PARLIAMENTARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13890, 26 October 1905, Page 9

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ■Wednesday, October 35. AFTERNOON sitting. Tlie Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Education Reserves Bill (No. 2), providing that School Commissioners may sell or - exchange small or isolated sections of land on reserves, was reed a second time, put through committee and its final stages. The Council adjourned till 7.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. CRIMINAL CODE. The Criminal Code Amendment Bill was put through committee without amendment, read a third time and passed. WORKERS’ DWELLINGS. The Workers’ Dwellings’ Bill was committed. At Clause 6, application for workers’ dwellings, the Hon S. T. George moved to strike out the word “ freehold.” He did so with a desire to obtain the opinion of the Council as to whether applicants should be able to purchase the freehold of their dwelling. The amendment was lost on the voices. Clause 8 (rent fixed at 6 pea - cent on the capital value, including 1 per cent for depreciation in addition to insuring the dwelling from fire) was amended by striking out the reference to deterioration. The deletion does not, however, affect the rent, and there was added a provision that the tenant must also pay the estimated amount for rates under the 1894 Rating Act. _ ' The Hon G. Jones moved to strike out from the Bill the mode of acquiring a dwelling by an insurance on the worker’s life. Lost by 17 to 5. The Hon G. Jones called for a division on the question of whether Clause 10 (modes ot acquiring the free-bold) should stand as part of the Bill. In his opinion the freehold provisions were a snare and a delusion. Tho clause was retained by 15 to 5 votes. . Clause 11 (mode of acquiring the freehold by endowment _ assurance) was amended by tho insertion of a provision that the rent shall be 5 per cent (there was no rent provided in the Bill as it came from the House). A new' clause was added, to provide that, with the consent of _ tho Land Board, a lessee may at any time surrender his lease upon terms mutually agreed upon between them. Power - was given to the Minister to erect buildings for occupancy on a weekly tenancy at a rent not exceeding 5 per cent, tho tenant to pay rates under the 1894 Act. Every weekly tenant must be a worker, and landless. Another new clause was added as follows :—“Notwithstanding anything in the Rating Act, 1894, the Land Board, in the case of weekly tenancies under Section 21 hereof, shall be liable for payment bo the local authority of rates in the same manner as if such Board or Minister were , an occupier within the meaning of the Rating Act, 1894, provided that tho Board and Minister respectively shall not bo liable for any greater amount than has been received as rate from each tenant. Tho Bill was reported as amended, and road a third time on the voices, and finally passed. SHOPS AND OFFICES. The Council decided to insist upon its amendment- in the Shops and Offices I fill. _ , The Council adjourned at 9.30 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. next day. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, October 24. EVENING SITTING. THE LOAN BILL. After the telegraph office closed the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill was read a second time by 42 to 8. The Bill passed through committee without amendment, and was put through its final stages on the voices. The House rose at 2.20 a.m. until 2.30 p.m. Wednesday, October 20. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. BILLS. The Maori Lands Bill and Town Districts Act Amendment Bill wore brought clown by Governor’s message and road a first time. Tho Bills of Exchange Aot Amendment Bill l was received from the Legislative Council and read a first time. The Property Law Amendment Bill was pub through its final stages. EDUCATION. The Education Act Amendment Bill was further considered in committee, it was provided'that the Act shall come into operation on January 1, 1906. it was also provided that a teacher appointed before the coming into operation of the Act shall not, so long as he remains fn the same position, receive a salary lower than he would have been entitled to under the Education Act Amendment Act, 1904. On tho motion of Mr Wood, it was decided that a member of an Eudcqtion Board should cease to be a member of the Board on his ceasing to reside in the district. Mr Euddo moved to amend the schedule by providing that at least one out of the first two (instead of three) assistants in any school must be a woman. Lost on the voices. Mr James A*len moved that any school with over forty in average attendance shall have a mistress. Lost by 34 to 30. On the motion for the third reading, Mr Arnold, on behalf of Mr Sidey, moved to recommit the Bill so as to provide that the selection of a teacher shall be left in the hands of the School Committee instead of the Board. Tho motion for recommittal was carried by 40 to 28. SHOPS AND OFIOE3. It was decided to disagree withTsome of the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Shops and Offices Bill, and a conference was invited. CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION The Industrial 1 Conciliation and Arbitration Acts Compilation Bill passed through committee without amendment and was put through its final stages. Tho House rose at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. in committee on the Education Act Amendment Bill. Mr Arnold moved to amend Clause 15 bo provide that tho selection of a teacher shall be left in the hands of the School Committee instead of the Board. The Premier said that he did not altogether approve of this proposal, but he a greed that greater power In regard to the selection of teachers should be left in the hands of the committee. He suggested a modification of the proposed new clause. After considerable discussion, the Premier moved an amendment of the clause to provide that if tho number of candidates sent on to the committee from the Board exceeds four, the committee shall select two from Which the Board shall make the appointment, and if the number is less than four, the committee shall select one, who shall bo appointed by the Board, and that, if notification is aot Deceived from the committee

within three days, the Board shall proceed to make tbs appointment. ' The Premier’s proposal was adopted on the voice?, and the Bill was reported. The Bill then passed its final stages on the voices. RAILWAY AUTHORISATION. The Railway Authorisation Bill was introduced by Governor's message. In reply to Mr Massey, Sir Joseph Ward said it provided for a deviation of the Sentry Hill—New Plymouth line, and was' a very necessary work. The oust would be £15,000, against which would be the money realised by the sale of land. The Bill was read a first time. CIVIL SERVICE CLASSIFICATION. The Civil Service Classification Bill was introduced by Governor’s message and read a first time. NAVAL DEFENCE. The Premier moved the second l reading of the Australian and New Zealand Naval Defence Bill, which, he explained, simply varied the original agreement in regard to the class of warships to be stationed in Australasian waters. Under the amended agreement the Imperial authorities would give Australasia a superior squadron without any extra cost' to _ the colonies. Mr Massey, in supporting the Bill, said that he considered that the time would come, probably in the near future, when this colony would_ be called upon te increase its contribution to the Australasian Squadron, and he believed that New Zealand would be quite willing to do its share. The second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill was put through committee without 'amendmTbe Taranaki Scholarships Bill passed through committee without material amendment. MINING. •In committee on the Mining Acts Amendment Bill a new clause was added by 31 to 13, on Mr Guinness’s motion, adopting the principle of eight horn's, bank to hank. " The Bill was put through its final stages. THIRD READINGS. The Australian and New Zealand Naval Defence Bill and Taranaki Scholarships Bill were read a third time and passed. The Mining Acfs Compilation Bill was read a third time and passed. SECOND READING. The Ellesmere Lands Drainage Bill and Queenstown Reserves Bill were read a second time. The House rase at 1.5 a.m. until 11 a.m. next day.