GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11749, 25 November 1903, Page 5

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(F-US • ASSOCf-TTO.V - TELKKAV) -LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wedxesdat, NOVEMBER 24. The Legislative Council received ihe Appropriation Bill at 7.6 a.m. In the course of an hour's debate, Mr RIGG expressed regret that so little good work had been done during the session, which was especially remarkable for the large proportion of unimportant measures passed. He regarded the vote of £15,000 for the late Queen's Memorial as a sinful waste of money, and an unwarranted, piece of extravagance. He trusted that it would be the crowning folly Of the Premier's Imperialism. He contrasted this session with the session of 1894, when our politicians had not learned Jhe art of bowing down, and we were not inflicted with the grovel about. Imperial questions that we had had in recent years. Mr Rigg went on to complain that the remuneration of the Chairman of Committees in the Legislative Council wa9 not equal to the position. Mr CARNCROSS expressed the opinion that there had been a wanton waste of time, and that the work done had not been altogether commensurate with the amount of time devoted to it. He agreed with Mr Rigg's remarks about the £15,000 vote, and said it was a useless wanton extravagance, that would not be appreciated by tlie country, but would be severely condemned. Mr FRASER urged that more good would have been done in spending the £15.000 voted for the Queen's Memorial in making roads in tlie back blocks. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, replying at 8 a.m., contended that the verdict of the colony would bo- that no more important work had been done in any previous session. As to the £15,000 vote, he remarked that had the vote been taken in the year of the late Queen's death not a word" would -lave been said against it. He joined in the congratulations to the Speaker, and to Mr Rigg, Chairman of Committees, on the able and courteous manner in which they had conducted the business. The SPEAKER and Mr RIGG expressed their gratitude for the compliments paid them, and thanked the Council for its assistance. Tlie Bill was reported unamended from Committee, and read a third time, and passed at 8.27 a.m.