HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7252, 10 August 1907, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON, August 9. The House me* at 2.30 p.m. ISILLS. The Fire Brigades Act, 1906, Amendment Bill was read a first time. The Reserve OFund Securities Bill was put through its final stages. . THE ESTIMATES. The House W'Snt into. Committee of Supply for further consideration of the At the vote for Public Buildings, Mr McGowan denied that the Government was infringing the 'Wellington City by-laws hi connection with the Government buildings on Lambton Quay. The addition was merely an extension of an existing building, which it was looped would serve the country for the; next 15 or 20 years. Replying to various members, Mr McGowan stated,iti was altogether impossible to gather all the Government buildings of any city into any one place. I The total vote passed unaltered. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m., in Committee of fjupply on the Estimates. ■ At the vote j for Maintenance of Roads, i Mr Wilford urged that instead of making roads by rhe system of devoting so much each year until completed, an amount sufficient to complete any road undertaken should be granted, and the work finished. By following such a system mjiich of the friction that occurred when local bodies took over the roads from !the''Government would be avoided. A system of rotation could be devised, by which each district would be served j Mr Hornsby jiaid the present system was beneficial to the settlers in the back blocks. (' -Mr Massey lirged that the main roads should b<? provided for by Act of Parliament. 6ut of the Consolidated Fund. ' L The total vot<? passed unaltered. Printing and Stationery Department —£41,878. Agijeed to. . i Stamps and i Deeds Department— '£•35.623: Agreed to. After a- lengthy discussion the vote, for the Native! Department, £27,884, was passed unaltered. At the vote fbr the Justice Department, j Mr Wilford aiked if it was proposed to.transfer bankruptcy business to the control of the Public Trustee. He had urged this reform for three years, and intended to continue it. Mr Aitken suggested that a debtor should bo broueh't for' his first examination in bankruptcy to where the bulk of the money was owing, and that the creditors should not be obliged to travel to where :the debtor resided.

Mr Wilford, p\ order, ho said, to emphasise that lan alteration in the bankruptcy law I was desirable, moved to reduce tha; item "Bankruptcy, £4031," by £1. ! The motion was negatived by 31 votes to 15. .. ' Progress wasi reported, and the House rose at 1.15 a.m.