HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 16, 19 July 1905, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House' continued its sitting yesterday afternoon.' ' ' " NEW BDLLS. The Eastbourne, Road District Bill (Mr. Wilford) and the Auckland WaterworksLoans Bill (Mr. Kidd) were read a first tinie and referred to the Local Bills Committee. "The Law Practitioners Act Amendment Bill (Mr. SLaurensonJ, the Flour Duty Abolition Bill (Mr. Hogg), and the Prisons Act Amendment Bill (Mr. Baume) were read a first time. OLD-AGE PENSIONS BILL. This Bill tvas recommitted, and on the Premier's motion an amendment was made in clause 5, The clause provided for a deduction of £150 from the value of a pensioner's "freehold or leasehold" property on which he permanently resides. When the Bill was previously before the Comn) ttee it was urged that the terms "freehold or household" were too restrictive, aa there are v^ry many kinds of tenure', and in response to these representations the Premier brought in an amendment widening the operation of the clause so as to include "property on any tenure." The amendment was agreed to. Air. Duthie asked if effect wou.d be given to the representations made to the Hon. W. Hall- Jones by a deputation from the Truetees of the Wellington Benevolent Institution as to payment for the cost of pensioners in charitable institutions. The Premiei said the provision sought for was already in the Act. The Trustees had power to deduct from the pension the cost of maintenance, and to retain the pension certificate until the amount was paid. Evidently the Truetees did not know their powers. The Bill was reported from Committee and the amendments agreed to. The Premier remarked that the estimated expenditure on old-age pensions for the current jear, presuming the increase had 1 'effect from Ist September, was £275,000, On the motion for the third reading the Leader of the Opposition expressed the belief that in three years' time the annual expenditure on old-age pensions would amount to £400,000. They should, he urged, Have been satisfied with removing some of tho anomalies in the Aot, but this Bill was the most transparent electioneering dodge ever submitted to the country. '. A lengthy debate ensued, much on the same lines as that which took place on the second reading of the Bill. Complaint was made that the annual report of the Old-age Penciona Department had only been brought down that day, too late to be used in the debate, and it was' also contended by the Opposition that the credit of the Bill as it now appeared was due to the House and not to the Premier, who was charged by Mr. Herries with not having known what h§ was doing when he brought down his Bill. Further, Mr. Herries twitted the Premier with, having introduced the principle of Mr. Taylor's amendment (moved on the second reading) after having opposed it, and declared; that it was meant to wreck the Bill. The Premier knew that Ih^t amendment was a proper one, but he would not admit it. The amendments made in the Bill were not of the Premier's suggestion, and were not in his mind when fe e went round the country speaking on the subject and promising increased pensions. It was. 10.40 p.m. before the Premier replied. He charged.* the Leader of the Opposition with inconsistency in having opposed an increase costing £130,000 a year while at the same time he advocated a universal pension which would cost £800,000 a year. Further, he declared that tho dwel.ers in the back blocks would rather see justice done to the old people by this increase than be used as an argument against the increase. They would say "Give them the pension and we'll take care of ourselves in regard to roads in the back blocks." A« to the Bill being an "electioneering dodge," he'remarked that the best time at which to introduce a reform was just before the general election. The colony, he declared, could afford to giTo this increased comfort to the old people. The third reading, was carried, on a division challenged by Mr. Heke, by 63 votes to 10. Those who voted against were — Massey, Kirkbride, Bollard, Mander, Vile, J. W. Thomson, T. Mackenzie, Lethbridge, Parata, Heke. The House rose at 11.20 p.m.