PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11783, 8 November 1912, Page 1

PARLIAMENT.

(Peh Press Association.) Wellington. November 7. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The-Councit resumed at 2.30. T.he following Bills were put through all their stages: State Guaranteed Advances, Monopoly Prevention Amendment, Shipping and Seamen's Amendi mynt, Telephone Lines Amendment. A message was received from the House thai it disagreed with the Council's amendment in the Washing-up Bill, the speaker having ruled-.that the new clause was out of order in that it was foreign to the Bill. Mr Rigg moved that! the Council should insist upon its amendment that the successors to Ngakaraihe Te Ranjo (deceased) should be allowed a fresh judicial inquiry into, their claims to a deceased sister's estate. Af cer discussion . the motion was agreed to by 8 to 4. The Council rose till 8. The Council, -on resuming at 8.15, agreed to the report of the managers regarding the amendment to the Washingup Bill, leaving the matter of the amendment in abeyance.

The Appropriation Bill passed all its stagos.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House resumed' at 2.30. In Committee on the Estimates, Working Railways Department, £B4O. Mr Poland moved a reduction of £1 on. the ground tliarc the compassionate allowance of £SO to Adam Phillips was .insufficient. On the Supreme Court vote Sir Joseph Ward moved a reduction of £1 in order to ascertain from the Attorney-General what method' he is following in selecting lawyers as King's Counsel'. He askcfP whether these appointments were to be bestowed only on Auckland and Wellington lawyers. Wellington already had a. considerable predominating number of King's counsel as compared with other centres. Mr Isit: said Mr C. B. Morrison was a prominent and enthusiastic supporter of the Reform Party, and such appointments as this gave rise to the cry of the spoils to the victors. Mr Herdman said lawyers desirous of this distinction must apply for it; and if they are worthy of it they are appointed. There had been no applications from outside the four centres. Mr Morrison's work on company law was practically a standard work, and he was recognised as an authority on native matters. Sir Joseph Ward' said this was the first he had heard that -lawyers have to apply foi this distinction. Tlnv previous lot of appointments included prominent supporters of the then Opposition, such as Mr H. D. Bell. Mr Davev said' i: was strange that there were now seven King's Counsel in Wellington and only one in Cliristchureh. Mr Statham said .it was recognised in Dunedin that the .strongest Bar ill the Dominion was that in. Wellington. Sir Joseph Ward urged that the Appellate Court should sit in each of tho four centres in turn. The Item-passed unaltered. In the Cook Islands vote of £SIG, Mr Estcott and Mr Hine protested agains; keeping the Secretary of the Department in Wellington at £6OO per annum, and made reference to the controversy over the medical officer in the group. Dr Poniare replied' that the. natives of the Cock Islands were baiter looked after than any other natives in the Pacific. Dr Newman asked' whether the Government wore taking stops to appoint a Resident Commissioner. Dr Pomnre said -ohe matter would lie gone fully into during the recess. Mi- Massey added that an appointment would probably be made within a very short period. Oil the miscellaneous services vote Mr Laurenson expressed appreciation of the granting of an annuity of £l-30 per annum to Lady Steward. On the Defence vote Mr Escott asked the Minister to guarantee not to -exceed. the estimate. He though:; the defence scheme was costing the country more than it ought to. It would, have been cheaper to follow out x-lie Australian scheme. Mr Allen said the Australian scheme was costing more than Lord Kitchener's estimate. The cost of equipment was very heavy this year. On the LancT and .Survey Department rote Mr Buchapan considered the valuer's salaries inadequate. Mr Massey replied' that he was trying to get the best men available and would provide adequate salaries. On the S':ate forests branch, Mr G. M. Thomson asked whether the appointment of a State Forester would bo made. .- Mr Massey replied that during the recess a commission would be appointed to go into the whole matter. The whole of the estimates passed without alteration. The House disagreed with the amendments made by the Council to the Wash-ing-up Bill, and Messrs Hcrrios, Massey. and Russell were appointed a committee to draw up reasons. Tho House adjourned. The House .resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Appropriation Bill was passed. The Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill was "reported bv the Speaker as being reserved for the royal assent. The House finally adjourned jus; before midnight. Tho schedule of the business of the House of Representatives and' of Biijs passed and lapsed during the session is as follows: Public Bills. —Received the royal assent. 83: reserved for the signification of his Majesty's pleasure, 1; dropped or otherwise disposed of, 64; —total, 148. Priva.c Bills: —Received the royal assent. 1. Petitions presented.—From Europeans. 311: fromvMacris. 395. Divisions! —In the whole House, *22; in committee, 60. Sittings.—Days of meeting, GO :-hours of sitting before midnight, 472 hours J minutes: hours of sitting after midnight. SO hours 5 minutes —552 hours 10 minutes; daily average, 8 hours. Votes and proceedings.—Questions asked- of ministers, 1132. Entries in the journals, 2170; daily average. 48.