PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1916, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

i « —♦. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Wellington, Last Night. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. Hon. Sir F. Beil submitted a copy of reasons drawn up by the managers for insisting upon the amendments in the Military Service Bill, and these were approved. The Council adjourned at 2.35. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS^ Replying to Mr. Hunter, the Minister of Health said that the epidemic of diphtheria at Hawke's Bay was entirely a school epidemic, and steps were being taken to deal with the outbreak. Mr. Tlanan, in reply to Mr. Tsilt, said lie had made no remarks which would justify any member of (he Anglican Synod in supposing that ho was coming 1 over to the idea that the Bible should be taught in public schools. Mr. Massey, in reply to Mr. Field, said that no information had reached the Government that no more reinforcements would be required after the Sixteenth. He new nothing of the intention of the Imperial Government to commandeer next season's wool clip. If anv >naltieatment of New Zealand soldiers in Gr-rniMiy was reported he, as a citizen of the Dominion, would be prepared to apply the Mosaic law to the letter. MILITARY SERVICE BILL. The Legislative Council submitted reasons in support of their amendments in the Military Service Bill. The reasons Were disagreed with, and Messrs Allen, Herdman, and Forbes were appointed managers to confer with the Council. Mr. J. V. Brown (Napier) was granted two days leave of absence. ESTIMATES. The House went into Committee of Supply on the estimates. On Class XIII, ■Department of Lands and Survey, £237,358, Mr. H. G. Ell strongly advocated greater interest being shown in the work of re-afforestation. Mr. Massey said that for years past the annual average of tree planting by the Government had been 2000 acres. He proposed to bring before Cabinet, at its next meeting, the question of employing returned soldiers at that class of work. A good deal of sandy country on the West Coast of the North Island'had been planted during the last year or so. He was thoroughly in sympathy with the froject of tree-planting, and this perI sistence was probably the result of Cabinet voting a pretty large sum for its development. The debate was continued in a very thin house for some time. A number of loml requirements were outlined. Mr. Massey said, in reply to remarks, that the time taken by a soldier with the Expeditionary Forces would be counted in his term of occupation of Government land under license. The erosion of lands on the banks of rivers was a serious question, and the duty of settlers was to assist, as far as possible, in preventing valuable land being washed away. The Government was doing its share. At 4.55, the first vote, £150,450, was passed. Mr. W. A. VeitcJi said the vote of £IOOO for the improvement of the Wanganvti River was altogether Inadequate. ' Mr. Massey said he thought the best course to take would be to band ove\ the keys of the. river to the Public Works Department. He recognised the importance of this highway. The vote for miscellaneous passed, and the House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. I The House resumed at 7.30 p.m., when the remaining vote of Class XIII. was passed without comment. Class XII., Labor, £32,520, was next considered. Mr. W. A. Veitch complained that labor was not receiving from the Minister that sympathetic treatment to which it was entitled. He said that copies of awards were not now handed to the Unions. This was carrying economy too far. Mr. A. H. Hindmarsb referred to the unsuitable sites selected for some of the workmen's homes at Wellington. Mr. A. E. Glover urged that closer inspection of ships' loading gear was necessary to prevent fatal accidents to the men employed on the waterfronts. Mr. P. C. Webb urged the importance of providing workmen's homes in cities, especially Wellington, where the housing problem was a very serious one. Mr. Massey said the copies of the awards had to be reduced owing to the shortness of paper. Alluding to workmen's homes, he said the cost of these buildings had gone up since the war started, but he hoped to see the prices of these homes kept down to £550. The Government had built 102 homes in 1015, but, owing to the war, the number fell hist year to 82. and now 37 were in course of erection. A short Bill would be submitted dealing with the rent question. They had first to get clear of the war legislation before amendments of I he Arbitration Act could be considered. The vote was passed at f1.20. Two votes in Class IX., held ove. from the previous sitting, museums £3545, and Dominion laboratory £SOOI, were passed. The State forests account £32,54.1 passed without comment. The State coal mines account, £215,435, was under consideration at «he supper adjournment. _ | Discussing the State coal mines esti* mates, Mr. G. .1. Anderson declared tlie accounts showed that no interest had been charged on the . capital invested. Ke deprecated the conduct of the State commerial enterprises generally. Mr. O. H. Poole urged the Minister to open up the well-known coal areas in the Auckland district. Hon W. D. S. McDonald, replying, said interest had been charged. So far as the State coal mine >vas concerned (here had been no loss, but £38,000 had leen lost in connection with prospecting operations, and £IO,OOO on the briquette works. The total capital invested in State coal mines was £500,721. The mines had paid £201,120 for railway haulage, which meant that in two years the mines wouhfhave paid for the railway. Up to the 31st March last, the mines had produced 2,005,130 tons of coal, valued at £2,lG3nli(>7. After deducting the profits from the Point Elizabeth mine, the loss on the State coal ventures was only £IO,OOO, to which, however, had been'added thirteen or fourteen thousand which had not been set aside as a reserve. It had, of course, to be borne in mind that the State coal mine had been an important factor in keeping the price of coal down, and when they were able to get better shipping facilities there was a good time in front of State

coal. The Mining Department had at present experts investigating the coal ireas in the Auckland districts. The vote was passed. The following votes were also'pai..iedf government Insurance, £89,460- Public «-il?in,' £ / B ' fi8 ° ; Sc °" er >' PwKWtion, •t 10,401; Government Accident Insur. »"ce £,200; state Fire insurance aeT'lW»° mi ' St,lto **••■«*• account, ~043,323, and Native Lund Settlement account, £2005. The House rose at 11 p.m