HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

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

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, November 24. After the telegraph office closed the Supplementary Estimates were reported without amendment. It was decided to disagree with the amendment- made by the Legislative Council in the Public Works Bill, and to agree with the Council's amendment in the Maori Land Laws Amendment Bill. MR SEDDON AND THE REFERENDUM. Mr SEDDON made a statement on the subject of Bible,reading in schools. He saiel the representatives of the people had expressed a desire, in passing the Referendum Bill, that certain questions should be referred to the people, and he did not think it was right that the Legislative Council should refuse to give the opportunities sought for under the Bill, and believing it to be the dexire of the majority of members of the House he would be quite prepared to introduce a measure, the object of which would be to refer the question of Bible reading in schools to the people of the colony. He would not bring in a Bill to give effect to Bible reading in schools, but was quite prepared to allow the matter to be referred to the people of the colony to exprets their opinion upon. He also said, in regard to the sale of liquor in-the King Country, that power wus given .by Section 33 of the Act of 1895 to appoint inspectors and see that the Taw was carried out. 'He thought inspectors ought to be appointed, to prevent alcoholic liquors going into the King Country, and it was the intention of the Government to see that the provision was rigorously applied to every district in the colony where no license obtained. It was the duty of tlie Government to see the law carried out, and however unpleasant it might be it was better than allowing the people to openly flout tlie existence of the law. APPROPRIATION BILL. The Appropriation Bill was brought down at 3.30 a.m., and passed its first and second readings, and went throttgh Committee. On the motion for the third reading, Air MASSEY said if the business of the House had been properly conducted the session should have been brought to a close fully six weeks ago. It had been a most remarkable session, not only because of its length, but because of the large number of pettifogging bills that had been .i introduced. He complained that important policy measures were kept back till the last days of the session, and referring to the abandonment of the Lund Bill, he said the amendment of which he had given notioe in favour of the freehold would come up again early next session. He declared | that the Government would have authority this session for increasing the indebtedness of the colony by about three millions. * Sir J. G. WARD said.more legislation hod been placed on the Statute Book this session than ever before in th« history of the colony—legislation, too, that was of immense importance to the country as a whole. Mr SEDDON, replying, a* 6.20 a,m., said the number of Bills passed during the session constituted a record for the New Zealand Parliament. He considered that tlie one dark blot on the session was the calling for a division on the vote for the Queen Victoria memorial in London. There was not, he believed, one British colony 4hat Jiod questioned the passing of this contribution. He claimed that tlie Government was stronger in the country and House than ever it was before. Referring to the Appropriation Bill, lie said it gave the Government power to transfer half a million sterling from the Consolidated Fund to tlie Public Works Fund. He believed the control proposed in the Licensing Bill would be a great, improvement, and he looked forward to the time when most of tlie provisions in the Bill would be placed on the Statute Book. It wa* pitiable to see the way in which the Opposition had blocked measure*, and when the Government Whips had called for a division, the Opposition had shown by their voting that they were not, sincere. Mr Maasey had talked of going to the country on the land question, and would say the Government had feared to face his amendments, but Mr Massey took very good care not to bring forward hio amendments to the land laws. So far as he (Mr Seddon) was concerned, and as long as he had a voice, he would do his best to preserve to the poor of the country the right to obtain the use of the land of the country. The Bill passed its final stages on the voices. It was intimated that the conference had arrived at an agreement on the amendments in dispute in the Public Works Bill. A motion for the adjournment of the House was carried by 17 votes to 14. Sir J. G. WARD, on behalf of the House, paid a tribute to Mr Guinness and Mr Millar for the manner in which they had carried out their respective duties. Mr BUCHANAN, on behalf of the leader of the Opposition, i-poke in a similar strain. Mr GUINNESS suitably acknowledged the compliment, and Sir WM. STEWARD returned thanks on behalf of Mr Millar. The session finally closed at 9.5 a.m.