PARLIAMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 307, 29 October 1910, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

In the Legislative Council yesterday the second reading oi: the Water Power Works Bill was moved by the Attor-ney-General. The. Hon. Jonkinson. in opposing, said it would interfere with ■ the coal industry. Cheap freights' were the main factors in ail industries. The Hon. Wigram contended the engineering problem to be solved was a ■ verv simple one and urged the Govern- ; ment to concentrate on the Lake Coleridge scheme. The debate was adjourned.—ln the House of Kepresenta- ; tives Sir J. G. A'arci said; the Inspector had tested every cow in the herd from j which the milk came drunk by the girl | who died, and not one was found to be j suffering from tuberculosis. A vote | to compensate Meikie was to be put on ! the Estimates. Referring to the : message from the Legislative Coun- i cil pointing out that the charge ] againt the Hon. T. Kennedy Macdonald, j by Mr Hine was a breach of privi- | lege, Sir Joseph Ward said he pro- j posed to ask the House to pass a j resolution admitting the breach but j pointing out that it was made inad- j vertently before the Select Committee j of the House which had referred same | to the Council. A message was re- j ceived from the Legislative Council, j requesting that Mr Hine be given j leave to attend the Committee set up j to deal with the charges against the j Hon. Macdonald. This was argeed j t o ._ Sir J. G. Ward read a return of i revenue from April Ist to October ; 28th, 1910. which showed a total ; increase of £573,042 over the corresponding period last year, and showed : the Dominion was in a prosperous ! state. Mr Massey congratulated Min- j istry, Parliament and country on the j improved state of the finances. He intended to move "That, as since last session the revenue of the Dominion has considerably increased and is to be further augmented by legislation now before, the House and is already more j than sufficient for the ordinary pur- : poses of Government and unnecessary j taxation is harassing to the people, that the House is ol opinion that the surtax provided for in the Customs Duties Act, 1909, should be abolished forthwith." Mr Massey said there was a growing impression the country . was being overtaxed. Sir Joseph Ward expressed astonishment at Mr '■ Massey's action and said he was : actuated by political motives in mow [ ing the amendment. The £50,000 j raised by the surtax was an infinitesimal sum. The amendment was de- | feated by 44 votes to 28. —The Imprest i Supply Bill passed all stages and the ; House rose at 11 p.m. —Abridged ; Press Association report. Wellington, This Day. The Council met at 9.30 a.m. and passed the Imprest Supply Bill through all stages.