PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1269, 26 October 1911, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

« 9 TIE COUNCIL. LOCAL BILLS DISPOSED OF. WELLINGTON EMPOWERING BILL HUNG UP. BELLAMY'S DISCUSSED. The Legislature Council met at 11 o'clock yesterday morning. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of tho Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill, and at tho closo of his speech the debate was adjourned until benday. The amendments mado by Governor's Message in the Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill wero agreod to. A message was received from the House of Representatives agreeing to the amendments made by tho Council in the. Local Elections anil Polls Amendment Bill, Legislature Amendment Bill, Ross Borough Council Vesting and Empowering Bill, Tramways Amendment Bill, and tho Public Works Amendment Bill. LOCAL BILLS. The following Bills were put through tneir final stages and passed without amendment: —Lyttelton Borongh Extension Bill, Dunedin District Drainage and Sewerage Bill, Hamilton Domain Bill, Portol-ello District Lands Vesting Bill, Dunedin City and (Waipori Tails) Laud Vesting Bill, Tapanui Commonage Keservc Exchange and Leasing Bill, Little Itiver Domain Board Bill, Auckland Electric Power Station Site Bill, Dunedin City and Suburban Tramways and Water l'ower Amendment Bill, Waikoikoi Publie Hall Transfer Bill, Invercargill lieserves Vesting Bill, Auckland Harbour Board Empowering Bill, and tho Wanganui River Bridge Bill. The Tuakitoto and Kaitangata Lakes Bill was passed with ono slight amendment. Tho Hon. J. RIGG (Wellington), speaking on the Wellington Bill, approved of the section giving i>ower to cliargo for an increased number of days each year. If they wished to encourage healthy sport they should give this power to chargo to enable sports to 1m carried on. Jlr. Kigg also referred to tho milk supply question. The Hon. J. E. JENKINSON (Wellington) thought Hie Legislature should debar the muriicipaiuies from making charges for tho admission of the people to tho reserves. Tho Wellington City Council now asked power to charge for admission to the onlv Te Aro reserve — the basin Reserve. However, he would not opposo tho Bill at this stage of the session, particularly seeing that the matter hail been so fully threshed out. There were some grounds the council might cliargo for, but he stronsjy objected to ! them charging Tor a.Tiniteitfn to the CasTn Reserve. In Committee on the Bill 'l'ho Hon. .T. BARB moved, at Clause 5, which gives power to make by-laws fixing charges for admission to sports grounds, etc., on city reserve®, tliat tho charge for persons over 15 years of ago be Gd., instead of Is., and for persons under that age 3d., instead of Gd. On a division tho amendment was rejected by It votes to 0. Those in favour of the amendment were the lions. Major Ilarris, S. T. George, .1. T. Paul, J. Barr, J. G. Smith, T. Thompson. J. R. Sinclair, 0. Samuel, and J. M'Gowan. Tho Hon. .1. BARR then moved that the charge of sixpence be deleted so as to enable children to enter free. In the previous discussion tho opinion hail bi>?n expressed by several speakers that tho power t'o chargo for 20 days meant that this included the ten days already allowed in the Public Reserves and Domain Act. Tho ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he had looked into this matter and was of opinion that tho clause gave power t'o charge for 20 days in respect of each reserve. At tho instanco of tho Attorney-General progress was reported to enable the Hon. C. M. Luko to make inquiry as to whether this interpretation was correct. When tho Bill was called on again Tho Hon. C. M. LUKE said lie was prepared to accept a compromise whe.reby children lindor seven years of age should be admitted free. After a lengthy discussion tho Hon. Mr. Barr's amendment to delete the sixpenny charge was defeated by 15 votes to 12. The Hon. C. M. LUKE moved a new sub-clause limiting Section 5 to the Basin Reserve, ICelburno Park, and Duppa Street, but when a clause was being drafted to give effect to Ihis Jlr. Luke intimated that he had received a message from the city authorities stating that amendment did not oxaeily meet tha ca?o. In consequence he asked thnt progress I) 0 reported with leave to sit again. Tho Committee stage was mado an order of the day for Thursday. BELLAMY'S REVIEWED. That mysterious place in tho House of Parliament—Bellamy's—camo up for its annual review. Tho Hon. Captain BAILLIE moved that there be laid upon the tablo of the Council the balanee-slieet of Bellamy's, and tho minutes of the last meeting of the Joint House Committee. Tho Hon. J. RIGG, who seconded the motion, led an assault on the Joint House Committee as the supervisors of Bellamy's. He wanted to know how the business was conducted, and, amongst other things, who signed cheques. He thought they had every right to this information, seeing the large sum of money spent in the upkeep of tho place each year. They had to take every care that the conduct of the committeo did not lead to a public scandal. Tho Hon. O. SAMUKL did not think il was creditable that a balance-sheet anil minutes had not been presented to the Council. Seeing that the election fever was on in the other Chamber, it was not wonderful that the matter had escaped attention there. However, they had no such epidemic in the Council, and they should go into the matter. The Hon. J. E. JENKINSON explained that he had been chairman of the. Joint Committee for about a week. To his mind, if anything would make a scandal it was bringing such a paltry matter as this before the Council. He did not think thero could bo any complaint as to the conduct of Bellamy's to-day, whatever may bo alleged against tho "past. As to finance, thero was nothing to hide. He could convinco any member that tho bnsiness had been done well. The finances of Bellamy's wero on a sounder footing now than ever before, tho profit at the i.nd of December last being iMis. Some remarks had been made about tho cost of Bellamy's, but in Australia the Government provided much more than wo did towards its upkeep. The vote last year was .E683, anil included a great deal of furniture. Cheques, he might say, had been signed by the manager of Bellamy's and tho Chairman of the Committee 'of tho nouso of Representatives. At tho present time amounts outstanding by members at Bellamy's only totalled a few shillings. He hoped tho motion would be withdrawn. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought the position had been made perfectly 'dear. If there had been laxity in the past ho was perfectly sure it would not continue with Mr. .Tcnkinson as Chairman of the Joint House Committee. Tho motion was withdrawn, the mover expressing his satisfaction with the discussion that had taken place. Tho Council rose until 2.30 p.m. to-day.