PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXII, Issue 110, 5 November 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY'S SITTINGS. , LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. MAORI LANDS. The Maori Land Administration Act Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma and was referred to the Native Affairs Committee. LOCAL BODIES' LOANS. V The Local Bodies' Loans Bill was read a second time on the motion of the Minister for Education. It was then committed, passed through Committee without amendment, and put through final stages. t * THE COOK ISLANDS. The Minister for Education moved the second reading of the Cook and Other Islands Government Bill The Hon. R. Scotland considered the Mother Country's consent to these islands being included in New Zealand's bound- 1 aries was a stupendous folly, and the thrusting on the natives of these forms of civilised government was a perfect farce. The natives would not stand bullying. He predicted land troubles, in that an agitation for free trade in native lands was arising. The Hon. J. Rigg said that the Bill put it in the hands of the Government to bring any New Zealand law into operation in the islands. This power should. only be in the hands of Parliament, as it was in the case of American laws applied to the Hawaiian islands. The Hon. Colonel Pitt said there was no harm in individualising .titles, but free trade in lands should riot be permitted, especially in view 'of the construction that had been put on New Zealand's annexation motives „by the Governor of Fiji. The Minister for Education said the land titles would be dealt with with strict regard to the lessons we had learned in dealing with the Maori 9. The Bill was read a second time, and was under consideration in Committee, at the 5 p.m. adjournment At the evening sitting the Minister for Education proposed to add a new ■ clause providing that for the purposes of the Shipping and Seamen's Act, 1877, ships trading to or going between the islands dealt with in the Bill and New Zealand shall not be deemed to he Hometrade ships. A question was raised as to what 'TSome-trafle ships" meant. On the Minister's motion, progress was reported, and leave was granted to "sit again. RAILWAY EMPLOYEES. . ' The Minister moved the second heading of the Government Railways Department Classification Bill. The Hon. J. E. Jenkinson thought that provision should be made that widows and orphans should receive compensation in cases where employees retired from the service on compensation and • died. He stated tbat in such cases no compensation remained to the widow and children. The Minister stated that it -would be hard to lay down a rule that would be beneficial in all^ cases, but as far as poisible such cases would be met. The Bill was read a second time and committed. . * At clause 15, the Hon. Mr. Jenkinson moved an amendment to 1 , the effect that the Appeal Board be elected every two instead of every three j*ears. Lost on the voices. The Minister moved a new clause the object of which was to keep existing members of the Appeal Board in office till a new Board is elected. The clause was carried on the voices, and the Bill was reported as amended, read a third time, and passed. WORKING HOURS OF COALMINERS In Committee oh the Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill, the Hon. Mr. Reeves moved to strike out clause 6 (eight hour? shift underground, time 'to be reckoned from the entering to " the leaving of a mine, no award already given under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act to be affected by the clause, overtime payment for any work above eight hours). He proposed to substitute a clause that the underground shift be eight hours exclusive of meal time, time to be reckoned from the entering to the, leaving of the mine, work beyond the prescribed hours to be paid for at an overtime rate of a quarter above ordinary rate, any award under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act not to be affected. The Minister stated that he would postpone the third reading of the Bill' in order to consult his colleague the Minister for Mines as to taking* up the Hon. Mr. Reeves's clause. He accepted a motion to report progress, leave being given to sit again. ! FINAL STAGES. The Local Bodies' Goldfields Public Works and Loans Bill passed through Committee without amendment, and was read a third time and passed. STATE COAL MINES. The State Coal Mines Bill was considered in^Committee. At claule 6, giving the Government power to construct, purchase, or acquire buildings, machinery, ships, etc., the Minister proposed to add "railways" to the list. The amendment was carried on the voices. The 'clause passed as amended. At clause 9 (resumptions and contracts subject to 1 Parliament's approval) the ; Minister moved to add that such resumpj tion or contract shall be void unless the I House's approving resolution is not negatived within ten days by resolution of the Council. The clause was carried on the voices! The Bill was reported as amended, and was read a third time and passed. LOCAL BILL. The City of Auckland Loans Bill was put through Committee and final stages. The Council rose at 11.30 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House continued its sitting after we went to press yesterday. THE MIDLAND RAILWAY. The Public Accounts Committee reported as follows on the petition of the debentureholdera and shareholders of the Midland Railway Company .-—"That although the colony has received injury by the non-completion of the contract and the action of the debentureholders, and notwithstanding the colony's proved legal rights, still, in consideration of the losses the debentureholders and shareholders of the company have sustained, and taking into the computation all moneys that have been paid by the debentureholders or the company pursuant to demands made by the Crown, and also all profits that have been derived from the working of the open portion of the railway during the period between the seizure and the vesting in the Crown, the Committee have the honour to Tecommend that a sum of £110,000 be offered to the Receiver for the dejjentureholders on condition that he gives a receipt on behalf of the debentureholders setting forth that the colony has dealt equitably and ju«tly, and that he is fully satisfied on'their behalf. That a sum of £20,000 be offered on similar terms to Mr. Dalston on behalf of. the shareholders. Thet a

Bill be passed this session to give efieet thereto, with such conditions as may be deemed advisable to completely safeguard the interests of the colony. That each debenlureholder and each, shareholder shall give a receipt to the Receiver and Attorney for the- company for the money, stating that the colony has dealt justly and equitably with him, aud that he is fully satisfied." - - Mr. Fisher, in moving that the reporc be referred to the Government, gave the names of the people who had moved to compel the Legislature to pay a large sum of money, such as Sir Thomas Salt, Mr. Brodie Hall, Mr. Walter Chamberlain, and others. These eminent people, he said, had put the colony to great expense in contesting their claims, although they had no claims, and he complained that it was only through their great influence that they had been successful in moving the Stock Exchange to damage the name of the colony and injure its credit on the Exchange, but having failed in every direction they npw appealed to Parliament as suppliants. As to the colony having gained the railway, he said its outside value was £130,000. The company had left the difficult part to be constructed by the Government, and they had taken their land grants from the colony to' the extent of £330,000. There was no legal or equitable claim against the colony, which would suffer for many years to come from having thrown on its hands a non-paying line," and there was not a shadow of right in the payment of the petitioners. Mr. G. W. Russell said the honour of the- colony required that this matter should* be settled on honourable lines, and he could not help feeling that justice was on the side of the petitioners. The Commission which reported during the recess was bound by the terms of reference to give a report that was not favourable to the company, and yet they reported that the actual cost of the railway was £674,784. The money received from the- land grants had been spent in construction of works, and according to the last Railway statement, the Midland Railway was making a profit of £5000, equal to 4 per ( cent. on the grant the House was now being asked to pay— a. much better result than some of • the lines built by the Government. As to the position of the debentureholdera. he said if they had not been men of more than ordinary influence the money would not have been subscribed to construct the railway, which -was, he declared, an integral part of our railway system, and would have to be completed. Mr. Buddo thought the petitioners were entitled to some consideration. • The Premier said the thing he took most exception to was that when the case was pending before the Privy Council the aebentureholders influenced the press at Home against the colony, and asked the Stock Exchange not to quote or register our loans. A House that in face of Fuch conduct would make a grant to the petitioners was generosity itself. However, he thought something should be given, beecause there weie a number of poor shareholders who were induced to invest- their money by the "colouring" put on the speculation by come persons from the colony, and the debentureholdera thought, although wrongly, that they had a claim above the claim of the colony 1 . Having advanced the money under a misapprehension the debentureholders were entitled to some consideration, besides which, if the company 'had not done the work the Government, forced by political pressure, would have had to make the line. His advice to the House was to clear this matter up once and for all. They must, however, see that what they did left no loophole for any further claims. In conclusion Mr. Seddon said it would be turning the tables on the debentureholders if they stipulated that half the amount should be paid in debentures. (Laughter.) Other members having spoken, ( The Minister for Public Works urged that the i*ue on the whole question should be decided when the Bill came down. • The debate had not concluded when the House adjourned for 1 dinner, and the report was therefore "talked out." RAILWAY AUTHORISATION. At the evening sitting the Railways Authorisation Bill was brought down by Governor's message, and read a first time. PAYMENT OF MEMBERS. The Premier moved the second reading of the Payment of Members Bill, ■which after a long discussion was carried. The discussion on the measure in Committee lasted on into the daylight hours of this morning, and is dealt with in another column.