PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12087, 4 October 1902, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BX TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday. Thk Council met at eleven a.m. FACTORIES BILL. The Council agreed with the amendment made by the House in the Factories Act Amendment Bill. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL. The Municipal Corporations Act Amendment was further considered in committee. Clause 33 was amended to include waterWorks and tramways, the profits from which shall be lawfully added to general account of a borough. A new clause was "added, providing that where land fronts a road or street of less width than 66fb, the frontage owner shall set back the frontage to a distance of at least 33ft from the centre of the line of street." The Bill was reported with amendment, read a third time, and passed. PUBLIC HEALTH BILL. Consideration of the Public Health Bill Was resumed in committee. At clause 6, expenses of local authorities, the Hon. J. D. Ormond moved, "That the Chairman leave the chair," urging that it was too late in the session to consider such important legislation; that it gave too drastic powers to the health officer, and increased the borrowing powers of local bodies. This was lost by 12 to 11. On the motion of the Minister, progress was reported. lie« stating that after the vote he would intimate later on what steps be would take regarding the Bill. PASSED. The Native and Maori Lund Laws 'Amendment Bill was committed and passed all its stages without amendment. WORKERS' COMPENSATION FOR ACCIDENTS BILL. The Minister for Education moved the second reading of the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act Amendment Bill.; The motion was agreed to. FINAL STAGES. The Waihi Hospital District and Towns' Main Streets Bills passed their final Stages'. The Council then adjourned. The Council resumed at two p.m. WORKERS' COMPENSATION FOR ACCIDENTS BILL. The Workers' Compensation for Accidents Bill was committed. The provision for extending the provisions of the Act .to agricultural labourers caused discussion. The Minister for Education explained, that the provisions of the Bill followed closely the wording of the English Act. The Bill was reported with a technical amendment, fead a third time, and passed. PUBLIC HEALTH BILL. . - ; The Public Health Act Amendment Bill Was further considered in committee. The Minister stated that he was prepared to omit clauses 6, 7, and 8 if the Council would pass the remainder of the Bill. The clauses referred to provided for the expenses of local authorities, power to close .schools, and nightsoil depots. The omission was agreed to, and the Bill passed its .-final stages without further amendment. . MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL. • It was decided not to insist on ; the • Council's amendments in the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill. .'.., The Council adjourned at half-past four' p.m. ■■ The Council resumed a* a quarter-past ; eight p.m. '.APPROPRIATION. BILL. The Appropriation Bill was introduced jsnd read a first time. ... ... ■ On the motion for the second reading, after some complimentary speeches had been made, the Minister for Education replied " appreciatively to the remarks made by the speakers regarding himself.. In reply to the criticism that had been made of .the administration of the Department under his control, be felt ..satisfied he had done his best, and .that be had infused new life into the higher system of edu- • cation. ~',,,. , ". .' The Bill passed through all its stages, fend ? the Council finally adjourned, >.'

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. .-'Friday. - ; V ■■.-■--.• . ' ESTIMATES/-;- <:>'' After the telegraph office closed this morning, the Supplementary'-. Estimates Were further considered. • '*

The vote of. £144 for refund to Mr. E. M. Smith of the amount deducted from his honorarium, for his absence from the House.was discussed at some length. Eventually Mr. Pirani's motion to strike oat the item was lost by 37 to 8. V , On the item, half-subsidy for South African steam service, £15,000, Sir Joseph Ward stated, in reply to Mr. Massey, that the Government was awaiting details of tenders received by the Agent-General for the South African service. Two tenders have been received in the colony. He knew one shipper had purchased a. large amount of frozen meat for South Africa, and other large purchases had been made. On the vote for liabilities incurred and paid direct to claimants in excess of provision made by the Royal Visit Expenses Act, 1901. £1400, Mr.•"Monk asked when jfclis. expenses of the Royal "visit were to end? Sir Joseph Ward: Tins is the end of it. Mr. Massey: A total of £100,000. Sir Joseph Ward : Not that much. Mr. Pirani said that the expense in connection with the Royal visit was one of the most" scandalous things that had ever occurred in the history of the colony. Sir Joseph Ward said the item on these Estimates would be the last payment in connection with the visit. ; At the vote of £10,000 for Coronation .Contingents, Mr. Pirani said the cost (Would total about £13,000, and he moved to reduce the item by £5. . '' ' '' t Mr. Hutcheson considered the expenses in connection with the Royal visit and Coronation would total in all about aquarter of a million. -\\ Sir Joseph Ward said the colony could iiot have held aloof from these celebrations. Mr. Pirani's motion was negatived by 23 Jo 16. - i Mr. Pirani moved the excision ■ of the vote of £5500 in full satisfaction and settlement of all claims and demands arising out of the "appointment of Mr, W. B. Edwards as a judge of the Supremo Court and. Native Land Commissioner, and in respect of his- subsequent loss of such offices. . After considerable discussion the motion was lost by 23 to 16, and a motion bv Mr. Willis to reduce the item by £3000* was also lost by 23 to 15. , On the vote for defence. Mr. -Jones paid the engineer staff officer (£250) and four D.A.A.G.'s (£400) were part of the scheme ; of reorganisation proposed by General Babington, who assured him that the change would result in economy, hi answer to. further questions, lie said the item, " pay, expenses, and contingencies, South Africa, £25,000," was almost solely for the month's furlough granted to returned troopers. The remaining items on the. Estimates passed unaltered, and at twenty-five minutes past six a.m. the House adjourned till half-past two p.m. The House met at -past two p.m. MILITARY PENSIONS BILL. An amendment was brought down by Governor's message, in the Military Pensions Bill, providing for cases in which the death of an officer or private occurs from other causes than wounds received in action within 12 months after he is first certified to be ill. The amendments were agreed to. APPROPRIATION BILL. On the motion for the second reading of the Appropriation Bill, Mr. Witheford •urged the Government to take some action in the direction of settling returned troopers on the Crown lands of the colony, and so prevent them returning to South Africa to accept tempting offers that had been .made, to them. He had received 130 letters from returned contingenters on this subject, and he hoped the Government would . give an assurance that something would be done. He did not think there was any sincere desire on the part of the Lands Department to assist the people who wanted to settle on the land. In the course of further discussion, Mr. Napier said.he regretted that legislation had not,been brought down tc settle the lands held by the Assets Realisation Board. Mr. Pirani complained that no Parlia-

mentary authority Lad .been sought for the vote of £25,000 tin the Supplementary Estimates for the South African Contingents. Sir J. Ward, in replying, said the question of settling returned troopers on the land was receiving the attention of the Government. There was a scheme now in the hands of the Minister for Lands, but it would involve an expenditure of a large sum of money, and therefore required deliberation. The £25,000 vote alluded to by Mr. Pirani was money paid to troopers, who, after they had ceased to receive pay from the Imperial Goyemnfent, continued to receive it from the New Zealand Government.

The second reading was agreed to. In committee on the Bill considerable discussion took place on clause 19, which provides that the costs of licensing committee elections may be recoverable from the local authority. " The clause was agreed to without amendment, and the Bill passed through committee. In the course of the debate on the motion for the third reading, Mr. Laurenson urged the necessity for cessation of borrowing and strict economy. Mr. I'hos. Mackenzie regretted that the House had not had more opportunity during the session to discuss the land question. lie thought more progress should be made in our land settlement.

Mr. Jas. Allen, referring to the tenders for the South African service, said it would have been advisable to restrict our wishes for the present to a cargo service. The extravagant provisions for passenger accommodation might have been left out in the meantime. Reviewing the financial position of the colony, he remarked that the balances at the end of the year were gradually decreasing, and in the course of time this state of things must lead to increased taxation. We ought to proceed with more caution than had been exhibited during the last two years. He strongly complained that the Government had not furnished Bl return, which gives, detailed information regarding the finances of the colony. Mr. Hogg pointed out. that the amount voted during the session for roads and bridges was only one-sixth of the amount appropriated for railawys, and he contended the vote for roads and bridges should be at least one-third of that for railways. Mr. W. Eraser hoped the Cabinet would very soon give authority'for the expenditure of a large number of the votes on the Estimates, because unless the money was spent early in the spring it would be useless. . - • . • Sir Wm. Russell entered a final protest against our heavy public works expenditure. He was afraid the country did not realise that this must result sooner or later in increased taxation. The rate at which we were plunging was appalling. The colony ought not to commit itself for any length of "time to any steamship company for a South African service.

At a quarter-past six p.m. the House adjourned till half-past seven p.m. i The House resumed at half-past seven p.m. ■ , , Sir J. Ward, replying on the motion for the third reading of 'the' Appropriation Bill, said the estimated revenue and expenditure for the year left a large margin on the proper side. The condition of finances in some of the Australian States had been pointed to as a lesson to this country, but, in reply to that, he pointed out that the circumstances and conditions of the Commonwealth were altogether different from Ola's, and the financial position there was not comparable with that existing, here. He deprecated these predictions that the colony -Was on the road to financial ruin and disaster, and said there was not the slightest , foundation for such a statement. The Customs revenue . continued buoyant, the returns for - last month showing an increase of £22,000, as compared with the corresponding month last year, - the comparative revenue from beer for the same period disclosed an increase of £600, and the railway receipts also showed an increase. . .These figures were, the strongest and best answer to the gloomy forebodings of some members of the "Opposition. With regard to complaints about the non-appear-ance of the 151 return, Sir Joseph Ward said that the paper was not yet printed, but would be forwarded to every member of Parliament before the elections. It had been delayed by block of work in the Government printing office. As soon as the details of the tenders for the South African service were received from the Agent-Gene-ral the Government would consider whether any were suitable, and he hoped they would be able to arrange for a service, even if only for a short period, in order to give the system a trial. In conclusion, he reiterated that the revenue in all public Departments was buoyant, and there was not the slightest ground for fearing that any increase in taxation was necessary. On the contrary, during the session the Government had remitted . £25,000 of taxation in one lump sum, and had also made considerable concessions in railway charges. The Bill then passed its final stages. '■:; : QUESTIONS.

Ministers answered the questions on the Order Paper while the House was awaiting the return of the Appropriation Bill from the Legislative Council. They stated that it was not at present intended to grant any concession in railway freights on frozen meat; that the Agent-General was *at present inquiring as to the prospects for extending profitable direct trade to the West Coast of England and Scotland ; that Cabinet would consider the whole question of encouraging returned troopers to settle upon Crown lands. CONCLUSION. At five minutes past ten p.m. the Speaker announced that the Appropriation, Bill had received the Governor's assent. Sir "J. Ward said he desired, on behalf of the House, to express the pleasure members had experienced in sitting under the presidency of Sir Maurice O'Rorke as Speaker. " For length of service his Parliamentary record was unequalled in the Australian colonies, and members fully appreciated the strictly impartial way _in which he had always carried out" his high and responsible duties. It would be of immense satisfaction to members to . see him again returned to the House. Sir Maurice O'Rorke said he felt much stronger in health of late, but he would reserve his final determination as to whether he would seek to enter Parliament until, he could consult his constituents.' ; Throughout his career as Speaker his sole endeavour had been, not for the exercise of power, but for the maintenance of the. high reputation of the House. He remarked that he had never seen the business go more smoothly than in the session just closing. Sir J. Ward also, on behalf of members, wished every success and prosperity to the retiring members, Messrs. Hutcheson, Pirani, and Carncross, and these three gentlemen made appropriate speeches in reply. The motion for the adjournment was then carried by 21 to 19, and the session finally closed at twenty-five minutes to eleven p.m.