HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 47, 23 August 1902, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House continued its sitting after we went to press yesterday. IMPREST SUPPLY BILL. Discussing the Imprest Supply Bill for £475,000, Mr. Herries strongly urged the nocessity for improving the sanitation and water supply of Rotorua. In the course of a protracted and desultory debate, Mr. Hogg urged the necessity of the Government acquiring some largo areas of land in the Wairarapa, which, he declared, are at present lying idle and unproductive. Settlers worn anxious to get the opportunity to go on to those lands, and he contended that such lands should first be opened and the bush lands left alone for a while. The debate was carried on the whole afternoon, members speaking at length on various matters, chiefly of interest only to their own constituents. Further discussion, generally on the same lines, took p r lnco in the evening. Mr. G. W. Russell complained of tho way in which the expenditure .of the colony was mounting up. He contended that although there was an increase in revenue for tho first four months of tho present financial year of £80,000, aB compared with tho corresponding period of the previous year, tho comparative increase in expenditure .for tho first three mon\hs of this jear was £95,000. Theie wa9 also a large increase in railway expenditure. Mr. Atkinson and others urged the necessity of repealing sections* 20 and 21 of the Public Works Act Amendment Act. Mr. Atkinson pointed out that in Wellington the operations of the City Council in the direction of widening the streets had been restricted by the operation of those sections, and the damage caused by this deadlock amounted to thousands of pounds

Tho Minister for Public Works snid a Bill would bo brought down early next weok to amend tho Act. Aftor further debate the Acting Premior replied. The Bill, he said, had been brought down to make the ordinary provision for the. ordinary finanoial requirements of the colony, and it was necessary to pass it to-day owing to the close proximity of the end of the month. Tho delay in laying the return Bl was duo to a block of work in the Government Printing Office, and it would be circulated an soon as i$ was ready. As to Mr. G. W. Russell's remarks on tho finances of the colony, he contended that that member could not fairly make a comparison until lie had the figures showing tho expenditure for the four months. (Mr. G. W.. Russell— But w© don't get them.) The Acting Premier— The. Hon. member will got them all right. There was, he declared, no fear with regard to the financial position of the colony. Eventually, after five hours' discussion, the Bill was put through all stages. FINAL STAGES. The Statutes Repeal Bill 'was put through its final stages. BANK HOLIDAYS. On tho motion for the third reading of the Bank Holidays Bill, the Acting Premier said the proviso which had been inserted in Committee on the motion of Mr. Laurenson affected a clause in an Act which had been repealed, but he asked nhe House to let the Bill go through with the amendment, and he would have the matter set right in. the. Upper House. The Bill then passed final stages. EAST COAST LANDS. The East Coast Native Trust Lands Bill was read a first time and referred direct to a Select Committee. PUBLIC HEALTH. The Public 'Health " Act Amendment Bill, the provisions of which have already been explained, was read a first time. CORONATION CELEBRATIONS. The Local Authorities Indemnify Bill was committed, and amended so , as. to include Harbour Boards in the list of local authorities who are indemnified for' expenditure in connection with the Coronation celebrations. UNCLAIMED MONEY.This Bill passed through Committee without amendment. SECOND-HAND. DEALERS. The Second-hand Dealers BUI was considered in Committee. Clause 4 w,as amended by making it necessary for the applicant for «. license to apply to the local authority of ib district within which his place of business is situated in place of having to specify the one district in which he proposed to do business "' Mr. M'Nab moved to exempt persons who purchased second-hand goods for manufacturing purposes only. This was negatived by 21 to 14. A new clause proposed by Mr. Pirani, giving the Magistrate or J.P. power to order goods unlawfully sold or exchanged, with or without compensation, was agreed to on the voices, as was nlsp n new clause proposed by Mr. M'Nab, exempting persons carrying on the business of a paper manufacturer from the necessity of taking oat a licema under tho Act. The Bill passed through Committee without further, material amendment. The House rose at 2 a.m.