PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 22 October 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESEKTATIVES.

(By TeUgtapK—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. : ■ >•'< ■" ' : ; ;; : , t ~ ■ Sir .Joseph 1 Ward asked; the Pre- 1 •mier, without notice, whether he had any information regarding the pro-gress-of the Huntly -etrikej and the prospect of a settlement of the dispute..'/:-.'•.■.■!••, • ' •■;■'■ '; : ■,■'•.- : .'■: ■* ■ ,:. /..':.•:'. Mr Massey saidf he was not able to say more - than; that a<a tdfficerr 6f the Labour Depailment isat-Hnritly. with instructions to advise* &im as to the position*' He had not; yet had a report, anid knew nothing more than appeared in the newspapers. NAVAL POLICY. Replying to Sir Joseph Ward, Mr Ma* Bey said he hoped>te place before Government's proposals in the naval /policythis Jie was' now in possession * 9 :7 cums&nces bey^dvtbA^^rtwd^,:^ f <*weroiß^ leatfe* pfShe fidence, as the Stiformatioi mow a|ail- ;:' able was not of a confidential nature." " v.

AN ASYLUM CASE. In ;Teferenm; |o, the petition of ,T<, ,i H., and fttr' >•• compensation or the wrongful commit-* '1*1", of the former petitioner to the/ Avondale Asylum, the A committee . reported recommendafc»ted; the was ample evidence to, wrongfully sj»mniitted,, v . Iti#^i■■/*#?#'»' of thing was permitted to go oii '..i> man would" '■'■'■''-■ '■■■•';',:''•■•■ 1: ?■;■'' > : *

The Hon. P. M. B. , whole point ,«f case wlis ah "al'ibetweeh the police and doctors to get Johnston out of the because of knowledge he had o| incidents conviewed the evidtencle given before the committee by' Johnston, to, the portions not v those of a rational man./Hisevidence was a mass'.".of contradictions or fabrfcatiojw!r'■ No ; a|tem£t had been ;.,•., rnade,-before the committee to prov« collusion' between the doctors and the police. Johnston was undoubtedly of • weak\ mind, and was a class of case requiring special r Mr Webb moved to refer the report lhack to the. committee for. further consideration, and stated that the whole proceedings, at v Waihi appeared a conspiracy ;to vilify the Labour or* gaaisation. They wanted a Commit jfifoni'to inquire into the facts. If\the was against the Federation, -*, of Labour, that body^uhjik^'ttS> iGb- - yerhment, would cheerfully,•admit.itsfault. ' ;-'-" : "v : \^'i^C^ ;; ?-v ! y ; -" ; The jras on tie 'voices, •-and: ■^e\^e^^t"o^s^^' i te : i ,^:'j> j on the table,]and: tb r printed:^'' "'■' : "' ■ "'' "'*". V. V' . : " ■ yT ■ ■

The House, resumed at 7.35 p.m.;, Mr Fraser moved the second reading) of Ithe; Trajiiways Aniendnient BiH compelling CStj; Councils to abolish .footboards front tram'cars before' 'lei s&<*> 1914. .','..

The debate is centring round the point that the,Bill should' he referred to a committee to hear evidence before being passed. ' ; ' ■' Mr Fraser,' in repjy, said he was convinced that the Bill ought to go before the committee, but since the House set its force against : that course, the responsibility must rest there.

The second redding was passed on the voices. ' RIVER BOARDS BILL. The House, went intocgjinmittci; o% the Biyer _"B^al , ds-:'A , ii^dnC^-'*^n.:'rv.;!-T-he clatise' providing;' for thj&';aj}*' : poifitment biy';,ibe ;, <EWWßih4os. of thcnir bers of a board, where noVelectioiti is held, or where a lees nximW is elected than is required t>y lawy was challenged) by Mr McCallum, / On a division being taken the clause wis retained by 31 votes to 16. Messrs Wilford and McCallum opposed clause 6, which provided that v the drainage rates are to he levied on a graduated scale, contending that the old scheme was working very well, and'that the bodies represented Mby those members had not sought the provision, and they would be satisfied if their districts were excluded fromtho scope of the Bill. Mr Buick held that compulsory, claesification was a good thing/ and he hoped tho Minister would stick to the Bill as it was. . Mr Wilford the'principle was wrong, and would only emanate from a Tory (Joverhmettt.