of some city in New Zealand; or for at least five years a member of the council of a county or borough in New Zealand. The amendment was defeated by an overwhelming majority, and the clause passed. The Council rose at 5 o'clock. EVENING SESSION. The Council resumed at 8 p.m., when the Legislative Council Bill was continued in committee. Discussion upon the clause giving Maori representation was continued from the afternoon sitting, the Hon. J. T. Paul further urging that clause 20 should be amended to make the Maori representation two. The Council went to a division shortly after 9 o'clock, and the amendment was defeated by 10 to 11. On a further division, the clause was retained by 18 to 9.

The remaining clauses of the Bill passed with minor amendments, and progress was reported at 10.5 p.m., and the third schedule referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SESSION. The House met at 2.30 p.m. In reply to Mr. Hine, the Minister of Public Works stated that Mr. Furkert's report on the light railway system would be printed and laid on the table of the House. In the same way, Mr. Short's report on the road-making system adopted in Australia would be laid on the table.

The following Bills were introduced and read a first time:—Popular Initiative and Referendum Bill (Mr. McCombs), Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland Empowering Bill (Mr. Bradney), Dunedin City (Waipori Falls) Lands Vesting Bill (Mr. Statham), and the National Provident Fund Act Amendment Bill (Mr. Ell). THE LIBERAL SURPLUSES. The Minister of Finance moved to lay on the table a return showing the amount of revenue derived from land sales and paid into the Consolidated Fund, so augmenting the surpluses of the Liberal Government. Sir Joseph Ward sincerely condemned the return as misleading. The cost incurred in connection with land sold should also be shown.

Mr. Russell attacked the Minister of Finance for declaring the Liberal surI pluses to be unsound while in opposition, I and without explanation using them ;n London to assist him in raising ihis loan. Mr. Massey, in reply to Sir Joseph Ward, claimed that the change made by his Government was distinctly a reform in the interest of sound finance. The return showed £1,500,000 having been paid into the Consolidated Fund from land sales during the Liberal term of office, and surpluses had been augmented by that amount. Mr. Isitt declared that political morality had dropped to a very low ebb when the Treasurer could descend to such practices as were described by the member for Avon, and have no better excuse than that "had he done otherwise, he would have been putting a knife to his own throat."

Mr. Forbes pointed out that moneys derived from the sale of lands was not all profit. The cost of survey and roading had to be taken into account. The practice of paying revenue derived from sales into the Consolidated Fund was justified as recouping this expenditure. Mr. Nosworthy explained ttiat he had not consulted anyone before he asked for the return. He ihad not been the tool of the Government. He wanted the information for his own use, and intended to use it with good effect. Hon. R. McKcnzie contended that' eofar from the Minister being able to disparage the Liberal surpluses in London, he dare not go there without them. Mr. McDonald argued that the accounts had all been audited, and if the money had been wrongly paid Into the Consolidated Fund, then it was the system and not the Liberal Government that was to blame. Tie debate was continued on these lines by Messrs Ell, Wittv. Atmore, McAllum and Wilford till 5.30, the motion thus being talked out. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

In reply to questions, Ministers said--It was not intended to introduce legislation this session for the purpose of taking a plebiscite on the question of proportional representation. The result of the deliberations of the Anglo-French Conference held to discuss the working of the condominium in tin New Hebrides had not b.)en communicated to the Government, The introduction of a Bill to amend the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act was under consideration. No intimation of the intentions of tue Imperial Government dispensing with the office of ■ fnspeetoi'-fieneriil 'of (he Oversea Fones had reached the (invent inent. It was not a fact that am arrangement of any kind had been made with the boot manufacturers under the Footwear Regulation Act. The Hill amending the -Pensions Act would he introduced this session, which would contain the intentions of the Government. The Education Committee of the House of Representatives had decided not to continue taking evidence on the Religious Instruction in Schools Bill on Friday, being desirous of pushing on with taking evidence on the Education Bill. FACTORIES ACT AMENDMENT. Resuming at 7.30, Mr. Wilford moved the second reading of the Factories Act Amendment Bill, a measure designed to reduce the working hours of women and children in woollen factories to 45 hours per week. Mr. Okey intimated that he intended to move that the Bill be referred to the Labor Bills Committee, so that evidence might 'be taken as to the possibilities of the mill-owners being able to grant this reform.

On resuming l after the sapper adjourn- ' ment, 'the Premier read a report from the Labor Department, which stated that the concession asked for could not bo given without serious injury to tbo woollen industry. He was personally not versed in all conditions connected with the work in mills, and he favored the Bill going to the Labor Bills Committee. He could not give a definite promise as to the future course of the Bill, but he thought the House should have a further opportunity of discussing the measure. Mr. W. H. D. Bell said it was not a I question of whether the industry could carry on or could not carry on if ttoia Bill were passed. The question wag whether it was a fair thing to ask women to work the hours they were nour working. In his opinion it was not it fair thing, and he was going to support the Bill. Mr. Wilford, in reply, said that if tha Bill were sent to the Labor Bills Committee the Bill was dead. Members must clearly understand that fact before they voted to send it there. The second reading was carried on tho voiceß. Mr. Okey, on behalf of the member for Eden (Mr. J. Bollard), moved that the Bill be referred to the Labor Bills Committee. On a division, the amendment was lost by 34 to 32, and the Bill was set down for committal that day fortnight. The Houso went into committee on the Imprisonment for Debt Limitation Amendment Bill, which passed with formal amendents. The House rose at 11.25 p.m.