PARLIAMENT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue 9418, 17 August 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. FRIDAY, AUGUST 16. THE ESTIMATES. WELLINGTON, August 16. The House met/ at 2.30, and went into Committee of SuppMy. and proceeded todeal with the Colonial Secretary's Dc-I pairtment. : Under the miscellaneous services vote, ! £28,581, Mr Fisher, referring to the votes relating to the late Premier (the portraits, busts, and so on), urged that they should all be put together, and that the Government should commemorote deceased's memory in a proper and fiMing manner, instead "of (frittering away money on all soTts of objects. Mr Mastey asked if the item of £105 for a picture was for one hanging in the Whip's room. T.he Premier thought the flmouint was for (the picture im the lobby. The Government had not purchased the picture in the Whip's room. Mr Wilford remarked that whether they had purchased the picture in the Whip's room or not, the Government would be called on to pay for damages, as someone had put a walking stick through it. Mr Massey, referring to the item, "Cost Native and) Tenure Commission, £10,000/' said it .reminded him of the fable of the mountain which labored a(nd 'brought forth a mouse. He asked how the amount was to be distributed. The Premier said the details would B,e available when the Bill was brought down, .and 1 the payment of the Commissioners would be .provided ior in the Bill. The item under notice was for travelling expenses. Mir Massey urged that 'the House should be supplied with details of the £1500 vote under the heading "Travelling allowances for Ministers." It would be interesting to know, for instance, what it had cost the .country while the Minister for Lands was travelling about the country explaining his Land Bill. The vote, £75,554, passed 'unaltered. The next class taken, was the Crown Law Department, £4340. A long discussion took place on the appointment of Professor Salmond. It was objected that an injustice ihad been done to an o3d servant, Mr Joliffe, who had been passed over. The Premier said Professor Salmond did not supersede Mr Joliffe. Thousands ot pounds had been paid in the past* to other than the Department's law officers, and it was in order that this work should be done by the Department's officers, under the eye of the House, that the appointment had been made, and it was represented to the Government that Professor Salmond possessed the qualifications that were required, and that was why he was appointed. It was not intended to do an injustice to Mr Joliffe, and piovision was being made to increase has salary. Mr Massey considered Mr Joliffe had been very badly treated in regard to the appointment of the officer in charge of the drafting office. He had given good service to the country, and yet had been superseded by a man who was not conversant with the requirements of the office. He was opposed to the setting Tip j of this new office without first consulting j Parliament, and urged that notice should j have been placed on the order paper Te- • lative to the creation* of the office, or the mn-tter should have been placed on the Estimates before all. appointment was made. f The Premier said that appointments had previously been made in a similar manner to Professor Salmond's. The Government had power to make these appointments. If 'it had been a life appointment then it would, perhaps, be reasonable for members to make objection. T.he appointment would save many hundreds of pounds to the colony, as the' work of the legal department was increasing tremendously. The vote passed unaltered. The next class taken was the Defence Department total vote of £184,024. Air Jaanes Allen asked a number of questions as to what was intended to be done with regard to the defence of the shores. The Hon. Mir McNab replied in terms contained in the defence report. Mr Fisher considered that the House eiiould have an opportunity of discussing j alterations in the policy outlined, in the defence report. It was said that the volunteer system for the present should • remain purely voluntary. What did this mean T Were we to have compulsory military training ? The volunteer system was .never at a lugher standaid of appreciation that at present. He urged that the Government should' 'give particulars of the defence scheme, and let the House have the right to discuss the matter. Mr Hogg WAS disappointed -with, the estimates for this Department, inasmuch as they were £15,000 in excess of last year. He asked if it were intended ' to alter the regulations in regard to rifle clubs, so that they could (regain the strength previously hield. He contended that if reasonable opportunities were given itesidents in the country districts to join rifle clubs, there would be absolutely no necessity to Teeort to compulsoTy military service. The Hon. Mr McNaß said the colony was looking to see on what lines defence should be continued. If the Council was not supported and volunteering ceased, tlhe colony would have to go in for a larger and more highly paid permanent foTce. If the volunteering system was not supported, it would .have to end, and a more ©osfy system be brought into farce. The GovernnTent wished to warn the colony to this effect. It was intended to extend the privileges of rifle clubs amd to remove restrictions from those clubs situated a distance from the centres. The Defence Department, £10,586,' passed unaltered. Mir Fisher, referring to volunteer encampments, said if money was going to' be 6pent by the Council in the same manner as by the Commandant a great deal of it would be wasted. As am officer he had been present at parade when £here were more officers than men. He meant there were thaiee officers and two ' men, and capitation should not be paid *on such a turn-out. He asserted that the submarine minimg corps at Wellington had been in a state of mutiny for twelve months, and should be disbanded. He asserted that if the Minister was conversant with, the source of tlhe I trouble in this corps he would settle it in 24 hours. He suggested that where volunteers displayed enthusiasm, as in the case of the Wellington Engineers, they should be encouraged.

Mr Thomson, replying to a question by Mr Herries, said instead of conimemmorating the soldiers who fell in battle by the barbaric practice of tombstone decoration, they should create some sort of scholarship. As it wtus, few people took the trouble to read gravestones. Mr McNab said he approved of keeping the graves of fallen soldiers in order, and would not allow, where it was known, graves to remain unattended. Mt Tanner deprecated Mr Thomson's remarks, ao he thought nothing tended to make the young generation patriotic as association with historii al events and records. Mr Thomson said he was quite in favoo of erecting monuments in public places to commemorate soldiers' deeds. Mr Poole thought the upkeep of historical records and graveyards containing the remains of soldiers ahoukl be the duly of local bodies. Tho Defence Department total vote, £184,024, passed unaltered. ill? .next class taken was the Working Railways Department, £1,830,000. At, the amount £53,809, "allowances to cmploj-ees receiving not niOTe thaai 10s i per day, also allowances for Sunday duty I a j nd special services," Mr Jas. Allen ask- j ed what amount was expended laet year when £45,000 was voted. J The Premier said that under the pre- | senb system it was not possible to state the figures in detail, but. the total amount -expended appeared at the foot of the statement. Mr Massey pointed out that the detailed expenditure appeared in the Post amd Telegraph estimates, and if it could be done in .the Postmaster-General's Department, he could mot understand why it could not be done in the Railway Department. He urged that stationmasters should be better remunerated. As compared with postmasters they were badly paid. The Premier said lie intended to submit an amended classification and to improve the remuneration of a number of railway employees. After considering other votes the House adjourned.