GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14698, 4 December 1909, Page 8

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER. 3. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. IMPREST SUPPLY. The Imprest Supply Bill was put, through all its stages. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leavc_ of absence for the remainder of the session was granted to the Hon. Mr Holmes on account of ill-health. It was agreed that in future the Council should sit on Monday afternoons. HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS BILL. Consideration of the Hospuals and Charitable Institutions Bill was resumod in Committee of the Whole. At clause 72, providing that boards may malte agreements for special terms, as to the maintenance in hospitals of members of friendly societies, tho Hon. Dr COLLINS took strong exception to the clause, which he said should not liavo been introduced into the bill. The honorary medical staff were always willing to give their services for the relief o( the sick, but they did not. want to see the hospitals made an institution for any special class. He pointed out that the medical profession had not had an opportunity of considering the clause, which was likely to disorganise an institution. He said emphatically that tho clause ought to be deleted. The Hon. Mr SINCLAIR agreed that the clause ought not to be retained. The Hon. Mr SAMUEL objected to friendly societies or any other body being treated exceptionally tinder this bill. The Hon. G. J. SMITH said he thought that if friendly societies wanted the special advantages in question they ought to be dealt with in a separate bill, not in a- general measure of this kind. He held that the members of tho medical profession and of the friondJy societies should endeavour to come to some understanding in the matter. The Hon. Mr CALLAN said there was not the slightest necessity for invoking legislation in favour of friendly societies* If the societies' members were compelled to go to a hospital the society should pay for theui. The Hon. Mr M'GOWAN said he hoped they would not destroy u good bill by introducing such a, clause as this one into it. Tho clause would mean the foisting of tho friendly societies' chronic cases on to the hospitals and charitable institutions, Tho Hon. Mr BALDEY said lie considered the.clause exceedingly unfair to tho doctors. The Hon, M.r LUKE said that a wellmanaged hospital recognised no community, race, or colour. If friendly societies' members were admitted to a hospital under the provisions of this clause the hospital could not expcct to continue to receive the support from the medical profession, which it did at present. Ho hoped that the clause would be struck out, and the hospital boards! left untrammelled.

The Hon. Dr FINDLAY snid that no body of men had shown such a sturdy independence as the friendly societies, and the clause was not intended to offer theni belter conditions, but to placc in the coffers of the country a larger sum than at present. More than one-third of the members of friendly societies in the hospital paid nothing at present. They were unable to pay, and this clause would procure payment for such patients. If the clause enabled arrangements to be made between the friendly societies and a board to pay something for every member in a hospital surely that was a good bargain. It was offering 110 special advantages at all. The Hon. Mr SINCLAIR said that so far from being a good bargain for the hospitals it would be the very worst that could be made. It put the wholo thing down 011 a money basis, which was contrary to the spirit of the act.

Tho Hon. Mr PAUL said he could see no wrong in looking at the financial side of the arrangement. The clause would benefit the poorer classes.

The Hon. Mr 13EEHA\ T said that when the amount which the friendly societies were saving the country was considered it would be admitted that tho clause would not give them half tliey deserved.

Tho Hon. Dr COLLIN'S, in order to test the question, moved to delete the opening words of the clause.

After further discussion the amendment was carried by 18 votes to 13, and the clause was struck out. The following is the division list

Against the Amendment.—Messrs Findlay, Rigg, Jenltinson, Beehan, Loughnan, Kelly, Mills, Trask, Paul, Jones, Tucker, M'Cardle, Arastey.

For the Amendment.—Messrs Callan, Luke, Cnrncross, Gilmer, Eaillie, Collins, Marshall', Johnston, G. J. Smith, Stevens, Thompson, Wigram, M'Gowan, Sinclair, Samuel, Sir Gcorgo M'Lean, Sir 11. J. Miller.

A now clanso was inserted, on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, to the effect that teachers and students of aiwdical schools be entitled to access to the institutions under the control of a board.

A further new clause was inserted providing for union of .hospital districts.

The bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

The House met at 2.30 p.m. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES ACT.

The Friendly -Societies Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Message, M>d w.is read a- first time.

SATURDAY SITTINGS.

The PRIME MINISTER moved that on and after Saturday next the House siton Saturdays from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. for consideration of Orders of the Da.y only, local bills tc take precedence and thereafter Government bills.

Mr MASSEY said that if any attempt were made to introduce all-night sittings lie would oppose it. He would not have ■legislation rushed through. These remarks applied to a suggestion by Mr Wilford that the House should sit all night as well as on Saturday morning. Mr TAYLOR depnecated discuesion on trivialities, and said tho time would be better utilised in a- discussion on tho Land Bill. He could not see how the Houss could finish tho business of the serekm before Christmas. The Defence Bill required most careful consideration, to mention only one bill. Bills would be hastily ntshed through. Constitutional reform in the direction of an elective Escortiva was necessary as a remedy against the present unsatisfactory methods of conducting business. The motion was then agreed to. THE LAUD BILL.

The House then resumed the interrupted debate on llio question that the report of the Lands Committee do Ho on the table.

Mr THOMSON i/Wa-llace) entered a plea, for granting the freehold to pioneer cottiers, who were well entitled to it. Many of them earned- only Jiving wages to-day, though they had been 011 the land for years.

Mr HOGG said the fight for the leasehold would be carried on till Christ-mas, and beyond it. The Leader of the Opposition was bleating like a. shorn sheep. He had beeji robbed of his political garments by the Government. The "999 years lease had done much to help honest, industrious_ settlers to obtain laud, but it had serious dofects. Occupation was not insisted on. Once the ]a>nd became freehold it, ultimately fell into the hands of the capitalist, and the man on the land became a serf. If the Government had ajnv principles it might stick to them and cany them out or appeal to tli 3 country. The leasehold-era tvere not afraid of a general election or to go before the country. The freeholder lent facilities to land gambling and extrava-gaiice-, while the leasehold protected the families of the settlers from such evils.

Mr WRIGHT denounced the Governments vacillation »9r. the land question, and' <vas proceeding when the House roee at 5.30 g.m,

THE DEFENCE BILL. 11l tho evening the PRIME MINISTER moved Ihe second reading of the Defence Bill, pro forma, and that it be referred fo a Select Committee, which was agreed to. 3 The House (hen went into Committee o! Supplv. ' THE ESTIMATES. On the item £1695 (House of Representatives), Mr ALLEN moved to reduce the sum. by £1 as an indication that the House desired the items of expenditure with regard to salaries Bet out in detail. The motion was ruled out of order. On the item £1100 for extra clerks and reporter.*, Mr ALLEN moved to reduce the same by £1 for a similar reason. This motion was defeated. Oil the item £2203 for expenditui •o on the library, Mr lIANAN moved to re duce the same by £1. He railed attention to tho unnecessarily high salaries paid to tho staff, who were not fully occupied all the year round. The PRIME MINISTER, gavo details legarding the library and the work done by tho staff as a- warrant, for the expenditure. Several members bore testimony to the value of tho library and the assistance they had received from the staff. The motion was negatived. Mr MASSEY moved to strike out the item financial adviser to the Government ill London £100. After considerable di-v cussion, touching largely on the Hon. W. P. Reeves (late High C'ommissioer), the motion ffas carried bv 35 votes to 25. On the item £400 for the Commissioner of Taxes <md Valuer-general, Mr "WRIGHT moved iO reduce the amount by £1 as an indication that the Government should inform the Houre as to the position ill legard to the Commissioner of Taxes, agtinst whom charges had been made.

Mr lIERDMAN supported the amendment, and asked for general particulars of I3ie case.

Mr BUCHANAN also supported the amendment.

Sir J. G, WARD >said lie could not disclose the private business of individuals with iv Kflevet. department, which would have to be done in ortfer to meet the demands of members of the Opposition. He was quite decided in his attitude in the matter, t nid bad no intention of changing it. After further discussion, Mr MASSE f stated that if tho Prime Minister would say that court cases were pending lie (Mr Massey) would take the responsibility of advising Mr Wright to withdraw his amendment. One coursc open to Sir Joseph Ward was to let some members of the Opposition see the judges' report without the names.

' Sir JOSEPH WARD said ho could not agree to Mr Massey's suggestion. To do so would show thai he was unfit to hold his officc. If the House decided that the judges' report be lnid on the table ho personally, would not do so.

Messrs Fowlds, Allen, Laurenson, Glover and Dive, also spoke, tho last named making a oliargo against the department, saying he would placo tho particulars oil the table if the Prime Minister would also put his explanation before the House.

Messrs Ell, Witty, and Maedonald continued tho debate, which centered round the Valuation Department.

The motion was lost by 40 votes to 21,