THE COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 282, 21 August 1908, Page 9

THE COUNCIL.

SAVINGS-BANK REGULATIONS. s.The Upper House sat for an hour and forty minutes yesterday afternoon. Tho Hon. J. T. PAUL (Otago) asked whether tlio Government would consider tho "desirability of instituting some additional check to prevent fraud in'connection with' the withdrawal of,'sayipgs-bank deposits. Ho suggested - the system adopted -in Victoria by-which a depositor gives his signature to the bank, and-also tho name of another person as a check, which name is recorded in the books of the bank, and a depositor in-addition.to signing a withdrawal-slip, must also, givo tho reforenco name before he can obtain a withdrawal. ifhb- ; ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Hon. Dr. Findlay) said that as frauds on the Post Office Sayings Bank in this Dominion were rare and trifling, it was not thought desirable to . adopt the scheme referred to. It was, however, inte'nded to'alter tho existing system , by dispensing with specimen signatures at offices tfhero tho .coird 1 ledger 'system was in lisoi • " >'• u-' • •:■ i ';;'QUACKERY' PREVENTION 81LL.,;. Tlio Quackery Prevention Bill was received from y tho Lower House and read a first timo. HOUSINC THE PUBLIC SERVICE. The Htiii, J. T: PAUL (Otago) moved:— ..'That'a return bo laid on tlio tablo of the -Council phowin'g tho: total amount paid by Government to privato individuals for roiit of, public oflices in the following ccntres: Invqrca'rgill, Dunedin, Timaru, Christclmrch,. Nelson, Wellington, Palmcrston Nfyth, Napier, Wanganui, and Auckland; tho roturn to' show tho number of offices in oacli of tho places mentioned alWe, tho number under separate roofs, tho location and purpose of same, the aimutil rental paid, and tho length of each lease." . Tho mover advocated tlio .bousing of Jhp 'departments' under ouo roof as far as' possible, and a general improvement in tlio arrangement, of tho departments.'

The Hon.'J. E. JENKINSON (Wellington) 'supported'tlioTmotion.- He stated that the Labour Department in Wellington had to his knowledge,been shifted seven or eight times. - Goyern.nent offices were scattered all .• over' tlio- town, and yet rooms-in such a building as that of tho Government Life Insurance Department wero let" to private tenants," ■"'••■ • '•■

Tho ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Hon. Dr, ■Pindlay) said it was much-easier to criticise than to perform. '-The.Public Service had increased far moro than could have been anticipated. All that Mr. Jenkinson ' had said had already impressed itself upon tho Government, .and 'the question of utilising tho old Parliamentary site for adequate Government buildings was being considered. Ho was not prepared,to accede'to tho mqtiori. It would involvo publishing numerous details of rents and ownership, that could bo of; ho sorvico to .the Council. The- Governr me'nt should bo trusted in . administrative matters'such..as these.-.. - He was instructed to opposo tho motion, .- ' •Tho Hon, A.BALDEY (Otago) said tho niotion'was .uncalled-for.'

. The Hon. It. A. LOUGHNAN said the return asked for-would be very expensive) to prepare and would bo unnecessary, as all,tho information required would como before tho Joint Parliamentary Cemraittco i on , tho buildings question. Tho Hon. J. RIGG (Wellington') said tho Council had a,right to know what w r as being paid in rent for Government offices. He suggested that a return giving that information without the details mentioned in tho motion should bo prepared. .Tho Hon. C. LOUIS,SON (Canterbury) said all the trouble about Government buildings was duo to tho capital having been pjaced on a narrow atrip of land between tho niils and the sea instead of at a .placo .wliero thero was plenty , of land, such as Chrisfcchurch. (Laughter). Tlib Hon.- O. JONES (Otago) said the Attorney-General was quite right in opposing tho motion as it was a slur on tho Government, which was doing its best to house tho departments' suitably and economically. The Hon. O. SAMUEL - (Taranaki) protested against the idea that to ask', for information was to cast a slur on tho Government, but thought tho return in question should not bo given.- Far too much money was spent in preparing returns that were of little use, and the Government should mqro frequently oppose, such motions. . ■ The.Hon. J. ANSTEY (Canterbury) re-, •gretted. that the Government, was unwilling to furnish the desired information. It was sometimes best to own and sometimes best to lease tho necessary buildings, and tho return' -asked, for would doubtless have shown that the Government had '• generally taken the. wisest course in tho matter. The .Hon.-J. BARR (Canterbury) supported tho motion.' .' ' ■' Tho Hon. J. T. PAUL, replying, stated that he had'no intention of casting any reflection on tho Government. The motion was lost on'tho voices. V BURDENS OF PARENTAGE. ' " ' Tho Hon. It. A. LOUGH NAN.'(Wellington) resumed-the. interrupted debate on Mr. "Barr'-s motion, calling, on the. Government to devise further measures whereby the h/?,vy cost of living • borne by married workers as compared with the unmarried may bo lessen?:!, and especially to consider tlio' position n: thoso with families. Mr. Lbughnan 'anid the Government had already dono much in this direction. He alluded

especially to tlio dccentralising policy of the liallanco and succeeding Governments in placing people on tlio land. This was an encouragement to .parentage, and so also wore the St. Helen's Maternity Hospitals.

TIIO Hon. W. McARDLE (Auckland) suggested that • wherever tlio State provided a'homo for a working man ho should bo'enabled to become tlio owner of it. Now Zealand had done much to regulate wages, biit in times of depression 110 power oil earth could keep wages up. In purchasing land for tlio hoines of tlio people, tho Government should go only as far as tlio necessities of tho time required.- 1 Ho held that tlio State should issue a portion .at least of the currency'. Tlio debate was interrupted by tho four o'clock ml?. INCORPORATED SOCIETIES BILL. Tho Council next considered tho reasons of tho House of Representatives for disagreeing with certain of tlio amendments mado by tho Council in tho Incorporated Societies liill. Tho reasons were as follow:—"The new clauso 4a will defeat tho main object of the Bill, which is' to simplify tho incorporation of societies not associated for pecuniary gain. Tlio requirement that a majority of members of such societies as bowling clubs, Caledonian societies, and many others should consent ill writing to incorporatjon would practically bo a bar _to incorporation. Tho amendments made in clauso 7 are consequential to tho above, and are therefore also disagreed to."

. On tlio motion of tho Attorney-General, seconded bv tho Hon. J. Callan, tho .Council decided'to insist on its amendments, it being held that tho effect would not bo as stated. Tho .Attorney-General and tlio Hons. J. Callan and J. E. Jenkinson wcro appointed to confer with appointees of tho Lower House. ' Tlio Council roso at 4.10 p.m.