HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14281, 1 August 1908, Page 7

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FRIDAY, JULY 31. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Tho following bills were •introduced and toad a fint time:—Maori Land Laws Act Amendment Bill (tho Hon. Mr Carroll), Counties Act, 16% Amendment Bill (Mr J. Allen), Whakata.no Council Act Amendment Bill (Mr Hemes), INCORPORATED SOCIETIES BILL. The amendments made in the Incorporated Socioties Bill by the Legislative Council were agreed to, with the exception of those in clauses 4 and 7, and on the motion of the PRIME MINISTER a conference was arranged. The PRIME MINISTER explained that the amendments would, in his opinion, have u tendency to facilitate the formation of a close corporation. CONSOLIDATED STATUTES. ' Sir J. G. WARD moved the second readbig of the Consolidated' Statutes Enactment Bill. . He expressed his appreciation of tho value of the labours of the Statutes Revision Committee, and said he also desired to voice the general opinion of members in expressing recognition of the good and zealous work done by Mr Joliffe, secretary of the committee. He regretted that while praise was given to Mr Joliffo in the commission's report some wa6 taken away. Several members expressed appreciation of the work, also high appreciation of Mr Joliffe, and indignation at the commission's reference to Mr Joliffe—a paltry attempt to belittle Ids good work. The bill was put through all its stages without discussion. THE ESTIMATES. The House resumed consideration of the Estimates in Committee of Supply. On class 1 (Legislative departments, £30.074). Messrs HORNSBY, LAURENSON, and others urged upon the Prime Minster, the necessity of giving clerical assistance to members in dealing with their correspondence. The PRIME MINISTER said the matter had been considered by tho Govermnent, which was quite willing to meet members in this respect. ' There were difficulties as to salaries and accommodation to bo overcome, but the Government would do what it could. Mr MASSEY objected to the Sergeant-at-Arms receiving only £225 when the head messenger received £250. The PRIME MINISTER pointed out that thi SerswiiVayk»rja. vfa§ only employed.

during the session of Parliament, whorcas tho head messenger was employed all the year round. Mr GRAY said tho position of Sergeant-at-Arms ought to bo abolished. Ho was purely ornamental. He carried a "gaudy bauble " (tho mace) on his sliouldor, shouted "Sir Speaker," and that was all. Many antiquated absurdities existed in the House, and should he abolished. The PRIME MINISTER said Mr Gray was quite mistaken in tlvc idea as to the functions of the officer in question, who had a great deal to do in ministering to the comfort and convenience of members. If Mr Gray desired to amend tho Constitution, let him givo notice. Mr JENNINGS said ho wanted to know who supplied tho cups of tea to tho charwomen in tho House at 4 a.m. The PRIME MINISTER said he did not know. Such details did not come within his purview. The vote passed unaltered. On class 2 (Department of the Minister of Finance, £57,588), Mr HERRIES pointed out that last year only £3500 was voted for discount and stamp duty on remittances to London, whercjis £10,025 was spent this year. The estimated expenditure was £10,000. What did the increase mean? Tho HUME.MINISTER said tho increase was due to the stringency of the London money market. Tho vote was passed unaltered. On class 3 (Post and Telegraph Depart, ment, £79,638), Mr J. ALLEN asked for general information regarding foreign services. He hoped the Minister was doing what was necessary to establish the Vancouver servico and the San Francisco service on a bettor basis, especially the former. The latter might he dispensed with. Tho PRLME MINISTER stated that tire Government had done a groat deal for the improvement of the foreign mail services. Tho Estimates showed that something over £60,000 had been spent for this. The San Francisco service had stopped, and no negotiations were on foot to renew it, as the United States had refused to increase tho subsidy to steamers. As far as New Zealand was concerned, the servico towards the end had been very irregular, and of little value. Regarding the Vancouver service, lie said that, £20,000 had teen offered for a service to call at New Zealand, but the steamers could not come here, as ' they had to go to Brisbane. Thus the Government had boon thrown, back on tho Suez service, and had paid 'the.Union Company and Huddart-Parkcr line a subsidy for an improved service connecting with the Suez servico, but this was not satisfactory owing to the extra time involved. Tho Government was very anxious to bring about a fast mail service in conjunction with the British Government, the Canadian' Government, and the Australian Govern, ment, across t-ho Pacific at not less than 18 knots an hour, and was prepared to offer a subsidy of £75,000 towards such service; but unless all these Governments co-oocrated to provide a first-class mail, passenger, and refrigerating scrvioe,-such service could not eventuate. New Zealand could not initiate such a service, but eoidd only assist towards its creation. He could not say, however, that such a servico was near at hand, as nothing tangible had so far eventuated. Undoubtedly, if such a servico could be brought about it would be choap at tbo price. Mr AITKEN said he regretted that at present considerable delay occurred in Sydney in despatching the inward mail to New Zealand. The mail was sometimes held back for several days on the Australian coast j Mr ERASER (Wakatipu) _ said he had read that one of the difficulties in the way of the All Red service was the insistence of New Zealand upon a 21-bnot service, which other Governments thought would cost too much. The PRIME MINISTER said the Government liad first suggested a 21-knot service, for which it would be propared to eivc a £100,000 subsidy. That was for a Pacific service. They were not concerned with the Atlantic service, except in 6o far as it would form part and parcel of the entire All Red service. When the other Governments felt that a 21-knot service would lie too expensive, the New Zealand Government had expressed its willingness to give £75,000 for an 18-knofc Bervioo by now boats, with good passenger and jrefrigerating accommodation. Ho held that we must have a good and effioiont service or not pay any subsidy. With regard to Mr Masscy'B suggestion that the Government should arrango for a 6leamer to meet the Vancouver inward mail at Suva to bring tho mail on to 'New Zealand, tho Prime Minister said this would cost tho country' from £12,000 to £15,000 a year, and ho did not think it would be worth tho money. The Hon. Mr GUINNESS asked the Postmaster-general to make arrangements with the Union Company to delay tho steamers at Lyttolton on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights to connect with the West' Coast train, which would obviate the present delay of 24 hours in Christchurch. The PRIME MINISTER said the difficulty would bo in the connection in Wellington with the North Island train services. He thought thero would soon be a second Maori on the ferry servieej when a boat would leave late every night, The difficulty would thus he overcome. Several members asked for more telephone construction in the back-blocks. The PRIME MINISTER asked whether the expenditure of £155,000 and the erection of 2307 miles 11 chains of wire last year was not doing what was asked for. How much did members expect the Government to spend? Ho said, without fear of contradiction, that tho Government had done more in the past five years for the lack-blocks tolophone service in proportion to the population than any other country in the world, and it was constructing ana extending os quickly as possible. He must protest against the' growing spirit amongst the people, _ also, of wanting continually greater facilities at an ever-decreasing cost, of wanting something for less than nothing. A great commercial department must bo run on business linos. As for the suggestion that county councils should take control of telephones, he was absolutely opposed to it. The Govenment, and the Government alone, should control the telephones, as it did tho telegraphs and railways. He could only repeat that if, after making tremendous concessions, the Government wont on yielding to every demand coming along, it could only be a matter of time before it' would havo to put rates up again. Considerable further discussion ensued, after which the vote was passed unaltered. On class 4 (Industries and Commerce, and Tourist and Health Resorts Departments' vote, £71,269), Mr HANAN said he wanted to know what the trade representative was doing for £150, the salary shown on the Estimates. What new markets had he discovered, and what use was he? The Hon. Mr M'GOWAN said it would be diffioult for him to estimate his value, or for anyone to do so.—("Hear, hear."). He was engaged in general work, giving advice and information to all who required it. Mr WILFORD: He is on a good wicket. —(Laughter.) Mr M'GOWAN: Some may think so, and some may not. Mr WILFORD: How did ho get on in China?-(Laughter.) Mr T. MACKENZIE said the Trade Dopartment was utterly valueless and absolutely antiquated. It nevor could supply any up-to-date information. The present expenditure was wasted money, and the same to a large extent appliod to tlie Higrh Commissioner's office, so far as trade went. It should be situated m live City of London instead of at Westminster, right away from the business centre. Mr MASSEY agreed that the department at present was utterly useless. The money expended on it was thrown away. Tho department should be entirely reorganised. Mr TANNER said that when the department was created Parliament was told that, a vigorous policy was to be pursued by the department, with a view to the expansion of foreign trade. This gentleman received £450, and with travelling expenses cost £1000 yearly at least. lie had l>ecn in office for several years, and had travelled all over the East, yet the total export, trade of the Dominion to the whole of Asia was not equal to the cost of running tho department. That department had boon an utter failure, and tho experiment made had been futile. He wanted to know whether it was any good keeping on tiiis gentleman. Such officers in the public service were in the habit of sticking to office liko limpets, but. a contrition of things whioh was uo credit to the Dominion had been revealed. Mr HERRIES agreed that no information on trade and industrial matters worth having was obtainable from tho department, Tho PRIME MINISTER said it was all very well for members to tell the Government what it should do with the department and the officer, but they forgot what that officer had done. He for ono thought a groat mistake had been made in withdrawing Mr (iow from South. Africa, where he had original)- been sent. We had also madu a great mistake in not nrcseculing trade in the East. What hail Australia done? The. Common wealth had sent its own Trade Commissioner to the East-again at an mcrcased salary. The result was that, wo had lost our irodn in the East, whilst Australia's trado ha/1 multiplied again and again. Had the department's officer not saved the'colony heavy oxpense 'wheji some sears, ago a wovojnent was on

foot to induce tho Government to establish Stoic freezing works iti South Africa, and had ho not done most valuable work in Canada? He maintained that it was a good policy to have such an officer travelling about supplying information and making our products known. Mr LAURENSON raid £450 a year was not enough for a first-class man. Mr Tanners .argument!' were ludicrous. Ho would support the Government if it pro1/csed to appoint two or three first-class trade representatives, at £1000 a year each, to travel all over the world. He complained, not of tho mcagrenoss of the result, but of the moagrencss of tho expenditure, Mr MASSEY said it was not Mr Gow who was at fault, but the department, which instructed him to go to China and Japan, with which we had no direct communication. Wo should seek to enoourajro trade with countries with which wo had direct communication. The Prime Minister bad referred to Australia, but thai country's export trade was enormous as compared with ours, and it had direct communication with China and Japan. Jt was, therefore, just as reasonable for Australia to send a trade commissioner thero as it was absurd for us to do so A long discussion followed in connection with details in connection' with tho administration of tho Tourist Department. Tho PRIME MINISTER justified the work of the department, last year the expenditure was £49,362, and tho direct receipts were £20,487, which was excellent, The lowest traffic estimate from tourisr.s last year was £430,000. Tho department had a world-wide rcputa.tiou, and was admired everywhere as an institution to be copied. Tho vote was passed unaltered. The vote for the Old-age Pensions Department (£7772) was passed unaltered. Tho House rose at 1.55 a.m.