GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 323, 4 August 1898, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TUESDAY. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. PROTECTION Of ANIMALS. The Animals' Protection Bill was committed. Several clauses gave rise to a controversy, especially the section providing for a license to kill native gune. Progress was reported at clause 30, and leave given to sit again. VACCINATION. Mr Jeunings gave notice to- move, " That in view of the grave danger attaching to the use of impure lymph the Government should take steps to ensure that calf lymph only be used ; that the appointments of all public vaccinators be revoked, so as to secure the appointment of only the best fitted for the positions." UNCLAIMED MONEYS. The third reading of the Unclaimed Moneys Bill was moved by the Minister for Education, who explained that though he desired to see the BiU pass in its present form, the question of whether Government Departments, such as the Post office Savings Bank and the Government Insurance Department, should be included within the scope of the measure was being considered by the Cabinet. The debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr Oliver, to permit of the second and third clauses being redrafted. The Council rose at 4.30 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.m. LIGHT LOCOMOTIVES. Mr J. Hutcheson moved the second reading of the McLean Light Locomotives Bill, as reported from the Private Kills Committee. Several members objected to the Bill as giving Mr McLean a monopoly. Mr Guinness, as Chairman of the Private Bills Committee, said that no mono poly waß given, inasmuch as a new clause had been added to make it compulsory on Mr McLean to issue a license to any person requiring one to run locomotives, the license fee to be £3. Besides, the measure would lapse altogether so soon as a public Act on the subject came into force. The fee was provided for with a view to Mr McLean being compensated, at least in part, for the expense he had been put to in introducing the Bill. Mr Masscy thought that as Mr McLean had introduced the Bill for his personal profit, he should bear all the expenses. The Premier pointed out that, as originally introduced, the Bill was restricted to Wellington, but the Committee on Private Bills had made the measure of general application, and ia doing so had given Mr McLean power to issue licenses as a means to compensate himself for the cost of introducing the Bill. If the House objected to that, let it bear half of the outlay which had been incurred by Mr McLean. That would be far less than it would cost to pass a general measure, and Mr McLean's Bill would have the effect of a general law. He suggested that the Bill should be referred back to the committee, so that the question of license fees might be reconsidered. Mr Rolleston hoped that as the Bill was evidently going back to the committee, it would be brought into line with constitutional principles. He objected strongly to empowering a private person to levy taxation, as was done in connection with the proposed license fee. Mr Crowther objected to the power giveu under the Bill to the Governor-in-Council. which meant the Premier, and was becoming far too common in New Zealand. Mr McGowan thought it was not well to give power to charge license fees under the Bill. A motion to refer the Bill back to the committee was carried. ANSWEK3 TO QUESTIONS. Mr Duthie asked the Minister for Lanfls if he had observed that the loss on the book cost, by the sales of the Assets Realisation Board to March 31st last, was shown to be £140,656, as against £309,907 realised, that a comparison of this year's sales with those reported on March 31st, 1896, appears to show a marked increase in the ratio of loss, and whether he will refer the question of the position and prospects of the realisation of these properties to the Public Accounts Committee. In reply the Minister for Lands stated fchero was no necessity to refer the matter to the Public Accounts Committee. The book value was calculated on the whole of the estates, and as only a portion of the estates had in some instances being disposed of, the difference between the book value and tho price realised on these portions made the loss seem larger than it really was. As a whole the sales had come out fairly near the approximate value put on the estates by the manager of the Assets Realisation Board. The Government could not undertake to make an inquiry into the claims of the promoters of the chloride of gold treatment for drunkenness as carried out by the Hagey Institute. It would be better to arrange for a trial of the system in connection with homes established under the Inebriates' Homes Bill, and with that in view the Government would consider the subject. ; The Government thought great care should be exercised in the matter of removing restrictions from native land. The subject would be dealt with in legislation now pending. If the House authorised the Government to provide for landless natives they would do what ( was possible in the matter. In this connection the Premier had no hesitation in saying that the Waikato natives had been badly treated. He would go into the matter very carefully, and see what could be done in the interest of the native race, aud Waikato in particular. THE PACIFIC CABLE. On the motion of the Premier, the question of establishing a Pacific cable service was referred to the Public Accounts Committee. DAIRY INDUSTRY. The Dairy Industry Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Agricultural Committee. THE BASK BILL. The House went into committee on the Bank of New Zealand and Bunking Act Amendment Bill. In clause 6, subsection B, as to the President instituting proceedings against the Bank in any Court of competent jurisdiction, if he declined to accept compensation, to recover damages for wrongful removal from office. Ml Wason advised that the subsection be struck out altogether on account of its invidious character. Mr Duthie raised the question whether the Bauk might not suffer iu the interim between the time of notice to the President aud his aotual retirement from office in March next. Mr J. Thomson said it was well known the President would accept two years' salary as compensation, aud there was no need to discuss the subsections. The addition of a second year's salary as compensation was really " hush money." The Premier held it would be necessary to pass the subsection, iu consequence of what had already been agreed to in the measure, and also to safeguard the country. He deprecated the use of such terms as " hush money " as absolutely unwarranted. Mr Taylor said the matter was complicated by the discovery of the fact that thfl President wonld hold office till the end of next March. Had that been known at the outset it would have made a gtcit difference, as members had been under the impression that the President

would be going immediately on the passage of the Bill. He would take the first opportunity to move the recommit.!l of the Bill, so that clause 6, in «» '';»• :ls ; it related to the abolition of the ofiiec of President, might be reoousidend. The Premier pointed out that to immediately get rid of the president and directors"would be impolitic, and that it might prejudice the interests of the Bank to precipitate a change in the management. Beside?, he desired that the work of reconstructing the management should be accompanied by as little irritation as possible. Still, if the House desired to shorten the period for effecting the change it could be considered later on. Mr Smith said there war, a growing feeling in the country that the Premier was not in earnest in the matter of banking legislation. If a change were necessary it should be made as soon as possible, and <\t any rate not later than the half-yearly balance at the end of September. Mr Fraser showed that they had an auditor to safeguard tho interests of the Bank, and there was no occasion to apprehend harm from continuing the existing management till next year. Mr Duthie agreed with Mr J. Thomson that there was a very general feeling that the two years' salary offered as compensation was *' hush money." Mr Mdls characterised the use of such terms as "hush money" as altogether uncalled for—the kind of thing which should not be said inside the House and dared not be said outside. Mr Carson said that the real facts were that the President had, in his circular to the members, challenged the House to institute an inquiry, and the Premier had done nothing to facilitate one, but everything to tho contrary. He moved that the Chairman leave the chair. The Premier said no inquiry could lead to any disclosures such as members appeared to anticipate, as tho circular obviously only referred to accounts whose history had become public property. Mr Duthie explained that he had made no charge against members in using the term " hush money," whereby he had meant that if the president took two years' salary as compensation, the outside public might regard that as •• hush money." Mr Tanner thought that to offer the president £4500 in cash, and at the same time leave him tho alternative to sue in a law court argued weakness in those making the proposals. Mr Crowther expressed the opinion that if it was decided to dispense with the President's services it would be better to let him go immediately. The Premier said that if members were anxious to curtail the period between the abolition of the Presidentship and the retirement of the President, he would agree to commit the Bill to make the time of retirement the eud of December. Mr Carson, on this understanding, asked leave to withdraw his motion, that the chairman leave the chair. Mr Taylor pointed out that the inquiry which members desired in connection with the abolition of the Presidentship was not any inquiry into the Bank's business, but into the circumstances which had led to the original banking legislation. The Premier declared that to find that out they would have to go back to the time of those directors who had lost the shareholders' money to the tune of £4,000,000. Mr Monk said that if the President were to go at all it was well that he should go at once, but it was a forlorn hope to suppose that the Bill before them would be the last of the banking legislation. Mr Sligo had never doubted the unwisdom of the proposed legislation, which he felt would prove a ghastly mistake. The Bill would place the Bank more than ever under political control, and he was convinced that irreparable injury would be done to the Bank. But the Premier had said the Bill was necessary, and he would leave tho Premier to bear the responsibility of his opinion and action. Mr Pirani said that the information the House would like to get, but never could obtain, was information as to the conditions under which the banking legislation was initiated and carried through, and the loss of the shareholders' capital had nothing to do with that. Mr Carson's motion was withdrawn. In I subsection C, " That for the purposes of legal proceedings the president be deemed to have been appointed to his office by the Bank instead of the Govcrnor-in-Council, and to have been removed from the office by the Bank in - Stead of by the Act," Mr Millar proposed that the word "duly" be inserted before the word " appointed " He said his object in moving the addition was to place the president in an unquestionable position to maintain all his legal rights. The amendment was negatived by 45 to 16. Mr Millar proposed another amendment in subsection C, to the effect that the words after Governor-in Council be struck out, and be replaced by the words 11 upon the terms mentioned in the Governor's warrant of appointment, at a salary of £'2250 a year." The amendment was negatived on the voices, and the other subsections of clause 6 passed without discussion. A long discussion took place on clause 7, declaring void contracts as regards salary, etc., of the president. The references in the clause to the inspector and auditor were struck out, and the clause restricted to the president only. On the motion of the Premier, the clause, as amended, was carried by 37 to 17. On clause 8, subsection 1, that the provisions of the Disqualification Act, 1878, relating to civil servants shall apply to the directors, was struett out, the Premier not objecting, and an amendment by Capt. Russell substituted, to the effect that members of cither Houses of Parliament are iueligitlc for appointment, while members of or for a period of 12 mouths afterwards. Ou tho motion of Mr Montgomery a similar provision was added with regard to civil servants. It was resolved that the Chairman of the Board be elected by the directors instead of being appointed by the Governor in Council. Progress was reported, and it was resolved by 33 to 21 to resume the consideration of the Bill at 2 30 p.m.

The House roc at 2.15 a.m