PARLIAMENT

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 1289, 15 September 1910, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

THE HOUSES IN SESSION.

PROGRESS OF BILLS

FSB iPlf*S9 *HSOOIA^rON Wellington, Sept. 14. IN THE COUNCIL. The Council met in the afternoon. The By-laws Bill was reported from Committee with slight amendment, and the Oaths Bill without amendment. The Rangitikei Land Drainage Bill and the Town Boards Amendment Bill were' put through their final stages.

The Foreign Insurance Companies Deposits Amendment Bill as passed by the House of Representatives was read a second time, after a brief discussion. DEBT EXTINCTION BILL. The Hon. Dr. Findlay moved the second reading of the Public Debt Extinction Bill, passed by the Lower House, authorising the creation of a sinking fund for the extinction of the public debt of New Zealand. Tho Attorney-General said the Bill was a genuine attempt to make the present generation bear its share of the burden, and those who came after to bear theirs. The Hon. J. R. Sinclair cordially supported the Premier's proposal as a sound and safe principle. The Bill itself answered all the criticism directed against it hy the House and the press. It had evidently been well thought out, and in practice would be found to work well.

The Hon. John Rigg contended that the Bill would impose considerable burdens upon the people, and ques-. tioned whether in the end it would not be found that one debt had been extinguished to create another. The 'Council rose at 5.30 p.m.*

IN THE HOUSE. The House met at 2.30. AMERICAN MAILS. The Premier stated that although the departure of the San Francisco mail steamer is arranged to alternate as nearly as possible rortnightly with the departure of the steamer from Vancouver, it was not practicable to make a isimilar arrangement trom this end without, the employment of a third Bieamer, which would require a very large increase in tho subsidy. When the Vancouver steamers call at Auckland the matter could be gone into with a view of arranging as nearly as possible tortnightlv sailings both ways.

TO USE THE MONORAIL P The Minister, in reply to a question, said the liadway Department i.i collecting all available information in regard to the Brennan monorail, which has not yet gone far beyond the experimental stage. When this stage has been passed, the question as to what extent the system can be adopted with "benefit to the Dominion will bo fully gone into.

THE CRIMES BILL. The debate on the Crimes Amendment Bill was resumed.

_ Tho Hon. G-. Fowlds, replying, said he had no reason to be displeased at the reception of the Bill. If the power proposed to be conferred on Magistrates of passing indeterminate sentences were taken away, it would mean that a large percentage of incipient criminals would not come uqder the scope of the Bill. There were good and. substantial reasons for the retention of this power. Regarding the personnel of the Prison Board, the Minister stated that a combination of judicial officers with civil servants should provide an ideal body for the purposes of the Bill. Referring to prison labour, Mr Fowlds said this would be of such a kind as not to come into competition with ordinary labcmr. It would., to a certain extent, be a violation of international courtesy, to allow probationers to leave the Dominion without the leave of the Attorney-General. The Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. '

THE EDUCATION BILL. x . Mr Fowlds moved the committal of the Education Amendment Bill. expressed approval of the reinstatement of the capitation vote. Referring to clause 7, which provides for medical inspection of school children by teachers or inspectors, he said this was a matter thai ought to be dealt with by school committees. Considerable indignation had been expressed at the regulation requiring country children to attend at centres for proficiency examinations, and he (Mr Siassey) had received many communications on the suoject. He hoped some way would be found out of the difficulty. There was at the present time .considerable dissatisfaction with the administration oi the Education Department, chiefly or account of its centralising tendency. Mr Laurenson said the Domuioi was spending, in round figures, a milLou a year in education. It was time to .ask if tho education Bystem was not becoming too literary., and il it was paying sufficient attention io the practical affairs of life. Ii wouii be a good tning to appoint some members of the House to inquire into the matter. Education was fitting boys to become distributors- rather than procurers of -wealth. Knowledge oi facts did not fit a youth for the battJe of life.

The House was still sitting when the telegraph office closed (at midnight).