PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10592, 22 October 1910, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

H?er Press Association.) Wellington, October 21

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

The Council met at 2.30.

The report of the managers of both Houses on the Indecent Publications Bill was agreed to, Dr Findlay pointing out that only two alterations were made—namely, in the prosecution for distributing indecent documents u defendant will be permitted to show he had no reasonable means of knowing the document was indecent, and the clause giving a constable power to arrest without warrant was deleted. \ '•..■..",'.■/'U

—Oamaru Harbor Board;. — The Oamaru Harbor Board Enabling Bill was read a. thhd time, arid the Defence' Amendment Bill was read' a third time and passed. Quarries Bill.— i, '' - The Attorney - General, .moved ■ the' second reading of the Quarries, Bill," which was agreed to on the,voices. '''-,-'

—Rivers- Boards. —.!' * ' c," In committee on the River Boards-Bill-clause 4, extension of time'fbr'rnaking claims for compensation, was'strack out on the motion of the 'AttorneyGeneral. " ' * -

The Bill- was reported with amendments. , ■' - - ,

—Animals Protection. —

The Animals Protection ,BiH was taken in committee. ! . ' At clause 7 (removing protection from hares, weasels, and stoats) was inserted giving the Governor-in-Council power, on the recommendation of the Minister of Agriculture to suspend, within any specified area, the operation of the section with respect .to weasels, stoats, and hares: A new clause was inserted on the motibn of the Attorney-General providing a penalty up to £2O for destroying indigenous birds or their'eggs. " The Bill was reported as amended. The! Council rose.

. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. -The House met at 2.30. In Committee of Supply on the Defence Department, £216,404 — Mr Taylor (Christchurch) moved to reduce the first item of £625 (salary of the Chief of General Staff) hy £IOO as a protest against any defence officer being paid a higher salary than a school- - -master. . Replying to Mr Fisher, Sir Joseph "Ward said the Chief of General Staff would remain in that position after the arrival of the Commandant, being •second executive officer. The Finance ■Member of the Council of Defence would also be retained. The fact that the • Council of Defence was abolished did not do away with its work, which was being well done. The position of In-spector-General was vacant at present, and would not be filled till the Minister had conferred with the new Commandant of the Forces on the subject. Replying to Mr Taylor, he said the senior officers were being paid very much lower salaries than those recommended by Lord Kitchener, and it would be, impossible to get men to fill the higher appointments unless adequate salaries were paid. Mr Taylor contrasted the treatment accorded the railway servants in the matter of travelling allowance with that granted defence officers in regard to house allowance. He animadverted on the' conduct of the defence officers in the House during such discussions:, saying that they sat behind the Speaker's chair grinning like Cheshire oats, and almost took part.in the debate. Mr Allen took exception to this remark, which was disrespectful to the officers. Lost by 54 to S. Mr Hogg moved Lo reduce the salary of the Director of Military Training (£650) by £SO, as a general protest against high salaries. The amendment was rejected on the voices. Mr Taylor (Christchurch) moved to reduce the salary of the staff officer to the Chief of Staff (£325) by £25, as a protest against increases being made, events of which the House had no means of knowing. Mr Allen supported the /amendment as a protest against the staff officers being kept at office work, and not allowed to equip themselves for work of officers. • On a division the amendment was carried by 30 to 29, and the item was reduced accordingly. Mr Taylor (Christchurch) moved that tho next item (£330), salary of staff officer to "Adjutant-General, be reduced l by £25 as an indication that in the opinion of the Committee no member of the Defence Force should be employed as a servant by another member of the force. A division resulted in the amendment being lost by 51 to 13. The House rose at 5.30. The House resumed at 7.30. On the Permanent Force, Mr Taylor (Christchurch) asked what Lord Kitchener had reported in regard to harbor fortifications. The common impression was that Lord Kitchener reported that these' were obsolete. Sir Joseph Ward replied that he could not disclose the nature of the report, which was confidential, but the Government proposed to do what was necessary in regard to harbor defences. On the Territorial Force vote, £83,230 Mr Allen/ moved to reduce the item of £375, salary of the commanding officer at Nelson by £lO, as aii indication that the officer holding that position (Major Hughes), if paid for doing the work, should' do it. This officer was now at Home on full pay, where he was receiving a course of instruction at the Dominion's expense. This was the sort of thing the Houses should not put up with. ' Mr Fisher said Major Hughes had been away from the Dominion for two years. He h,oped the Minister would lay the papers relative to .this officer on the table, so that the House could see why lie had. been paid for'the two years during which he had been absent.

Mr Taylor (Christchureh) hoped Mr Allen's amendment would he* carried. Major Hughes did what he liked when in the country. He had-obtained leave to go to Australia in connection with his marriage, but desired to go further afield, and dictated his movements to the Department; who endorsed them. While in the Dominion the officer was a social pest, and he seemed to be one still, otherwise he could not have done what he did. On a division the amendment was re-, jected by 39 to 22. Mr Ivang moved the reduction of the vote of £IO,OOO for training camps by £1 as an indication that bettor provision should he made for volunteers, when in camp. _ The vote passed unaltered. ' -' On junior cadets, £7103 Mr Hardy moved to reduce the salaryof the Commandant by £25 as an indi-, cation of dissatisfaction with the work of this Department. There had been an outcry throughout the length and breadth" of the land against boys going into camps, where they contracted ijl- . nesses. Sir Joseph Ward said 310 camps had been- held si'ice the present Commandant had been appointed, and l none -would be held in future. , , Mr. Allen supported the amendment ' on the ground that the Comjhandapt was' introducing an extravagant system of .training. Sir Joseph Ward strongly deprecated 'the attacks on the Commandantj which were due to the fact that the -latter had beaten a member on the Opposition side for a public position. Every time his namo came up in Parliament' he was attacked. The attacks of the lOpposition'seemed .to be to" dog the footsteps £>f the man opposed to it. ■ The Com.mandant had not applied 'for the position held by him. It had been offered to him by the Minister of Edtication, as he was considered to be a capable man for the position. His original 1 salary was £25 more than what he had been formerly getting, and he had not re-

eeived nn increase since. It was not fair fighting on. the part of Air Allen • to trade on information obtained' from outside without divulging the name of his informant. He (Sir Joseph Ward), as a member of Parliament, would not allow himself to be used in this way, especially where a public official was attacked. , On a division the 1 amendment was lost by 44 to 22. Wellington, October 22. After 2 a.m., Mr Thomson moved the reduction of £1 in the. State forests vote (£23,262), -as an indication ,that there should be a scientific head' for the Department. This was lost on tlie voices and the vote was passed. Mr Herries moved to report progress. Lost by 32 to 17.' The land survey discussion was continued. , v _. „ Mr Buchanan, moved the reduction of £1 in the item £6905 for .26., district valuers, as an indication that : " they were underpaid. -°" ' Lost by 34 to 14 and the vote agreed to.

During the discussion on the agricultural, commerce, and tourists vote (£181,578) -Mr Buchanan criticised the want of a continuous policy in the conduct of experimental farms. Mr Field suggested more educational work on experimental farms. ' The Minister said the Department was closing the poultry-packing depots. Mr Greenslade moved to reduce the salary (£5501 of the Secretary of the Department *by £l, as an indication that tlie- Department should, be Under a more practical experienced man.

Lost oil. tlie voices. Mr Malcolm moved the reduction of the vote for the noxious,weeds inspectors' salaries, as an indication that farmers should be allowed to lead evidence in prosecutions under the Act. Lost by 31 to 15, and the vote passed. At 6.10 a.m. Mr Herries moved to report progress. Lost by 31 to 15. On tlie tourist vote (£42,396) the Hon. Mr Millar said that Rotorua paid indirectly enormously. The vote was" passed. On the Education Department vote (925,642), Mr Malcolm moved the reduction of the vote for two assistant inspectors,' as a protest against their duplicating Education Board inspectors, i

Lost by 30 to 14. Mr Anderson moved' to reduce the vote of £4500 for free school books by £l, as an indication that the vote should cease next j'ear.

, The motion was lost on the voices, and the House adjourned for breakfast at 8 a.m.

Mr Massey asked Sir J. G. Ward to report progress, as he had only arrived at 7 o'clock, and had been struck by the dishevelled appearance of the members. He sympathised with those who were forced to remain all night, but •hot with those who voted for business being conducted by irregular methods during improper hours. Sir J. G. Ward declined, saying that the estimates must go through. He had never seen such waste of time over the estimates as there had been this session. On Tuesday he would propose to take Saturdays and Mondays for the remainder of the session. This was the silliest Opposition he had ever known. On the vote for secondary and higher education (£73,760) Mr Massey, replying to Sir J. G. Ward's strictures on the Opposition, said the present Government was the stupidest New Zealand had ever been cursed with. Sir J. G. Ward congratulated Mr Massey on his return to the House, and said there had been danger during his absence of the. Opposition beingr led by the member for Christchurch North.