PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1915, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. NEW BILLS PASSED. By Telegraph.—'Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Local Elections ('Proportional Representation) Act, 1914, Amendment Bill was read a first time, and the following Bills- were read a second time: Hutt Road Bill; Local Railways Amendment Bill; Sale of Food and Drugs Act Amendment Bill. These Bills were reported from Committee without amendment, read a third time, and passed. In speaking on the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, Hon. J. Barr complained of the laxity in carrying out the provisions of the main Act. He sp|cially alluded to complaints of short weight in bread, and urged a strict analysis of all liquors sold. Why allow the people, he asked, to be poisoned owing to faulty administration of the law? This apathy was not creditable to the department which claimed to act on the initiative of its officers, and not wait for complaints before taking action. COOK ISLANDS BILL. On the motion for committal of the Cook Islands Bill, Hon. 0. Samuel mads a lengthy statement in opposition to the measure. He allaged the cost to New Zealand was now £7OO per year, am} under the proposed Bill this amount would be increased threefold. The Council resumed at 8 o'clock, when the Cook Islands Bill Was committed and read a third time, on division, by 18 to 2, and passed. The Land Transfer Act Compilation Bill was read a third time and passed, and the Council rose at 11 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. PETITIONS. , Wellington, Last Night. The A to L Petitions Committee, in reporting on the petition of W. .T. Monaghau and five others, who prayed that they be granted a Maori war medals and recommended that the petition be referred to the Government. Mr. Jennings explained that there were many men claiming medals who h'ad never been under fire, and were therefore not considered eligible for medals. Personally, he agreed with that view. Mr. T. W. Rhodes took a contrary view, and held that those who came for. ward at a time of war should receive recognition whether they had been under fire or not. Mr. E. Newman supported this view and welcomed the opportunity of doing justice to some of the veterans who still survived. The report was adopted. A lengthy discussion took -place on several petitions praying for compensation in connection with property lent to the Hamilton branch of the Farmers' Union during the late strike, and subsequently lost. The A to L Committee recommended that the petitions be referred to the Government for favorable considerable, and careful enquiry into the equity of the claim. Members of the Labor Party opposed payment of any compensation in such cases, alleging that one of the petitioners was worth anything from £40,000 to £50,000. On a division the petitions were referred to the Gownmeut for considera- ■ tion, , .•■•-- - ■ ■ !

In the evening, the Mining Act Amendment and Kauri Gum Industry Act Amendment Bills wetfi introduced-iby Governor's Message and read ft Erst time. TAXATION BILLS NEXT WEEK. Mr. Massey said that the taxing Bills will be brought down on perhaps, Monday, but certainly not later than Tuesday. When they were disposed of he would be in a position to make a statement regarding the remainder of the business. Ministers were , not Jess anxious than anyone else to bring the session to a close, for the reason that most important business was awaiting them during the recess. NEW BILLS TO COME FORWARD. The Minister of Internal Affairs gave notice of his intention to introduce on next sitting day, the Gaming Act Amendment, and Auctioneers Act Amendment Bills; Hon. Dr. MeNab of intention to introduce the Prisoners' Detention Bill and 'Prisons Act Amendment Bill; Hon. Mr. McDonald of intention to introduce the Dairy Industry Act Amendment and Coal Mines Act Amendment Bills. MILITARY BILLS. The House then went into committee on the Military Manoeuvres Bill. The Minister of Defence said it was the intion to compensate for any damage to property taken temporarily under the Bill. The Minister added a sub-section, providing that twenty-four hours' notice in writing be given to an owner before any land is occupied under the BUI, which then proceeded without further amendment, was read a third time, and passed.

The second reading of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Bill was moved by the Premier. He said the land to be utilised for this purpose would be either Crown land or land purchased under the land for Settlement Act. There was some land in the Hutt, some north of Auckland, and some in Central Otago very suitable for the purpose. It would be necessary to assist some of the soldiers with funds, and £60,000 was set aside. Clause 10 provided that any land included in.the, National endowment and used for settlement of soldiers could not be sold at any time. The Bill had been generally approved by the Lands Committee, and, in his opinion, was a very necessary piece" of legislation. Mr. G. Witty congratulated the Government on the introduction of the Bill but doubted if £50,000 set apart to assist the soldier" settlers was sufficient. Dr. Newman expressed the opinion that the provisions of the Bill should not be confined to soldiers and sailors, but should be extended to the noble band ofwomen who had 'gone to the front as nurses.

Mr. Hudson urged the exercise of the greatest care in the selection of land occupied under the Bill, especially if the land was to be used for fruit growing. Mr. Jennings welcomed the provision which prevented a soldier settler getting in the hands of a speculator, and Mr. Webb thought the present an excellent opportunity for some large landowners to offer blocks of good land near railways for settlement.of returned soldiers. Hon. A. L. Herdman explained the mode of working the new department of which he had charge. Speaking of the control of patriotic funds he expressed an opinion in favor of unißcation in administration, but said the Government had no intention to use compulsion to force patriotic societies to come in under the War Funds Bill or under' Mr. Skerrett's scheme, but it was the desire of his department to get into close touch witli those organisations so as to prevent waste in arrangement of the funds. Speaking of the operations of the Returned Soldiers' Information Department, he said so far they had records of 1047 returned soldiers. Reports were being obtained on 230 men, while no reports were yet to. hand regarding 415. The number who said they did not want departmental assistance was 82, the number who would re-enlist was 21, those who required help were 35, those unfit for work 60, classes under e'nquiry 30, those receiving attention 35, those helped so far 10, situations offered 11, other offers 10. So far circulars had been sent to 488 local bodies and 09 patriotic organisations. He hoped to have in the office three registers, those who had gone ont, those who returned, and those for whom employment had been found. Regarding patriotio funds collected, his information was that the total aggregated £405,207. The debate was continued by Messrs. Buddo, Field (Nelson), Anstey, Okey McCallum, Harris, McCombs, and B W' Smith.

Mr. Massey, in reply, said land for the purposes of the Bill would not all be purchased in one part of the Dominion, and the Bill was read a second time on the voices.

The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Law Practitioners Amendment Bill were agreed to and the Bill was read a third time.

The Premier moved the second reading of the Census and Statistics Amendment Bill. He explained it \vas supplementary to the National Register Bill, passed last night, and enabled the Government to collect a great deal of information useful in war time. The Bill was read a second time, and the Destitute Persons Amendment Bill was read a second time without debate.

The third reading of the State Advances Amendment Bill passed without debate, and the Houee then went into Committee on the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Bill.

The Bill was passed without amendment, and the Census and Statistics Amendment Bill also passed through the committee stage without amendment'.

The Lights on Vehicles Bill whs committed, with one small amendment, and the Factories Act Amendment Bill was passed through committee with the addition of a new clause providing that the Bill should nut come into force until six months after the declaration of peace. All the above Bills were put through the committee stage, read a third time, and passed.