PALIAMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 199, 20 August 1904, Page 6

PALIAMENT.

. a HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. In the House of Representatives this afternoon the Lands Boards Empowering Bill (Sir W. J. Steward) and Bruce Licensing Poll Bill No. 2 (Mr. J. Allen) were read a first time. ESTIMATES. Discussion on tha Estimates was next undertaken. The Maori Lands Administration Department £2959, and Maori Councils Department £1100, were passed after lengtty discussions. The Prisons Department, £36,411, next came under review. Mr. Laurei_on hoped that a superannuation fund would be established in connection with employees of the Department. A sum of £ 10,000 standing on the credit of the prison officials of tLe colony would found the nucleus of such a fund. He congratulated Inspector Hume on the success of the treeplanting experiments at Waiotapu. Replying to Mr. Ell, the Minister of Justice said that children were only sent to prison pending trial. There was no other place to send them to. Mr. Baume urged that another place than prison should be provided for sending children to. Mr. Laurenson suggested that the Timaru Gaol should be set apart for juvenile offenders. The total vote for the Justice Department, £141,831, was then passed. POST AND TELEGRAPH. This class was then taken, and in answer to Mr. Mtissey the PostmasterGencal stated that the estimated deficit (New Zealand's share) in connection with the Pacific cable for this year was about £ 10,000. The --'ote for the Department, £552,857, passed after considerable discussion on very minor points. CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT. Discussing this vote, Mr. Guinness wanted to know by whose authority drapery experts were appointed all over the colony. The Hon. Mr. Mills stated that Cabinet decided on the appointments. £3,000,000 worth of drapery was imported last year, and so the experts v;ere necessary. Mr. Massey complained of the item "£2OO, drawback on poods shipped to Cook Islands," and pointed out that it contravened the Act. If it appeared next year he would move that it be struck out. The vote, £40,859, was passed, and the Hou9e adjourned at 12,55 a.m.