PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10604, 5 November 1910, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

, (Peb Peess Association.) Wellington. November 4. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. I The Council met at 2.30. I —Commercial Trusts. — I The debate on the scecond reading of the. Commercial Trusts Bill was resumed. Hon. Beehain alluded to the fish combine in Auckland,, and urged inclusion of fish in the schedule of the Bill. Hon. Barr did not think the Bill woijld attain the object for which it was introduced. The trouble was that there were too many manufacturers. ; If cer- ' tain classes of manufacturers combined they' would "be able to produce at a 'lower cost, to the benefit of the consumer. The tendency towards] combi- . nation was beneficial, more especially m a"sparsely populated country like New .Zealand. ~ ■ ""'"Hon-"Sinclair did not anticipate interference which would haniper'the operations of 'combines unless the .Govern,me'nt';was convinced t interference was in the interest of the' consumer. The Bill''"was one of those that depended entirely upon the way Jt was .administered. - ' Hon. Wigram thought the Bill would probably act chiefly as a notice to foreign" combines to "keep off the grass?" and so would do good. . Ur'Findlay having 'briefly replied, the Bill was read a second time. " - - —Stone Quarries. — - The Stone Quarries Bill was passed. , ' —Bills JFhe Opium Amendment, Kaiapoi Reserves, and the Inspection ~of Machinery Bills were read a second time. .The Council rose. •HOUSE, OP REPRESENTATIVES. ,* The House met at 2.30. —New Parliament Buildings.— j -The Premier announced that he proposed to take the necessary authority this session for the erection of new Parliamentary buildings. Tenders could, then be called for, and the _ buildingcommenced'before next meeting of Par-; liament. —Judicature. — The Judicature Amendment Bill (Mr T.'lMackenzie) was read a second time.

:'--'■ '■ ' —Counties Bill.— ."" r 1 ..'Mr'R. M'Kenzie moved the second reading r of the Counties Act - Amendment Bill,. which was agreed to. ,--' - ' ■ —-Education Reserves. — • Sir Joseph Ward moved the second reading of the Education .Reserves I Amendment Bui, which was intended to abolish the present method of administering education reserves by means of School Commissioners. The Bill proposes to place the endowments in the hands of the District Land Boards, who could lease and otherwise deal with them in a similar manner to educationalendowments, now controlled by them. The second reading was carried on. the voices after a brief discussion. -': —Local Bodies Loans. — • The second reading of the Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill (No. 2) was moved by * Sir Joseph Ward. It for loans negotiated previous to the passing ofvthc State Guaranteed Advances Act, being granted under the new system without fresh proceedings being necessary. The House rose at 5:30. ," The House resumed at 7.30.

The debate on the second reading oi the Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill was resumed.

Sir Joseph Ward, in replying, said that since the passing of*the State Guaranteed Advances Act a sum of £1,239,601 had been advanced to local public bodies at 3+ per cent throughout- the Dominion in less than eight, months. Eighteen months ago local bodies get money at 6 per ecut., but they were now in the position of being beyond that. Apparently,, however, some of them did not like it, judging by the statements made by critics of • the new system. ..; He was ppprared to cpnsider the proposal by Mr Macdonald that small grazing runs should be accepted as security for loans. The,-second reading was carried on the"" voices. Justices of the Peace. — ' •- The Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill was reported without' amendment. —Public Revenues Bill. — The Public Revenues Bill was taken in Committee. , Mr" Massey moved as an amendment to kill clause 46, "when payment is lawful," under which the extra £4O was paid to members some years ago. Qri a division the amendment was lost by 27 to 20. At idlause 47i, providing that one vote, may be taken to aid another vote of the same class, Mr Massey moved aii amendment to. the effect that only the surplus of the vote should be applied to aid any vote of the same Lost by 29 to 19. The Bill was reported with amendments. - - - The 'House rose at 1 o'clock until 7.30 on -Monday. . ■'