PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8347, 27 July 1907, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 26. " 2.30:. U . .:,■ The Hon. Mr Barr moved for a return showing the number of estates in the colony of an unimproved vaiuo of between £20,000 and £30,000, and every additional £10,000 up to £200,000. ' _ The Hastings Recreation Reserves Bill was committed aiid progress.rc r 'Council adjourned until 8.30 for the Imprest Supply Bill. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The' House met at 2.30. A inonth's' leave of absence was granted to Mr Rhodes on account of ill-healtb. ' ■ . In connection- with a matter, arising out of a petition for the erection of a bridge Waitemata river the A-t<> L Petitions Committee- rep6r'ted" that'' it' 'had'' no rcrommendation to make, and,, advised that all future petitions for the expenditure of money on public ..works be referred direct by the Classification Committer to the Government. Mr Massey advocated setting up a Public Works Committee, to which all applications for the expenditure of public works money should -be rePremier, said that no matter j what th© committee said or lecommended, the Government had to allocate the amounts available ror public works to the best advantage, and they were guided by its officers, who went to work in the process of selection irrespective of anything else. The Government would not be forced into taking ill hand _«iiiy particulai work because a petition was sent and favourably reported on by tho committee. The responsibility was on the Government and the Government accepted it. The proper quarter to address a petition was to the Minister for Public Works. If the Government acceded to the demands now being made, it would require a 'loan of three or four millions further. ' He added that no new railway works would be undertaken, as there were seventeen or eighteen lines

now>'in hand, and to open up new limes meant allocating public works money in -.driblets to convey the impression that new railways were being constructed in particular districts. He contended that the whole tendency was to press matters on the Government in a manner not fair or reasonable. Ministers should not be required to stand up day after day and resist, from all sides of the House, applications for extraordinary expenditure. No Government, unless it desired to ruin the colony, could meet anything Hkc the number of applications made lor public works. He could not agree to Mr Massey's 'suggestion to appoint a Public Works Committee, as the members would have to travel all over the country during the recess inspecting and taking evidence. They would require to h& paid and the | cost to the country would be enormous. , t.-ii The Imprest Supply Bui -was brought down by Governor's , mes-. On the motion to go into committee on the Bill, Mr Herries, in referring to railways, contended that if the Department had been properly managed the buoyancy of the revenue boasted of in the Statement would have boon oven greater than it was. He did not see any indication of a greater .effort being made to increase the rolling stock, and charged the Department with shortsightedness in that respect. He was sure that if the Premier asked for a loan of £500,000 to increase the rolling stock the House would gladly givb it- ' As it: was, there was a diffi-culty-ill regard to rolling stock all over'tlie colony. Ho complained that the net profit on the capital invested showed a very small increase during the past seven years, while the net earnings per tram mile had decreased from £32.69 in 1900 to £28,79 m 1906. Some explanation ought to be given to those* who desired to know what was the reason for this decrease in the net earnings per train mile. He drew attention to the enormous increase in the cost of construction per mile. It- was stated, year ] after year, that the cost under tho co-operative system was less than _'>y contract, yet the cost of construction per mile had steadilj* increased, and he asserted that as* they got further into'the country the cost would be further increased. He _coiitendccl that it was clearly proved that under the co-operative system the cost of construction had increased, aimhe hoped the large public works would in the future be carried out under the contract system. He asserted that Auckland lines'had steadily increased as a revenue producer, whilst the Invercargill lino had steadily decreased. The Premier said he was surprised to see Mr Herries doing what he had done on a- former occasion, un*! thought it was unfair to try and create thfr impression that any favouritism was being: shown to _ any portion of tho colony. His statements were contrary to fact. _ The House adjourned at 5.0 U. The House resumed at 7.00.,, The Premier, continuing, quoted "devolpment which had taken place in the railway traffic since 1890, and . the efforts of. the Government to cope with the increase. He pointed oXit that 129 locomotives and 4GB passenger cars had been added to the rolling stock since 1895, showing that in many other respects the , demands had been met by increases up to and over 100 per cent. Proceeding, he stated there was no difference between the class of rolling . stock in 'the two islands, and the srme rules were in force from end to end of New Zealand. Haulage in the South Island was much shorter than in the North, and it was futile to endeavour to strike a general average. Competitive rates were only in operation where the steamer services had to be taken into account.. The Hurunui-Bluff section was at present served with the maximum service. He showed that the ' North Island, because its principal line was incomplete, was in a different position to tho South. The * whole railway system in tlie matter of results had to lie taken as one. Local rates were certainly in operation on all systems to meet particular eases; bnt tluv statement that ' differentiation operated differently in tho two islands was incorrect. Referring to the increase in the cost of construction, he pointed cut that the permanent wav was built -to a higher standard than ir. tlio early days, in accordance with the heavier loads it was required to carry. During tho time he bad been Minister of .Railways,' the weight of:, locomotives had been increased by 30 tons. Dealing with thry co-operative system, he defended it in a vigorous manner, pointing out that work had been found bv this means for large bodies of workmen who would otherw wise have been workless. . On the

whole iho - 00-opeiative system bad been a good thing for the colony. Jh conclusion . lio asserted that the railway, system, itt.Now ..Zealand was second to noil© in the world,.. and had/been responsible for great and lasting- good to. the colony. . Miv.fl.erries, replying/ stated r that the - rovonue-, derived-fwnn the Hueu-nui-Bluff line was steadily decreasing. Referring to accidents on the railways of the colony* lie asserted that the percentago was very great.. In 1900 the percentage or accidents to employees was lin 24. In IJOb it was 1 in 20, whereas in limgland tlio figures for 1904 were 1 in 150, and.in 1905 lin 154. Mr Masscy said that at the present time tlio railways of the .North Island earned more per mile than the railways of tlio South Island. He did not agree with the Premier that when the Nortlu Island Mam Trunk Line was completed the earnings of the North Island lines per mile would show a reductionf. He had been over the mijte and war, convinced that whon the line opened it would increase • the earnings ol the North. Island lines.. Timber alone ii. the King Country would represent good freight for the railway. He contended that miners and ""Heowners lost considerably through the insufficiency of rolling stock on the Auckland lines. So much wus tins loss that out of .57 working days the miners miners at Huntly mine lost 13 days' work representing to each man an average or LAI ills ocl 0. Mr Slasscy also biiciiy criticised iho valuation system of the

colony. . , , , . Mr Fisher said he miondea to place somo figures before the Premier in respect, to the audit system of the colony, as in his opinion the time was ripe for the system to be altered. He proceeded to state that; under the Public Revenues Act, 1891, all vouchers.-should be returned (to the Audit Department. This was not- done. He urged that the Canadian audit system should be adopted, and if not that, the Public Accounts Committee should be empowered to call persons and examine them in connection with accounts. . , , , 1 . Mr James Allen/ pointed out- that the cost of running per mile on the railways had considerably increased since *1897, when the cost per annum was £149 per mile, and in 1906 £252.He added that the Railway Department paid too much for the State ooal used, and asserted that the officers of the. Civil Service who had passed competitive examinatiians were being blocked in promotion owing to other officers being promoted who had passed no examination. He mentioned four instances where Clerks of Courts had been appointed, one a police constable who never passed any examination for the Civil Service. Mr McGowan said the practice or the Department had been to appoint policemen as Clerks of Court- in small places, as it was not advisable to place cadets in such positions. These policemen made most excellent clerks, and he asserted that he would not the responsibility of seimmg young men to take positions of responsibility in places winch, owing to scarcity of accommodation, made it necessary to utilise hotels. He added that none of the appointments complained of blocked the promotion of clerks who had passed the Civil Service examination. Messrs Okey, Mills, and Lang, continued the debate. . . The Premier said that the position at Huntly was that the proprietors had no hopper or anything that would hold 100 tons of coal, but expected the Railway Department to supply waggons to be hauled by horse to the mines, and there to await loading. No such practice was adopted in any portion of the colony, but where waggons had to wait, demurrage was charged. The Huntly coal mine owners should provide their own hoppers and waggons. Referring to accidents on the railway, the Premier explained that." th© slightest accident was recorded, even ' when a man did not leave, hisr work. Jn conclusion, he claimed that that work of the Railway Department was being carried on satisfactorily, and the amount set down on the Loan Bill was sufficient to maintain the standard. The Premier maintained that the Railway Department was doing all possible to meet the demands. The Bill, which provides lor £623,000, was put through all its stages, and passed. The House adjourned at 11.59. The Council met immediately and passed the Bill through all its stages without discussion.