PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8512, 17 August 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

iEy^Telegraph —Parliamentary Correspondent.

WELLINGTON, August 16. The House of Representatives, this afternoon, proceeded with the Estima'es of the Colonial Seecretary's Department. Speaking on the votes for portraits and busts, of the late Premier, Mr F. M. B. Fisher said that the Government ought to commemorate the late Mr Seddon's memory in a fitting manner instead of frittering away ■money on a multitude of objects. Mr Massey was desirous of getting details of the £1,500 for travelling allowance to Ministers, remarking that it would be interesting to know how much it had cost the country for the Minister of Lands to explain the Land Bill.

The Premier said that Mr Massey could table a motion for the return.

The departmental vote, amounting to £75,554, was passed unaltered.

' On the vote . for the Crown Law Department (£4,340) a good deal of adverse criticism occurred over tha recent appointment of Professor Salraond as counsel to the Department at a salary of £I,OOO per annum. Many speakers thought that the appointment was unnecessary and unfair to Mr Joliffe, who had done splendid service. Sir Joseph Ward, while acknow ledging the valuable services of Mr Jolsffe, defended the appointment of Professor Salmond, upon public grounds, and said that provision was being made in the supplementary estimates to increase the latter's salary.

EVENING SITTING. On the resumption of the Committee of Supply, this evening, the sevei'e criticism on the appointment of Professor Salmond was resumed. Mr W. W. Tanner said that the draughtmanship of the Pure Foods Bill showed that if the colony was paying a man a thousand a year it was gettinglhe worst of the bargain, and the House would have to bs ten times more vigilant in future. Mr Massey protested against the setting up of the office without giving the House an opportunity to consider the vote. The Premier further defended the appointment, which he said would save many hundreds of pounds to the colony, as the work of the legal department was increasing tremendously. The vote for the department was passed. Defence Department (£184,024). Mr A. W. Hogg said he was disappointed with the Estimates of the Department, as they were £15,000 in excess of last year. He urged that if reasonable opportunities were given to the residents of the country districts to join rifle clubs, there would be no necessity to resort to compulsory military service. Hon. R. McNab said that if the Council were not supported and volunteering ceased, the colony would have to go in for a la-ger and more highly-paid permanent force. It was therefore intended to extend the privileges of rifle clubs and remove the restrictions from those dubs situated at a distance from the centres.