PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 108, 2 November 1907, Page 9

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FRIDAY, lbt NOVEMBER. The Council spent practically the whole of ihe day dehjting ihe [Land Bill. Ihe discussion i 6 leported elsewhere in this i«>ue. HOUSE GF REPRESENTATIVES. The House continued its sifting yesterday afternoon • • A TAOJARUNUI ELECTION. A Bill to validate the election of the Taumarunui County Council, whu.li took place bel'oie the necessary Order-in-Coun-eil was gazetted, was' read a. second time. FIRE BRIGADES. The Fire Brigade Bill va.« read a second time. The debate is reported else, where. MARINE INSURANCE. The Minister for "Marine moved the second reading of the ] Marine Insurance Bill, which has already passed the Legis- j lative Council." •which brings the law into conformity with the law of Great Bri- j tain. j Several members <aiggestod that the Bill should be relener to the Industries and Commerce Commi tee( but the Minister urged that, such a, course was not necessary as', the Bill contained no real alteration, of the existing law, and was really in favour of tie insurer. From the moment the company accepted the premium it was liable for tho insurance. The second reading n-as carried without a division. BILLS OF EXCHANGE. 'ihe Premier moved the second reading of vie Bills of Exchange Act Amendment Bill, which has already passed the Legislative Council. Its/chief objects are to enable banks to destroy cheques, promissory notes, etc: in ten years after issuv. It also proposed to jrelicve from responsibility for over-payment the person who pays oi\t. on a cheque which has been fraudulently altered through the negligence of the drawer. In such a case the liability will he on the negligent drawer. The Bill' was read a second time after a brief debate. THE. HARVESTER TRUST. The Minister for Labour moved the second reading of the Agricultural Implement Manufacture Importation and Sale Bill, which continues for another three y oc rs the operation of the Act of 1905, a'"! makes it perfectly clear that the importations which come under the scope of the Act are. confined to those of British mnnufachue. (The original Act, it may be said, is designed to prevent undue ''cutting" by foreign manufacturers of harvesting machinery.) The Bill proposes to give the preference in this respect solely to such goods manufactured in Great Britain. The ''ill was read a second time without debate. , | A NEW OFFENCE. Tho Minister for Justice moved the second reading of the- Police Offences Bill. This mea&uiM has aiso passed the Legislative Council. It proposes to prohibit traders declaring, without authority, that they are under the patronage of the Governor ; to prevent persons using the name of any person as a trade name, or the name of a ship, building .institution, etc., without the juithority of the owner'of the 'name. It is also intended to prevent the imitation of court documents and tho use of initials which give the wi'oncf impression that the user holds a, degree or diploma. The Bill was read a second time without debate. ■A TECHNICAL MEASURE. T*ie Minister for Justice, who moved the second reading, of the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Acts Amendment Bill, a technical measure which has already passed the Legislative Council. The second reading was agreed to on the voice's. PREVENTION OF MONOPOLIES. The Flour and Other Products Monopolies Prevention Bill was introduced by Governor's message, and read a first time. ' NEW POST OFFICES. The. House then went into committee on tho Post Olhce Savings Bank Fund Investment Bill, which proposed to set aside £200,000 fo- the erection of new post offices at Wellington and Auckland. In reply to contentions that the rate of interest on savings bank de , posits should be increased, the Pre mier sajd that last year the deposits stood at £9,935,000, an increase of £1,291.243. The rate of interest paid was 3£ .per ceni. up to £300, and from £300 to £600, 3 per cent. Now the • Government was proposing to amend the Loans to Local Bodies Act by reducing the rate of interest to 3i per cent,, at which rate interest and capital were repaid. That could not bo done if the Government paid, as suggested, -as much as 5 per cent, on savings bank deposits. It must also De remembered that the money was deposited at call — the depositors could get it at* practically a moment's notice. Mr. T. rcmarkea th.a.t there are joint stock companies in New Zealand which were wrenching huge sums from the public without there being any security placed against if. The companies wore speculating with that money, and if a msis arose, rmm« bpi's of people would be ruined. The Government, should legislate against such a stato of thingc, and make fhu uncalled capital tho security for de posits. The Bill passed through committee without amendment THE HUTT RAILWAY. . The Hutfc Railway and Road Improvement Bill was then committed. Mr. Tlerrios wanted to know how much the work had cost and was going to cost, and ho\> much money had already been spent The Premier replied that details had already been supplied. Mr/Herriea did not appreciate tho reply, and, to mark his disapproval, ho moved to repoifc progress. Particularly he wanted to know what the return would be from tho sale of land reclaimed. Mr. Massey said he had been struck with the very slow progress that was being made., lie urged that tho House was entitled to full details of ' how the money was being spent. Mr. Hogg also wanted to know how lung tho wotK was to continue and \\ hat it would cost There was a gfneml opinion among country settlors that iin excessive amount was beini; spent on works which wpio nof urgent. The mini of £100,000 meant move than tho amount whiih would bo spent in Ins distriii during the next ton years, in spiti- of tin- fa tl tli.it .some of tl<p mads wo iv utmost impassable during thr u'.'ii'-i month-.. Tho Rimiuaka dpMidioi! on. 'lit also to lie considered. -\ ■> to (Ins Mil!, hi> <onsif)(<io(l the cl'i'M' iMi< •' uf tlii 1 uork would bo to iii •.!>-> ihr \,iiin> nf laud in whiih -/I H ! 'lvi , W.'IO lll'.'-livtl'd ■■\\.- h,iw~ in duplicate liu.s lino, wo liavo in liv.ish it," leiii.tikod ('it- Pu 1 micr in leplv. .iticl bei'oio ih:y had finished they; weio allied ior "details

which could not bo furnished, and in a way which suggested that the officers in charge did not know their business. When tho work was finished full d-.-tailo lAOiikl be furnished. Mr. Massey said they were not opposing the duplication works, but they v. anted to know what had been spent, what- would be spent, and what the- rpclaimod lnnd would realise. When did tho Government intend to put some of the land on the mnrkot? The Premier said that tho work of J reclamation at this end had not been touched, but ther-o wonid be; a largearea available, and a larpc sum of ir.onoy would be obtained from the sale. Mr. Henries insisted that the Honw had a right to be told what was' the actual estimate of tho total work. It was ridiculous to say they could not tell what the cost wo.uld be until tho work was completed. He would move* for a return showing the estimated cost and the probable receipts from the sale of landy. etc., etc. Tho Bill was reported without amendment. LOCAL BODIES LOANS ACT. The Local Bodies Loans Act Amendment Bill was committed. ' Mr. Herries moved a new clause permitting town boards to borrow up to £3000 instead of £300, as at present. Sir Joseph said the amount to bo advanced to local bodies could not be increased. The ' country simply could not do it. He had said so over and over again during the session. The amendment would simply result in smashing up the Act. "it would be imprudent to borrow more money per annum than we were at present. \ The amendment was defeated by 37 votes to 13. Mr. Hogg movfd- a new clause to provide that all special rates under this or any previous Act shall be levied on .the unimproved value of land. • This was negatived by 40 votes to 8. . ■ ' A new clause was moved by Mr. Flatman to provide that a local body may borrow for lighting purposed. — Lost on ths voices. Tho • Bill passed its committee stage without amendment. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. The Government Advances to Settlers Act Amendment Bill was also committed. On the motion of the Minister .the Bill was amended by insertion of a clause extending the operation of the advances to workers section of the Bill to rural lands. The above Bills were reported from committee, and the third readings were set down for next sitting day. INSPECTION OF SCAFFOLDING. The Minister for Labour "moved the second reading of the Scaffolding Inspection Act Amendment Bill, the main provisions of which have already been published. The chwf provision is that all scaffolding shall be subijet to inspection, and also that lifts shal' be provided with an automatic catch. I The ' second reading was agreed to on the voices. WORKERS' COMPENSATION. The second reading of the \vorkers' Compensation for Accidents Bill (a consolidating and amending Bill, the chief proposals in which have besn fully set forth) was moved by the Minister for Labour, who intimated that he did not think th^re was much chance of it being carried further this ses'ion. His object, however, was to have it referred to the Labour Bills Committee. ' The Bill • was read a second -time pro forma, and referred to tho Labour Bills Committee. Tho House" rose at 0.20 a.m. . 1