PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 September 1925, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OE REPRESEN TATI YES. n.i^c.c.KAi'ji.—nn >-.as <x»BOUiA'UOi>.; WELLINGTON, Sep. 2. The House oi : Representatives- met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Hon. A. H. McLeod said iio hoped to have the report of the Land Drainage Commission this week or early next week for presentation to the House.

On the motion of the Hon. It. F. liollard the Local Elections and Polls Bill was introduced and read a first time.

The Land and Income Tax Bill was reported from the Public Accounts Committee with a sub-clause of clause 2 deleted. This is a portion of the ‘‘lordship” clause, and the chairman of the committee stated the Minister had indicated that he would move a new sub-clause when the Bill was in committee. The Hon. Sir M. Pomare (Minister for Health) moved for leave to lay on the table the report of the Public ‘ Health Department. Mr M. J. Savage (Auckland "West) attacked the suggestion that there should be private wards in public hospitals for those able to pay for them. All patients should be placed on an even footing, and) all were entitled to the best treatment the State can give them until they were well. Public hospitals should not be turned into class institutions. Mr A. L. Monteith (Wellington East) and Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) supported these views. The latter stressed the necessity for greater propaganda advising people how to preserve their health, by which means they would reduce the number of patients in public hospitals. Sir M. Pomare: This is the healthiest countrv in the world. Mr F. N T . Bartram (Grey Lynn) said there were inany dwellings in New Zealand which had been condemned as unfit for human habitation, but they were still standing and were inhabited. It was the duty of the Minister to see that condemned buildings were destroyed, and he hoped he would pay greater attention to this part of his duty. He strongly urged the nationalisation of the medical service. The discussion was interrupted by the dinner adojournmeut. ELECTRIC POWER BOARDS. The Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister for Public Works) moved the second reading of the Electric Power Boards Bill, which, lie explained was simply a consolidating measure brought down at tiie request of several power boards. The only new provision was one dealing with the filling of casual vacancies on bqards, which was omitted in the original Act. Mr E. A. Ransom (Pahiatua) thought it would have been advisable to make clear the responsibilities of boards where boundaries followed some roads, and in which cases at present there was some confusion regarding the control of power lines. He urged modification of the conditions governing the qualifications for membership of power boards, so that the services of the best men might not be lost through minor technicalities. Amendments were also necessary in connection with the finances and responsibilities of boards. 1 n the matter of the inspection of power line installations some portion of the cost of supervision should be paid by those benefiting by the supply of electric power. Mr M. J. Savage (Auckland West) objected to clause 20, which restricted the election of power boards to ratepayers. A public utility of this character should be controlled on a wider franchise, since there was no guarantee that under tu© proposed ratepayers’ franchise the charge for current would not be raised so as to press unduly on the general body' of consumers. The municipal franchise at least should be used, but’ the proper one was the Parliamentary franchise. Mr j. A. Nash (Palmerston North) considered the Government should placo soldier settlers on the same footing as ordinary mortgagors in connection with liability for the cost of power installations. -Mr F. J. Rolleston (Tirnaru) pointed out that clause 20 only provided for special circumstances, '"otherwise the franchise remained as heretofore. The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr H. E. Holland) said Air Rolleston’s explanation did not dispose of the objections in relation to tn e franchise. He thought it was not too much to ask tho Government to delete the whole of clause 20. The hydro-electric power system was to benefit all the people, and all should have a right to vote as to who should control the administration of the system. Mr Coates said that if bv any mischance the system of election to boards was to be amended the Bill must be dropped. It was simply a consolidating measure. No boards bad asked for anv amendment to the franchise, and it was too early yet to see whether alteration was needed. The people in the districts were responsible for the rating provision, and were entitled to say under what system boards should be elected. Suggestions had been made that Government departments should utilise current from hydro-electric schemes. This was too large an order to be carried out at once, but it would be done as fast as means permitted. As to the responsibility for the safety of a reticulation system, it was right that power boards should take the onus instead of the consumers, but if they' did so the insurance premiums might reasonablv be decreased. The Bill was read a second time on tho voices. The House rose at 11.30 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.