LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4407, 13 July 1901, Page 7

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

FRIDAY, JULY VL The Speaker look the chair at 2.3(i p.m. DefenceThe ft on W. C. WALKER laid upon tlio table a report in reference to Me; engagement of Colonel Henry as Hie new Commandant of the Forces for New Zealand. Ho said Unit the officer had been specially recommended by fieldMarshal’Lord Roberts ns being possessed of the special knowledge likely to tit him for Iho duties required by the hew Zealand Government. The lion genthrnan said ho trusted the appointment would nice}, with tho approval of I’arJia. mint and of tho country. The Hon L. WALKER said that the principal defence of the colony must necessarily ho a coastal one- He hardly thought that u cavalry officer was the proper person to undertake tho duties, cf the colony’s defence. The Hon J. D. ORMOND objected to a statement credited to tho Premier to the effect that the Commandant was not under the authority of Parliament. iSucfi a condition of things ought to be altered. No officer should be appointed to control d"deuce matters who was not amctiabia to the authority of Parliament. It was altogether contrary to the spirit of responsible government tfi'it an officer shclfid lie a law nato himself. Tho lf.cn GEORGE ,/ONES regretted that a different procedure hud not boon taken for the selection of the Coalman dant. Wo had had a similar rccon;1:1 civic;iion made bclorc —and those roei tin men da Hons hod not boon altogether a sncire-s, to put it mildly. Tin 1 .Hon Vv. C, WALKER, in roplyi h;, said there wu-i a certain amount cf nil;-,conception about the matter of the Coliimr*niLint’s standing, it was ahsnrd to suppose that an olficer appointed by a Minister was not responsible to that Minister. Tim ?.1 blister stated inter alia that Iho appointment of the new Commandant was made on the sums terms as iho retiring olficer —il/00 a year fur a tided period of five years, and in concin.-ion added that if any gentleman wished to challenge the appointment ho had a proper course to take. Prdvr-te ScEnooSs. Tli e Uon. W. JEN KINGS asked the Muuntor of Education whether the right of giving certificates, its required by the Hiiucr.i.Cn Act, of passing the standards is itemed to pupils attending abv soiiolnstic institution lit tho colony, thereby inflicting an injustice on some pupiis by preventing them from obtainin'-; employment in the public service of”the colony? The questioner said ho ras applying on behalf of a training collect)' at Auckland conducted by a Mr Malcolm, who at olio time occupied a high position under the Education Department. A similar .school to Mr Malcolm's in Auckland had betm grrtnted tho concession, but although Mr Malcolm had written both to tho Education Department and to Mr W. C. Walker personally no answer had been vouchsafed him. The MINISTER of EDUCATION replied that as regarded pupils of Catholic ■ schools it was not fair that they should bo debarred from entering tho public service of the colony because they did not attend public schools. Ho was sorry that the hon gentleman had not previously given him to understand that the question had reference to a particular school, so that-h e might have made inquiry ihto tlm case. Ho would further investigate the circumstances dttring the coming week. The questioner said ho objected, to tho Minister assuming that the question wafe , put on behalf of Roman Catholic schools j such itas not the disc. mm. A Bill intituled an Act enabling the trustees for the tithe being of the will of the late Hoit. William Barnard Rhodes, deceased, lb f.Cil and grant leases of certain lands situate in tho provincial district of Wellington, and subject to the trusts of the said will was read a first time, and sot down for its second reading on nest sitting dtiy. 'llic Hospital Nufses Registration Bill was put through it* third muling without material alteration. The Hon W. C. W'ALKER introduced the Companies Act AinendUuhit Bill, the Property Law Amendment Bill and the Mortgages of Lahti Bill. The second/ readings wCrO fitted fbr Tuesday next. The standing bl-dtirS ivCrd suspended Et) that the Local Authorities Indemnity 15i.il Might bo plit through its sfeCdiul and final stages, at,One sitting. A lengthy debate (which ihtr&itUCeft such subjects as “ true democracy,” tliC financial state of Oamnru, tho appearance of tho Auob : liUlit Arches of wolCctild to tfid Duke of ObtnWali. tho destruction of forest shrubs and trees; tvlth other more hr less cogent subjects) ensued on the motion for the Sdcdiid reading, but eventually the Bill waft passed in its entirety. The Council adjourned at 4 p.tiL