HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7302, 5 December 1910, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE PUBLIC WOEKS ESTIMATES PROLONGED DISCUSSION. When, the "New Zealand Times" wont io press on Saturday morning the House of Representatives, sitting in comniitteo on tho Public Works Estimates, was, engaged in considering tho votes under the heading of i public buildings, the total allocation for which was .£300,000. After a long discussion of tho vote for school buildings Mr H. Poland moved a reduction by .£1 as a protest against tho existence of "decayed*'■ eciioolhouses and teachers’ residences.—Defeated by 41 1 votes to 7. , The total for tho class was passed soon afterwards. LIGHTHOUSES, HARBOUR WORKS AND DEFENCES. Tho’allocation of .£20,000 for lighthouses, harbour works and harbour defences went through with but little discussion. TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS. "When can we expect finality in respect of moneys voted for Rotorua?" asked Air Ro&s when the class tourist and health resorts, .£12,500, was under discussion. . The Hon. T. Mackenzie said that finality was being reached < by degrees. Votes this year were considerably reduced. In any case, most of tho votes ■would bring in more interest than tho Government Had to pay on tho money. The electrical works, for instance, wore doing remarkably well. Replying to another questioner the Minister said that the Hermitage at Mount Cook was showing a profit, while the traffic was now practically doubled. It was imperative that a new building there should be gone on with at once. Tho allocation was agreed to. IMMIGRATION.

The items in the'class Department of Agriculture, ,11211,001), wore passed, without challenge. ROADS AND BRIDGES.

Tho .£550,000 sot, down as necessary for construction, maintenance and’ supervision of roads, bridges and other public works was considered, the only vote challenged being that of ,£50,000 for road and other works on goldfields and mineral lands. Tho vote was "stonewalled” for about two hours and a half by a couple of country members, and finally reduced on tho motion of tho Minister as a protest against the manner in which business had been delayed. A report of tho "discussion" is published elsewhere. v THE EAST CLASSES. Tho remaining classes were passed without trouble as follow: £ ! Development of goldfields J 25,000 Telegraph extension 110,000 Contingent defence 10.000 Lands improvement ’. 12,500 Wellington-Hutt Railway and road improvement account 35.000 ■Railways improvements account... 100,000 I,cans to local bodies account ... 100,000 National endowment account 15,935 NATIVE LAND CLAIMS When progress was reported.the Native) Land Claims Adjustment Bill was ro-i ceived back from the Legislative Council with amendments, which tho House, by 31 'votes to 22, agreed to. supplementary' estimates xJROHGHT DOWN IN DAYLIGHT.

.A little after 1.30 o’clock in the mom- • eng the Supplementary Estimates were brought down by Governor’s message. Mr Massey: Surely you are not going on with, them now!’’ "No, we will adjourn,’’ replied the Prime Minister, who moved to report progress aa soon as the first item was passed. The House rose at 1.45 o’clock. j MEIKLE CLAIM AGAIN DISCUSSED .£3500 GRANT APPROVED. i’ho House of Representatives mot at (0.30 a.m.,and the Supplementary Estimates involving £158,338 on account af the ordinary revenue account, and £111,975 as an addition to the Public Works Fund, were further considered in committee. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENTS £6130. Mr T. B. Taylor suggested* that there was too much freedom of access to Bellamy’s, more control should be exercised over persons other than* members who got served from there. The Prime Minister undertook to have definite regulations drafted for use next session., - JUNE ALLEGATIONS £ISOO. Mr Massey expressed astonishment at the vote of £ISOO set down for, the Mine Allegations Committee's inquiry expenses. Ho doubted whether it ran into anything'near the amount. The Prime Minister replied that print- , ing cost £3OO, shorthand writing and other attendance £350, and there were i the witnesses’ expenses. Possibly the amount was £2OO in excess of requirements, but ha would undertake to keep expenditure down and provide a schedule of the payments next session. The total vote ‘for the class waa

adapted, ns also was that of the Finance Department, J 25087« PO6T AND. TELEGRAPHS <£9D3D.

Speaking to the item «C3£CG for San Francisco mail service, Mr ilorries .a.'lced for information rega; ding the position of the Vancouver mail service negotiations. Sir Joseph Ward replied that he had cabled Sir Wilfrid Laurier (Canadian Prime Minister) offering *£20,000 a year for a connection of the Vancouver mail steamers with New Zealand. Tho Australian Government would not agree, and he cabled the Canadian Government asking what subsidy would be required from Xowr Zealand for a direct service. So far he had received no reply. If the Vancouver service wan secured, the San Francisco service would be retained and run alternately with tho other so as to secure a fortnightly service. Working Hallways Department .£6280, Public Buildings, Domains, and. Mamteaanco of Hoads ,£6062. and Native Department JCI'J'M passed unaltered. XUUOO was voted for new sawmill machinery and buildings at JCukahi sawmill. The Minister of -Hallways said that tho money was required to almost duplicate tho plant. One contract alone, lor new' boilers and machinery ran. into Alim Another 17.000 acres of timber was available for cutting. COOK ISLANDS.

Mr James Allen urged the Minister in charge of Cook Islands to pay a visit to them, or send a responsible officer to judge of tho position. . • , Tho Hon. James Carroll promised that a most searching inquiry into the complaints would be made cither by himself or a trustworthy officer. . A vote of • £6OO for mod : cal services to Cook Islanders was adopted. The.. Justice Departments supplementary votes of «£7020 were adopted without comment, FOOD STANDARDS. Speaking to the Internal Affairs Department's vote of <£3-1.638,. Mr T L. Taylor urged more activity iu regard to prosecutions for adulteration cf foods. The Hoii. U. Biuhio (Minister cl Internal Affairs) said that for three months the Chemistry Department was solely occupied in analysis of milk, to. pfo'yo that the standard was not too , high tor fipring mouths. Systematic analytical work was being continued so as to'complete the official standards prescribed in the Pure Foods Act. This would be finished within a year, and prosecutions would then bo undertaken with more certainty of success.

, THE MEIKLE CLAIM A STUBBORN RESISTANCE. “Compensation to J. J. Meikle in full and final payment for wrongful imprisonment, ,£5000.” . . This item caused a brisk debate, inii tiated by Mr Anderson (Mataura), wfio i moved a reduction by ,£4999. Tho Prime Minister, replied that the I Royal Commission which inquired into the position came to the conclusion that if tho proceedings before it had been a retrial of Meikle on the charge of sheepstealing, upon which he was convicted in 1837, the evidence of his guilt was so far from conclusive that it would have been perfectly proper to direct the jury to acquit him. Sir Joseph added that ho wanted to be perfectly frank with the House. The Government was not unaniinous on the question, and had never been unanimous, but he submitted that in any country where it was found that a man had been unjustly imprisoned for some years he should be compensated substantially. It was not relevant to introduce questions regarding tbo claimant’s character. Tho question ought to be settled once for all. Mr E. M. B. Fisher declared that Meikle lost seven of the best years of his life in prison, and ought to bo treated with justice. Mr J. T. Hogan urged the House to close the incident altogether. There was another case which demanded investigation. Oliphant Hughes, a Wanganui man, was convicted of perjury,, hut specialists in Loudon, were of opinion that the share certificates which it was . alleged he had signed did not contain I his signature. Twice a Select Committee \ had reported favourably on Hughes's claim for a retrial, but nothing had been done.

Mr Massey said it was the Government’s duty to give Hughes an opportunity of clearing himself. The Prime Minister, in raising a protest against the introduction of the Hughes case, said he had a great deal of sympathy for him and personally believed he had been wrongfully gonvicted, hut the whole difficulty was to establish a system of appeal which would apply, not only to Hughes but to ‘ anyone in tho country. . "Who is going to receive this money— Meikle or a syndicate?" asked Mr Davcy. Mr Anderson declared that if the £SOOO was granted no end of trouble would be caused by the friends of people .who believed they had been wrongly convicted.

Mr McLaren stated that he belonged to the Meikle Defence Committee, but he knew of no syndicate. Mr J. P. Luke suggested the investment of the money in Government debentures and tho payment of the interest only to the claimant. By 28 votes to 13 the amendment was negatived. Mr Anderson then moved a reduction by £4300, and the matter went to a division without comment, being rejected by 2D votes to 17. A ,£2500 reduction was moved by Mr Nosworthy, and carried by 28 votes to 18, the division list being as follows: Ayes, 26.—Allen. Buchanan, Buick, Clark, Craigie, Dillon, T. Duncan, Field; Fraser. Guthrie. Hall, Hardy, Hogg. T. Mackenzie,, Massey. ’ Newman, Nosworthy. ■ Pearce, Phillips, Reed, Reas, Scott, Smith, Stallworthy, Steward, T. E. Taylor. Noes, 18.—Buddo, Carroll, Ell, Fisher, Guinness, Herries, Hogan, Jennings, Lang. Lnurenson,' Lawry, Luke, Macdonald, McLaren, Millar, E. H. Taylor, Ward, Wright. ■Messrs Malcolm and Anderson, as a protest against any amount being granted to Meikle, left tho House without voting. At a later stage Mr Anderson moved a £5 reduction of the total vote as an indication that no sum should have been paid to Mr Meikle. The motion was lost on the voices. - THE HUGHES CASE.

Mr Hogan moved a reduction of £1 in. the total for miscellaneous" services ini the Department of Internal Affairs, an indication that appeals should be provided for in cases such as that of Olinhant Hughes.

Mr Wilford said ho knew the case well, and if there was one man who had been Wrongly convicted it was Hughes, who he believed was innocent. The reduction was carried on the voices, the Prime Minister giving his assent. OTHER TOTES GRATUITIES. In renly to Mr Field, the Prime Minister said he would look into the matter of a gratuity to the widow of the late Hon. G. F. Richardson. In respect to the Pitt memorial at Nelson, the Government had contributed £3OO. CORONATION.

The sum of £IOOO on account of tho Coronation was. the Prime Minister informed Mr Allen, to enable local bodies tq meet expenses of Coronation celebrations the same as on the last occasion.

When King Edward was crowned, it cost tho Dominion about <£ll.ooo. including contributions to local bodies. Tliero was a censure in tho Appropriation Fill indemnifying local bodies in their expenditure. . , . Mr Massey replied that on the last occasion a great deal of money was wasted in subsidies to local bodies, and no hoped anything of this nature would be Avoided in future. KAIN-MAKING EXPERIMENTS. ■ Regarding the vote of J-50 for rainmaking experiments at Oaxnaiu, lr Massey expressed the hope that the Government was not going, to encourage this sort of tohunga business on tne part of Europeans. It seemed to be perfectly absurd that at this stage oi tho world's history money should be voted for this object. , , . Tho Prime Minister stated that on a former occasion the experiments ucic I very successful. The Oamaru people hail sent a deputation to Wellington asking for assistance in this matter. Mr Massey: As a matter ot fact, it -liras raining when the last explosion took place. (Laughter.) The Prime Minister; The hon. member is drawing on his imagination. FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE. The vote of .£2509 for the Festival of Empire, was. stated the Prime Minister, to a large extent an advertisement toi the Dominion. The products of all tlie countries of the woiddwere being shown at the Festival, and New Zealand could not afford to stand out. FINAL APPROPSIATION THE BILL EXPLAINED. The Appropriation Bill, the measure of the session, came down shortly after 5 o’clock in the afternoon. In an explanation of its new clauses, the Prime Minister said that owing to the buoyancy of tho revenue he was able to transfer .£BOO,OOO to the public works fund instead of nothing, as had been the case last year. Instead of a Public Trust Office being provided for Wellington, as had been tho case last year, Auckland was substituted. The clauses relating to authority to make temporary advances to- local, bodies, power to pay money in excess of appropriation, out of certain accounts, ana tne jnn chase oi silver and bronze coin were included in the Public Revenues Act, which did not come into force until April, 1911, and therefore they were repeated. Clause 26 removed an anomaly in regard to superannuation by allowing the widow of an officer to collect accrued compensation n he died after giving notice of retirement, and also that she should receive accrued; compensation if he died before giving notice, instead of receiving only «£lB. a year. Clause 28 gave power up till Marcn Slst, 1911, to make advances to daily companies, on tuii security. The last two clauses authorised expenditure by local authorities in celebrating the Coronation, and extended the appropriation for the financial year 1910-1911 to enable the House to assemble a month later next session. He expected, in that event, to return from the Imperial Conference about two months after the. opening of Parliament, AUSTRALIAN COINAGE. In reply to Mr Fisher, the Prime Minister said that no arrangement had been made for the acceptance of Australian coins in New Zealand, but it was as well to leave the matter over until after the Imperial Conference, where he hoped it would be arranged for similar currency for the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. * NEXT SESSION. -Mr Massey,, speaking to the clause extending appropriation for a month next year in connection with the visit of the Prime Minister to the Old Country, said that he objected to the postponement of next session for a month. He said that if the House met at the ordinary time in June he would guarantee that until the Prime Minister's return he would place no difficulties in the way of carrying on the business, and would guarantee that there would be no want-of-confidence motions. The Prime Minister said he realised that his colleagues Could carry on the business quite effectively in his absence, but there was a difficulty that he could not overcome, inasmuch os the leader ( of the Council would be absent also, with nobody to take Iris place. Mr J. Allen said the Upper House, did not require to meet until the Prime Minister returned, and in any case it was time that a deputy officer was trained. Mr Massey called for a division on the clause. and v it was retained by 27 votes. A PERJURY TRIAL. Mr J. T. Hogan moved a new clause to enable Oliphant Hughes, of Wanganui, who was convicted of perjury, to secure a retrial. The Prime Minister said that a number of clauses would have to be put into a Bill to secure .such an arrangement. It could not bo done on the Appropriation Bill. The clause was rejected on the voices. PINAL STAGES another protest. At 6 o'clock the Appropriation. Bill was ready to be ,put througu its.nuai stage, ana Air Massey'indicated that he and two colleagues wisned to speak, ne was urged by tne Prime , Minister ,to forego bis opportunity, seeing tnat so many bnances bad. been given to discuss all matters during the session. Hr Haifcey would not give up the privilege, and his colleague. Hr -Kerries, thereupon made a protest against postponing the meeting of Parliament' until July alst. , The protest was supported, by tho leader of the Opposition and Hr Buchanan. Sir Joseph Ward said that as the session had been a very long .one and the amount of work put through was very considerable, it was obvious , that a short session nest year would be all that was required. A record in the matter of legislation had been established, 132 Bills having been put on the statute book. In fact the Opposition had complained that there had been too much legislation and yet were now asking for another long session next year so that more legislation could be put through. Important legislation would certainly bo brought down, but the list would noFbe a long one. Included in the number would be a Local Government Bill, and he had no doubt that when members saw its farreaching provisions they would insist that it should bo put before the country before being i carried into effect. It would be of special interest to tho people generally and would be one upon which the people would bo entitled to have a third reading was -agreed to and tho Bill was passed just after 5.30. The House resumed at 7.30 when formal business was transacted. After a brief adjournment, filled with the deliberations of a "Mock Parliament” of less than average interest, the chair was resumed bv Mr Speaker, who announced the final stage of th,e last Act, its assent by the Governor on behalf of his Majesty, LOAN FLOTATION COSTS.

TTiV Prime Minister announced that the cost of raising the loans of £1,250.000 and £600.000 under the Finance Act for aid t-i Pnh'ic AVnrks and Land Settlement for 1909 was £37.108 4s 7d. Regarding the five million loan Sir .lo»epb Ward said that ho had been informed that day, by the representative of one of the Home underwriters, that a pared of £IOO.OOO underwritten by his institution had been sold in the open market at £9B ' Ms net. (Hear, bear). That meant that the loan was going out,,

and was very satisfactory from the Dominion’s point of view. VALEDICTORY SPEECHES. The ooiiciuoion of the session was marked hy the usual congratulatory speeches directed towards Mr Speaker (the Hon. A. R. Guiunes>&) xninci'viily. The Prime Minister in extending hearty good wishes and au reyoir to the Speaker, remarked tiiat the business had been conducted with decorum, without one disorderly scene. 'i'iio leader of the Opposition acknowledged the masterly control of Mr Speaker, which he said was worthy o* the highest traditions of Parliament. The Hon. A. R. Guinness, in acknowledging tho congratulations, said too much praise could not be given to tho members, who in the hottest debates had been amenable to every direction, and had conducted themselves honourably as befitted members of Parliament. He also thanked officers of the House. "NO MORE WORK.” Very genuine congratulations were also extended to Mr Colvin, the Chairman of Committees, who responded genially. Fraternal exchanges took place between the loader of the House andthe leader of tho Opposition, and finally, in accordance with ancient precedent, a division took place on the question "That this House do now adjourn.” By 26 votes to 19 the House decided to go on. "Give us more work” shouted the Opposition whip amid loud laughter. "As there is no more work on the Order Paper I shall leave • the chair,” announced Mr Speaker, and at 9 p.m. the session ended.