PARLIAMENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVIII, Issue XVIII, 22 October 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

JBY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Oct. 21 The House met at 7.30. p.m.

NATIVE LANDS

Mr Massey stated, in connection with a letter referred to in a discussion en the Land Bill, which affected natives offering land to the Government, that the communication referred to was in his office at the time he spoke, but he was not aware of the fact. He wished to make this statement in fairness to Mr Ngata and others.

THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS INCIDENT

Sir Joseph Ward brought up the matter of the incident at the Public Accounts Committee meeting (in connection with "the investigation of loans to local bodies) on Friday last. He said that, owing to a difference he had1 had with the chairman of the Committee, a set of circumstances had arisen, and he wished to know if the matter should be brought up at once. He e'esired to know whether he- could go back to the Committee without the matter being referred to in the House.

iVlr Hive, chairman of the committee, read the words taken down at the meet-

Sir Joseph Ward said that the report simply gave his reply to the chairman's question., which was: "That is a downright piece of impertinence," and did not give all the words used. The report of the Committee was one-sided."

Mr Myers said that the whole of the trouble was caused simply because SirJoseph Ward did not answer a question just as the chairman desired it should be answered. Sir Joseph Ward was there lo refute some statements made on the floor of the House. Had he been, in Sir Joseph Ward's place lie would have done exactly the same thing. Mr Hine should end the incident by making the amende honorable.

Mr Malcolm suggested that Sir Joseph Ward should withdraw his words and end the incident.

Mr Myers suggested that Mr Hine should apologise. He repeated tliat the manner in which the question was put was what was taken exception to. Mr Witty held that the report as brought down was very unfair. The House was getting very low-down when it adopted such methods of procedure. Debates should be carried on in a dignified manner.

Sir Joseph Ward said that he had sat under three Speakers? and eight different Chairmen of Committee, and had never been in conflict with any of them during 25 years. He declined to withdraw his remarks. The chairman had not been fair, but biassed in his rulings. He had been a partisan and on the side of the Minister of Finance and the Government. The chairman had shown distinct bias throughout the proceedings, and had acted offensively. He would leave the matter to the judgment of the House.

~.Mll Hemes said that if Sir Joseph \\ ard had used the words in a court of law he would have been committed for contempt. He contended that the prestige of the committee had to be upheld as it was a reflex of the House. Mr Alten regretted that the worls had not been withdrawn. He denied the existence of bias on the part of the chairman, who had conducted the committee in a very unbiassed way. Mr McKenzie contended that the chairman had exceeded his duty, and broii^ht about the whole trouble.

Further discussion ensued, and Mr Herdman moved that the report be referred back to the committee. This was agreed to, and the discussion closed.

RAILWAYS AMENDMENT BILL

The Government Railways Amendment Bill was read a second time pro roMia.

PUBLIC REVENUES ACT.

Mr Allen moved the second reading of the Public Revenues Act Amendment Bill to repeal tho provision of the Act of 1900 permitting the transfer of one v to in ji!o class to one vote in a s-hn-lar class, at the wili of the Government. The Bill also dealt with the Fire Insurance Fund and other matters.

fen- Joseph Ward pointed out that the amending Bill still permitted the transfer which was objected to. The onlystipulation wag that the particulars of such transfer must be laid before Parliament after the expenditure was beyond recall.

Mr Massey said that the Government was proposing to deal with the whole of the section in the old Act, which had been used improperly for increasing salaries of members. It had also been , used for increasing the salaries of' judges of the Supreme Court, and he could enumerate several cases in which railway and road votes had been transferred, and they should be careful to see that there was good reason for such transfer. "It was the intention of the amendment that full publicity should he given to such transfers by reporting them to Parliament for approval. He considered, also, that a certain' sum should be set apart each year for the purpose of insuring public' buildings. Mr Russell declared that the Parliamentary amendment about transfers of appropriations, was merely an excuse for retaining the present" law, which the Prime Minister condemned when ill Opposition. As the law now stood these transfers had explanatory notes. In the Public Revenues Amendment Act they amounted to putting a notice on the stable door that the horse had gone. The Bill was read a second time. VARIOUS BILLS. The Cemeteries Amendment Bill was J read a second time, also the Savings Bank Amendment Bill. The second reading of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill, initiated in the Council, was moved by Mr Herdman, who explained that the principal provision was to permit an application for divorce when a respondent had been in an asylum for years in the aggregate during the ten years immediately preceding the filing of the petition. The second reading was carried. Mr Allen moved the second reading of the Local Bodies Amendment Bill. which was read a second time after Messrs Ell and Craigie had expressed opposition to the proposed repeal of the section compelling local bodies to lodge sinking funds of certain loans with the Public Trustee. The Marriage Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Births and_ Deaths Bill was reported from committee. The House rose at 1 a.m.