PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9667, 4 December 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, December 3. In the Legislative Council, this afternoon, the Imprest Supply Bill was put through all its stages. The Committee of the whole Council on the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill was resumed. At clause 72, providing that boards may make an agreement for special terms as tc maintenance in hospitals o member of friendly societies, the Hon. W. E. Collins took strong exception to the clause which, he said, should not have oeen introduced into the Bill. He pointed out that the medical profession had not had an opportunity of considering the clause, which was one that was likely to aisorgamse an institution.

I ' a The Hon. J. R. Sinclair (Otago} [ agreed that the clause ought not to I be retained. The Hon 0. Samuel (Taranaki) objected to friendly 'societies or any other body being treated exceptionally under this Bill. The Hon. G. J. Smith (Canterbury) thought that ir friendly societies wanted SDecial advantages the ques - tion ought [to be dealt with in a separate Bill, a general measure of this kind. The Hon J. B. Callan [(Otago), said there was not "the slightest necessity for invoking legislation in favour of friendly societies. The Hon. J. McGowan (Auckland) hoped the Council would not destroy a good Bill by introducing such a clause as this one into it. The clause would mean the foisting societies' chronic cases on to hospitals and charitable institutions. The Hon. A. Baldey /Otago) con> aidered the clause was exceedingly unfair to doctors.

Dr. Findlay said \ that at present more than one third ofjjjthe members of friendly societies in hospitals paid nothing, and at present were unable to pay, and this clause would procure payment for such patients. If the clause enabldd an arrangement to be - made between friendly societies and a board to pay something for every member in hospitals surely that wes a good bargain. „The Hon. J. R. Sinclair said that so far from being a good bargain for hospitals it would be the very worst that could be made. It put the whole thing down on a money which was contrary to the spirit of the Act. The Hon. J. T. Paul (Otago) could see no wrong in looking at the financial side of the arrangement. The clause would benefit the poorer classes. , The Hon. W. E. Collins, to test the question, moved to delete the opening words of the clause. , On a division, after further discussion, the clause was lost by 18 rotes to 13.

A new clause was inserted on the motion of the Attorney-General/ providing for the union of hospital districts. The Bill was reported with amendments, and read a third time and passed. The Council then rose. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. In the House this afternoon, after the Friendly Societies' Bill had been introduced by Governor's message, and read a first time, the Prime Minister moved that on and after Saturday, December 4th, the House sit on Saturdays from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m.' for consideration of orders of the. day, only local Bills to take pre< f cedenne, and thereafter Government Kills.

This was agreed to, and the House, resumed the interrupted debate on the question that the report of the, LanJs Committee do lie on the table. Mr J. C. Thomson (Wallace) entered a plea for the freehold on behalf of the settler". Mr A. W. Hoeg (Mastertou) upheld thfi leasehold anil dci o'lncd the Government's supineness on the land

question. In the House in the evening, the second reading of the Defence Bill was carried pro forma, on the motion of the Premier, and referred to a sel-

ect committee. The House then went into Committee of Supply. A motcion by Mr Allen to reduce the item £l,lOO for extra clerks and reporters was lost.