NOTES FROM THE HOUSE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 32, 7 August 1902, Page 20

NOTES FROM THE HOUSE.

PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

The queetion oi damages to property through sparks from railway engines came up for discussion on Tuesday on a report from the Railways Committee. The Acting-Premier said that everybody sympathised with the settlers who had suffered loss from this cause, but the difficulty was to discriminate bet-veen fires started by sparks from railway engine-* and fire* uri'sms' from other causes. His idea was that Bettlers living near the railway lines who«e holdings were subject to fire should insure- themselves agaitist possible loss in that way. However, the Government wonld again go into the report of the Commission which had some time ago inquired into the subject, aD(I the Cabinet'B proposals would appuar on the Supplementary Estimates. Later on the Estimates were again considered, and when the item for passage for members was being considered a sharo discussion arose on the constitution of the Legislative Council, the majority of speakers expressing themselves in favor of 8 reform of the Upper House. When the vote for the Agent-General's department was under review Sir William Russell said that Mr Reeves was a most capable Agent-General, but it was wrong that a high official like the Agent-Geneial should have held office from year to year, and thus been dependent on the goodwill of the Government, being liable to be removed at any time if he displeased the Government. Sir J. G. Ward replied that the arrangement was that Bix months' notice of removal was required on either side. He believed that the arrangement was satisfactory to Mr Reeves, and it hud worked very well. - The vote for the Printing and Stationery Department, £35,373, was challenged by Mr Pirani who complained that this dt partinent was growing at such an extravagant rate that it wan positively becoming a menace to the State. Economy could be practise 1 by allowing a proportion of the work to be tendered for by private firms. The machinery and plant were out of date, and the Government Beemed to be afraid to get the lateat appliances for fear of the labor unions. The Hon. Mr Hall-Jone* said the machinery of the Government Printing Office was up to date in mo^t respects. To obtain eight linotypes for the office would cost £0000, and he could not see his way to ask the House to vote thit amount at present. Linotypes had thrown out of work a large number of men, who were too old to find other employment, and that fact actuated him in not desiring to get the machines. But they were bound to come eventually. The consideration of the various votes in connection with the Colonial Secretary's department was continued during the night, and it was nina o'clock on Wednesday morning when the House rose. Several of the items were challenged but no reduction was effected in any of them. On Wednesday afternoon the adjourned debate on the Loan Bill was resumed. The opinion of the majoricy of the speakers was that it wad not undesirable to borrow money for public workd providing it was properly spent. The Loan Bill was again discussed on Thursday and Friday, and the Acting-Premier in replying to the criticisms of the various speakers said that every member who had spoken had supported the loan. Some had qualified their support by stating that they were prepared to vote for a reduced amount, but not one of those gave a single instance in which a reduction could be made, and he therefore had to take it that they were hoping and praying that the Government would be able to carry through the whole of the loan in the interests of themselves and their constituents and the ColoDy generally. Would hou. members believe, he asked, that the value of works and requirements asked for by members for their own districts was four times the amount of the proposed loan, and y^t they had found fault with the borrowing proposals of the Government. The measure was read a second time by 52 votes to 6, and waa then considered in committee.