HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 95, 19 October 1906, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

After we vent to press yesterday afternoon the lcmaindcr of tlic sitting was "devoted to tho consideration 01 local Bills. LOCAL BILLS. On tho motion of the Minister oi Public Works, the Waimate Hospital District Bill (Sir Wm. Steward) was killed by 34 votes to 22. The following Bills passed through their second readings : — Timaru Harbour District Bill (Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones), Sandy Point and Grasmcro Domains Vesting Bill (Mr. Hanan), • Hokitika -Harbour Act Amendraßnfc«BilL.(Mr..-Sed-don), Onslow Borough Drainage' Empowering Bill (Mr. Wilford), Gladstone Streets Vesting and Empowering Bill (Mr Hanan), City of Christchurch Municipal Offices Bill (Mr. Gray), Borougn of/ Port Chalmers and Otago Dock Trust Exchange of Land Bill (Mr. E. G.^Allen), Timaru Public Library (Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones), Auckland Girls' Grammar School Bill (Mr. Kidd). The Timaru Harbour District Bill was being considered in committee when tho House took the dinner adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. LOCAL BILLS PASSED. The nine local Bills enumerated above went through tho committee stage, and were then passed. THE EXHIBITION. The Premier moved ihe second reading of , the. Now Zealand International Exhibition Bill, a measure designed for the proper working of -the Fair, and placing it outside any hindrances imposed by existing law. The Bill later on passed through its committee stages without amendment and was passed. THE' PUBLIC REVENUES BILL. The second reading of the Public Revenues BUI (No. 2) was also moved by tho Premier. This Bill places all departments at present enjoying a departmental audit within the jurisdiction of tho Audit? Department. The Bill also provides for sums being transferred from one account to another, _ but_ such sums are to bo restored to their original accounts within threo months, and a return of all such transactions is to be submitted to Parliament within ten days of tho "opening of the session. Personally,'the Premier said ho thought it was a good thing to bring all departments of the State under the Audit Department in their entirety. Tho Leader of the Opposition said tho Bill was an exceedingly technical one and it should not bo dealt with hurriedly. It should bo referred to tho Public Accounts Committee, and the evidence of tho Auditor-General and the Socretary to the Treasury should be takon on it so that members would have full details concerning it. It was a roundabout way of dealing with the matter. The Premier had stated that one of its provisions was designed to get over difficulties such as arose in connection with tho Railway Department increases last year. Mr. Massoy contended this should be done by amendment, to tho .Classification. Act. Jt

was a great pity that the Bill had not been referred to the Pußlic Accounts 'Committee. Ho was rather amused to hear tho Premier's remarks in regard to bringing tho Government departments at presont having departmental audit under the control of tho Auditor-Gonc-ral. He quoted from a speech by the Premier last sessoin, and said ho was pleased to know that Sir Joseph had come round to his way of thinking. The propoibl to transfer sums from ono account to another was, ho thought, a dangerous one. Tho proper thing to do, whore a department wanted money, : was for it to come to Parliament and ask for it. He was doubtful about the wisdom of passing this clause into law. Mr. Wilford also thought that it would be advisable to bring down an amendment to the Classification Act. Where an increase of payhad been given there wag no reason why it should not be given statutory effect instead of being made a q_ueation of annual appropriation by Par- j liamcnt. j Mr. James Allen also spoke, and in the ' course of his remarks got into trouhle with the Premier. Ho said ho did not know what the Bill nieant. He was not in the Chamber during the Premier's explanation of the" Bill, but some one had told him that the lucidity of the explanation was ns thick mud. The Premier : Who told you that ? Whoever told you is about ' as thick as you are. **■ ' j Mr. Allen : lam told that you did not ' understand the Bill yourself. The Premier : That is absolutely incorrect. The- trouble is to r mak© you understand — that is a different thing ! You attempt to accuse a person of something that was done in your absence. Mr. Allen : I did not accuse you of anything. I only said what I had heard — that the hon. member did not understand tho clause and did not explain it. Tho Premier: I think the hon. gentleman must have come from some locality that has thickened his intelligence because when he (Mr. Allen) ( canle in ho had the political audacity — it is nothing else — to criticise mo and cay I -did not understand the Bill I had explained fully. Mr. Allen appears to think that because a man was a Minister il is right to make a, bait of him. I do not attach much importance to- criticisms of this kind. After this passage at arms the discussion peacefully proceeded. The Premier, after further discussion, replied at leugth'. As to clause 4, ho said'nt times the colony had' as much as £50,000 at the credit of one account. Would it bo business in the case of another account to work on an- overdraft, and pay interest while this ins the case? Tho second reading yns agreed to on the voices, and tho Bill passed through its committee stages without amendment and was passed LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES. In moving the second reading of the Local Bodies Loans Act the Premier said the measure was designed to- remove some of the anomalies existing under the present law. The Ciown v was made liable for the payment of special rates in cases where land liable to a special rate was acquired by the State. The trouble which had occurred in the past through wrongful technical procedure and a consequent increase of expenditure would bo obviated. In short a Bill was designed to facilitate the procedure of public bodies who desired to' raise loans. Mr. Masaey said he agreed the Bill was an exceedingly good one — ono "of the best introduced this session. Several of the clauses were exceedingly beneficial. Ho had hoped xhat tho Government would have rsduced the rate ,of interest -to public bodies by at least a half per cent. Ho was not sure that l it' would hot pay the country to do so. Low Parliamentary grants would be required.' _ He hoped the reduction would", be provided for at an early date. Considerable discussion ensued, and tho second reading was agreed to on the voices. In committee Mr. Gray moved to add a new clause to amend section 14, paragraph 2, of tho principal Act (poll unnecetsavy in certain cases) by striking out the words "put so that the charge on the district in respect of such loan is not thereby increased.'' i The Premier objected to tiie new clause, which was rejected by 33 votes to 26. Mr. Horrics moved to have the limitation of the borrowing powers of a town board increased from £300 to £3000. This was defeated by 33 votes to 20. • The Bill vrea reported without amendment, read a third time nnd passed. CUSTOMS DUTIES. The Minister of Customs, the Hon. J. Millar, movod the second reading of tho Customs Duties Adjustment Bill, which makes/ provision for the repayment of duties collected while the reciprocal treaty with Australia was before tho | House. The second reading was agreed to on tho voices, and the Bill was subsequently put through committee and passed. TO COMMITTEES. Tho Land and Incomo Assessment Act Amendment Ac^ Amendmont Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to tho Public Accounts Committee, and tho Scenery Preservation Act Amendment Bill was referred direct to the Lands Committee. Tiie House roso at 0.10 a.m.