Parliament

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 94, 16 September 1914, Page 4

Parliament

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15.. "• AI'TEOXOON SESSION'.. By i'fclegru.ph• —fiese Awtoeituion, Wellington, Lafrt Might. ; The Council met at 2.30 p.m. '1 he Statutes Hevision Committee re. Torted the Imprisonment for ilfcbt Limitation Amendment, J.and iAgents . Amendment, and Local Elections Pro- > ponional Voting Bills, without ameniiIhe Council lose ai 217 p.m. " " HOUSE OF REPKBSEN.TATIVKS. 1

EVENING SESSION.. [ •The House met at 7.30 p.m. ' 1 In reply to Sir Joseph Ward. Uw Minster for Mines said the law provid, ed for a tribunal being set up to eiv fluile into r,udi disaster as had occurrid trt Huntly, and the Government weald do its duty m tiat connection. Ho had obtained the services of on» of the highesti mining experts in Euroua to report on the mine, and hoped ti lay his report before the House at an. early date.

In reply to Mr. J. C. Thomson, Hj.i. inaser said that if tho regulations provided that the enquiry should be onea to the Press, it would be open. In reply to -iYCr. Witty, the Minister for tiiud ho would whether twio canteen contracts amounti»g to £4BOO bad been Jet in connection witih two troopships leaving with tlr* Clutter bury contingent In reply eo Mr. Ilusse.ll, Hon. F, Jr. B. Fislie.r said tike expeditionary forc» poll would remain open till every man had recorded his vote.

Sir Joseph Ward aaked the I'remie* vmrther lie w<ia prepared to iatnoduc* legislation (Pajicelling G«iMia<n pa tent a in tho Dominion. Tlie Premier said the matter had foeen under consideration, and they wcr« in communication wit>b the Imparial ail- 1 .thorities on tlhe point. Mr. Hanan asked the Prime Ministe* whether ho did not think it deairabU in the interests of -tsi o Umpire that New Zealand should follow the example ol Canada and Australia and coniine th« fxjjortat.io-ii of food supplies to Great, Britain and other British possessions. Tie Premier said he waa doing as uruch. in this way a3 'lie considered necessary. Exception had to 1m mad# in the ease of some of the South Sea Wanda, which were dependent oa New Zealand for their supplies. Certain contracts lad also been entered inta with Amarimn firirw, and it had not keen thaugjut advisablo to interfere with these. Tho matter was, howeveJ'. beina watcSwsd. '

A Bill was introduced by Governor's Mofsage to provide cover against mar. inc war risks. Explaining the Bill, tli# Alttoraiey-General pointed out that after tho war had broken out great diffirnlty had been experienced in getting insurances upon cargoes. The Government had arranged with the Imperial f/0 vern;iK'n» for insurances on produce in troopships up to £13,000, and the Bill proposed to validate this action. Tin Bill also proposed to give the Government power to insure gold exported- to Australia up to £IO,OOO. They also pro* posed to ask for power to insure small to the Old Country up to £SOOO. Sir Joseph Ward said iho doubted iJ the Bill wiould effect its purpose. lit liad repeatedly drawn attention to th« matter at the outbreak of tho war, Lui he could get no satisfaction from ill# Government. In the meantime tho Kaiptaro had Ibeen wuitk. If tho shippers by that vessel had waited for the Govern* n«nt, they would have lost their coilgigrniwffltß. We ought to have done whafc tlhe Brdtaah Government had done, and ( taken some of the risk ourselves. Th« MW of foOOO on one vessel was tod small. It' was of vital importance to teej «ur export trade going, but this Bill would not help tw do bo. Mr. Mussey, replying, said the large* shippers could get tho benefit of tlia Imperial war ri-iks, but this Bill was desired to aid small shippers. It might (be true that the limit of £SOOO was too lew, ibut that was a committee objection, and did not affect the principle of tiho Bill, for tho introduction of which the Government ought to receive ■tho approbation of tho II on so instead of wiping criticism. The War Risks Insurance Bill was then read a first) time.

After discussing tboi date of the gem cral elections (reported elsewhere), ttf [ House proceeded to consider the Estimates, the item £1C7,980, for the Lands Department, being taken. The vote was passed. The next section, £14,119 for miscellaneous services, was then taken, awl fatter considerable discussion raised iby Mr. Veitch upon the item of £OOO as Eompensntion to th« Mana-watu A. on J P. Association for acquiring land, was finally passed. Valuation Department, £33,201, was agreed to, and tlhe total of £243,316 unaex elaes 13 was passed 1 . The Agriculture, Industries, and Com- , oiefeo total vote of £216,072 was passed f and progress reported. The House adjourned a't 12.40 a.m. BBfiil 7.30 p.m. to-morrow.