HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12602, 19 September 1906, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

TuEsnAY, September 18.

AFTERNOON SITTING,

The Houee met at 2.30 p.m PRIVATE BILLS.

Tlie Church Property Trust Amendment Bill, and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland Empowering Bill were read a second time. SUPPER ADJOURNMENT. The PREMIER moved "Tliat tlie usual supper adjournment at 9.30 p.m. bo discontinued for tlie remainder of the sosion. He held that the exprience of the last few weeks amply justified the now departure, adding that there was no mention of rising at eleven o'clock, because he felt sure that if due diligence were observed all business in future would be over by 11 o'clock.

Tho motion was agreed to on the voices.

THIRD READINGS. Tho Fire Brigades Bill, Payment of Jurors Bill, Habitual Criminals Bill, and Horowhenua Block Act Amendment Bill were read a third timo and passed.

MAORI LAND CLAIMS. The Maori Land Claims Adjustment and Laws Amendment Bill passed through Committee.

ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. The second reading of the Government Advances to Settlers Act Amendment Bill was agreed to on the voices. TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS.

Sir JOSEPH WARD moved the second reading of the Tourist and Health Reports Control Bill. Ho explained that the Bill was chiefly a machinery measure for the better and mere uniform control of tiho whole tourist system.

Mr HERRIES thought it was a pity the Bill did not go further. The head of tho Department, who lie admitted to l>o an excellent tourist agent, was too much away from the colony. He considered that the want'of organisation and discipline required a radical change in the management of the whole Department. The chief want was of concentration and unification of authority.

In tho course of the debate, Mr ELL protested against the indiecriminate introduction of wild animate for the attraction of tourists, and advocated the protection of the native bird life of the country. He admitted, in aruTiver to an interjection of the Premier, that New Zealand had done more than any other place in tho world in this matter, but while congratulating the Minister on that, he thought the protective measures should go very much further.

In his reply, the PREMIER pointed out that, thero seemed to be much misapprehension about the Tourist Department. Tho Department was not responsible for the introduction of deer, md it had nothing whatever to. do with annexing springs and other things. Much non.'en>c was talked about deer stalking as the exclusive amusement of tho globe trotter, hut the Department knew of its own knowledge that for every outsider stalker, there were fifty New Zealar.ders. Thcr? was an idea of profs extravagance, but the cost of tho Department was £4000. It earned £10,000. and the lowest estimate of the annual tourist expenditure was £350,000. As to animals—brown bears, blue bears, yellow bears, or any other wild animals—the Tourist Department had never asked for thd introduction of a single wild animal. The debate was interrupted by the dinner adjournment.