HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 5453, 23 August 1901, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wellington, August 22 The House met at 2 30 pm Mr McGuire presented a petition from tha prohibitioGista of Taranaki, pointing oat the injury caused to the Native race by their drinking habits, which the petitioners say are destroying them morally and socially. Mr McGowan gave notice to introduce tht Second Hind Dealers.' Bill, and Mr Seddon the Opium Prohibition Bill. The Nelaon Harbour Board Aob s 1900, Amendment Bill (Sir J 6 Ward), Maori Linda Administration Act, 1900, Amendment Bill, (Mr Carroll), and Stamp Act; Amend' ! meat Bill (Mr Carroll), were introduced and read a first time. Bill* bs entend the West' bad and Nelson Coalfields Administration Act, 1877, and to amend the Coil Mnes Aob, 1891, were introduced by Governors message and read a first time. The Public Petitions Committee recommended that the widow of Constable Lake McDonnell (who recently died at Auckland) as the result of disease cortnc'ed whi'e on duty at the wreck of the Wairarapa, be paid a sum equal to three years' salary of her late husband. The report of the Public Accounts O»m* mittee in regard to fivo ca»es between the Audit Office and the Treasury Department! under section 9 of the Public Revenue Aofc, 1900, was read, la fojrif the cases fc a Committee reported that tht-y saw bo reason for proceeding further in the mittir. la the fourth ca9a the Comnvttee rep rted thab in their opinion the io ion of the Controller and Auditor G^usralwas unnecessary, at th« moneys were properly paid into the Treasury Mr-tfames Allen, spraking to the report, said that the Auditor General objected to certain services rendered by the Tabanekef in conveying volunteers to Sydney for tht Commonwealth inaugural celebrations being charged to the Marina Department. The matter aroei out: of amendments made last year io the Public Revenue* Aofc« The Toto for services rendered by tha Tutanekei ought to have bees repaid to the Marina Department by the department for which the service was actually rendered, There was no vote on the estimator for any department The services were rendeitd to the Marine Department instead of being charged to the unauthorised expenditure. It waa useless, he said, for him to mate that the report be referred back to the Public Accounts Committee Mr Seddoa said that excepb io far cm the fourth caße was concerned the Public Works Committee had not deemed it necessary to call evidence. There waa provision on last year's estimates for the Tutanekei'e trip to Sydney, its that a vote had been passed foe 1 Services to Government steamers within and without the colony.' It waa nob oon templated if the necessity arose for lending Government steamers beyond the colony that the ooal, food and equipment neomarjr would be provided by Parliament. Tha refnpdto the Marine Department for the services rendered was nob a question for the Controller Genera!, bub for the Admiaia tration A long dlsaueslon ensued, whtoh wm interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment The House resumed at 7.30 The debate on the report of the Publia Aoooanti Committee waa oontlnued. Tho mobion thatjthe report of the flonw mibtee lie on the table was, after a long debate, carried by 59 to 11. Mr Seddon announced that he proponed tomorrow to put through an Imprest Supply Bill, and then to begin the fininoia! debate ab 7 30. Mr Seddon moved bhab tha amendment! mada in committee in the Government Advanoes to Settlers Extension Bill be agreed to. A long debate ensued on the motion for the adoption of the amendments in tha Government) Advance to Settlers Bill and it waa still proceeding when the Telegraph Office closed, Wellington, August; 23 Afber the telegraph office closed this morning, Mr Seddon, replying on a motion that tha amendments made in Committee on the Governmaat Advances to Settlers Bill be agreed to, referred to the criticisms as to the increase in expenditure on public works. He said that daring the past three months there had been large shipments of locomotives, waggons, and rails, which had to be paid foe when they were put on board, and U was thai which had caused an abnormal drain on them during the past three months, and that the expenditure could not possibly go on daring the other cine months of the year. Wibn regard to the recent West Coast deputation, he explained thab no reporters were present, and that what had appeared in the press had ! evidently been given out by some member of the deputation. Mr Berries: Not by yourself. Mr Seddoc: No jlt waa not by myaelf. I did not see it, and did nob give it to the papers, because I never made the abatement. He went on to say that the deputation had asked him for an increase in the publio worka expenditure. In fact they pt.nted[ another railway ; but he had given them no encouragement. Ho had stated that the consolidated revenue had quite enough to bear. He might have gone further, and said thab the accounts did sob meet jit waa simply a statement at first blush, bat thera was no cause of anxiety, and to Bay sUati money wbs Dot available waa not eorreeb. The Amendments made in the BUI were then agreed to on the voices. The third reading was carried by 30 bo 4 and the Bill passed its final stages at 2.15 Km. The. House adjourned till 2 30 p m