YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19043, 11 September 1925, Page 1

YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AMENDAIENT KILLS DUNEDIN DRAINAGE BILL. Tho Otago Presbyterian Church Board of Property Amendment Bill and the Marine and Power Engineers’ Institute Incorporation Bill wore put through their final stages without discussion and passed. The Dunedin Drainage and Sewerage Amendment Bill was reported with amendments from tho Local Bills Committee.' The effect of the alterations is to kill tho purpose of tho Bill, the committee objecting to a loan of £250,000 being raised wthout a poll of ratepayers. The Laud and Income Tax (annual) Bill was received from tho House of Representatives and read a first time. The Auckland Harbor Board Empowering Bill was road a second time, after a brief explanation by the Hon. B. Mitchelson. The Alanawatu-Oroiia River District Amendment Bill was also read a second time. Tho Council adjourned at 2.43 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland Empowering Bill was read a third time and passed. Replying to Air G. W 7. Forbes, tho Alinistcr of Finance (the Hon. AV. Nosworthy) said he had observed the Press statement regarding reparations paid by Germany under the Dawes scheme. The amount received by New Zealand between September I, 1924, and Aiay 31, 1925, was £103,669. Ho understood tho Gorman railways were part of the security for payment of reparations. As soon as he had received details relating to the payments the information would bo given to members. , . Replying to Air Jordan, the Alinistcr of Justice (Sir James Purr) said that in mailing an appointment to tho Prisons Board in place of the Into Dr Hay tho fullest consideration would be given to tho psychological and criminological knowledge possessed by tho candidates. The 'Stone Quarries Amendment Bill and the Goal Alines Bill were reported from tho Goldfields and Mines Committee. It was recommended that i b(j former bo allowed to proceed witlionb and tho latter with amendment. “PRINCIPLES OF LIFE.” On the presentation of the report from A. to L Petitions Committee, which recommended that no action be taken on F. G. Dalziel’s petition for a recognition of his .scheme pi scientific study of tho principles of life, Sir John Luko complained that the recommenda-. tion was inadequate, and moved that the report be referred back to tho committee. Mr A. Harris expressed surprise at Sir John Luke’s attitude, remarking that Sir John Luke had told him ho “ didn’t; care wiiat happened to the petition ” when dismissing the tendering of evidence. Sir John Luke challenged this stH.m mont, offering to resign his sear a „,!r tb r-C rim 1 -' pro hm "midAir Harris expressed regret at having hurt Sir John Luke’s feelings, explaining that his remark was based on hearsay, and that the words quoted were not really the ones used. The incident then closed. Air 11. E. Holland thought the subject of the petition too abstruse for a parliamentary committee to grapple with successfully at present, and tho matter should he referred hack. Air B. A. Wright (chairman of the committee) said tho petitioner had had full opportunity to give evidence, but had little to say. Ho had witnesses present. Tho prayer was simply that a Royal Commission he set np to sift what men in New Zealand really know about the constitution of life from what they third; they know, ft was useless to pursue the matter, as an investigation could lend to nothing useful being accomplished. It simply meant giving an advertisement to tin's new philosophy (if it could ho called sn) of Dalziel’s. Sir John Luke’s amendment, v, as carried by 32 votes to 29, and the report was referred had;.