THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 648, 27 October 1909, Page 8

THE HOUSE.

■ SECOND READING. •, V. . The: House' met at 2.30 pirn', yesterday.' The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington Empowering Bill (Mr. WUford) was read a second time without discussion. '■ ; ''.. '['•■ •' ; FIRST READINGS. ; V The following Bills were read a first time; —Harbours Act Amendment Bill (the Hon. J. A. .Millar), Shipping and Seamen Act Amendment Bill (the Hon. J. A. Millar), Factories Act Amendment Bill (the.Hon. J. A. Millar), Shope and. Offices Act-Amendment Bill (the Hon.' J. A. Millar), Wellington City Streets' Empowering. Bill (Mr. Luke), Wellington City Technical School.Site.Bill (lir. Luke). ', LATE HON;/G. F. : "" . The' PRIME -MINISTER . referred' to .the" death of the late-George Frederiqk Eichardson, a former, member for Mataura, and. an: exMmister,of..the.Cro\ra... Sir.Joseph said Mr. Kichardsqn: had. served in Parliament as representative for: Mataura for, a-number .of years. Ihe.portfolios which he held were Minister for Lands.from 1887, to 1891, Minister, for Mines ( from, 1887 to 1889, and Minister for Agriculture from ,1889 to 1891. Sir Joseph declaral that he knew of no-one. who. had left behind so many fmnda in the strictest sense of- the term from end to.end .of the Dominion as the;deceased. In, Particular he would like,to refer to the spjendkl workwhich Mr. Richardson had rendered daring recent years when he was on the staff of the Land Purchase Department. Bv his death New Zealand had-lost a kindly disposed and capable colonist. He would move that the House place on record its high sanse ot tne faithful 6emces rendei-ed to New Zealand by the deceased, and tenders to his family its sincere sympathy, with them in their-be-reavement. ":■■.'• ■'-,'■■■ ■'■ -: ' ■ -..

,Mr..MASSEY, who seconded the motion, said that everybody who 'had' come in contact with the. deceased could not hare failed to hare been impressed with, his sterlingqualities.'' In regard. work, Mr.'THchardson'did his lull share,, and did itwell.- As apolitician,' he had affirm grasp, of the'.various'questiolis which arose from tdihe, to time and always .evinced an intense desire to do his duty'to'the oountry. The record which he.loft was one' which present-day politicians \ might'- follow with advantage. ■'■• ■ *• .■■"/'!) ■■■■■;■ i (Mataura). said ' that the late;,Mr, Eichardson''was 'not a 'man' who•' courted popularity.r.7His 'Land' Amendment Act was,, undoubtedly, the-most 'liberal' 'that - had , ibeen.intwduood up to. the-time.at-which '.it' JEesia«ite the whole' .'of • the'' electorate Would , ' deeply • respect his memorv. , ..". :.: .■;■■' ..)'.'.■ ■■' The BUNCAN- (Oamam) referred to the assiduity with whioh the deceased.'''performed , his Parliamentary duties;r :'■:■.;.' .■,■:■• •■• ■Mr. ;JAMES ALLEN-, (Bruce)-also-'.paid■'-. a tribute to the:memory of the deceased. 'Of h)m his former colleagues ■ always ' 6aid' that there-was not a straighter.man.' ■■■■••■ •".- ' Members unanimously' agreed to'' the nroposal. ;'. ■. '._ .■ .■- . •;■ .. ; LATE MR; J, A. KELLING. ■'.The PRIME .MINISTER .'subsequently, referred to the death of- '. the lato. J.. A.' Kelling, which .took.'place at .Nelson- on.Sunday. Me mejitioned that the deceased was a member of the .first Parliament of "New , Zealand'.; 'He' then moved, a resolution appreoiatiye of 'his services, and.of sympathy with his relatives. : -: Mr. MASSEY, in supporting the motion," suggested that: in the new Parliamentary: Buildings, or , even in the present buildings," there should-.be erected a;.'-tablet,- bearing'the- names of'Jnembers. and Ministers-of the first Parliament of;lsew Zealand.'.Tha't-.was, he.thought, the least that members, could do to comm«morate the memory of those men. (Hear, hear.) The .motion was unanimously approved. ■ : Out'of:respect to the momory of the.deceased gentlemen,; the.-House adjourned at 8.20 p.m. until .7.30 ;p.m. . . ; . ''; '. ,•

.NEW GOVERNMENT BILLS. ■.■;:.' '.'■■ When the. House resumed in ..the. evening, the State Guaranteed Advances'Bill and the Land and Income Tax . Bill were; .received by Governor's Message. - -, ■.■'■.■„■ ""vThe' PRIME' MINISTER, in reply-.; to' Mr. Massey, ,said that the Advances Guaranteed Bill proposed the necessary; machinery to enable moneys to.be .borrowed on .behalf'.of local bodies and the Advances, to Settlors Department. ' It, repealed the Advances to Settlers Act, and, embodied - the existing procedure of that and other Bills in one, measure.- He would/, explain the. Bill further on 1 the, second reading.- .. ; . .. ; ~.-'. . .'•" . •"'!': '■/ Mr. :-• Massey:' It ■ is- evidently a financial, measure of some considerable importance,-and I suggest that; it should be 'referred to the Public Accounts Committee;' '.-. . ■ '.. ■ ■•"■ -' The Prime. Minister said he wns'not going to take-that course till he had {explained-the Bill to the. House., . After! that. he : had .no objection to' referring it to the committee, as far as some, of the .'details irero concerned. -He was not goingtorefer a"'policy measure; to-the .committee' before he had made a statement to the House-and'country.,.: - ' ■'■"■!' :-- :'! ' The 'Prime Minister also said the Land- and Income Tax' Dill contained nothing except ■ what, had -already been' authorised. ■.•',.•.■'• Mr. Massey: Same rate t ;,', .. • ' •''■'''•■<.'■ • Sir Joseph :'Yes. "■ '■■.'■- ''" "' ' :■.' ': Both.'Bills were read a first time;.. .■.."■■'•■ '.■:, .:■:. A FINANCIAL RETURN. . - : . /The PEIMEMINISTEB said ho proposed to lay on the table! an estimate of the liabilities' in ' connection With' the public works on September 30, 1909,' that would come to charge as expenditure before March 31, 1910. : It was as follows:— . ' "■''•'} "''■'■ ' -......''. .Public Works Department; ',: ■ '. Railway .cpustruction '......... ; . :. . ■. Additions "to open lines..'.!..■•''■ 71,050 .;;■.. >,- ■ •■■"-. . •■■■■ ' ' •■'• ,352,656 Public -buildings;: ....::....». v>. ,129,682 . Lighthouse,..harbours,.works,. : . ' .... ~ \: and defences , ' : : S.-159 Tourist ;and health resorts... : . '.. '.-7,339 ■Immigration . . ; W59 Roads. .;......•...............:......;..... 145,798 Development of gbldfields , ■;, 10,000 Lands improvement ;... ' 5.341 Telegraph extensions. ..j........ ~.'"'. 63,752 Total ...........................: 5725.029