Parliament.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 116, 9 October 1914, Page 4

Parliament.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8. AFTERNOON Bl'^lOX. Ey Telegraph Per Press Association Wellington Last Night. Tie Council met at 2.30 p.m. FIRST READINGS.

The following Bills were road a first time:—Factories Act Amendment, Taieri La»d Drainage Amendment, Rangi■toika Drainage, and Ilaiiraki Plains Amendment. THE LICSNffINU BILL.

The Council decided to insist apon He amendments to tha Licensing Bill regarding the wine standard, and H»ns. Il«U, Jones and Hardy wer# appointed to confer with tho Iloiue upon the matter.

The Council agreed wilh the amendments made in the Fire Brigades .Amendment Bill. LOCAL BODIES' SUPERANNUATION. Hon. Bell moTed the second reading of the National Provident Fund Amendment Bill. This measure provides the nachinery for local bodies to establish superannuation funds for their employees.

Hon. Beehan eaitl the friendly societies ia Auckland wUlied to have nothing to do with the National Proridunt rund.

Hon. Moore said that if the National Provident Fund' were good for the general public iti should also foe good for the members of friendly societies.

j Hon. Ran' disputed the contention I that the National Provident Fund had done friendly societies harm. He did 'not approve of any limit being fixed in I enhiries for those talcing advantage of I the fund.

Hon. Dtithie said he was glad to hear the views of the friendly societies. ?b----eiaJifltic legislation w;is robbing the people of their independence. In reply, Hon. Bell paid that while the limit of a salary of £250 was fixed with regard to the Government fund, thero was no limit fixed regarding the salaries under the scheme to bo established by n local tody.

The Council rose at '!.">•> pan,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SESSION. ~ • The House met at 2.20 pjm.' RACING PERMITS. In reply 1o Mr. Forbes, who asked on behalf of several country clubs when the permits would be issued under Mr. Hunters' Gaming Amendment Bill, the Premier stated that the Bill was not yet law, and would not bo law for some time.

THE EXPEDITIONARY" FORCE. In reply tioi Mr. MeOallum, the Hon. Fisher said that opportunity, was still being given to members of the Expeditionary! Force to record their votes. " THE MYERS LOAN." I* reply to Mr. Myers, the Premier admitted that there was no difficulty with regard to the conversion of tho Myers loan, which foil due last July. ENROLMENT OF EUOCTORS.

In reply to Mr. Russell, who quoted come Press references with regard to the enrolment of electors in Christchurch, Hon. Fislier said flheir experts had not complained of tho system now being employed for tho registration of electors. It would be found that the rollg were in a most satisfactory condition. INTRODUCTION 01- BILLS.

Hon. Fiehcr gave notice of intention to imtroduce the Legislative Act Amendment, No. 2. Jlr. Pay lie moved for leave to iatro«ut'e the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, and Right to Vote Bill. The measure piovideg that any qualified person whose name ha& hues, left off the roll shall be permitted to record his vote o* polling day.

The Bill was read a first time, THE LATE STRIKE.

In response to the recommendation of the A to L Petitions Committee, on th> petition of Arthur John Dockery, who wag allot (luring the lato strilke in Wellington, the Premier stated that he was Mtififled tlmt the petitioner ivaa not 0110 of -t'he -rioters, anil tho CoTenimmt would be prevareil to givo effect to the recommendations of the committee and tsimburae him for some of tha eipeaso 1o irhich he ihad been put. HAILIWAYS.

Discussing the report of tlie Railway Committee, Hun. W. 11. ll«rrie» sail that ha would be plc-ased to consider the possibilities of extending the privileges of permanent railway, employees to oaßual employees. The House rose at o.SO p.m.

EVENING >SI£>SION.

LOCAL RAILWAY SIULL. Upon the third reading of the Local Railways Bill, &Lr. Witty declared that the measure was a backward step. Thu Opposition d'id not mind tho Government ■borrowing money to build railways, but they did object to big syndicates buildlines and putting up the value of their land to unload upon tlitv people. Mr. McKeiifcie said the Ddl was a haphazard measure, which appeared to have been put together for electioneering purposes.

_ 'M r. Hino said the policy of the Oppoailion wag to deny country people mil ways.

Mr. Vcitch said it was no use for the member for Stratford to say the Opposition was against, settlers gtcl'mg rait ways. They wanted Iho settlers tc have iflilways but they wanted the railways under the control of the Government.

Mr. I'earc.e naid the boa i d set tip the settlors could easily look after the (question of a local railway and see if it were likely to (bo a paying concern. If it did not pay, they would not build

Mr. Russell a'epellud the attempt to ftigmatise the Opposition as bein;; opposed to giving railways to the set'tler,;. They were not. opposed to that police. The only difference was v.hetlier the M-ttlci'S should build railways or whether the Government should build them. Tho Opposition favored the latter method. This Bill was a fraud and a sham, atul had been promoted purely for cloetlonccrmg purposes in Taraiiaki. The fraudulent nature of the Bill was proved t)y the utter inadequacy of its financial provisions. ].f the Uovernmcnt had the jduok llioy wquld bring down a proposal f(> raise a loan of a quarter of a million lor the construction of these district railways, and taJ<o the responsibility of ibuildiag thorn. There would be statosmanakiß and .courage, in tufa a policy, i

Tie Premier i'ie speech delivered" by Mr, Russell waa the most extraordinary speech lie had ever delivered. He' eould not understand the conduct of tha ■■ember for Avon. Mr. Russell had condesned the Bill, and then wound up bf» speech by saying' he would vote lor thtf measure. He would like to Bee thff rates upon thelocal railways fixed at the' same rato aB ou Government railways,He koped in time that all local railways would bo taken over by the Government.The interests of the State were absolute*' ly safeguarded in taking over the railways. In view of the new marketsopened they should give the settlers aw opportunity to get their products To-' the market, ami thus bring more money' into the country. There would be no' difficulty in getting the money required.Mr. MacDonali! contended that it was"' the Liberal Government which had been l responsible for the sound financial posi-' tion of the country to-day. He wa» not opposing tlio Bill. He knew thatthere were lota of roads and railways re' quired in the country, but ail the Go' vernment could do was to say to th» settlers, "Find the money yourselves and hui!d the lira's." Lavish promises had been mad.- of roads, bridges, ami railways, and now, when the Government was called upon to fulfil; thV promises, the reply was, "Find the money yourselves."

Mr. C. K .Wilson challenged any member of the Opposition to show where any j big landowner in Taranaki would benpJt from tho construction of the line. ■ [ Mr. Atmore said the Bill was Only < another instance of the Government shirking its responsibilities. Mr. F. 11, Smith faid the Government had no wish to sjiirk its responsibilities, but it was impossible to find,, the money for all the branch railways required. I Mr. Webb said he was sorry that thepartydid nothing but fleece the wayback cockatoo. There were not half enough railways into tho back country. Mr. Young an id the Bill was a good one, in the intercuts of the small settlers.

Mr. Ell said it appeared to him that an effort was beinpr made to show tha? tho Opposition was opposed to light railways. Tins was quite wrong. He repeated that his side of the House was not against granting settlers local railways.

Mr. Okey said it was amusing to listen to the change of tone in the speeches delivered from the other side. The Government had bo many lines under construction that it was impossible to provide money for the construction of branch lines. Therefore, why not allow tho settlers to raise money and build the lines themselves?

Mr. Bradney said he was prepared to support the proposed policy for the construction of railways. Sir James Carroll said the Govern* mcnt could not find the money to build local railways, but they would not trust tho local bodies. At the same time thejr created new loca' bodies to take up theresponsibility of carrying out railways. Mr. Payne urged that if the House were prepared to do its own financing it could provide ample money to make tnebranch railways. (Left nitting).' I i