PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1916, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Xight. The Council met at 2.30 pans Hon. G. Jones resumed the debate SB the second reading of the Legislative Council Act Amendment Bill. He stated Ins firm conviction that the Act was un«, necessary and should be repealed. Hon..]. Burr's amendment was put and lost on the voices. The second reading was carried on a division by 22 to 2. The Council then went into committee on the Bill. The Bill was reported from committee without amendment. On the motion for the third reading, Won. J. T. Paul raised the question of salaries paid to members, which he considercd insufficient. i After a debate the Bill was read i third time and passed. The report of the second conferencs of managers of both Houses on th« Military Service Bill was received and adopted. The Council rose at 5.20 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

The House met at 2.30 p.m. BEPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Replying to Mr. J. C. Thomson, th 4 Minister of Defence said an arrangement had been made with the Dental Association to attend to recruits' dental requirements on the basis of reduced prices. In a general way the services of tlie Association ,irc employed, but thera was no bar to the employment of any; qualified dentist who is outside the As*' eociation.

Replying to Mr. C. 11. Poole, the Mini ister of Defence said he did not thiuls it wise to allow any more Nine Islanders to enlist in the Reinforcements. The Minister of Defence laid on tlid table Colonel Heaton Rhodes' report on his official visit to Kgypt, Gallipoli and Malta. He moved thtat the report bq printed. •

Mr. T. M. Wilford spoke appreciative* ly of the work done by Colonel Rhodes. The Minister, iu reply, said that a eenior officer of the 'Postal Department was leaving shortly for France to take charge of the postal arrangements. He spoke in the warmest terms of the unselfish work done by Colonel Rhodes, whose report was a moU valuable docu« incnt.

MILITARY SERVICE BILL. The Speaker announced the vesult of the second conference with managers of the Legislative Council on the Military Service Bill.

The Premier explained that the principal point agreed to by the eonferenea was the provision under which a religious objector was compelled to do noncombatant service, not only in New Zealand, but beyond it if necessary. That was a most important amendment, as, under it the objector was compelled to go wherever he was sent. Tnis raised a lengthy discussion oq thej-ights of religions objectors, the report of the conference being finally agreed to on a division bv U to IS. PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES.

The Premier then suggested that th« House should dofcj the rest of its formal business and proceed with the consideration of the Puliic Works Estimates. This was agreed to, and the House went into Committee of Supply to consider the vote of £114,000 for tha Public Works Department.

Hon. XV. Fraser said the Estimate* this year consisted mainly of last year's unexpended balances. This was necessitated by tlie fact that so little money, was available owing to the war. In or' dor to overcome the difficulty in which this placed local bodies, he proposed, next spring, to visit certain places in the Dominion, when he could hold conferences with local bodies and discuss the question of which works were most important, and arrange for a transference of votes where necessary. He was taking power in the Appropriation Act to do this. He defended himself against the charge that he had spent an undue amount on branch lines of railway, and that lie fa wed the South Island as against the Xorth. Such criticism was. quite unfounded.

EVENING SITTING,

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m.

In Committee on the iPublic Workl Estimates, considerable discussion took place on the first item, during which members ventilated their grievances and tlie requirements of their respective districts. The discussion proceeded, with* out interruption, up to the supper ad< journment.

After the supper adjournment members continued to debate matters con< nected with the .Statement.

Mr. Fraser, at 10.30, replied to various points developed during the debateV Befening to tlie Otira tunnel, he said the country was pledged to the work, and it had to be finished. With regard to the Eimutnka deviation, when money was available he had no doubt the work would be undertaken. As to the new Parliament Buildings, members could be sure that he would do his best to push on with the work and have it finished in time for next session. He admitted the Lake Coleridge electrical scheme had had lean 'years, but he anticipated it would pay handsomely in tlie future; so satisfied was he of this that ho had given instructions to design a similar scheme for the Xortli Islnnd. Plans had been prepared, but the engineer had'not yet decided which source of supply was most suitable.

At midnight the discussion was still proceeding on the first item, member* generally ventilating local grievances,