Parliament

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 134, 30 October 1914, Page 8

Parliament

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20. AFTERNOON SESSION. By Telegraph.—Per Press Association. Wellington, Lmst Night. The Counucil met at 2.30 p.m. SECOND READINGS. Tho inspection of Machinery Act, Tauniarunui Hospital District Bill, New Zealand Loans Amendment Act, West Coast .Settlement Reserves Amendment Act, War Contribution Validation Bill (No. 2), Friendly Societies Amendment Act, Mortgage Extension Amendment Act, No. 2, and Patents, Designs .and Trade Marts Amendment Bill were al! read first and second times without dis ttission. AMENDMENTS DISAGREED WITH. ' The Legislative Council Bill was received from the Lower House with Eimondmentu. On the motion of the Hon. If. D. Bell I lie Council disagreed with the amendments. ' The House reported that it had disagreed with Hie amendments made in the Education Amendment Act. On the motion of the Hon. Bell, the Council resolved to insist on its amendments. CONTRACTORS' LIENS'. '■The Wages Protection and Contract j era Liens Amendment Bill was further | considered in committee. ■ Hon. Diithie moved tlhe addition of I the following new clause:—Section 4S of the. principal Act is hereby amended by inserting after the word "sub-con-tractor" at the end of the definition of "contractor" the words, "and include? any person who supplies any material i:«ed or brought upon tho premises to be used in connection with the work." I Hon. Bell opposed the amendment, holding that the Bill was intended to be for the benefit of the worker, while the proposed amendment had for its object tllie placing of all sub contractorin a better position than anybody else. ' Hon. DutJhie intimated that in view 'of the opposition of the Leader of the Council lie would not press his amendment, and the Bill was reported with ' .'light amendments to the definition section as moved by Hon. Barr, read a third time, and passed.

LAN® LAWS. Tihe Land Laws Amendment Bill was taken iulo committee, passed, with amendments moved by the Hon. Bel! and tho Bill was read a third time, and •passed. LOCAL BILLS. Tho Roman Catiholic Bishop of Auckland Empowering Bill passed through committee wilh machinery amendments,' and was read a third time and ; passed. Tho Taumarumii Hospital District Bill, West Coast Settlement Reserves Amendment Act, Friendly Societies Amendment Act, Patents, Designs and Trades Marks Bill, all passed through committee, were read a third time, and passed. The Wellington Milk Supply Bill was read a first time, and at. 5 o'clock the Council adjourned until 11 o'clock tomorrow.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The Ilousc mit at 2.30 p.sm RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN .SCHOOLS, Mr. Hindmarsh presented a 'petition containing 0700 names protesting against iho Religious Instruction in Schools Bill. LIQUOR FOR TROOPS IN SAMOA. 11l reply to Mr. h-itt, the Premier promised to make enquiries into the condition* under whitlii liquor was sold to the troops in Apia. A RASIMSS RUMOR. Hon. llerdman, in reply to Mr. Sykos •said thero was no foundation whatevei for tlie rumor tSiat the Government intended to reduce the salaries of all civil servants by 10 .per cent. Sir Joseph Ward made a strong protest against tho condition of the rolls. He was confident that t'ii'O system would result in the disfranchisement of thousands of people. | Mr. M issey «aid that everything possible Iliad been done, ami would bo done, to bring 'the rolls .up to date. I

I TUB lIUXTLY mSAI'STKII. Iton. Fttrser sji'nl 1 ic hoped he would ihi able to lay tlio report u[ the" Iluntl.v Commission upon the table to-morruw, ami the debato on the Ooal Mines Bill on ®riday instead of to-day. Sir Joseph Ward urged tliat a reasonable amount of time should he given 10 read (Jlw report. Jle did not think it wise to take the two debates simultaneously. THE W ORK OF TIIE StiSsilOX. Upon Hon. It. ,Jf. Rhodes noving for Jc.ivh to introduce the Mental Defective,-; liill, Sir ■) (*if-]Jli IWard asked if 1 be Premier would say when lie propos ed to bring the session to a close. Aft or the first reading of (lis liill, JJon. Masiiey said that he proposed to 'bring :tho sflssiou to a close on Saturday if members would assist. ] 1 (i proposed to'deal with the t'ublic Works Fsthnates •that night. anil would contiiilt the Leader of tilio Opposition as to wliut ; time he would go into Committee of j Supply. The Mining liill and the ■ Huntly Commission report would be i taken to-morrow. Tile Washing-up Bill would not be so large as usual. After tho Washing-up and Mines Bills had been dealt with, the Bills on the Order Paper now would be put through. Th; r Supplementary Wstimates would be taken on Saturday. | THE HXPBDTTIONARV: KffiClE. Hon. Allen nrade a statement regai'ding the rumor that there bad been 152 desertions from the expeditionary forces. The force was short of one officer and

152 men. Of tlhcse the greater mimbei had been sent asliore frosn illness, ami 17 were left 'behind, but he did not tliink an}' one of those was a deserter, lie also stated that it was quite untrue that any German spy had escaped from Somes Island. A large number of petitions and committee reports were presented. AMENDMENTS DISAGREED WITH. A message was received from the Legislatire Council, insisting upon its amendments to the Education Bill, and a committee was appointed to hold a conference witlh, the Council on thu matter. A further message was received from the Council, stating tlliat it objected to the House's amendments in tiie Legislative' Council Bill. Tho House decided to insist on its amendments, and a committee was appointed to consider reasons for »o insisting. PENSIONS. The. Pensions Amendment Bill was put through all stages without amendment. SECOND HEADINGS. The Public Works Amendment and Cook Islands Bill were read a tihird lime. EVENING SESSION.

Wellington, Last Night. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. I'IJKIjIC 'WORKS AMENDMENT.. The ]*iiblic Works Amendment Bill was considered in committee. On clause 2, dealing with the restriction of the right to compensation ir, oases where land is taken for purposes of public works, Mr, Russell took exception to it being made retrospective, and moved an amendment to make H ileal only with future cases. Hon. Eraser intimated that he was willing to drop the clause altogether, and this course was adopted, and the Bill reported as amended. COOK ISLANDS'. The Cook Islands Bill was taken in lommittee.

Mr. Glover made an appeal for better political representation for the residents of the Cook Islands. Discussing the proposal to take the Bill through committee in sections, Mr. Forbes protested against a Bill of such, magnitude being pushed forward in the dying hours M the session. Mr. linssell objected to trying to push the Bill through, and moved to report progress, so tliiat the Bill could stand (.vor till next session. The Prime .Minister protested against the insinuations that the Government was tiying to drive the House. If members were prepared to stay another fortnight he would be quite happy, and he asked Mr. Russell to withdraw his motion because the Bill was urgently needed. The motion to report progress was defeated by 35 to 24. Very slo wpiogrcss wa)s made. At supper time, the discussion had not gone beyond the title, 'when, the Prime Minister moved to report progress and asked leave to sit again. This "was done. • PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES. After the supper adjournment the Gouse went into Qommittee of Supply upon the Public Works Estimates. Class X4lll, railways construction and addition to, open lines, £1,400,000 wag still under discussion at 11.30. At that stage Mr. Wilford moved that the vote bo reduced iby £lO, as an indi(ation that the Government had not ma.de adequate provision for the deviation of the 'RimutaJca. incline. The motion was defeated by 31 to 22. The vote of £900.000 for railway construction, arid £500,000 for additions to open lines, totalling £1,400,000, .then passed. Class X-1111, Public Buildings, £538,000, made up as follows: General £IOO,OOO, judicial £45,000, postal and telegraphs £115,000, agriculture £5,000, mental hospitals £50,000, hospital and ekaritable institutions £OOOO, school buildings £125,000, workers' dwellings £92,000, waa then taken. (Left Sitting.)