HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16921, 29 July 1915, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday Jolt 28. AFTERNOON SITTING. Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and road a first time:—Auckland City Markets and Empowering Bill (Mr Parr), Well.ngton City Empowering Act, 1908, Amendment Bill (Mr Wright), Local Elections (proportional representation) Amendment Bill (Mr M ! Combs), Wellington City Basin Reserve Bill (Mr Wright), Mangawhero County B'll (Mr Smith). ADVANCES DEPARTMENT. The M.nister of Finance laid on the table the report of tho Advances to Settlers Department. Sir Joseph Ward said there was a question regarding tho Advances to Settlers Office wh.ch was puzzling him a great deal. He was of the opinion that the profit on the Advances to Settlers branch of the office was £24.000 less than it was last year, and on the Advances to Local Bodies branch the profit was £14,000 less than that of last year. He would like to have some explanation of the subject. The M nister of Finance said the net profit on the Advances to Settlers Department was £57,424 last year and the loss on the Loans to Local Bodies branch was £18,870. Sir Joseph Ward said that was about £14.000 more than last year. The year beforo last the loss was £630 and last year it was under £4OO. How, then, had the loss risen, to over £14,000? Tho Hon J. Allen replied that S r Joseph had evidently not -ond the report, which stated that the loss was entirely due to the unremunorative rate of interest. Sir Joseph Ward sa’d he had read th-» reno-t, but that Md not account for the di'crepmcy. He wanted a return showing* the transactions of the office du~iug the oast two rears. Tbo Hon J. Alton sn'd he was prepared to lay on +he table any report tlm+ asked for. Tho House rose at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. DAYLIGHT SAVING. The. House resumed at 7.30 p.m. _ The third reading of the Definition of Time Bill w'as carried by 42 to 30. Mr M : Callum moved the second reading of the Betterment B 11. After a long debate tho second reading was carried on the voices. FACTORIES. The Factories Act Amendment Bill (Mr Wilford) was referred to the La- 1 hour Bills Committeo. j The House rose at 12.20 a.m.