IN PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1248, 4 October 1911, Page 5

IN PARLIAMENT.

DAILY SUMMARY. LONG DAY ON THE ESTIMATES. Tho Legislative Council cleared its ardor paper yesterday in seventy minutes. The Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Bill, the I'o.tents, Designs, and Trade Marks Bill, tho Hauraki Plains Amendment Bill, aud two local Bills wero read a sccond time, and tho Mental Defectives Bill and Wanganui School Sites Amendment Bill were read a third time, and passed. The Houso did not got into Committee of Supply, to continue its consideration of the Estimates, until a variety of topics had been discussed. An amendment by the Opposition, to tho motion to go into Committee, was staved oil by a makeshift amendment about tho submarino signals brought down by Mir. V.- H. Reed, a Government supporter. Nobody spoke to this, except tho Hon. J. A. Millar, who gavo some information op the matter brought up by Mr. Reed. Ministerialists wero disappointed to find that members of tho Reform party were quite in order when they proceeded to raiso various questions on tho motion to go into Committee of Supply

Mr. Jas.' Allen made a brisk attack on the Government for its failure to supply Teturns and reports within the legal period, and Messrs. "Wright and Lang advocated a reform of tcle{/hone charges. Having taken tho Estimates in hand, the House discussed the hours and wages of mental hospital, attendants, and thero was some talk of devising better mothods of giving medical assistance to Maoris.

During tho evening some members were impassioned in their denunciation of vaccination, but it did not lack stont defenders, and honours were tolerably easy when tho debate was rounded off with a non-committal statement by tho Hon. D. Baddo. A contingent of Canterbury members aro exceedingly desirous of getting rid of the leper station, now located on Quail Island (Lyttelton)—which they pathetically declare is the only island they have got—to an island in tho Hauraki Gulf, or anywhere almost,- so long as they got rid of it. The eagerness of the southern members in this project was only squalled by the fervid energy with which it was resisted by their Auckland confreres. Mr. Buddo was again non-com-mittal, and nothing was determined. Shortly before midnight an interesting division took place. Mr. Buddo refused to give particulars of the expenditure of £213 last year on "en/tertaiMnent of visi ? fore to the Dominion and official functions." He was preyed to say what visitors were entertained, but declined to do bo. On'the division the "situation was only saved for the Government by the Chairman's casting vote. Sir James Carroll intervened and promised to lay the information on the table. . .