PARLIAMENT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 253, 12 October 1911, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington. Oct. 11. The House met at 2.30. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. The Minister’s attention had been drawn to articles in the "Dunedin Star' ’of September 1 Gib on the subject of gambling in chocolates by children, ami he considered it desirable that children should, if possible, be prevented from indulging in a practice of tire kind referrer! to.

In reference to a statement by Mr. Kiefe. president of the Tairawhiti Land Board, that he resigned because of interference and dictation from the head of the department m the administration of liis official duties, which lie resented, the Minister (Sir James Carroll) said there had been no interference or dictation by the Department of Native Affairs in respect of the performance of any judicial duties by the president of the board. The decision in the ease Sherwood v. New Zealand Shipping Company, in which the court held that the widow of a man killed while in the employ of the company was rot a dependent under th.e Act, being separated from her husband, although she had a claim for maintenance against him. had been noted, and the Minister was consulting the Crown law officers on the subject with a view, if possible, to giving any persons likely to he similarly affected the protection of the Act. The afternoon was occupied in discussing the answers given by the Ministers to questions.

Mr. Mil'ar, speaking of workers’ homes, said that wherever land w is obtainable at a reasonable pi ice lhe department was acquiring it for workmen’s homes, but the difficulty was to get land at a reasonable price. The House resumed at 7.30.

DURATION OU SESSION. On the motion of tin l Premier it was resolved that on and after Monday next the House meets on M >:iday’s for Government business. Sir Joseph Ward promised to gp.e •a statement of the business prop* »sed on Friday. The Public Works Statement will bi delivered or Monday after >oon. Sir Joseph Ward said he s >.w no reason whv the session sho'-Jd nit close on Friday week if nicinbcrs would co-operate. AUCKLAND SYDNEY CABLE. The Premier moved that the House approve the piopos'al that the Pacific Cable Board should lay a r-able between New Zeahind and Australia direct. He explained that the scheme was a cable between Auckland and Sydney, the lie-a 1quarters b< ing removed in each ease to city telegraph stations, with the result that retramnissior.s at each end would be avoided. The under ‘aking would cost £175,000. A direct cable must, he said, be provid ed if the present business was to bf increased or even maintained. The saving by a direct service would be £80,400 a year. In addition to the Pacific service the board advocated the provision of a nationalised cable across the Atlantic between England and Canada. He had submitted this proposal to the last Imperial Conference. He was pursuaded that it would be incomparably better to have an independent cable. The motion was carried on tin voices. CIVIL SERVICE CLASSIFICATION. Referring to the public classification scheme. Sir Joseph Ward said it had been merely laid on the table for the information of members and otliers. It had no force of law. It had to be submitted to the Governor, and, if approved by him, published in the Gazette as a provisional classification. Any servant not satisfied might appeal to the board for the reconsideration of his classification, and all appeals must be dealt with before the scheme was brought into operation by a resolution of the House. It was impossible for the scheme to come into operation this year. BILLS REPORTED. The Auckland University College Amendment Bill, the University of Otago Council Bill, and the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board Bill were reported with amendments.. TRAMWAYS AMENDMENT BILL. The Tramways Amendment Bill was next taken in Committee. A new clause was inserted on the motion of the Minister that when a local authority has delegated the authority conferred upon It by an authorising order, the Minister may. on the issue of the renewal of a license charge a fee not exceeding £2 in respect of every carriage licensed, the fee so charged to be paid by the Minister of Finance to the local authority to whom the authorising order was issued. Provision was also made in a further new clause for the registration of the storage- of lost aitides and the imposition of reasonable charges to owners in lespect of such registration and storage. Wellington, Oct. 12. After midnight Mr. Davey moved a new provision, that each car shall have a corridor up the middle, and that all ears which now have no such corridor shall be converted into corridor cars at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum. This was agreed to with a provision exempting cable cars. Air. Witty rfioved a new clause to give a local authority power to levy a special rate to meet a deficiency for the working of an extension that proves unremunerative, the rate to be confined to the district concerned. After discussion the clause was withdrawn the understanding being that lhe clause would be printed ami brought up again before the; measure reaches the final stages. | METHODIST CHClll H BILL. I The bill was reported. ' The Methodist Church Bill was put through Committee without amendment. The House rose at 12.45 a.m.