PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1916, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'. By rMcgraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Plic Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Reserves and Other Lands Dis< y.osal and Public Bodies Empowering; Bill passed its final stage. The Orchard Tax Bill, War Legislation Amendment Bill, Native Land, Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill were put through al) '3ta!cfc, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The House met at 2.30 p.m Replying to Mr. Wright, the Mint* ter of Finance saij he regretted ha could not accept ft loan of £400,000 from the citizens of Wellington towards tho cost of a new railway station, as the fiovernment would shortly be asking the people to subscribe k a war loan. The Prime Minister gave notice o!| nis intention to introduce a Factory Act Amending Bill.

It was announced that the Govern« ment had decided to erect a wirelesi station at Karatonga. The Minister of Health laid on tlni fable a paper dealing with the small-po* and vaeonation.

Dr. Thacker commended the work tho Minister was doing in having tho report circulated. Vaccination as now elleeted was so certain in its results ti'at it should be everywhere insisted upon.

Mr. Isitt said that what New Zea« ! nd had to face was not so much that every child should be vaccinated, bun t'nt its effects should not be allowed to disappear amongst adults who would be food for as- epidemic when it arose. The. Minister of Railways laid on the table the departmental report on tha condition of the railway rolling stock. He claimed that the report completely refuted the statements made by Mr. v/ilfovd some weeks igo. Mr. Vciteh said' that remark only vent to show what simple faith a Minister had in official reports. The new fieneial Manager was not maintaining the rolling stock in a high stato of efficiency as was the case before his appointment. , Mr. Wilford was' not satisfied with the reply, as it was a wholly ex-partei statement. Nothing less than an independent report from a man of high tlanding would satisfy Parliament. His information came from men whose dutyit was to inspect rolling stock, and who stated they declined to carry the burden of responsibility any longer. The Minister said he could assure any unprejudiced person there was no causa to be alarmed. The Minister of Defence laid on the table a return showing the cost of milltiry occupation of Samoa up to 31sfi March last as £2^0,153. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Several local Bilk passed all stages. PROLONGING PARLIAMENT. The Premier moved the bc id reading ft the Parliamentary Elections Postponement Bill. He a'greed that the experiment f.f a National Government had proved a' success, and it would simply be criminal to plunge the country into the throes of a general election during the war. He said that 00,000 men will 1 ave left the Dominnion for the war by the end of the year, and it was not a fair thing to hold a general election with all those ?nen away. Mr. Malcolm said that if the Bill v.as carried it would have the effect of postponing the licensing elections. Ho contended that some concession should ho made to the temperance party. Mr. V. Brown .:aid he was strongly opposed to the Bill. Mr. Witty argued that there waa plenty of time to pass this Bill next year if it .was required. Sir Joseph Ward said he had from the beginning of the war been opposed to holding an election while the struggle was going an. Scarcely a day passed ..'ithout tome family receiving notice of the death or wounding of a loved one, and would it be right to plunge the country into tht turmoil of a political struggle under these circucmstances? If the election was to be postponed it .liiist be done this year. He pointed out that we would rcqvire to borrow in this country right millions, or possibly more, and all the arrangements were made. A bimilar course might have to be taken next year, and he strongly held that, in all the circumstances, it was advisable to postpone the elections. Mr. Isitt said he would wholeheartedly support the Bill. Several other members spoke, and the d'vision resulted in favor of the Bill by 41 to 16. "The Wellington Methodist Charitable ind Educational Trusts Bill, and tlm I'ar inmenlary Elections Postponement Kill were reported from committee without amendment, both Bills being passed. The House rose at 1 o'clock^'