GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 221, 11 December 1897, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

♦ LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. OLD AGE PENSIONS. The Minister of Education moved the second reading of the Old Age Pension Bill. All previous schemes, he said, hod gone on the cardinal lines of contiilutions from those who. were to be recipients of the pensions. Ih.vt was their great stumbling block. In New Zealand the State, in consideration for the woik done by its workers, would present to the necessitous aged a certificate of merit with a pension attached. He repudiated the statement that charitable aid entered into the question at all. The country had been prepared by the last year's Registration Bill and the last; election for the present measure. The finance of the Bill had been put on the most solid basis of the consolidated revenue. Mr Bonar contended that the Government should have given the colony an opportunity of considering the measure. The present Bill cancelled and repealed the Registration Bill, and all claims registered under it. He calculated that the scheme would cost the country £500,000 annually. He moved to lay aside the Bill on the grounds that the country had had no opportunity of considering the scope of the Bill in connection with the benefit societies ; that the financial provision was unsatisfactory, and the measure had not been based on actuarial calculations : and that the Bill was practically a form of conditional relief, open to the risk of injustice in administration, and should be considered with the whoU question of charitable aid. Mr McCullough supported the Bill. The country had had the question forcibly put before it by last year's Bill, and by the newspapers of the colony. The friendly societies would hail with delight the passing of the Bill. Mr Ormond regretted that the Council was precluded, by reason of the manner in which the Bill was brought down, from taking its proper share in the legislation of the colony. He protested against the shape of the Bill, as tho finance of the question should be contained in a separate Money Bill. The policy Bill of the Government had disappeared altogether, and an incoherent measure had teen framed by irresponsible members of the Lower House. There must not be left to the Government of the day power to frame resolutions for the carrying out of the Bill. If the Government bad meant the Bill to be a policy Bill, it would have insisted on the whole of the measure. The Bill, if passed, would annihilate the benefit societies. Mr Rigg strongly upheld the Bill, arguing that the country had fully discussed the principle of the measure. The debate was then adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. STATE FIRE INSURANCE. This Bill has been introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. Mr Seddon intimated that it was intended to circulate the measure amongst those interested, but it was not intended to proceed further with it this session. BILLS -INTRODUCED. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill and Laud Settlement Act Amendment Bill were introduced. The Premier intimated that he intended to consider these Bills urgent. THE PROGRAMME. Mr Seddon stated that the Government were desirous of passing the following Bills : Horowhenua Block, Technical Education, Alien Immigration, Members Disqualification. In regard to the Master and Apprentices, Young Persons Protection, Bankiug and Eight Hours Bills he hoped they would be passed, as he intended to amend the clauses objected to. PUBLIC WORK AND LAND SETTLEMENT. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Amendment Bill, which proposes to empower the raising of £250,00U, of which £200,000 is to be devoted to railway repairs and rolling stock, £25,000 for school buildings, and £25,000 for technical schools. He pointed out the necessity of .this measuro owing to the floods, for repairs to the railway lines and for additions to the rolling Stock owing to increased traffic. He thought the amounts to be raised lor public school buildings and technical education would be approved. Mr Buchanan supported the measure, but thought the Government were not Eupplying sufficient rolling stock. Captain Russell contended that if the railways had been properly managed there would not have been any necessity for borrowing £200,000 for repairs and additions. He was prepared to admit that Mr Cadman had managed the rail ways creditably, but he denied that the Commissioners bad left the rolling stock in a bad condition. It was no new thing for lines to be damaged by storms, and he pointed out that in 1893 much damage had" resulted from landslips and floods. He spoke in favour of the Commissioners' control of the railways, and said that while the Commissioners had the management and the traffic revenue had increased, and a large amount of repairs had been effected out of revenue. If there was to be an equitable distribution of the school buildings grant, the population basis would have to be ignored in respect to the bush districts of the North Island. Mr Cadman said the question of the desirability of State or Commissioner control was one for the country to decide. He did not profess that the Government policy had been responsible for the whole of the increased traffic on the railways, but he claimed that the reductions made in the rates had materially assisted in increasing the traffic. He quoted figures showing the large increases which had taken place in connection with the railways since 1894. Referring to the necessary improvements on the railways he said that it would take £228,000 to attach Westinghouce brakes to all the carriages, and £SOOO could be spent annually for twenty years in introducing interlocking signals. He also pointed out that to properly light the carriages would mean a further large expenditure. The amount proposed to be expended (£200,000) was not excessive considering what had to be done with it. To replace the Rangitikei bridge would take £12,000, though the previous bridge only cost £3OOO. Another bridge in the Hawke's Bay district would cost £6781, and he contended it was not fair to charge the revenue accounts with these amounts. Sir R. Stout said the Government's object in bringing in the Bill was to ensure that there should be a surplus at the end of the year. He pointed out that the works on which the £200,000 for railways was to be spent were not the same as those on which it was stated in the Budget that the money was to be spent. He objected to the provision of the Bill under which the currency of debentures under the original Act was extended indefinitely. Mr Seddon said he was gratified to hear, so many members compliment his colleague on his railway management, and his administration had proved that the Government was competent to efficiently manage the railways. He contended that the proposed expenditure wouid bo reproductive, and said a much larger expenditure on the different workshops in the colony was also necessary, and would be equally reproductive. Respecting Sir R. Stout's references to the schedule of the Bill, he pointed out that Clause 4 provided that the moneys in the schedule were only to be expended after being appropriated by Parliament. The second reading was agreed to on the voices,

LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Government Emergency Loans to Local Bodies Bill, which empowers the Colonial Treasurer to lend to local bodies three times the maximum amount allowed under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act, when, on account of Hoods or other contingencies, the maximum amount would be insufficient. After a short debate, the Houss agreed to the second reading.