PARLIAMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12637, 26 October 1905, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

(Per Press Association),

The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Education Reserves Bill (No. 2) i; providing that Sdhool Commissioners may sell or exchange small or isolated sections of and or reserves was read a second time, put through Committee; and put tihrough its final stages. : ': y The Council adjourned till 7.30 p.m. The Council resumed at 7.30. ;

The Criminal Code Amendment Bi'.l was pat through. • Committee without amendment, read a third time, and passed. ' .

The Workers' Dwellings Bill was committed. At clause 6—'application for worker's dwellings—the Hon. George moved to strike out .tine weird " freehold." He did so •with a desire to obtain the opinion of the Council as to whether applicants should be able to purchase the freehold qfjfoheir dwelling. The Hon. Bigg, while opposing the freehold being open to sale, felt that to strike out the ability to purchase would jeopardise the chances of the Bill passing this session.

The Attorney-General agreed with the contention that if the; freehold clauses were struck: out the fiiff'would be lost this session.

The Hon. Bolt said the Council should express its opinion. If the clauses were struck out the result would be a conference between the two Chambers, when scßneam-angement iraigbt be come to that would satisfy both parties. The amendment was lost on the voices

Clause 8 (rent fixed at 5 per cent, on the capital value, including one per cent, for depreciation, in addition to insucrang the dwelling from fire) was amended by striking out the reference to deterioration. The deletion does not, however, affect the rent, and there was added a provision that the tenant must also pay the estimated amount of the rates under the 1894 Rating Act. The Hon. Jones moved to strike out from th© Bill tfae mode of acquiring a dwelling by an insunance on the worker's life.

The Attorney-General pointed out that the provisions toad been considered carefully -in tihe lower House, and no objections had been raised.

Jn replying, Mr Jenkinson said that that argument carried no weight, since the Lower House had omitted to make provision in mode C for the payment of rent.

The Hon. Jones' amendment was lost by 17 to 54.

The Hon. Jones called for a division en the question of whether clause 10 (mcdes of acquiring freehold) sliould stand as the pant of the Bill, in his opinion, "the freehold provisions were a snare and a delusion. The oaluse was retained toy 15 to 5 votes.

Clause 11 (m di of acquiring the freehold by endowment-" assurance) was amended by the .insertion of a, provision that the rent' shall be five per cent. There was rent provided in the Bill asit came from the House.

A new clause was added to provide that, with' the consent of the Land Board, a lessea may at any time surrender his leaf© upon terms mutually agreed upon between them.

Power was g'ven to the Minister to erect buildings for occupancy on a weekly tenancy at a rent not exceeding five per cent., the tenant to pay rates under the 1894 Act. Every weekly tenant ■must be a worker and landless.

Another new clause was added as follows:—Notwithstanding anything in the Rating Act, 1894, (the Land Board in the case of weakly tenancies under section 21 hereof shall be liable for payment to the local authority of rate 6in the same manner as if such Board or Minister 'were an occupier within the meaiine: of 'the 'Rating Act, 1894, provided -that the Board and Minister respectively shlall not be liable for any greater amount t'ban 'has been received as-the rate from each tenant.

The Bill was reported as amended and read a fchii'd time on the voices, and finally passed. The Council decided to insist upou its amendments in the Shops and Offices Bill.

:•■■ The Council adjourned at 9.30 p.ni till 2.30 nest day: ~- I \

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2i"3Q p.m. The Maon! " Washing'-iip'V Bill.:'was1, brought down "by Governors message. Several members saSffiffih^y considered it was & very great pity that a Bill of

this kind was iheld over until the" dying hours of the session. The Bill was read a first time and referred to the? Native Affairs Committee. In reply to Sir W. Steward, Mr S&d* don said 'he would probably devote another morning's sitting to local Bills. In" reply to Mr Massey, Mr Seddoii said he was trying to close the businessof the session on Saturday. If oppostition was shown to the Fire Brigades'' BUI in Committee the Governments would not persist with tihe measure. Ha understood a compromise was likely tobe arrived at with regatrd to the Electrict Lines Act Amendment Bill. The Land for Settlement Act Extension Bill, New Zealand International Exhibition Em-* powering Bi 1, and Teadhers' Superan-* iiuation Bill would be proceeded with. The Town Districts Amendment Bill was introduced l by Governor's message, and head a first time.

Mr Seddon explained that the Bilt embodied Itihe principle contained mv Mr Flatman's Town Districts Bill, and the amendments proposed by other members.

The Bills of Exchange Act Amendment Bill was received from the Legislative* Council and read a first time.

The Property and Law Amendment Bill was put through its final stages. The Education Act Amendment Bill wad further considered an Committee. It was provided that the Act shall come into operation on January Ist, 1906. It was also provided that a teacher appointed before "the coming into operation of the Act eihall not—so long as he* remains in the same position—receive asalary lower than he would (have beeni entitled to under the Education Act Amendment Act, 1904. On the motion of Mr Wood it was decided tlhat a member of the Education Board should cease to be a member of the Board on his ceasing to reside in th© district. Mr Buddo moved to amend the sche* dv c by proving " that at least one out of the first two (instead of three) assistants in any school, must 'be a woman."

Lost on the voices. Mr James Allen moved " tha*- any school with over 40 in average attendance shall have a mis&rees."—Lost by 34 to 30.

On the motion for the third reading, Mr Arnold, on behalf of Mr Sidey, moved to recommit the Bill, so as to pro* vide that the selection of a teacher snail be left in the bands of the School Committee, instead, of the Board. The motion for recommittal was cartried by 40 to 28. It -was decided to disagree with some* of the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Shops amd Offices Bill, and a conference was invited. . The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts Compilation Bill passed through... Committee •without amendment, and was put trough its final stages. The House erose at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE EDUCATION BILL. In Committee on the Education Aefc Amendment Bill, Mr Arnold moved to amend clause 15 to provide that the selection of a teacher' shall be left in the (hands of they Sdhool Committee, instead of tie Board. ■Mr Seddon said he did not altogether < approve of this proposal, but he agreed that greater power in regard to the selection of teachers slhould be left in the hands of the Committee.r He suggested a modification of the proposed _ new clause.

After considerable discussion, Mr Seddon moved ah amendment of the clause* to pnovide that if the number of candidates sent on to the Committee from the Board exceeds four the Committee* shall select two, from which the Board-" shall make the appointment, and if the number is less than four the Committee shall select one who shall be appointed by the Board, and that if notification is not received from the Committee within three days the Board shall proceed to make the appointment. The Premier's proposal was adopted ' on the voices, and th« Bill -was reported

The Bill then passed its final stages on the voices.

The Railway Authorisation Bill was introduced by Governor's message. In reply to Mr Massey, Sir J. G. Ward said it provided for a deviation of the Sentry Hill-New Plymouth line, ■ '• and was a very necessary work. The cost would be £15,000, against which would be the money realised by the sale of land. Mr Aitken pointed to the dangerous ohiaraoter of the Thoradon-T© Aro line, which passes through Wellington, ana .^ asked whether the Government proj*osefil „ \ to cease (running trains on that section; r '^ Sir _J. G. Ward said he consider*^! '** ; that line a most useful piece of railway, and it served a very useful purpose. 'A& "■ ' time went on its usefulness would be increased. .

The Bill was read a first time. * ' The Civil Service Classification Bill was introduced by Governor's message, and read a first tame. " Mr. Seddon moved the second reading of the Australian and Nerv Zealand Naval Defence Bill, -which, lie explained, simply varied the original agreement in regard to the class of warships to be stationed dn Australasian waters. Under the amended agreement the Imperial authorities would give Australasia a superior squadron without any extra cost to the Colonies.

Mr Massey, in supporting the Bill, said he considered the time would oonno probably in tihe near future, when tfhia colony would be called; upon to increase its contribution to the ' Australasian Squadron, and he believed New Zealand would be quite willing to do its share. The second readirig was!agreed to on the voices, and the Bill was put through Committee w'thouj^aniendnient. The Taranaki Sraolarshijjts Bill passed through Committee without material amendment. ~