PARLIAMENT

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10683, 10 July 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

(By, Telegraph—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Mouse of Kepresetuauves met at 2.30 p.m.

FIRST READING

The Wairoa Hiubnur Empowering Bill (Sir Jamea was icad .a first time.

ADDRESS-L\JtEPLY.

The Speaker reported that ho had,, with members, presented the Address-in-lteply to tne Governor's Speech,, with tne additional amendment carried by the House. In reply, His Excelkney lu.d lwunuitcd ito he was iwav taking steps to ensure Jbhe formation a: a tvliiv'h w'ould llnive the confidence of the House.

RAILWAY SERVANTS,

, Mr A.M. Myers read .a ietter from the Amalgamated Society ,of Railway .Servants, intimating that they had I .decided to abandon tne petition which j .was placed before Parliament in 1911. I The letter was ignored by the General Secretary. On the motion ' that it should be laid on the table, Sir .Joseph Ward asked for an explanation of the causes that had led wp .to the withdrawal of the Society from its previous attitude. The Minister replied that when he entered upon office as Minister of Railways, he found that the Society of Railway Servants had 96 grievances. A a 'result of a (number of conferenees between the Executive of the Society and himself, he had seen his way clear to acquiesce in the demands on a number of matters. He had not found justification for acceding to other requests. On the whole, the Executive had been satisfied that earnest attempts had been made by the officials of the Department and the Minister to bring about a better feeling between the Society and the Railway Department. The Society had therefore decided not to proceed with its previous intentions of presenting a petition to Parliament similar to that before the House last session.

A LIGHTHOUSE

Mr Laurenson mentioned, in connection with another paper presented to !J\3 Horr,e, thatf Cabinet had authorised a light to be placed either at Turn Point or Cape Tcrawhiti (Cook Strait). Final decision had been deferred for the inspection of the respective positions.

PRIVILEGE

On the application of the Premier, three days' extra were granted the Privilege Committee (set up in connection with the McCallum letter) {o report to the House.

THE FINANCES.

Mr Myers laid before the House a btElement showing 'the {.'"ate of the c<~.-7i'.!rv'.<? os cit June. 30th., 1912. 'The balance on hand at March 31st, 1912, was £807,276. Since the close of the financial year the revenue was still increasing, as the following figures demonstrated : —Consolidated revenue account: Balance 31st March, 'icßG7.£'76; vcvaAic from Ist April to SOtli June, ordinary £2,388,397; territorial, £29,696; national endowment, £59,313; total, £2,477,497; grand total, £3,284,773. Expenditure : Permanent appropriations, £1,199,407 ; annual appropriations, £1,302,818; total, £2,502,220; grand total, £2.502,226. Balance at June 30th, £782,546. Mr Myers said it was a pleasure to him to point out that there had been no necessity to issue Treasury Bills this quarter. The Minister estimated the revenue for the present financial year at £11,014,909, made up as follows:—Customs, £3,200,000; railways, £3,745,000; stamps, £898,800; post and telegraph, £1,141,000; land tax, £650,000 ; income tax, £450,000 ; beer duty, £119,000 ; registration £95,165; marine, £47,000; miscellaneous, £369,530; territorial revenue, £240,000; endowment revenue, £59,414. The Expenditure is estimated at £10,737,958, compared with an actual expenditure of £10,340,368 during the last year. There will be increases of £158,387 in the permanent charges, and £239,204 in the departmental i charges. The position at the end of j the year is estimated as follows: — Balance from last year, £807,276; estimated revenue, £11,014,909 £11,822,185. Estimated expenditure, £10,737,958; surplus, £1,084,227. From the latter amount must be de*. ducted the amount to be voted on the supplementary estimates. ; This will allow of the transfer of £BOO,OOO to the iiFlMic Works .Fund. They had every reason, the Minister said, to congratulate themselves upon the' buoyant state of affairs of the country. His successor would rejoice in the s."..ti'3faotnrv state of matters. He out not consider it would be necessary to go on. to the Lcr/don market for some time. He regretted that it had not been his privilege to present to the House the Financial Statement, indicating the thoroughly satisfactory and flourishing condition existing in the country. Sir Joseph Ward rose and congratulated Mr Myers on the very interesting news just presented by him. The satisfactory conditions should fill Mr Mvcrs' successor v.Ul\ Jtwas a sequence to the harshly-criti-cised financial methods of the Liberal Party. He would look forward to see what items would be reduced by thensuccessors in office. The statement was an indication of the healthy prosperity of the Dominion, and he would defy 'anyone to produce anything like the state of affairs now existing in matters financial of the Dominion. He called attention to the fact that the incoming Treasurer was starting on a "magnificent wicket." He was cer-

tain that they would find that the altered political conditions would not deter some members from asking for a full supply for the backblocks. The statement should enthuse the worst pessimist inside or outside the House. He congratulated the Minister especially in cMU's'itiftn with tho figures relative to <."'> 'ir.sk quarter of the year.

A NT! 0 CITIES.

I l **.' (i. IV. 11 a ;.«•'.:! tlien laid before tlv. f'o;,--? ••■ ;:•;-. of antiquities from New and other Pacific Islands clonr.od to the Bomruiioat by Lord St. Oswald in connection with the Dominion Museum. Mr Russell stated that a site had been chosen for the building-an Wellington. It would bo 150 ft long, and 50ft wide, containing two galleries, and a basement.

THE FINAL SCENE

The Prime Minister then rose and said: —"In consequence of the vote which was come to on Saturday mornling, I placed nay assignation in the hands of the Governor, and recommended him to send for Mr Massey. I understand that Mr Massey has soon Has Excellency, and I now move that fh« House adjourns until the usual hour to-morrow. I do this, after having -consulted the Leader of the Opposition." Mr W. F. Massey: "I don't think it is nctussary to add to what has already been stated. It has been indicated that His Excellency has done me the honour of sending for me, and asking me whether I would undertake the formation of a Ministry. I promised to do s<-.\, and am now in communication with -my friends. I hope* to meet the House at 2.38 p.m. to-mor-row, when the names of .the new Ministry will be announced."" The House adjourned at 3.30 p,m.