TO-DAY'S SITTING

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 264, 7 November 1912, Page 8

TO-DAY'S SITTING.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

STATE GUARANTEED ADVANCES BILL.

The State Guaranteed Advances Bill was read a third time and passed, and the House adjourned for breakfast at 8.25 a.m. BILLS PASSED. On resuming at- 9.30 a.m., the Monopolies Prevention Bill, Fisheries Amendment Bill, Harbor Amendment Bill, and Shipping and Seamen's Bill were put through all stages, and passed without amendment. THE MOKAU PETITION. .During; the debate on th© Joshua Jones Committee's report, i Mr Rt McCALLUM (Wairau) said lie did not approve of the Government granting compensation for loss sustained in private dealings. The .report of the Committee found iftS^inst Jones' on. .all•■issues', yet they wished to award him £8000. Mr-»STATHAM. (Dunedin' Central) expressed the opinion that Jones had done considerable service to the country in bringing about peace in tfce King Country, in the middle seventies. ■ He reviewed the whole Jiistorr of the Mokau transaction, •-nd thought the action of the Ward Government in granting the freehold to Lewis had damaged Jones's cliances of getting the estate, and the case was therefore one for compensation. , Mr WILFORD (Hutt) contrasted fefie Government's action in this case with its action in connection with, the captain of the Elingamite^ who for taa years had been unemployed and practically under the stigma of manslaughter through the faulty charting; of the New Zealand coast. •Mr McDONALD (Bay of Plenty) e&allenjred Mr Statham to repeat in public 3ome of tke statements he had i«Lst made under privilege. He contended that Mr Statham, while professing to b& reviewing the whole case, had omitted to state a most important faet-~iUMaely, that the Order-in-Council stipulated that iGewia must cut up the estate for Settlement within three years. The Hon. Mr BUDDO (Kaiapoi) deplored the mud-slinging which had "been going on all th.c session, and if the Government, after being some months in office, could find nothing aaore damaging to the previous Government than had been cast up, if? was time this style of argument -ceased. . ■ .. , , . Mr BELL (Wellington Suburbs), replying, admitted that Jones had no legal claim against the Government, but the payment of £3000 was purely ex gratia, , The House agreed to reter the report to the Government for' consideration. . COUNTRY TELEPHONES. , The Country Telephone Bill, enabling county councils to erect and . maintain telephones by way of special loan, was put through all its stages. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. • The House went into Committee on the Supplementary Estimates, and -adiourned at 1 p.m. till 2.30.