PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1915, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. HON. J. ALLEN ATTACKED. By Telegraph.—Piesa Association. Wellington, Last Night. When the Council met at 8 p.m., the Railways Improvement Authorisation Bill was introduced and read u second time.

On the motion for the second reading of the Defence Amendment Bill, Hon. .1, Barr attacked the administration of the Defence Minister, He condemned the Trcntham camp arrangements, and said that Ministers had not risen to the occasion, lie referred to the bitterness caused by the establishment of the Lord Liverpool llegiment, and' challenged the appointment of a special newspaper correspondent. He asserted that Colonel Ilhodes' mission would be futile, and lie spoke of inefficient mpn at the head of affairs. He said the countv had to look to these men for guidance. Hons. W. Baillie, W. Hail-Jones, J. ■McGibbon, and B. Moore defended the Defence Minister. Hon. Sir 1\ li. D. Bell said the Minister had devoted himself day and night to the service of the country, and he doubted whether any ordinary individual could estimate the amount of work the Minister had undertaken. He had not been obstinate, and as far as time had allowed he had shown every attention to suggestions made. Then there were matters 'of which .the Minister (Mr. Allen) could not speak, that is, the commendation that had been given the work of the Defence Department b>- the Army Council. It was necessary, when so strong an attack was made, that one who, like himself, could speak from personal privileges, that lie should state what his convictions were. It was impossible for him to do more, owing to want of time, than merely defend his colleague. He moved the second reading. I'iic amendments made by his Excellency in the (laming Bill were agreed to, on a division, uy 12 to fi. The follow.iig Bills were rend, reported from committee, and passed the final stage's: Railway Improvement "Authorisation, Legis'ative Council Amendment, Public Servcn Classification and Superannuation Bill (No. 2), Rating Amendment, Shops anil Offices Amendment. Amendments made by the House of Representatives iu the Reserves and Oilier Lands Disposal by I'nblic Bodies Empowering Bill were-agreed to, and tlie Council adjourned at 11.35 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, RE PURS TO QUESTIONS. Tlio House met at 2.30. Replying to questions, the Minister a' Defence said that all cases of men with varicose veins were not rejected, but if c.ises could not be successfully opmtctl m they were not accepted. Sir Joseph Ward made 0 compaiul : v,> statement of the revenue showing an increase of £70,000 in the year ended .September HI), 1915, as against the previous year. For the six months ended September, the timber increase was' .-£77,1311 over the similar period kit year, and for (ho month oi September a decrease of £1503. lis explained that the decrease was due to large payments made in the previous month as the result of withdrawals from bond to escape Budget proposal.;. We simply got lvveuua in advance. '

SECOND READINGS. The second reacting of the Railway Improvement Authorisation Rill was carlied without discussion. 'I hp Kill uuih- ' vised certain railway improvements, and reclamation works in Auckland harbor. ■ The Hon. Jas. Allen moved the second reading of the Defence Amendment Rill, providing for the extension of the War Pensions Act to members of the Expeditionary Forces while in Nov Zealand, and for recognition of the National Resorye. Messrs. MoCombs, Webb, and iPayne described the measure as half-hearted, and they especially opposed the provision that the pensions board shall take into consideration the fact -that death or disablement occurred in New Zealand.

In the discussion that followed speakers contended that relative 1 ! of men who 'lie<l 01 were disabled in New Zealand were entitled to participate in the Pensions Act with tile relatives of those M ho died in battle.

Mr. Allen explained that the clause was left somewhat indefinite (o enable the pensions board to deal with ear-ii ease on its merits. He hoped that some reciprocal arrangement might be made with England and Airstralia as to the payment to widows of soldiers who had belonged to those countries. The Railways Authorisation Bill was considered in committee, and reported without amendment.

The Defence Amendment Rill passed the committee stage with one or two slight amendments. The, New Zealand University Amendment Rill was committed without 'Wide, i'.nd the three Bills passed their final stages. The Premier moved the second reading ot the Legislative Council Amendment Rill, postponing the coming into operation HI September, 11)17, with the necessary Deliberation Rill introduced in accordance with an .arrangement made when the National Cabinet, was formed, ihe Rill passed the second reading without discussion.

Th'- Public Service I'lassilleation :\;ul SupoJ aiimitttion Hill was also read a second time without discussion.

The Rating Amendment Kill was lvud a second time, after some objection had been shown.

MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS RIIX. The adjourned debate on the Munici|ial Corporations Amendment Uiil was jnovt taken. The Minister explained thai 11k- disputed clause heaving on the Wei ii r>gton municipal leases was (o he Withdrawn. He intended to ]iTace a clause in the Washing-up Biil postponiiiiC new assessments until after compreheusiu> legislation dealing with the whoie question of valuations of local bodies' leases had been disposed of. Valuations made under that new legislation would to retrospective. The proposal was agreed to on the voices. The Shops and Offices Bill was read a second time. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. WASHING UP. The House resumed to-night at 7.30. In committee the Legislative Council Amendment Bill anil the s hops and Offices Amendment Kill were passed without amendment. The Public Service and Superannuation Amendment Hill and the Rating Amendment Hill were passed with amendments moved by the Minister. All Bills were then passed.

An amendment to the Gaming Act, introduced by Governor's Message, and. transmitted to the Legislative Council for Amendment, grants an extra day's racing to the 'Wellington Club, and provides for the repeal.of the Act at tlm end of the war. The House went into Committee of Supply to consider the. Supplementary Estimates, but as no copies were available the House adjourned to the ringing of the bell.

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. When the House resumed at fl.S.'i p.m., the Supplementary Estimates came under review. The following amounts vere voted under special Acts: Legislative departments', £l7i>4: for Department (if Finance, £4000; for Post and jejegrcph Department £lull; for Working Hallways, £3314; for Public Buildings, £457 i; Native Department, £764; icr Mines Department, £238; for Defart of Internal Affairs, £30,520; for Defence Department, £578; for Customs ami Marine, £5308; for Department of Labour, £534; for Lands and Survey, £8843; for Department of Agriculture, £0172; for Education Department, S. iSOS, for State Forests, £1831); for Scenery Preservation, £804; for Land ior Settlement, £740; for Public Tuistee's Account, £4325; for Governn cut Life Insurance £000; for State Fire Oftice, £47-5; for Native Land Settlement, £'2Oo; for Public Works Fund, £30,311; Land for Settlement Account. £2OO. The total estimates, amounting to £538,741, were passed in an hour, and Mnauthorised expenditure amounting to £lßi\sHß Is 8d was also passed without cominrt. Resolutions from committee were •greed to and the House rose at 11.3(1 {.in., till 10.30 to-morrow morning, when the Appropriation Bill will be passed,