PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue XC, 7 October 1915, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL The Legislative Council resumed at 2.30 o'clock this afternoon. The Hon. Sir Maurice O'Rorke was granted leave of absence for the remainder of the session. The Hon. Geo. Jones moved :' " That as it is freely alleged that the parcels which are being \sent to the soldiers of the Expeditionary Forces do not as. a rule reach their destinations, it is desirable that 1 the Government should take as prompt and effective action as possible with a view to securing the delivery of the parcels to those for whom they are intended." The Leader (Sir Francis Bell) said it was impossible to ensure the arrival of parcels. The military authorities looked after the food and munitions first, and they did not have much opportunity of looking after the parcels. It. therefore, became necessary for the Post Office to take over the business, which was consequently under civil administration. It was for this reason that Col. Rhodes had been appointed to go to Egypt. He was as much concerned, and he was sure that ali honourable members were just as concerned as the mover that these parcels should reach the men to whom they were addressed, but he and his colleagues could not ask the military authorities to make their delivery the first consideration. That was why an effort was being made to establish a civil New Zealand administration at the front. (Proceeding. ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LOCAL BILLS. The House of Representatives resumed its sitting to-day at midday, and dealt with local Bills. , Mr. R. W. Smith moved the second reading of the Mangawhero County Bill, constituting the Mangawhero County, situated contiguous to the Wanganui County. The following Bills were read a second time : Tauranga Foreshore Vesting and Endowment Bill (Hon. Mr. Herries), Otago Harbour Board Empowering Bill (Mr. J. M. Dickson), Dunedin District Drainage and Sewerage Acts Amendment Bill (Mr. Statham), Devonport Borough Vesting Bill (Mr. Harris), Springs County Council Reclamation and Empowering Bill (Mr. Nosworthy), Inglewood Borough Endowment Disposal Bill (Mr. Okey), Lyttelton Borough Extension Amendment Bill (Mr. M'Combs). The House then went into Committee on the foregoing Bills. Mr. G. V. Pearce moved to report progress on tlie Moa County Bill, which proposes to consolidate a new county in Taranaki. Progress was reported on the Bill by 31 to 22. Progress was also reported on the Mangawhero County Bill, and on the Inglewood Endowment Disposal Bill (Mr. Okey) by 28 to 27. The above Bills, with the exception of those upon which progress was reported, were read a third time, and passed. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL. The Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill was further considered in Committee last night in the House of Representatives. New clauses were moved by the Minister, one of which proposed to empower a municipality to advance at interest part of the cost of installing lighting in buildings. The clauses were adopted. The Bill was reported and read a third time. This afternoon the Hon. James Allen, replying to a member, said that the New Zealand troops were fully trained before , being sent to 'the firing-line. Any men who may have left before the full period of training were, by arrangement, with the Imperial authorities, given their additional training at Egypt. He understood also there was a training ground at Anzac. , (Proceeding.) BILLS DISPOSED OF In the Legislative Council the managers appointed by the Council to confer with the managers of the House on the Council's amendment to the Mortgages Extension Bill reported that tkey had agreed that clause 8 be deleted from the Bill. The report was agreed to. An amendment of His Excellency the Governor to the Mining Bill providing a tax of 6d per ton on quartz, instead of 3d, for the purpose of providing pensions for miners suffering from pneumoniconisis was agreed to by 20 votes to 4. Amendments by His Excellency to the War Funds Bill, giving protection against collecting for patriotic purposes by unauthorised persons, were also agreed 'to. The Kauri Gum Industry Amendment Bill, the West Coast Settlement Reserves Amendment Bill, and the Education Reserves Amendment Bill were put through their remaining stages aiid passed. After the dinner adjournment the Friendly Societies Amendment Bill was considered in Committee and reported to the Council without amendment. The Lake Coleridge Water-power Bill was re-committed, and. with a minor amendment to clause 2 and a new clause (3) empowering any borough council proposing to contract for the supply of ■ electricity from the works at Lake Coleridge to raise a loan not exceeding £6000, was reported to the Council. Both Bills were read a third time and passed. BASIN RESERVE BILL By the adverse vote of the House of Representatives upon the recommendation of the Lands Committee regarding the Basin Reserve Bill, any danger that threatened the existence of the Reserve is removed until at least next session. The recommendation of the Committee .was that the Bill proposing the tramway through the Reserve be allowed to proceed, and the House refused the recommendation. The voting of the Wellington members was equal. Those voting for the Bill to proceed and the construction of the tramway through the Preserve were -Messrs. R. A. Wright, A. H. Hindmarsh, and R. Fletcher; and against the Hon. A. L. Herdman, Dr. Newman, and Mr. T. M. Wilford. A LATE SITTING IN THE EAPvLY HOURS. Yesterday's fritting of the House of Representatives was lively, as well as protracted. The hold-up of a clause of the Washing-up Bill, as reported in another column, introduced some shoul-der-hits between the leading members ot the "opposing benches,'' and the Prime Minister, and, judging by the violence and threats of one or two members, it looked for a time as if anything might luippeu. But the Premier's diplomatic handling of the situation and Ins offer to withdraw for the session the "contentious" .clause brought peace and quiet again. But .. tho . contretemps _ had

brought the House along to the eai'ly hours of the morning aud it was 4.30 a.m. when the Alien Enemy Teachers' Bill was' railed on. Daylight found members in an irritable mood, and though the debate on the Bill was comparatively short, it was sharp. Mr. Hindmarsh rose to heights of declamation (which, strangely enough, were punctuated with the snores of a. peacefully sleeping member adjacent to the press gallery), but the Wellington member's remarks were directed at the Prime Minister, and to a denunciation of persecution of Professor yon Zedlitz by certain sections of the community rather than against the Bill. Other interesting speeches were delivered, and the Premier subsequently replied, and gave a clear explanation of all points raised. A tired House emptied itself out into the grey morning at 5.30 o'clock.