HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 290, 11 June 1909, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON, to-day. The House met at 10.30. Mr Herdman, in introducing his Bill dealing with the public service, said the object Avas to remedy the existing abuses. The service was stuffed with officials, totally unable to carry out their duties. A Public Service Board should be instituted. The unsatisfactory state of the police in Wellington was due to political influence. The Premier denied the sincerity of the Opposition in proposing reforms. They had made -demands on the Treasury amounting. to. several millions. The Premier denied the retrenchment -scheme" was an admission there had been , waste, in the past.' The Main Trunk line had necessitated an enormous number of . officers, who were not needed now. If a non-political power was set up, it would be like a judge of the Supreme- Court, and superior to Parliament. The responsibility of the Government in the matter of retrenchment was great, but it would put the financial position of the country on a sound basis. He denounced the attempts made to create an impression that New Zealand was on the verge of bankruptcy. : Mr Massey denied that the Opposition had attempted to damage the credit of the country. It was the actions of Ministers themselves. Mr Hogg had advocated paper money. He defended Mr Herdman's action, and denounced the present system as vicious and corrupt. There was intense dissatisfaction with the Railways. They were not paj'ing, and it was political influence, which interfered. He. did not suggest going back to the commissioners. There should always be a Minister of Kailways. Messrs Fisher, Wright, McLaren, and Hon. Duncan also spoke, and the I Bill was then ordered to be read that j day fortnight. The House rose- at 1 o'clock.