THE COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1265, 21 October 1911, Page 7

THE COUNCIL.

WATER-POWER PROPOSALS. ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAYS. Tho Legislative Council mot at 2.30 yesterday afternoon. A Mfcsago was received from tho House of Representatives agreeing to tho amendments made by tho Council in the Christchurch District Drninago Amendment Bill, tho Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill, and tho Methodist Church ot' Now Zealand Bill. ' The Now Plymouth High School Amendment Bill, which provides for a slight change in the Board of Governors, was orei'orrod to the Local Bills Coininitteo. WATER-POWER PROPOSALS. Speaking oil tho sccond rcadiug of tho Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill, The Hon. J. E. JENKINSON referred to the Government's water-power proposals. Ho thought tlio Government would bo well advisid if it put into practice some of its proposals, in regard te the nw railways to b« lormctl. Ho winded particularly to tho Gisborno district, which was not over-supplied with ooal. He had no doubt an electrical tsahemo would pay in that district. To his. way of thinking tho Government »ould with advantage try tlio schemo 011 tlw Gisborne-Motu railway. Hero it eotild provo whether railways running under electrical power would bear comparison with railways running -under erdinary steam power. The Hon. C. M. LUKE urged the Government to consider electrification of tho Wairarapa lino, 'lliis, lie said, would obviate a heavy expenditure on the Rimu- . taha incline, and "rid the lino of tlio entoko nuisance. Ho also thought the Government should consider the running of an electrical suburban service between . Wellington and the Upper Hutt and a service from Petonc to the Hutt. This latter would, he thought, meet a lopy-felt want, as well as provide a payable train service. Tho ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he oonsidered tho test which Mr. Jenkinpon wanted would bo applied when tho Lyttelton-Christchurch line was'eleclTified. Tho Hon. J. K. Jcnkinson did not think this was a fair test. Tho Attorney-General said it would give some idea, of the running cost. He agreed that with tho rich endowment nature had given the East Coast and other parts of New Zealand, the question deserved tho closest attention, and ho , had no doubt it would get it. The matters mentioned by Mr. Luke would no doubt be considered by the Minister for Public Works. Tlio second reading was agreed to, and the Bill was put through its final stages and passed. , EDUCATION RESERVES. The leasing powers of High School trustees gavo rise to some discussion during the second reading of tho Education Reserves Amendment Bill. The Hon. J. ANSTEY did not think the Bill went nearly far enough, although it was one small step in advance. Tho leasing of reserves' schemo should now bo completely recast, so as to give something like reasonable conditions. He knew of cases of hardship through tho misuse by somo boards of th» power given them. In Bom« eases this amounted to a disgrace. He thought the giving of compensation for improvements should bo made obligatory. Every reservo should bs let with a perpetual right of renewal, subject to periodical revaluation. / The Hon. J. It; SINCLAIR said tho Bill was framed to remove .exactly what Mr.. Anstey wished to see removed. The Hon. J. T. PAUL agreed with 3lr. Anstey. He thought the agitation against the leasehold was largely the result of the'maladministration of, the local bodies, In reply'to the Attorney-General, The Hon, Mr. ANSTEY denied that his denunciation was a general one. He had particularly applied it to some leasing authorities —not to all.' ' The second reading was agreed to, and the Bill was reported from Committee with minor amendments, and subsequently passed. ' PUBLIC WORKS AMENDMENT. In' Committee on Public Works Amendment Bill, Tho Hon. .J. E. JENKINSON raised his psiut as to whether or not the proviso following Clause 2 (which deals -with the laying of electric lines, etc,, only pursuant to license) should not follow the subclauses covering the power to make regulations. He was afraid that if the proviso were allowed to remain where it now stood, it might give tho Minister for Public Works power to harness municipalities. * The ATTORNEY-GENERAL remarked tiiat the regulations in question gavo an extension of powers, but not in any way a substantial one. They made a general statutory provision giving powers which were already possessed in one or other of the licenses to-day. A new clause was added, providing for the removal of trees causing damage to electric lines. The Bill was put through its final stages, and passed. WIDOWS' PENSIONS. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL introduced his promised amendment of tho Widows' Pensions Bill, tho effect of which will be to secure that tue pension payable plus the personal earnings of the applicant must not exceed «£(io per annum. As this amendment could not be mado by the Council, the Attorney-General undertook to have it brought'down in the House of Representatives by Governor's Message, alter which it would come back to-the Council. The Bill was reported from Committee without amendment, and was passed alter » short third reading debate. TRAMWAYS AMENDMENT. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved tho second reading of tho Tramways Amendment Bill. ' The Hon. J. E. JENKINSON (Wellington) led an attack on tho remainder of the Davey clause. After, some further discussion, the second reading was agreed to. In Committee on tho Bill, the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson moved hat the clause providing Jot a passageway in each tram-car should be struck out. This was defeated by' 17 votes to 0. After discussion it was decided to add the following proviso to the clause:— "That this section shall- not apply t« any, cars which are at present under construction, and shall be com olctelv finished and in operation by January }, 191!," The voting was—For the amendment U, against 9. The Bill was reported and passed with this amendment, and the Council rose at 11.45 p.m.