PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1919, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By-Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Council resumed at 2.30 p.m. The Finance Bill was put through its final stages and passed. The Council agreed to the report of the managers on the conference on the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment Bill. This provides for the acceptance of an amendment proposed by the House with certain machinery additions. The Council rose at 2.50 p.m. The Legislative Council resumed at 8 p.m. Amendments proposed by GovernorGeneral's message in tho Housing Bill, the Post and Telegraph Bill, the Shearers' Accommodation Bill, the Police Amendment- Bill, and the Finance Bill .were agreed to. ■ The Washing-Tip Bill was passed with minor amendments. The Council rose at 10.15 p.m. till 10.13 a.m. to-morrow. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House resumed at 2.30-p.m. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie moved the second reading of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and tho Public Bodies Empowering (Washing Up) BillIn doing so, the Minister said he would reserve any explanations till in committee. The House immediately went into committee on the Bill. At Clause 25, authorising the acquisition of the fee simple by licenses of residence and business sites in Te Aroha township, Mr. Witty objected to such a matter providing for the sale of Crown hnds being included in the Washing Up Bill. There were too many things wrongly included. The Hon. W. H. Herries pointed out that all that was asked by the people concerned was permission to convert mining lease into freehold. This clause was the result of a Royal Commission finding. Sir Joseph Ward objected that the clause meant the introduction 'of freehold versus leasehold issues, whijeh should be kept out. of such a Bill as this. After considerable criticism the clause was struck out with the Minister's acquiescence. Mr. Veiteh opposed the proposal in clause 4!) to permit the conversion of a portion of Queen's Park Domain Reserve, Wanganui, for the purposes of a school, site, Which the change in the trend of the population rendered unnecessary. In addition the clause empowered the Crown to confiscate a scenery reserve, which Wanganui objected to. A The Minister said he would let the committee decide the matterThe clause was struck out on the voices. The Bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. till 7.30 p.m. EVENING SESSION. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. f The Rotorua Town Lands Bill, introduced by Governor-General's message, was read a first time. Replying to Sir Joseph Ward, the Minister of Lands stated that the concessions granted to chemists and others who had been on active service, in connection with examinations, would apply to surveyors also. SOLDIERS AND MENTAL TROUBLE. Referring to the report by tie Public Petitions Committee relative to a man who had been detained in a mental hospital, which the committee recommended should be referred to the Government for inquiry, Sir Joseph Ward said the cases of all soldiers who returned to New Zealand suffering temporarily from mental trouble owing to war service should be inquired into by a public tribunal. Tho Minister of Defence said no soldier patients who came back were put direct into a mental hospital. Every case was sent to Karitane or some other similar institution for treatment. A man was only transferred to a mental hospital when such a step was found absolutely necessary. He did not know the details of the case quoted, but he would like to have it, or any other that might be discovered, investigated fully. Mr. Veiteh, who had presented the petition, said he was satisfied with the report, but he hoped the inquiry would be public. The,facts in his possession indicated that this case possessed features making it one of the most scandalous disclosed in connection with the New Zealand forces. He asked that the inquiry tribunal should be outside of military influence as desired by the Returned Soldiers' Association in all similar cases.

M r - Massey, speaking for the Minister of Public Health, with whose department the matter rested, said he would see that the fullest public inquiry should be made 1 in this or any similar cp.se-

Mr. Semple said he was satisfied this man was a victim of cruel circumstances. He asked that the pay stopped during the man's detention should be made up to liim. Mr. Dickson, chairman of the committee, said that while the evidence hefore it did not discount the statements made by members of the House, the committee did not feel justified in recommending more than they had done, leaving it to the Oovcrnmont to take any further steps after the inquiry. TRADE WITH THE ISLAND. Sir Joseph Ward asked if tlm Prime Minister wouH have a full inquiry made into the causes of the falling off of trade with the Cook Island and others. An_ inquiry should include matters relating to the administration of the Islands. Mr. Massey paid the Government ivoulfl have a full inquiry made in the direction asked. He thought an inquiry should cover the possibilities of trade with the whole of the Pacific Islands. RAILWAY MATTERS. Mr. Veitch urged that in connection With tlie reorganisation of the railway service older men should be retired as early as possible and younger men given an opportunity to formulate a policy Which they themselves would have an opportunity of carrying out. The Railways Committee reported on the petition of A. M. Longton against ins regrading. The committee recommended the petition to the Government lor lavorable consideration, and that the Minister's power of veto over the Rail- ! ,PP Board's- decision should be i abolished.

Replying to a question by Mr. Wilford. the Hon. W. It Herries stated that lie, as Minister of Railways at the time, saw no documents except those that come before the Appeal Board ia the Longton case. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. After the supper adjournment the House went into Committee of Supply to consider tho Supplementary Estimates, totalling £1,228,030. In reply to Sir Joseph Ward, Sir James Allen said trie amount exceeded the estimates by seven to eight thousaml. When the post and telegraph estimates were under review the Hon. J. G. Coates, in reply to a question by Mr. P. Eraser, said the question of a bonus to the post and telegraph service was still under consideration, and a statement would be made later. On the vote for the RegistrarGeneral's Office, Mr. McCombs urged that greater attention shopld be given to the work of the statistician, whose work was invaluable to administrationThe Hon. A. T. Ngata, referring to the museum, pleaded for early provision for the proper housing of the priceless collection in the present old building. Complete records should also be secured of Maori songs and legends. Messrs. Craigie and laitt npoved to protest against the proposal to spend £loo,©oo on a national war memorial, about which there was nothing utilitarian. 1 The Hon. A- T. Ngata defended the proposal, which would provide a monument for New Zealand that would mean as much to us as the Arch of Triumph-' meant to France, or Nelson's Column meant to England. Dr. Newman and Messrs. Poland and P. Fraser supported the idea that themonument should have some utilitarian qunlities, such as an art gallery, a library, a hospital, or an educational institution. Mr. Ell pleaded for-something with a sentimental value. The vote was passed. THE TAINUI DISASTER. In reply to questions regarding the recent disaster to the steamer Tainui, the Hon. W. H. Herries said the Government was considering the question of prohibiting the carriage of benzine cargoes in modern ships. In the case of the Tainui the Government was endeavouring to fix responsibility. If ] the owners were responsible he had no ] doubt they would be prosecuted. SHIPPING MATTERS. Replying to a further question, the Hon. W. H. Herries said no news had yet been received that Captain Hooper had selected a ship to replace the Amokura. It was the intention of the Department next session to introduce an amendment to the Shipping and Seaman's Act. when the question of crew's quarters would be consideredCOAL PROPERTY PURCHASED. Mr. Semple asked for particulars of the £16,000 voted for the purchase of coal mining property in tho Huntly district. He understood this property was purchased by a syndicate for £122,000 a few ( months before they sold it to the Government for £35,000. He objected to the country being "rooked" in this way. j Tho Hon. Sir William Fraser said the purchase was made before he took over the portfolio of Mines. It was not a question of what a syndicate paid for the land, or what they sold it for, but whether the State got good value. The Hen. W. D. S. Mac Donald said the ground had been most carefully examined by the Government and other experts before the purchase was made. If the experts were wrong, then the Government were wrong, but if the experts were right, then the Government was right THE COAL SHORTAGE. Replying to Mr. Veiteh, the Hon. Sir William Fraser said the solution of the coal trouble was not more , mines, but ! more miners and the production of more coal by those miners. Mr. Massey, in the course of a speech, deprecated the "go slow" policy. If the miners would only indicate on what points they differed from the owners then they might arrive at a settlement. Ho asked the Labor representatives in the House to use their influence with the miners to increase supplies.

Mr. Holland declared that if the miners' demands had been granted they would have reaped a benefit of only a shilling per ton. Then, he asked, how could coal cost the people £1 per ton extra as stated by the owners? It was the owner, not the miner, who' was exploiting the people, and the remedy was the nationalisation of the mines.

The final vote was passed at 1.35 a.m., discussion in committee having occupied three and a half hours.

On the question that the House adopt the resolutions of the committee, Sit Joseph Ward said the amraount of the Supplementary Estimates was the largest in the history of the Dominion, and £772,892 in excess of the Minister's estimate given to the House on September 23. He wanted to know how this large discrepancy had arisen in such a short period between then and now, Mr. Massey said it was due to cleaning up after the war. (Left Sitting.)