PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14810, 13 October 1911, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEASURES CONSIDERED. , { [3Y TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION'.] „; ,',,:,: '~,,'; ;.,'■. Wellington', Thursday. Tuft House of Representatives sat at 2,30 p.m. The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) presented a petition from Mr. Coleman Phillips praying for the removal of the site of the. capital from Wellington to a site between Featherston and Carterton. The petition was received with laughter. In answer to a question, the Prime Minister stated that a Railway Authorisation Bill would be brought down be.ore the end of the session.

.Mr. Hogan (Wanganui) asked if it was possible to set up another committee to deal with railway matters. The Railway Committee was at present investigating the claims of the first division, but besides that there wore the claims of the second division and several other petitions regarding railway matters. Hon. J. A. Millar thought-it was somewhat late in the session for such a course to be taken. Any petitions not dealt with this session would come before the committee next session.

In answer to Mr. Jennings (Taumarunui), the Prime Minister said he would have to communicate with the chairman of the Racing Commission before he could state when the Commission would sit to reconsider its report. The Heathcote County Boundary Bill, City of Christchurch Empowering Bill,. Mosgie) Borough Empowering Bill, Awatere County Bill. Waimakariri-Ashley Water Supply Board Bill, and the Franklin and Marsden Counties Bill were read a third time and passed. " The House went into committee on the Wellington City Empowering Amendment Bill. ': '" =-.'■■< ;. •:r ' ■» ■: Mr. Wilford (Hutt) moved to reinsert a clause struck out by the Local Bills Committee which gives the Wellington City' ; Council power to make charges for entrance to sports grounds and zoological gardens on'3o days in the year. The clause was subjected to strenuous opposition on the grounds that the public should not be asked to pay to go to their own reserve. : .'■■■,?." '~:« .• ','■' ;,..,■■ "."*'.• -'■';-■•: Mr. Ell (Christchurch)i moved an amendment to "exclude zoological gardens from the provision of the clause, and this was carried by 31 votes. to 26. Y . In * the "evening. the Bill was further discussed in committee. " The clause was altered to give power to the Council to charge for admission to reserves on .20 days in the year, providing not more than 10 days were Saturdays. •The Bill was reported with amendments. : ' J [Left Sitting.]

POLITICAL NOTES.

, PUBLIC -WORKS STATEMENT. 7 * [BT TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] / * / Wellington-, Thursday. The Public Works Statement will he presented to the House of Representatives oh Monday evening, and a date will then be fixed for discussion^.,.«-. ?•/-. ~ ; DAYLIGHT saving.; : The Petitions Committee, reporting on several /petitions/spraying that /the. Hous«» should pass the; Daylight Saving Bill, recommended that they should be referred to the Government t for ■ consideration, ■ but added : '"Them is no evidence before the committee to show that the Bill would lie/of/any. advantage to the people in the 'country districts." ■~•«>/"" -:,-.:■'■ ~,Z- . ■/»■ ; , ; Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland West) urged that v the Government should take up the Bill. \ , ;•' ■■'■■_ Mr. G. V. Pearce (Patea) opposed the Bill, which he said would be against the interests of the farmers, who had j to get up y" at daylight now. The //Farmers' r Union in/ Taranaki has- passed a strong resolution against it. He also mentioned that the committee had only rejected by the/chairman's casting vote a motion op posing the, Bill, on the ' ground that itwould be --injurious to farming interests.