GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15393, 25 September 1915, Page 8

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(iSaSDGZD PRESS ASSOCIATION JJSPOBX.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Framr, Skptembee 34. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. FINAL STAGES. The Butt Road. Bill, the Local Rail, ways Act Amendment Bill, and tie Sale of Food and I>rugs Act Amendment Bill were put through their stages. In speaking on the Sale of Food and Drugs Bill, the Hon. J. BARR complained of tho laxity in carrying out the provisions of the main Act. He specially alluded to' complaints of short weight in bread, and urged a strict analvsis of all liquors sold. Why allow people, ho asked, to bo poisoned owing to faulty administration of tho law? This apathy was not creditable to the Department, which should acton the initiative of its officers, and not wait for complaints before taking action. COOK ISLANDS BILL. On the motion for the committal of the Cook Islands Bill, the Hon. O. SAMUEL made a lengthy statement in opposition to the measure. He alleged that the cost to New Zealand was now £7000 per year, and that under the proposed Bill this amount would be increased threefold. The Federal Parliament of the several islands had beou abolished, and a new code of laws was being forced on the people without any representation on their part. EVENING SITTING. At the evening sitting the Cook Islands Bill was read a third time by 18 votes to 2, and passed. The Land Transfer Act Compilation Bill was read a third time and passed. The Council rose at 11 p.m. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES

Fridat, Seftembee 24. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. DOMINION MUSEUM. Mr ANDERSON brought up a- report from the Joint Library Committee, which recommended that the functions of the committee be extended so that it might act as a Board of Advice in connexion with the Dominion Museum. The Hon. G. W. RUSSELL said the Library Committee had at his suggestion adopted this report. So far as the library was concerned, the committee had some control, but they had no control over the Museum, and it •was not now proposed that they should do more than act as a Board of Advice. it would, ho thought, be to the advantage of the Museum if it had the benefit of the experience of many of the gentlemen on both of ihc House. The Museum had been starved of late years, and that starvation was most manifest in the absence of a suitable building. In the absence of that building many of the most valuablo of the articles presented by the late Sir Walter Buller's trustees and Mr A. H. Turnbull were now stored in fireproof rooms in various parts of the city. That was not as it should be. In addition, there was the prot>osal to establish a National Art Gallery in conjunction with the Museum, and he wag anxious to have the assistance and advice of members of both Houses who took a keen interest in science and art. The Library Committee could heln liim very much and strengthen his hands in any progressive proposals. In the course of the discussion, the Hon. Dr. McNAB said the Museum should be kept in touch with the spirit of those whd were themselves collectors and "took a personal interest in such matters. Unless this was done, it would not be possible to cet valunblo collections from those who were devoted to that work. Ha did not +M"k a Parliamentary Committee could best t>erform the functions snetrested, and he advised careful fonside'-atinn. The Hon. W. FRASFR said it was not proposed to give the Librnrv Committee any control over the Museum: they were merely to hr> an advisorv bodv. There was already a Board o* Control appointed under the Science and Art, Act. Thp r*>nort, n-ns Bflonted. AN ECHO OF THE BIG STRTKE. A lengthy discussion took place on several petitions praying for compensation in connexion with property lent to the Hamilton branch of the Farmers' Union during the strike of 1913, and subsequently lost. The A to L Committee recommended that the petitions be referred to the Government for favourable consideration and careful enquiry into the equity of the claims. The members of the T-abnur Party opposed the naymenfc of any compensation in such cases, alleging that one of the netitioners was worth anything from £40 000 to £50.000. On divisions the petitions were referred to the Government for consideration.

EVENING SITTING. Tho House resumed at 7.30 p.m. NOTICE OF BILLS. The MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS gave notice to introduce the Gaming Act Amendment Bill and the Auctioneers Act Amendment Bill. The Hon. Dr. McNAB Rave notice to introduce tho Prisoners Detention Bill and tho Prisons Act Amendment Bill. The Hon. W. P. S. MacDONALD gave notice to introduce the Dairy Industry Act Amendment Bill and tho Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill. MILITARY MANCEUVRES BILL. The Houso went into Committee on the Military Manoeuvres Bill. In answer to a question by Mr WITTY, the MINISTER OF DEFENCE said it was tho intention of the Defence Department to oompensato for any damage to property taken temporarily under the Act. In clause 3 tho" Minister added a new 6ub-section providing that twentyfour hours' notice in writing bo given to an owner before any land is occupied under the Act. The Bill "was put through its final stages. LAND FOR DISCHARGED SOLDIERS. The second reading of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Bill was moved by the PRIME MINISTER. H<- said the title of the measure almost completely explained ite pnrposc. The land to be utilised for this purpose would be either Crown landt or land purchased under tho Land for Settlement Act. There was some land in the Hutt, somo in the North of Auckland, and some in Central Otago very suitable for this purpose. It would be necessary to assist some of the soldiers with funds, and £50,000 was named in the Bill. This would probably not be sufficient, but it was enough to start with. The future could safely be left to the Government of the day, whether the National Cabinet or any other. Clause 10 provided that any land included in the national endowment and used for the settlement of soldiers could not be sold. »t any time. The Bill had been generally approved by the Lands Committee, and in his opinion the Bill was a very necessary piece of legislationMr WITTY congratulated the Government on the introduction of the Bill, but said he doubted if the £60,000 set apart to assist the soldier settlers was sufficient. Mr E. NEWMAN expressed the opinion that the provisions of the Bill should not be confined to soldiers ,and sailors, but should be extended to the noble band of women who had .gone to

tho front as nurses. The expenditure of £50,000 in Keeping our returned soldiers ou tho land would be one of tho finest investments the Dominion could make. . Mr HUDSON urged the exercise of the greatest care in the selection of tho land occupied under the Bill, boil, climate, aspect, and transport facilities should be taken into consideration, especially if tho land was to be used for fruit-growing. . Mr WEBB advocated a course of instruction at an Agricultural School for those men who had had no previous experience in agricultural work, and said provision for such schools should have been made in the Bill. Ho thought this . an excellent opportunity for some of the iargo landowners to offer blocks of good laud near railways for tho settlement of our returned soldiers. The Hon. A. L. HERDMAN. speaking of the control of _ the Patriotic Funds, exaressed an opinion in favour' of unification in their administration, but said the Government had no intention to use compulsion to force patriotic societies to come in under the War Funds Bill, or under Mr C. P. Skerrett's scheme. It was tho desire of his Department, however, to get into close touch with those organisations so as to prevent waste in the management of tho funds in their hands. Reverting to the settlement of the men on the land, Mr Herdman explained that in the ordinary land ballots returned soldiers would have preference where they preferred to take up land in that way, but the settlements provided for in this Bill were of a special nature, and were for the exclusive benefit of returned soldiers. Speaking of the operation* " the Returned Soldiers' Information Department, he said that «o far they had rccords of 1047 returned so fibers. reports were being obtained on 230 men., while no reports were yet tp hand iegarding 415. The number who said they did not want Departmental assistance was 82, the number who .stated they would ro-enlist was 21, those who required help were 35, those unfit for work 60. cases under enquiry 36. cases receiving attention 35, cases helped so far 10. situations offered 11. other offers 10. Regarding the patriotic funds collected, bis information was that the total aggregated £405,207. TTiis might not be quite accurate. The Hon. G. W. RUSSELL: It does not include the Sick and Wounded Fund. Mr PARR: Auckland is going to raise a quarter of a million, Mr HERDMAN: Hurrah! After further debate. The PR DIE MINISTER, in his reply, said ho was particularly favourable to fruit farms for this class of settler, but he wished to make it clear that the settlements would not be confined to any one part of ihe Dominion. The Bill was read a second time on the voices. LAW PRACTITIONERS BILL. The Law Practitioners .Act Amendment Bill was read a .third time and passed. CENSUS AND STATISTICS BILL. Tho PRIME MINISTER, moved tho second reading of the Census and Statistics Act Amendment Bill. Ho explained that the measure was supplementary to the National Registration Bill, passed last night, and woulld enable the Government to collect a great deal of information useful in war time. It. was proposed to revert to the system of house-to-house visiting in connexion with the collection of the agricultural statistics. The Bill was read a second time. OTHER BILLS. The Destitute Persons Act Amendment Bill (Mr Hsrris) was read a scconcl time. The third reading of the State Advances Act Amendment Bill was agreed to. The Discharged Soldiers Settlements Bill passed through committee without amendment. The Census and Statistics Act Amendment. Bill also passed its committco stage without amendment. _ The Lights on Vehicles Bill (the Hon. D. Buddo) war. put through committee. The Factories Act Amendment Bill (Mr Wilford) was passed through committee with tho addition of a new clause providing that the Bill should not como into force until six months after the declaration of peace. All the Bills which had been put through their committee stage were then read a third time and passed. The House rose at 11.50 p.m.