PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1915, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph.—'Prow Associatioa Wellington, Yesterday. In the Council today the following Rills were introduced from the House of Representatives and read a first time:---AVost Coast Settlement Reserves Amendment, Native Land Amendment and .Native 1-anit Claims Adjustment, Friendly Societies Amendment, Education Reserves Amendment, Lake Coleridge Water Power. The Counties Amendment Bill was read a first and second time, pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee.

Hon. A. T. Maginnity asked a question in reference to erroneous information being forwarded as to the fatal •wounding of Captain Houlker. Hon. i Sir F. H. D. Bell said the late Captain Houlker was placed on a hospital ship not under control of the Xew Zealand authorities. It was quite impossible to avoid lapses of the kind referred to. He could assure the Council that everything possible was ibeing done for the wounded, but it was not easy to obtain uccurntc information of deaths on hospital ships, and other instances of a similar nature had been reported. The managers appointed to meet delegates from the House of Representatives in regard to amendments In tlie Mortgages Extension Bill reported that the conference had agreed to recommend the erasure of clause 8a from the Bill, and this was agreed to. In the Mining Amendment Bill an amendment was proposed by the Governor making an increase of duty from threepence to sixpence. Hon. S. George ■ strongly opposed the alteration, which was carried, on a division, l>y 20 votes to 4.

An amendment proposed by the Govin the War Funds Bill, with a view to making it an offence for unauthorised persons to collect moneys for Avar funds, was agreed to. The Kauri Gum Industry Amendment Bill passed committee without amendment, and was put through the final stages. The following bills were read a second time:—West Coast Settlement Reserves Amendment, Native Land Amendment , and Native Land Claims Adjustment, Education Reserves Amendment. The • Bills were reported, read a third time, and pasesd. Sir F. If. D. Bell moved the second

reading of the Friendly Societies Bill. The Lake Coleridge Water Power BiU was committed, and a new clause added, giving borough councils power to raise loans, up to £OOOO for the purposes of the Bill. This Bill and the Friendly Societies Bill then passed, and the Council rose,

NEW BILLS. This afternoon the Cost of Living Bill was introduced b\- 'Governor's fil'essage. The Bill establishes a Board of Trade to make provision for the regulation of trade. The Minister of Education introduced the Education Amendment Bill, iixing the number of education districts at nine; and the Minister of Internal Affairs introduced the Public Service Classification and Superannuation Bill. The Wellington City Basin Reserve Bill was referred hack to the Lands Committee, by SO votes to 22. This evening the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Native Land Claims Adjustment -HiR were agreed to. The Prime Minister formally moved the second reading of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill. Mr. 11. C. 131 protested against the practice of introducing intothe ''Washing-up" Bill matters which ought to bo dealt With by local Bills. The Bill was read a second time. Hon. A. L. Herdman moved the second reading of the War Regulations Amendment Bill (No. 2), explaining that the measure was to consolidate all regulations under the War Regulations Act, 1914. He did not say that any of them were ultra vires, but they- intended making doubly sure. The second reading was agreed to, and the Home went into committee on the Bill, which was reported without amendment. The House then went into committee on the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill. The Premier admitted a tendency to go too far with these "washing-up" Bills. For the future he intended to insist upon restrictions which will ensure many of the clauses going before the Local Bills Committee. During the discussion that followed several members protested against local bodies securing the insertion of clauses in a Bill without informing the member for the district concerned. The Premier stated that if nnv member eared to take the responsibility for < voting against any of these clauses he would not object." Clause 0, changing the purpose of certain lands set aside as a recreation reserve to a water conservation area, was struck out. Clause 27, amending clause 20 of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Act, 1914, in the direction of enabling certain local bodies to invest monies derived from the sale of reserves in mortgages, instead of purchasing other lands therewith, was retained bv one vote, a division being called for by Mr. .1. S. Dixon. A division was called for on clause 30, authorising lessees of certain lands in tlie Aroha survey district to acquire the fee simple fit the original value, and the clause was retained by 44 votes to 18.

After the supper adjournment discussion was continued on clause 31, strong opposition being manifested. At midnight the discission was still proceeding, with every indication of it continuing for some time. At 12.15, the I'rnic Minister offered to withdraw the clause, at the same time stipulating that all reference to a breach of faith must also be withdrawn by the opponents of the clause. The clause was then withdrawn (Left sitting.)