PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10902, 20 October 1911, Page 1

PARLIAMENT.

(I'ek Press Association.) Wellington, October 19. LEG IST,ATI VE COUNCIL. The Council met at i?. 30. The Pacific cable resolution, passed by the Mouse, was agreed to, as also th? report of the Joint Library Committee affirming the desirableness of establishing a manuscript and historical -section in connection with the Library. A discussion was initiated by .Mr Wigram 011 the question of the new Parliament Buildings, especially regarding the site. This brought thanks from the Attor-ney-General and a promise that the matter'would be referred to. the Cabinet for careful consideration. The second reading of the Widows' Pensions Bill was agreed to, Sir J. G. Findlay indicating that an amendment would be submitted to prevent widows who earned large incomes by means of a profession or art from getting advantages not intended for widows of means. The following Bills were put through their final stages: Methodist Church of New Zealand, Elingamite Rehearing, Dunedin Technical School Site, Old Age Pension'- Amendment, New Zealand State Guaranteed Advances ■: Amendment, and the, Auckland Grammar School Site Bill. ~ 'V* The Council.rosejidt 5 p.m.

l-TOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tho House met at 2.30. A long discussion took place upon, the amendments made by the Council in the Guardian Trust and 'Executors Company Bill. ..

Mr Herdman contended that the amendments did.; not.safeguard tjie people whose estates might be administered in future by the company. So far as he could see there was nothing to prevent the directors dissipating the capital: Sir Joseph Ward failed to see any objections to the Bill. A new company had taken over the rights of the old company, and proposed to tarry on the business under the new conditions. The Bill had received the consent of the Public Trustee.

Messrs - Massey and Fraser approved of the Bill, and the Council's' amendments were agreed to by 38 to 27. _Mr Massey asked what had been done with .regard to the electoral matter he brought up yesterday. Sir Joseph Ward stated that definite instructions had been, given to strike off those dead or who had left-the district. The whole matter was receiving the closest, attention;

Sir Joseph Ward informed the House that he did not propose to ask them to sit on Saturday. On Monday, the House would sit at 10 to. consider local Bills, and the business-of the House should be concluded by Tuesday night. The Public Service Classification. and Superannuation Amendment Bill (Sir Joseph.Ward) was reaid a : .first- time.

The House went into Committee on :he Public Works Estimates.

On the departmental vote of £48,000, Mr Herdman moved a reduction of the Under-Secretary's salary of £BSO by £lO as an indication that legislation should be introduced to abolish the pernicious system of construction of roads in the Dominion at the will of a Minister of the Crown. Only about' a-third of the amount voted last year had- been expended. Sir Joseph Ward said it was all very well to criticise in the way Mr Herdman had done the expenditure •of the Public Works -Department. The expenditure went on to the end of September, and the Estimates were made uj> to the 31st March. The Committee resumed on the Public Works Estimates at 7.30.

' On the proposal to reduce the salary of - the Under-Secretary ' for. Public Works, Sir Joseph Ward said the' Opposition evidently overlooked the fact -that a large percentage of this year's appropriations was really "the unexpended amounts voted last year. Mr Massey argued' tliat the system should be remedied. ' Mr R.-M'Kenzie said this- was impossible, as if he wished to expend it in the summer hundreds .of men would be out of work in the winter, which was most undesirable.' " Mr. Herdman- said what lie wanted to make clear was ■ that districts requiring votes and grants were at the mercy of the -Minister, and' that members who were, not persona grata with the Minister got nothing.Sir Joseph. Ward said Mr-Herdman would hand everything over to boards and aristocrats.

Mr Jennings said the abolition of the Roads Department was one of-the biggest .mistakes ever made.- He knew, of settlers "who had-been on the land for fifteen years, who had" only; a'.six foot, road for carting their produce' and stores. w •:

Mr Allen -was of, opinion _that rbads should be administered by Ipcfll bodies, who were iii the position to kiiow wliat was waintedl" The present system was -unsatisfactory, as too - much .raoheywas .."voted ".-to -some districts' aird not enough to others. ;

. The Minister stated that the/administration of the Roads Department/in Mr Jennings' district had cost more than in the wliole. of the South lsland. Mr Massey said Parliament at)d the country were sick of the present, system - of administration of- roads and bridges, and- were "desirous of a change. He agreed with IVIr Jennings' that " a hiige mistake had been made when' the Roads ' Department was abolished by the stroke of the pen. The Department was doing good work before its extinction, and its officers were thoroughly conversant with the work. He advocated a system of classification of the different for - expenditure on public works, and the present system to be discontinued.. He was of opinion that no money-should be placied on thi Estimates, except at the request of local bodies or the member for the district concerned. " " .;'

Mr Herdman's amendment was lost by 40 to 23. ; v v ' ~// : The Public-Works'vote (£48,000)' was passed unaltered. When the railways class w r as taken, Mr Dive moved that the vote of £15,000 for Mount Egmont be reduced by £lO as a.protest against the unbusinesslike methods of the Government in regard to the construction of the" line: He said he had never seen any work worse administered. It .seemed, that the Minis-' ter was absolutely incompetent to attend to. the administration of the Department. After midnight the amendment was carried, and the vote reduced by £lO. Mr Duncan complained tiiat the vote of £05.000 for the South Island main trunk line was too small. The promises mndc in the past wore not being fulfilled. and the work should he carried I out wi'.h more expedition. The line | should take precedence of all others.

In reply the Minister said lie con- I .sidered that the- South Island main trunk line was receiving very good treatment in regard to vote?. He took a keen interest in Marlborough, and rried to assist the members of the district as much as possible. The railway- vote was passed. On the irrigation and water supply vote, the Minister, in reply to a question. said the Department had satisfied itself there was sufficient water available to supplv ample power to work the Arthur's Pass traffic electrically. The vote was passed. In tile House after 2 a.m. consideration of the Public Works Estimates was continued. The vote for mental hospitals was discussed with -0 members in the Chamber. In answer to Mr Herries, the Minister snid a contract was being let for additional accommodation, which would be ample for the purposes of the Department. The Premier said it was not proposed to carry a line of railway to the mental hospital at Tokanni.

The vote was passed after a very lengthy discussion.

The Minister stated that it was proposed to commence erecting the new lighthouse at the North Cape. At 4.15, with 12 members in the House, a vote for the Minister of Mines was taken, and, after considerable discussion, passed unaltered. The remainder of the Estimates-were then passed, and the House rose at 4.50 a.m.