CLOSING SCENES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 134, 3 December 1910, Page 9

CLOSING SCENES.

WORK IN PARLIAMENT. A LONG NIGHT. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT DISCUSSED. RAILWAYS BRIDGES, AND GOVEENMENT BUILDINGS. The end of the session began shortly after The Post went to press yesterday, when the debate on the Public Works Statement was continued. Mr. Hernes ' stated that the House Jiad not yet been informed about the cost of underwriting the whole of the £5,000,000 loan, and complained that there were other points on which details should be clearly furnished. It seemed that it had cost 5£ per cent, to raise some of this country's loans, and this was an enormous charge, especially as it did not include the cost of conversion. According to the Premier's argument about the cheapness of ( raising large Joans, New Zealand should be going in for a ten million loan, Mr. Herries remarked' ironically. WHAT AEE THE RESULTS? Mr. Hogg— wanted to know whether the money 'spent on public works — as between roads and railways — had tended to secure the best results. In such a country as New Zealand he urged that main roads — versus railways — should have the first consideration. Roads and bridges were, he urged, the first necessity. Many of the accidents recorded would be impossible were the roads formed and t the rivers bridged. SUBURBS TO CITY. j Mr. J. P. Luke complimented Mr. Wilford'on his capable speech, and Mr. Stuart Eichardson on the capable services he had always rendered to the city. As to the general question, he said he did not ihink that a more opportune moment could be. found for starting a hydro-electric scheme, and he thought that the scheme proposed would be one of the best, movements ever started towards the industrial development of* the Dominion. ' THE BACK-BLOCKS. Mr. Pearce considered that it was a mistake to spend on the developmentof water-power, chiefly for large cities, money which was badly wanted for th» country districts. Mr. " Jennings contended that the separation of the Eoads from the Public Works Department had not been to the advantage of the back-blocks settlers. • ,- At 5.30 i p.m. the Houst adjourned until 7 p.m., Sir Joseph Ward making the suggestion that the boat for the South had been delayed till midnight, and that it was worth while saving even half an hour. At 7 o'clock the House presented a, tired appearance, and there were many vacancies on the benches. WATER-POWER. Mr. T. E. Taylor spoke in favour of the Lake' Coleridge water-power development scheme, and contended that both the Evening Post and Mr. Black had erred seriously in their quotations from Mr. Birks's report. However, this was not the piace to settle any differences of opinion on the subject, and he added that it was nob an easy matter to judge between the varying views of experts. On the whole, he was satisfied that a good deal of the criticism levelled against the report had been t hastily prepared, and before a tribunal 1 of competent men would be judged to be practically worthless. He was convinced that if the estimated cost was at all accurate New Zealand would have in the Lake Coleridge and Hutt schemes a source of considerable profit. Also, he hoped that the Government would carry out the work of construction by day labour, so as to save the country "the amount of the (profit which would be made by a contractor. THE MINISTER IN EEPLY. The Hon. R. M'Kenzie replied to the debate at 7.40 p.m. He was, he said, fully alive to the requirements of the back-blocks districts, and he pointed out that there was more money in proportion spent on roads last year than had been spent for many years past. The Minister gave details of public expenditure in various districts, pointing out that last year no less tnan £72,381 had been spent in the Taumarunui electorate, and that last year more had been spent in the district represented by Mr. Massey tham for the • past five years. As to another part of the debate, he remarked that the amalgamation, of the Roadu and Public Works Departments had effected a saving of about £30,000 a year, and no loss of efficiency had resulted. Regarding water-power, he said he hoped the proposals of the Government would have a very beneficial/ effect on the development of the Dominion. As to Mr. Birks, •he recognised he was a very capable engineer, and he had been told by an expert that if he erred at all it was on the side of caution and that the Government was quite safe in following bis estimates. He believed that in the Lake Coleridge scheme New Zealand had one. of the most promising proposals that, could be found, but he was not in favour of Mr. Taylor's suggestion that all the work should be done by day labour. A heated argument ensued between the Minister and Mr. Hogg as to Mr. Hogg's management of the j.\oads Department while he 1 was in charge. The Minister suggested that Mr. Hogg's administration had resulted in an increase of expenditure, whDe Mr. Hogg retorted that ho. did not put on any extra men, and that he did not do anything to increase the number of the unemployed. The debate then concluded. MUNICIPAL LAW. Amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill were agreed to. PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES. At 9 p.m. the House went into Committee of Supply for the consideration of the Public Works Estimates. The galleries were full (they always are when the House is on the eve of dissolution), but the number of members present was smaller than uaual, many members having " cleared out " without waiting for the actual end. Perhaps the most pronounced feature of the proceedings was the inattention of members. Some listened attentively, otherh conversed, and one, at least, emphatically slept. Considerable discussion took place on tho subject of the combination of the Roads Department with the Public Works Department. Opinions varied, bu£ it appeared that the change was approved by southern members, but disapproved of by members representing constituencies in the country districts of tho North Island. BACK-BLOCKS. Tho demands from the back-blocks for roads were insistent, Mr. Jennings, being the chief champion of the dwellers in the out districts, and the House laughed when the Minister twitted him with having talked "flapdoodle." "Point of order," said Mr. Jennings, but the Chairman said he had heard the word used without reproof, and he •therefore- ruled that it was not out of order. Mr. Jennings, evidently heated, disasreedj and moved that the commits

report progress to obtain the Speaker's ruling on the point. The House emphatically said no, but Mr. Jennings insisted on a division. The bell was rung, but at the last moment the member for Taumarunui relented, and a division was not taken. A ROW. This was a significant sign of the times. One member was heard to go up to another member and utter the word '•' crater," and than, alter a brief interval, Teturn and audibly invite the member in question to " come outside." There were all the elements of trouble,' but others intervened and it appeared that the trouble was ended, though there were still signs of heat on the part of one party to the disturbance. The vote wa6 passed. LAWRENCE— ROXBURGH. On the railway appropriations, Mi. Anderson brought up the question of tne Lawrence Roxburgh railway. In Lis opinion this railway should never have been started at Lawr-ence. Mo private company would ever have undertaken the expenditure of vast sums on such an ■enterprise. He,, did not say that the people of Roxburgh should not have railway communication. His objection was that the route was a wrong one, and should never have been authorised. When the Government last year stopped work at what was known as the Big Hill tunnel, its action was generally approved. Now it transpired that the Government was going to turn turtleon its previous decision, and go on with the work which, had been abandoned. Likewise the Government had turned a somersault in regard to the Prime Minister's assertion that the residents of the locality would have to guarantee a return of 3j per cent, on the cost of construction before the line would bo pio ceeded with. The line over the present route should never have beer, started, and he desired to enter a very emphatic protest against the attitude of the Government. Air. Malcolm said the Government was deserving of 'condemnation for ita change of front upon the question. Mr. Scott said he had no hesitation t in putting the attitude of the members for Mataura and^Clutha down to jealousy, because the route from Lawrence to Roxburgh was not approved by their respective districts. ■ _ . Mr. Wright said he thought the Minister should give the House some reason for the complete somersault which the Government had "turned on this question. Hon. R. M'Kenzie: Don't think you are going to pull- my leg. Mr. Wright : The House is entitled to some explanation. ■ Why was the work stopped, and then recommenced. Hon. R. M'Kenzie : It was never etopped. , " Mr. Wright : Do you. mean that it has been going on all the time. Hon. R. M'Kenzio: Yes. If you look at .the Public Works Statement you will see that £14,000 was spent on the line last year. Mr. Wright said he would like to. know whether the attitude taken up by the Government was due to the influence of the Dunedin Star. That paper had attacked the Government most fiercely over its attitude in regard to the line, and then the Government had adopted a complete change of front. The Minister: The Dunedin Star had nothing to do with it. Mr. Pearce objected that New Zealand as a whole was being compelled to carry on its shoulders a costly work such as this line which would never be a paying concern. The Hon R. M'Kenzie said the line was to be pushed on to Beaumont. The line was not to be treated as an urgent railway, but it would be proceeded with steadily. After visiting the district .recently, he had come to the conclusion that too much money had been spent to allow the construction of the line to be dropped. By the time Beaumont was reached? he believed it would be a payable proposition. The vote was passed without amendment. GOVERNMENT HOUSE. Regarding Government House Mr. Fisher asked for full details of the cost of the new building. He moved a reduction of the vote of £30,000 for Government House in order to enable him to* obtain the necessary details. The Minister . said the total cost of Government House up to 27th September was £53,427, which included the expense of removing the old Mental Hospital, cost of land, and so. on. Mr. Fisher remarked that this was a fair' specimen of Government estimates, seeing that the cost of the new Government House had been estimated at -625,000. The Minister replied that the actual cost of the building had been £26,847. The remainder of the sum mentioned was made up of roading and other expenses. • v I Mr. Fisher then withdrew his amendI ment, but Mr. Pearce considered that 1 the expenditure on Government House was extravagant, and by way of protest he moved that the vote be reducui by £2. The • Minister said they must remember that after the old Parliament Buildings were burned down the only place to go to was the present 'quarters inhabited by Parliament or the Town Hall. As soon as Government House had been occupied it was impossible that the buildings should again be occupied as Government House; and they had to erect- a new building. The vice-regal residence was now finished, and he thought it would be found to be very satisfactory. "Government House is located on the very best site in Wellington," said Mr. Luke. "So good that he won't live in it," retorted Mr. Pearce. "By the time we have done we will have spent £400,000 on the Governor's residence and the new Parliament Buildings," said Mr. Nosworthy. "It's all tommy rot." "What's wrong?" asked a member. It s a smoky hole to put the Gowrnor in," replied the member lor AsTiburton. , The motion to reduce the vote was lost by 39 votes to 23. THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. Mr. Laurenson then opened up a new phase. He moved to reduce the vote for new buildings by £1, as an indica . tion that the House was of opinion that before expending more money on public buildings in Wellington the Government should take steps to ascextain the cost of founding a new capital "■ J ' i ♦?! 7i*\ he said ' firml y Convinced that the day was not far distant when the seat of Government would be removed from Wellington to a place where conditions were moie the project was the vested interests of Wellington. All he asked was that full enquiry should be made. It was nearly midnight when Mr. Laurenson Kpoke , and members were obviously opposed to spending valuable time in discussing the subject the difficulties of even the consideration of such a proposal as that suggested Mr Glover W ged the chuns of Auckland as the capital, but the House i exhibited a considerable degree of ?n? patience and it was evident that the proposal was not accepted with more than the-average amount' of seriousnei and the Hoit*. voted— for Mr Lav Lr^uon 23, against, Mr, Laurenson 39

GENERAL MATTERS. The Minister, in answer to Mr. M'Laren, said that alterations are being made at the Government Printing Office which will relieve the congestion for some time. He added that it was quite possible that the erection of the new Parliament Buildings would take - ten or twelve years, and that the existing premises would be utilised for various Parliamentary purposes in the meanwhile. ♦ At about 12.30 members were still talking, and a member went so far as to suggest- that there was not even a quorum (20) present. The quorum presented itself, but the fact was evident that many members had left. Regarding the Cambridge Sanatorium, the Hon. D. Buddo remarked that everything was going along smoothly, and tne House pas«ed the requisite vote. Mr. J. P. Luke wanted details of the vote for £12,000 for the Stoke Industrial School. TWO OBSTRUCTIONISTS. Soon after 1 a.m. Mr. Poland made it evident that he did not like the attitude taken up by the Acting-Minister of Education (Hon. D. Buddo) with regard to a teacher's residence at a school in his district. Mr. Ross helped him to keep the thing going. The matter was local, but it was evidently important to- the member for Ohinemun, and he made some unpleasant remarks about borrowing large sums of money on the London market and at the same time leaving school teachers to linger in unsanitary places. There was no definite" result to this, and Messrs. Poland and Ross talked on at some length. A minimum of memj bers (about 22 out of 80) listened to all sorts of subjects. Shortly after 2 a.m. Mr. Poland tried to rouse the House by moving to reduce an item as an indication of disapproval with the present policy on the subject. More than one member woke un sufficiently to urge that the whole policy of teachers' residences required legislative action. Ihe proposal was negatived by Various questions were asked, chiefly by Messrs. Poland and Ross, as the night wore on, but there were few to listen to them. A PAYABLE MOUNTAIN, j The Minister in charge of the Tourist Department was overheard to say that Mount Cook is now showing a profit, and. that the traffic there has doubled. He was chary of details, but the House made no comment. Something after 3.30 a.m. the Hon. R. MKehzie made reference to the tedious repetition" indulged in by lion members. Mr. Poland irreverently suggested that the' most tedious repetition before the s u V** the ilee P in ess of the Minister Rebuke followed promptly, but MiPoland presented an unbroken front, and gave full evidence that he' had no concern as to whether the Minister or anyone else agreed -with him or not At 4 a.m. Mr, Poland's motion to reduce an item, which caused a lot of discussion, was lost 011 the voices. RETALIATION. The Minister retaliated *by moving to strike out various item 3 for roads, etc., in Mr. Poland's district. One reduction was actually carried. * Mr. Poland continued talking. Even Mr. Massey took a hand, and urged Messrs. Poland and Ross' to accept the hint which had been given, and not to continue the game which they had continued so long. He believed in criticism, but he could not support continued obstruction. The two hon. members had gone too far. The two members were aware that many of their fellows desired to get home that day, and had been keenly disappointed with what had occurred. The class eventually passed. GOLDFIELDS AND BOREDOM. On the next class, £25,000 for development of goldfields, Mr. Poland asked for information as to the vote for "assistance towards prospecting and mining companies, £10,000." Mr. Ross helped him to further delay proceedings by asking whether any of the money would be available for coal prospecting .and for a report on the copper bearing areas of Mahara. "No," snapped the Minister. j The class passed unaltered at 4.20 p.m., and as Messrs Poland and Ross had evidently learned the lesson administered by the striking out of one vote in Mr. Poland's district, at the instance of the Minister, the other classes were passed without further obstruction. Tho eloquence of the two members had lasted almost continuously since 1 p.m. COUNCIL AMENDMENTS. The Hon. J. Carroll moved that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Native Land Claims Adjustment Act be agreed to. Mr. Herries objected to the Council making such amendments as it 'had in the Bill. Mr. V. H. Reed was also qurious as to the reason for the introduction of. the new"" clause. The amendments were agreed to by 31 votes lo 22. At 4.40 a.m. the Supplementary Estimates were received, and the first item was passed. I * . Progress was reported on tne motion of the Premier, and the House rose till 10.30 o'clock.