PARLIAMENTARY.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night.
In the Legislative Council this afternoon, the New Zealand Portland Cement Company Reclamation and Empowering Bill (Thompson) was read a second time.
The Attorney-General informed the Hon. W. U Smi th that the official history of the New Zealand Contir gents in the South African War was now in hand, and the question of its publication would be considered when the work was completed.
The Law Practitioners Amendment Bill was committed, and progiesi reported. The Canterbury College and Canterbury Agricultural College Amendment Bill was put through its fkal stages.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
The House
In Committee of Supply on Clause 2, the Finance Department Vote of £43,375, Mr T. E. Taylor moved to reduce te salary of the Assistant.Sec retary to the Treasury by £IOO as a protest against the salaries above £SOO being increased, while subordinate officers received no consider ation. Mr Taylor said that excessBive salaries shoula be while there were men earning only £IOO a year on which they had to support themselves and their families.
Sir Joseph Ward said Mr Taylor was wrong in assuming that men in tie lower ranks of the Service wete not receiving increases. The Assistant. Secretary was doing the woik of an officer who had received £BGO a.year. Mr Wilford pointed out that the Assistai t Secretary was doirg additional work consequent on the reorganisation of the Department during the retrenchment. It ought to he recognised that a position of responsibility ought to § carry
reasonable salary. He denied that classification was being hala back.
The work was going on. H; deprecated attacks on men who were in high positions. After further discussion, Mr Taylor's amendment was negatived by 44 votes $o 16. ■ Mr Taylor then moved to leduce the vote by £SO. This was lost by 40 to 15.
An amendment was moved by* Mr Arnold to reduce the vote by £l. This raised a further ciscussion on similar lines to that on Mr Taylor's motion.
On division the amendment was defeated by 'co to 23.
Mr Herdman moved that the total vote be reduced by £5 /as an indication that the House was entitled to more definite information as to the economies effected in the Public Service during last year. Full details of the men affected by the retrenchment should be given. He suspected that other men had been appointed to the position of those retrenched, which meant, in effect, that there had been no retrenchment at all.
Sir Joseph Ward said it was unfair to put on record the names of these men to be , bandied about to their dioadvantage. He was prepared to Rive information sufficient to satisfy any member. I'he fact that the country's business had increased since the period of retrenchment accounted for the appoint-, ments referred to by Mr Herdman.
The House rose at 5.30 p.mi On the House resuming, Mr Herdman's amendment was put and rejected by 38 votes to 21. Mr Hogan moved that the item be reduced by £1 as an indication, that definite salaries should be allotted to the different positions in the Public Services, and that the increments of salaries should ba made gradually from the lowest to the highest posiaoy Department.
This amendment was carried by 28 votes to 2fi.
The vote, as reduced, was passed. At the next item of £I2OO for rates on . Crown lands, replying to Mr Massey, Sir Joseph Ward said the Government did not propose to pay rate"g on Government property. The Vote was passed unaltered. Land and Income fax Department, £17,405.—Mr T. Tayor moved that the Commissioner's salary be reduced by £IOC as an indication that some limit to the increase of salary ahculd ba made. He objected to the haphazard method oi
making increases, Sir Joseph Ward said the salary
had not been altered. * salary of £SOO was not excessive for the work done, when wa3 of a confidential nature.
The amendment was negatived. Mr Masaey moved to reduce the vote by £5 as an indication that the House was not satisfied with the refusal of the Government to supply information in regard to the finding of the Judges appointed to inquire into irregularities in connection with the work of the Department.
Sir Joseph Ward said Mr IVlassey•! was asking an improper thing. If the House carried the resolutfqn, he would not lay the papers on the table. Somebody else could do so. There waß nothing in the papers .that he was personally afraid to sea
publisher 1 , but it <cculd be wrong to divulge tne private affairs of ii:dividuals who had nothing to do with the iiregularities
On a division the motion was lost by 35 to 24. Mr fay lor moved to reduce the Vote by £l, with a view to affirming the (U sire of the Souse that a Secret Committee should be appointed to peruse the reports of the Judges' Commission. Sir Joseph Ward emphasised his determination noi to allow the report to be divulged. , He was prepared to insert a clause in the Taxing Act empowering the Government to reft-1 any dispute to a committee of the House. This would relieve the- Minister of responsi-
biity. Mr 'Jajlor remaiked that the Clause would only apply to future cases. What the House was concerned about was the report on the cases now heiig discussed. Teh mot inn was rejected by 37 votes to 23. The vote was passed.
Post and Telegraph Department, £913,733.—0n the item of £37,000 for maintenance of telegraph and telephone lines, Mr Phillippp moved a reduction of. £1 as au indication of dissatisfaction at the impost of 3d per call m the case of suburban subscrihers.
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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10108, 1 October 1910, Page 5
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952PARLIAMENTARY. Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10108, 1 October 1910, Page 5
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