PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 July 1916, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,, I STANDING ORDERS SUSPENDED. 1 By Telegraph.—Press Association, Wellington, Last Night The Council met at i.lid. , Oil (liu motion of lion. Sir F. Bell, it i was resolved that the Standing Orders lie ssupended for the remainder of tlie ; session to allow Oovermnent Hills to i pass nil stages at one sitting; also to allow local liills. after being reported [ from the Local Bills Committee, to pass the remaining stapes in one day. . The i.and and Income Tax Bill was , lead n first time. , The Council rose at 2]30 p.m. ; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ; REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. The. House met at 2.30 p.m. ' Replying to questions, Ministers sa!d: The Government do not see their way to introduce legislation in the direction of providing for the -continuance of the House of Representatives for live venrs, in lieu of three years. The Government will make an announcement with regard i to extending the term of the present Parliament in ease of the war not com- . in? to an end m the nr-nr future. It was , not intended at pre.-ent to introduce a ■ tax on amusements, as under 'die pro- ' posals contained in the Finance Bill a 1 large amount of revenue would he drawn • from owners and lessees of this class of business. Ik is not practicable to provide carriages for the whole o! the troops i travelling between Wellington and the i Uppei Hntt. Samples of liquor have > been taken from 'licensed houses in Wellington, but the report of the ana- ■ lyst has not yet been received. The (io- ' vernment do not consider it Advisable 1 to invest money in shipping at the present time. On the motion of Hon. Merries, Messrs I Marnier and Smith were added to the Railway Committee. Yh? Minister explained that as a special case was coming before the committee, it was desir- ' able to strengthen the committee by members having u knowledge of the working of timber. This course bad been agreed upon between himseif and the member who presented the petition. ! Mr. Wilford said lie had no objection to the course proposed, but he wanted to have the circumstances placed on record, so that if any other member got into a similar position lie should have a like concession made to him. Replying to Mr. Webb, the Minister of Agriculture -aid he had given instructions to have a geological survey made in certain districts of the South Island, with a view to discovering if (hey contained lime deposits suitable for agricultural purpose-". ABOLITION OF TOLL-OATF.N. The M to 7. Petitions Committee, porting on the petition of the Taieri County Council, praying tint the tollgate erected by the (irecn lsbuui Horough Council at the bridge ove> the Kaikorai stream be abolUhed, recommended that the petition be referred to the Olovernment for favorable consideration. A lengthy discussion on toll-«ate< irilowed, most of the speakers favoring the abolition of toll-bars and 'ioverument assistance to local bodies in maintaining main arterial roads. The repo>t was adopted, and the remainder of the sitting was devoted to discussing answers to questions. EVENING SITTINO. Thp House resumed at 7.31. when alterations made iiy the Council in the Military Service ''ill were considered. THE CONSCIENTIOIS OIUIiC'TOII. Hon... Allen explained the amendments, and indicated that several would be objected to, the principal of these being the clauses providing for the conscientious objector, and constituting a final court of appeal. lie proposed that certain of the amendments be agreed with, and that certain others he disagreed with. Mr. Teitt appealed to members to ileal i:i a broad spirit with men who had religious objections to bearing arms, and he asked for charity and breadth of view and sympathy *'or men .nth religious convictions on this point, lie moved to omit from the clauses disagreed with those relating to_ the conscientious objector. Mr Hornsby assented that the Quaker attitude had _;ut been correctly stated, because some of that bod\ had been guilty of endeavoring to prevent recruit,ng. ' He held that if a man would ftot light for his country he should be kicked nut of it. Dr Thaeker held that there should be provision for the conscientious objector. Mr. Poole also supported the amendment, and argued that in objecting to the provision for the conscientious objector we were looking for double. Mr. Rindmarsh said Quakers were not shirkers. Thev were only sniali in unmoors anil were entitled to consideration. He thought they might follow the example of England and exempt them. Mr. McCombs also favored exemption upon the ground of religious comietions. Dr Newman supported the clause as passed hv the Ccunsil. Mr. Webb thought that after the eloquent address of the member for Christchurch North the objection to the clause would have disappeared. He supported the amendment. Mr. Feild thought, the Government .vould he univiie if it refused to accept ■(he amendment inserted bv the Legislative Council. . Mr. Pavnc pleaded for a spirit of tolerance ill religious matters. He supported the amendment. Mr Wilford contended that the member for Christclmroh North had not accuratelv represented the sentiment of the Quakers of New Zealand. He said the clause contained a slur on members of that hodv, which 'lie strongly resented. It was unfair to suggest that [he Quakers would do anything Ibut li"lit. ' lie knew a number of members of that body who were now fighting in France. Mr. Walker supported tlie amendment. Mr. Isitt's amendment was rejected on a division by H.> to Hons. Allen and iferdmau and Mr. Forbes were appointed managers to confer with the legislative ,Council with reference to the rejected amendment, and the House rose at 11,30 p.ni