PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14808, 11 October 1911, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

NEW BILLS CONSIDERED.

Hi fit TELEGKAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ■v, - rS .- "v ' Wellington, Tuesday. : The House of Representatives sat at 2.30 p.m. '"-.'" '"<. ."■ • .-, - .-- -■•••. - The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) gave notice to move that on and after the 16th inst, the House meet every Monday at 2.30 p.m. for the rest of the session for the consideration of Government business. ? ' '■ ; -- '/ • " .

The House went into committee on the drafts of eight Bills brought, down by Governor's Message, and consideration of the proposals was continued in the evening. The Bills read a first time were the New Zealand Notes Bill, New Zealand State-guaranteed Advances Amendment Bill. Old Age Pensions Bill. 1908, Widows Pensions Bill, Public Works Act, (1908) Amendment Bill,, Tram ways Act (1908) Amendment Bill, Death Dutffes Act (1909) Amendment Bill. Land Tax and Income Tax Amendment Bill.

The Kaikoura Hospital Site Bill was read a third time and passed. The Auckland University College Amendment Bill, and the University of Otago Council Bill were read a second time. The Tramways Amendment Bill and the Methodist Church of New Zealand Bill were read a second time. . ■ .■; .-•.■- v.; The.: House rose at 9.40 p.m. POLITICAL NOTES. "TRAMWAYS; AMENDMENT.; [BT TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT- ] ; '■:■■■'• "'.. ,-' '" Wellington, Tuesday. . New clauses to be embodied in the Tramwovs Amendment Bill now before the House of Representatives were introduced by Governor's Message this -afternoon. The proposal in Jhe Bill that license fees should be charged on all tramcars run under Deeds of Delegation is qualified by a sub-clause providing for the allocation of the fees among the authorities of the various districts traversed by the tramway system!"" This proposal affects only Auckland, i Provision ;is made for the transfer annually of *'f receipts from the working of a tramway system to a depreciation fund.

z.f- ' .;=.-■: DEATH DUTIES. . A proposal is made in the Death Duties Amendment Bill introduced this afternoon tot exempt- from duty gifts not exceeding £1000 in value, this provision being retrospective. Should such a gift be followed by a second which makes a total exceeding the exempted amount,- duty will be payable on both sums. Under the presents Act the exemption is £500. Successions not exceeding £200 in value are, it is proposed, to be exempt from duty. ' "PUBLIC WORKS. The provisions of the amending Bill introduced by the Minister for Public Works are; principally technical. A proposal is made that all electric lines other than those used for, telegraph, telephone, or wireless .telegraphy purposes, or for the transinissioon of "power : for electric tramway purposes shall be licensed. •

PENSIONERS WITH DEPENDENTS.

The Bill to amend the Old Age Pensions Act contains a provision for the extension of the. right to receive pensions in the case of persons having children dependent upon them. " r Thus a. male of • 55, or female of 55 years who has to maintain two-or more r children under the * age of: 14 years will be r entitled to a pension as prescribed by the principal Act with the addition of such sum, not exceeding £13 per annum, as the magistrate determines. Such increased r* pension -(will, of course, cease to be : paid when the .children" have passed the specified age. " •.'■'.;: ' ;v \;; ['-.'. CLAIM FOR STATE REWARD. Claiming to have been the discoverer of' gold at Waihi, Alexander Mackay,, of Paeroa, has petitioned Parliament through Mr. Glover (Auckland ■ Central) for a reward. He states that he discovered gold in 1867 on the ground now owned by the Waihi Goldmining Company, and floated the ; original company on the Thames. After the opening bf/Ohinemuri to; gold mining in 1867 be* discovered gold at Karangahake, and in the following year at Waitekauri and Owharoa. : The petitioner states that the Government guaranteed he' would be rewarded as soon as the localities proved payable. +t . ,

-. HOUSE RISES- EARLY. Members were very much surprised'when the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) announced shortly before 9.30 o'clock this evening that lie would not ask the House to take any.fresh business, and suggested that they should forego the usual supper adjournment and continue sitting to complete the matter immediately before them, after which they should adjourn until tomorrow. >; It was a curious sequel to the Prime Minister's notice of motion to sit on Mondays during the remainder of the session. Some - supposed that :he must i have,,'wished to make his first day in the House , after his illness a short one, but the: more general view was that the Government' wished for a little more time I before going on with the more important Bills, as apart from the new Bills introduced "to-day there is very little on the 1 Order Paper. ,: ■ . . . ! PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. j The Minister for Public Works will' dejliver his Statement either on Friday evening or (on Tuesday evening. . * ;■' -". , --■ JOTTINGS. \, : ;, ' '* ; ; -~. Petitions praying that professors and lee tureio should,be brought under the superannuation scheme have been referred by the Education Committee to the Government for 'favourable consideration. The Post and Telegraph Departmental list for the financial year 1911-12 was laid on the table of the House this afternoon..