PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10434, 27 September 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

By Telegraph — Press Association,

SmiINGTON, Last NigjbX The House of Representatives met at 2.30 fi.m

A FOUL CHAMBER. •Replying to a complaint by Mr Oraigie as to the foul atmosphere of tihe Chamber, and ftQio illness of members caused thereby, Sir Joseph Ward said that the pressure of visitors to the galleries was mainly responsible, and must be stopped. The matter was referred to the Standing Orders Committee to consider.

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY,

On the motion of Sir Joseph Ward to go into Committee of Supply, Mr Laurenson moved a® an amendment that the time had arrived when the eeat of Government should be removed from Wellington. He contended that the present Capital City was not made by Nature for tire purpose.

The amendment wtas lost by 32 viotes to 22.

A general discussion then ensued on the original motion. Mr Massey referred to what he called the unfair distribution . of Government advertisements." *

Messrs Herries, Jennings and Okey referred to., the old soldiers' claim's, and urged that they should be considered apart from the old age pensions.

These references to old soldiers Sir Joseph. Ward characterised, as "nothing short of political hjypocrisy." Tbie Magistrate's reports on the claims of oM ..oldiers would be shortly kid on the table of the House. The argument on. the subject made Mm sick, and he never 'heard such, twaddle served up by thte Opposition. As ho 'the advertisements, there were 83\ New. Zealand papers wSiioh did not receive Govenimieinit advertisements ait tall, and ho Believed these papers supported the (Government.

THE ESTIMATES

The Bouse then went into Committee on the Estimates. Oiaas IV., Railways, £2,375,000. Mr Massey suggested that the railway estimates be deferred until the Bailway Committee had reported upon the petitions now before it. Mr Arnold, chairman of the Railway® Committee, said it would be a fortnight before the Committee's report was. completed and finished., and then there would not be full time to discuss the matter. The Minister said the proper time

to discuss the matter would be when the Government brought dowtn a Bill to increase the salaries, as had been promised. He would keep the Bill back as date in the session as possible, so that members'' would, be in possession of all the available evidence. He wanted the House and the public to know exactly wlhat the/ position , was; An opportunity for full discussion would come this s©Sr ;; sion. Mr Herdiman asked, the Minister to say how it was the railways in tJie Soutib do not pay, wihile those

in the North do pay. He would also like to know whether certain repairs were paid out of revenue or out of capital'. It- was quite impossible to discover from the account© ihow much of the alterations and repairs weire paid out of capital or revenue. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7;30 o'clock. « . The vote for the working of railways was, further considered. Mr Massey asked the Minister of ' Railways if he would mlake an alteration in the present .scale of suburban fares. ! - sMr Poole asiked for a revision of the- cilassi&sation.-'..of freigjhifcs., JMir G. M. Thpmisoa urged that railway tickets should be transferr* .able and available The Hon. Mr Miller poinfed out

that mahy of. the; requests', miade would result in loss to the Departttieint. He Mad been askeld itb frteW duce charges and rates and add* to the service. Where, he as£ed>.was the money coming from ? It 'was impossible to derive a revenue from th ■ service if such demands were acceded to. He declined to entertain l the proposal to make tickets, transferrable sind usable at any time. The system in vogue eniahled thfe Department ,to have a check on ticket* which would not otherwise be the ca-e. Mr Millar, confcinoing, siaid the question of the carriage of- foodstuffs on railwiayß' would l be considered; He. could give no promise to extern .1 saiburbian rates to branch, Janes. . He hlad been asked to reduce the charges on hard itamlbers, but this he could not do, as this class of timber was more than twice asheavy as the ordinary article. There had long been preferential tariff in •favour of New Zealand timbers to protect them against imported timbers. : Mr Herdman sought an explanation of the increased cost of the maintenance of, railways from £289.94 per male last year to £253.58 ths year. The Minister explained thfet a great deal of relaying was going on (Left sitting.)