YESTERDAY'S PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 2027, 17 September 1913, Page 2

YESTERDAY'S PARLIAMENT.

SITTING CONTINUOUSLY After the telegraph office closed the debate on the estimates was continued, the item under discussion being £10,037 for Mental Hospitals in the Auckland district. The discussion had been proceeding from 2.30 yesterday afternoon,when Mr Witty moved to reduce the vote by £IOO, as an indication that the salaries, accommodation and staff were insufficient. The tone of the debate was dreary, members suffering considerable inconvenience from cold, several speakers addressing the House in overcoats. Mr Ngata concluded the final speech on the item at 4.23, when a division was taken on Mr Witty's amendment, which was lost by 28 to 10. Mr Witty immediately moved to report progress to give the Government time to bring down the report on Mental Hospitals. He claimed they had been fighting for a great principle, and they had conducted the debate in a clean spirit. During the course of his remarks, Mr Mac Donald made reference to the absence of the report, whereupon Mr Massey said the Opposition had had three copies since Saturday.

Mr Mac Donald contended that Mr Rhodes, the Minister in Charge of Hospitals, had told the House the report was confidential, and could not be commented upon.

Mr Rhodes denied that he made any such stipulation. What he said was that the report was an uncorrected copy.

Messrs Ngata and Poland argued that the report was only a rough printer's proof, full of errors, and wholly unreliable. Ample time had elapsed in which a corrected copy could be supplied. _lt was not treating Parliament with respect to supply public documents from a rough proof. Mr Witty said he had seen the report for a few minutes, and was satisfied it contained matter that would not appear in the finished copy. The Minister explained that he had removed the objectionable paragraph. Mr Witty, continuing, said thev should report progress so that they could get the report in a complete and approved form. Mr Massey said the attitude of the Covernment was that all the necessary information would be supplied at the earliest possible moment. The motion was dehated till G o'clock when a division Mas taken, the voting being: Ayes 13, noes 2R. The item then passed. A fresh contingent of Oppositionists now arrived to continue the debate. Mr Ngata moved an amendment, That the salary (£600) of the resident medical superintendent at Tokanui be reduced -£5. The motion was dehated shortly. On a division it was lost by 11 to 28. Mr Puddo moved to reduce the salary of the farm manaper at Tokanui by £1 as an indication that the salary was low. A division was taken at 7.45, the result being : Ayes 13, noes 27. Mr Parata moved a reduction of £1 in the salary of the engineer at Tokanui, as an indication that a better salary should be paid. The motion was being debated at the breakfast adjournment. The Opposition called for a division on the amendment to reduce th« salary of the engineer at Tokanui, which was lost by 50 to 13,