House of Representatives.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9824, 25 July 1900, Page 7

House of Representatives.

DEFBNCE. Mr Seddon moved that a Joint Committee of both Houses be appointed, to whom shall be referred the question of defence. —Carried. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. One week's leave of absence was granted to Messrs Napier and Witheford. * FIRST READINGS. The Wellington City Leasing and New Zealand Institute of Surveyors Bills were introduced and read a first time. QUESTIONS. In reply to questions Ministers said:— That they could not authorise higher rates of pay for casual labor on the railways, but that a Uuiform rate of pay of la per hour would be adopted throughout the colony, with a view to enable this and other questions to be tested. The Referendum Bill will be introduced this session to ascertain the Will of the people on the question of Bible readiug in schools. That the Government had no formal offer from a private firm for the construction of a railway from Sentry Hill to Te Kuiti.

That facilities would be given of having some of the youths of the colony instructed so as to qualify as meat inspectors. DISSATISFIED. Mr Smith moved the adjournment of the House to mark his disapproval of the answer to the question in respect to the construction of ihe line Sentry Hill to Te Kuiti, to connect Taranaki with the main North Island trunk railway. He complained that the Government would not take his advice and borrow £10,000,000 right out for railway construction. They could spend £1,000,000 alone in his district in what would prove profitable lines. Mr Ell said he was also dissatisfied with the answer to the question regarding consumptives. He contended that the disease was already in the colony, and it was the duty of the Government that a sanatorium should be established, principally for the benefit of poor people who could not afford to go to a sauatoriutn outside th 3 colony, were the treatment of that disease was most successful. He trusted the Government would do something to arrest the ravages of the disease amongst the people of the colony. Tbe debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. , WITHDRAWN. On the motion of the Premier, the Ministers' Salaries and Allowances Amendment Bill was withdrawn. governor's salary. The second reading of the Governor's Salary and Allowances Bill was carried by 43 to 15, aud the House rose at 1.20.