PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1915, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL . By Telegraph.-'Presa Assocktio* * Wellington, Last Night. - The Auckland City Empowering Bill and Wellington City Empowering Bill were read a first time. Hon. W. Beehan asked whether Gov* ernraent will take into consideration the advisability of bringing in a Bill having for its object the subvention of Friendly Societies, in view of the fact that iUCb. societies have shown a decrease in mem* bership. Hon. Sir. F. H. Bell said ta« first drop in membership ■ occurred in 1909, before the national provident scheme was adopted. His reply wa» that the Government had a scheme for tubvention in view, but they could not name) a date when it would be introduced, -p

Votes of sympathy with the irtdoif and.families of the late Messrs George Beetham and J. McLachlan, ex-member* of the House of Representatives, war* passed, and the Council adjqurned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE. Wellington, Yesterday; STATE MEJE6. This afternoon, on the motion to print file Mines Report, Mr. Webb attacked the administration of the State Coat Mine. He asked for an investigation l»to the management and urged a protective duty on Newcastle coal. - , Mr. Anderson expressed the opinion that the State mines were not 'paging, and he advocated their sale to relieve taxpayers of an unnecessary burden. Messrs. Colvln and Payne advocated the retention of the mines. The Minister, in reply, said that the mining industry was not going hack, and he could assure members, that the Government quite realised the importance of the industry. The Governmaat had given support to reasonable proposals for aid to prospecting When favorably reported upon by departmental officers, and it was intended to.db al! that was possible to aid in .developing the industry. During the past nVe ye/ws the Government had spent £309,090 in connection with the induetry. The motion to print the paper wa» carried. THE ESTIMATES. ' ; The House then resumed consideration of the Estimates, the figures .for. jtne Defence Department being taken.- pie Adjutant-General's branch, £IBMB7, was under consideration when the Houle adjourned for dinner.

On the House resuming, Mr. Glorer asked the Minister to have some of the' troopships fitted out at Auckland. The Minister said ho would be glad to send a ship to Auckland to be fitted iout there, if practicable to do so, but the Union Company had special facilities for fitting up ships at Port Chalmers, and 1 It was more economical to do it there. In reply to Mr. Hine, the Minister said that non-commissioned officers were selected about a week before Reinfowements sailed.

Replying to other question, the Minis* ter said that Colonel Logan's administration at Samoa was quite satisfactory, and he believed the country would recognise It; that the Trentham Royal Commission had been expressly asked to allot the blame, if any, to the right quarter, but had not done so, and until the Commission's report was available he (Mty Allen), would decline to make any statement; it was proposed to alter i the Act in the direction of giving recognition to the National Reserve; that the cost of painting transports had been X 6773, and repainting £3630; that up to June 30th, £1,055,000 had been paid for hire of transports, and £128,000 was due; that the personal effects of men who were killed were brought back by returning transports, and thence distributed to relatives.

The discussion was carried on by Messrs. Anstey, Witty, Wilford, Field, Hudson, and Lee.

Replying to various complaints, the Mfnister said that if men were sent to; the coast witli steerage passages a mistake must hare been made, In the Uase of married troopers* every effort was made to secure provision for tfhelr tfamilies. Lads under twenty years of | ago weTe not accepted for the Reinforcements.

The rote for the Adjutant-General'i fl ranch, £183,487, was passed, and the nynaining votes. of £10,420 for tile General Staff branch aud £288,358 for the .Quartermaster-General's branch Vere passed without discussion. Customs, Marine, and Harbors, £IBO,920, Vines Department £30,485, and Department of Labor £31,377 were all passed vita but slight discussion, and Lands And Survey, £239,357, also passed.