PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LX, Issue LX, 1 November 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON, Oct. 31. The House met at 2.30. The following ±jills were read a first time: — Seamen, and Shipping Act Amendment (Hon. J. A. Millar) ; Noxious Weeds Amendment (Hon. T. Mackenzie) . On the motion of the Hon. D. Buddo amendments made in committee to the Taranaki Scholarships Amendment Bill were agreed to, and the Bill was read a third time .and passed. The Opium Amendment Bill was passed. J The Kauri Gum Industry Bill was taken in committee. At clause 4, which provides that holders of special Licenses for gum-dig-ging shall be entitled to employ any member of his family under 16 without taking out an additional license, Mr V. H. Reed moved that holders of such, licenses be also allowed to employ their wives. This was agreed to. The clause added by the Lands Committee, limiting special licenses to British subjects by birth or by naturalisation in New Zealand, was objected to by Mr Herries, who considered that persons who had been naturalised in other Rgrts of the Empire should be entitled to special licenses. Hon. J. A. Millar pointed out that in the principal Act any person naturalised in other parts of the Empire had only to produce his naturalisation papers and prove his good character to become a naturalised subject of the Dominion. In the evening the Bill was reported with amendments. Hon. D. Buddo moved to amend clause 6, which amends clause 59 of the principal Act, by adding the words "otherwise iilian as a member of an incorporated company in which there are more than 20 members, and of which he is neither a director nor general manager." The clause in the principal Act provides that no member of a council can vote on or discuss any matter in which he has directly or indirectly any pecuniary interest. Mr T. M. Wilford pointed out that the clause would have the effect of preventing the director of a newspaper company having an account with a council from standing for election as councillor or mayor. Mr. Jas. Allen considered the amendment too drastic. To prevent directors of companies from being councillors or mayors would exclude some of the most capable men from municipal offices. This was ridiculous. Mr Wilford suggested that the Minister should add to the end of the clause the following words: "That the insertion of advertisements in a newspaper shall not be deemed to be a contract for work done within the meaning of this section." Mr Buddo said that if the clause were passed he would add a proviso to the Bill exempting newspaper advertisements. The Minister's amendment was carried by 41 to 19. An amendment by Mr Wilford to «tri&B out the proviso adding tliat the amount borrowed and owed by a council <m any of its accounts shall not exceed the estimated revenue" account for the current year ending March 31, was carried by 34 to 28. At clause 16, Mr Wilford moved an amendment worded so as to prevent' contracts being declared invalid because the seal of the Cabinet was not affixed to the same. The amendment was agreed to on the voices. A new clause, sa, providing for the permissive use of voting machines, was inserted on the motion of the Minister. Clause 6 was amended by adding 'the words, "and of which he is neither a director nor the general manager." ' A new clause, moved by Mr J. Craigie (Timaru), providing for the application of the betterment principle, was carried by 35 to 25. On the motion of Mr T. Wilford a number of new machinery clauses were inserted, embodying resolutions come to by the Municipal Conference. A new clause making the Government subject to the by-laws was carried by 32 to 24. Progress was reported and the House rose at 2.5 a.m.