GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15273, 13 October 1911, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (Per United Piiess Association.) THIJRSDAV, OCTOBER 12.' The House met at 2.30 p.m. ' ' PENSIONS FOH VIOTKH-AN'S; Mr I.UKE asked the Prime Mimster if he would promote legislation to grant pensions to' veterans who served the coun-. try in the naval, military, and volunteer services during the Maori war. Sir J. t>. WARD said thai the whole of the pensions would come before the. Cabinet for consideration before tho. Supplementary Estimates were completed. The Government would care-fully consider i|.ll the petitions sent iti. The okl soldiers' claims dealt with by the magistrates would be considered, but whether it was possible to go lwyond thai he coiild not say. SITK OF THA CAPITAL. Sir J. C!. WARD presented a petition from Mr Coleman Phillips praying for the removal of the site of the capital from Wellington to a site between Feathereton and Carterton. The petition was rece.iv<vl with laughter. RAILWAY MATTERS. In answer to a question, the I'RIMK MINISTER statoil that a JJaihv.iy Authorial ion Pill would be brought down before the end of the session. Mr 11 (It!AN ask-fd if it was possible to set up-another mumitke to deal with railway matters. The Railways Commitlee wasengagrd in investigating tile claims of the first division, but besides that Ihero were the claims of the second division, and several other petitions rognuling railway matters. Tile Hon. Mr MILLAII said be thought it w;is somewhat late in tlio session 'for such a course to he taken. Any petitions not dealt with this session would come before the committee next session. TDK RACING COMMISSIONIn answer to Mr,lcniiingp. the I'RIMK MINi.STKR said lie would have to cmnmunirnt? with the chairman of the Racim' Commission before lie could state when Jhe coniniission wcmld sit to iwonsider its report 1/OCAL lill.J.R, The llentheob- County Heundary Bill, Hit' City of Christchurch lvni|x>weriiig Rill, the Musgiel lWongb Empowering' liill,' the Awatei e County Hill, the Ashley .Subdivision and Waimakariii Ashley Water Supply Hoard Rill, and tho Franklin and Manakau Cnimtw Bill were read a tliird time? 'mui pa^swl WI'U.I.NCTON CITV KMPOWKItI.XCi HILL. The House, then went into coniinittce on the Wellington City Empowering Act Amendment Rill.

All' WIU'URU moral |d reinsert a clause struck (rut by the Local Hills Committee, which given the Wellington City I'utiiicil power to make charges fur oiltrance tii sports grounds a.nd tlio Zoological (tortious tin 30 days in the year. ■flip clause was subjected to F'.rViHious opposition on the ground thai the public slitiilid licit Liu asked to pay to go to their own. reserves.

.Mr Kl.t, moved an amendment to exclude llit* Zoological Gardens from tho provisions of the clause, which was carried hv 31 votes to 26.

In the- evening .Mr MAS SKY accused the Government ot waiting time in order to allow two Ministers to go electioneering at the country's expense. Sir .]. G. WARD gave this statement an emphatic denia). asserting thai these MiuitUciis were defraying their own expenses. The clause was altered to give power to the council to charge for admission to tlie reserves on 20 days in the year, providing that not mute than 10 of tlm diiys wer,. Sat unlays. The bill was reported. Tlip Mount llutt (.'uniity liill was then committed. Progress was reported at 0.30 a.in. The House rose at O.'la a.in.