THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 318, 3 October 1908, Page 7

THE HOUSE.

A MEMBER'S PRIVILECE. The House op-Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. 1 An interesting point regarding a member's privilege "was raised by Mr. Fisher. It was in reference to the Woodward Street land exchange question. Mr. Fisher said ho had mado request' to the Secretary of the Lands Committee (before which the case had gone) to See -some original documents. The secretary had rcfenred the matter to the chairman (the Hon. T. Y. Duncan), anJ ' id rc-

ceivod a reply that tho request for access to tho original exhibits could not bo granted, as the entire matter was now in type and had been circulated. Mr. Fisher asked whether tho evidence was not accessible. Mr. DUNCAN hoped the Houso would not grant the request. There wore others besides Mr. Fisher connected with tho case,, and if the request were granted tho Committeo would not have the protection they should. Mr. Fisher had not shown any reason why he should have the original documents. Replying to tho Speaker, Sir. Fisher said ho' merely desired to seo tho documents in the presence of tho clerk or Committee. Tho SPEAKER ruled that tho original documents were accessible to overy member of tho House. (Hoar, hoar.) Ho could see 110 justification for tho clerk refusing to allow members to see the documents. Mr. DUNCAN: I don't think the clerk has tho documents. I think they wero laid on the table. Tho SPEAKER: The ovidonce has been printed, and some one must have possession of the originals. ' Mr. DUNCAN: Then it is tho Houso that has them. The SPEAKER said tho clerk of tho Committeo had no right to have them. A Member: Has lie got them? ■ Mr. Fisher; Yes, lie has them.

x THE ESTIMATES. The Houso then turned to a further consideration of the Public Works Estimates. Railways. On the Railway votes, Mr. HERRIES (Bay of Islands) pointed out that a voto of only £100,000 was available for rolling stock. He regretted there was not a. greater vote, in view, of the want of further rolling stock to meet all demands, especially in view of the requirements of the 'Main Trunk Line. They should have enough to meet special demands of race meetings arid agricultural shows without having to draw upon the trucks and vans which were required for other purposes. Mr. Herries proceeded in much the same strain. A Member: "What about the back shunt?" (referring to a discussion.in the afternoon). Mr. Herries: Tho only back shunt 1 have known was that of the Ministers in regard to the Second Ballot Bill. Tho Government are "rollipg-stock," in regard to a good many of their measures: they roll up or down according to N whether circumstances aro with or against them! "

Members continued to advanco the claims in their own districts. The Railway Class, £1,250,000, was passed. Public Buildings. Public Buildings rote, £292,450. On the item, £5000 (old Parliament Building), ' The MINISTER, replying to Mr. Herries, said the item represented the sum paid for work and material taken over on Frain's contract after the termination of the contract. A liability shown of £17,000 represented the amount of the contract, but since the latter had been cancelled this liability did not now'exist. Mr. MASSEY called attention to the fact that the inquiry regarding the Parliamentary fire had not been mado public. Mr. HERMES criticised the expenditure of £1500 on a cowshed at the Ruakura State farm, Waikato. The money could be better spent on roads and bridges. , Mr. BATJME (Auckland), in discussing the Public Health building votes, urged on the Minister the advisability of as much as possible dividing the girls and boys at reformatory homes into separate sections. - The Class was passed unaltered. Lighthouses, Harbour Works. ■ The total of the Lighthouse, Harbour Works, and Harbour Defences vote was £17,500. ' , . Mr. D. REID (Taieri), referring to "£950, fog signals," spoke of tho necessity for improvements,in tins direction and, the.' ; success of. what had been done near Dunedin. ■ Tho MlNlSTEß,, e in,.replying,:;ss&:,thoy must look to the. future in this matter, in view of the , new system of signalling under water. But it was useless installing this system around the. New Zealand coast unless tho steamers were also fitted with the necfessary apparatus. The Capo Brett lighthouse had been _ordercd, and ho hoped to have it to hand in. six months. The class was passed unaltered. Tourist Resorts. 7 Class XXXI, Tourist and Health Resorts, £35,000, Mr. A. L. D. ERASER protested against what he considered the extravagant expenditure on tourist resorts. "The voice of the people will be heard," declared Mr. Eraser, "and if this extravagance at these tourist resorts is allowed to continue, there will •be a revulsion not only in the Hcr.se, but also in the country. I hope the time is not far distant when this extravagance will !be stopped, and consideration given to the far more important requirements of the back country." The Hon. J.' M'GO WAN replied , that Rotorua and Te Aroha had brought in more money to the State than it had spent upon them, and the expenditure was well justified. •' . Tho vote was passed unaltered. Immigration. , Class XXXII, Department of Immigration, £10,000. /Mr. AITKEN asked if the High Commis-sioner-had received instructions from tho Government as to what trades afforded openings in Now Zealand. Men had been refused admission on tho ground that there was no opening here in their trades. One glaring instance had come under his notice— that of a man, who brought money enough to keep him a year or two, who had two or threo billets in hisown trade offered him, after being in 'Wellington as many days. Yet he had been refused an assisted passago for tho reason indicated.

The Hon. J. M'GOWAN said that most of the correspondence' that went from Cabinet 'to the High Commissioner was to urge that the greatest discrimination be used. Farm servants, and ill somo cases small farmers, were the people most wanted. They did not encourage people who could only follow somo particular trdde, in which there might not bo oponings. Mr. MASSEY said it appeared from statements, in the Wellington papers that people were coming out hero who,had been given a certain time to clear out of the Old Country and people unsuitable for country work. Ho thought sufficient discrimination was not being used. Mr. JENNINGS quoted statements to show that large numbers of recent immigrants had been admitted to the mental hospitals and received charitable aid. .. . Hie Hon. J. M'GOWAN pointed out that all those who came into the country wero not assisted immigrants. The greatest possible care, so far as tho Government knew, was taken in connection with the assisted immigrants. "Never Saw a Cow." Dr. CHAPPLE insisted that country workers'wero the pcoplo wo wanted, but those wore tho people England was anxious to keep. Meanwhile there wero emigration societies doing their best to send away tho classes of people who would bo. of no uso hero. He had gone through applications with the High Commissioner in his office, and found that only those vyho doscribed themselves as farmers and farm labourers wore accepted, but a reliable-looking farmer who came out on one ship told him that most of the others had never seen a cow. Mr. HANAN instanced a french polisher who came out as a farm labourer. Mr. Wilford: I know of ono who had never done anything but inako eyelet holes in boots. After further discussion on .similar linos, the vote was passed. The remaining classes wero passed without amendment.

OLD ACE PENSIONS. The Old Ago. Pensions Bill was read a third time and passed. COUNTIES AMENDMENT BILL. The amendments : made by the Upper House in the Counties Act Amendment Bill were acreed to.'

END OF THE SESSION. Tho PRIME MINISTER suggested that jocal Bills should bo taken on Monday morning at 10 o'clock, and that the Houso should meet at that hour 011 Tuesday and Wednesday. Ho thought tho session could be finished 011 Wednesday, Some members expressed objection to sitting on Monday morning. The PRIME MINISTER then agreed not to meet until Monday afternoon, but in that case he could not say when tho local Bills could bo taken. Mr. MASSE Y asserted that it was quite impossible to finish tho session on Wednesday. The PRIME MINISTER, in tho courso of a short discussion, said tho Government would navo no objection to stay thrco weeks longer, but tho necessary business could be done decently within the time he had mentioned. Tho House adjourned at 1.55 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. on Monday.