KARLJ AMKNT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 16 December 1913, Page 4

KARLJ AMKNT

END OF THE SESSION.

WELLINGTON, Dec. 15. The end of the longest Parliament session on record came yesterday s,hoit.ly before midnight. Various adjustments and settlements were made as between jthe two Houses, the principal one of which related to the Municipal Corporations Bill. It was agreed'that no restrictions are to be put on cities or boroughs regarding the-'establish--' ment of 'bus services, Except in Auckland. There, if the Auckland Tramways Company thinks that its rights are being invaded by the Auckland City Council, proceedings-may "be taken under an originating summons in the Supreme Court to test the question. ;■..'. : . NAVAL DEFENCE.'- ." .{■' r During a short debate on the- Joint Defence Legislation Committee's report, Sir Joseph Ward claimed that, the 1909 agreement ought to be carried out, and he declared that no satisfactory information 'had ever been placed before Parliament to explain why that agreement had not been carried out, ■ The Hon. W. F. Massey denied that the responsibility rested on the Government. It. had asked to have the agreement completed, but the Admiralty declined. So far as the building of ships was concerned, the Government did not, at present propose to build ships for the defence of New Zealand, but if within a reasonable -time the Admiralty was not prepared to send cruisers of the Bristol type to New Zealand waters, the Government would ask Parliament to vote £400,000 for the purpose of building a, cruiser for the protection of the Dominion's com- I nierce. • ; The report was agreed to. : The Hon. J. Allen quoted a letter circulated by the National Peace Society regarding the formation of the Farmers' Union constabulary, force, in connection with which he desired to say that no such force- would be. permitted to be armed. In reply to questions Ministers said that so long as the law continues to be observed by the members of the Merchants' Association it is not considered necessary to take further proceedings under the Commercial Trusts Act., The proceedings already taken resulted in the imposition upon the Merchants' Association of a fine which the Supreme Court considered adequate, and to the 'payment of which all members of the Association must have contributed. It was also stated tKat it is> not practicable to make a hard and fast 48-hour week rule applicable to the whole of the railway service. At 8.45 the Speaker announced 'that the Legislative Council had passed the- • Appropriation Bill. He tEen repaired to Government House, and at 11.10 returned with His Excellency's signature to the Bill-. Mr Massey said that the session for duration and quantity of business transacted was easily a record. He desired to congratulate the Speaker, the Chairman of Committees and officers of tjrtp: House nbon the faithful manner in whir-h' they had .discharged Jthe oneroixs falling to-them. As'to the; Opposition, he said that ,he wag glad to know that although tfie. session had been a strenuous,-,bile, their differences were only political and not"personal. Sir Joseph Ward also conveyed his fplicitatifcns to tfye Speaker and the Chairman of Committees. . •; After Mr Lane;"h,ad renMed, Mr Massey nioved: "That the House do now ad'oiirn tilt Sa+nrday," A division was billed for on this question and the motion carried by 23 to .13, ani the third session',, of the eighteenth Parliament came to an end at 11.34 pin.