GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16224, 6 November 1914, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-

(Pea United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 5. The Legislative Council mot at 9.30 ajn. APPROPRIATION BILL. Tho Appropriation Bill was received from the Houee, and passed through all siugee. VALEDICTORY SPEECHES. Tho Council rose at 9.37 until 11 o'olook. On resuming, valedictory speeches were delivered, high tributes twins paid to tho Speaker, tho Chairman of Committees, and tho Hon. F. H. D. Bell, Loader of the Council.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

After the tdegraph office closed tho debate on the Appropriation Bill woe continued by Mr ELL, who contended that tho Government had not carried out its pledgee to reduce borrowing and taxation and tho abolition of tho mortgage tax. Tho Government had taken this year new authority to borrow no less than £6,200,000. Mr WEBB complained of the inaction of the Government with regard to the Huntly mine disaster and provision for the widows and orphans of the miners. He declared that if iuetioe were done the Prime Minieter would be the first to be called upon to stand hie trial. The SPEAKER colled on Mr Webb to withdraw, but he refused, and was suspended for the remainder of the sitting. The Hon. Mr ALLEN replied at considerable length, justifying the financial proposals made, and contending that the appointment of the officers of the Expeditionary Force was entirely satisfactory, and made on the special recommendation of General Godley. In committee on tho Bill, the House divided on clause 26, which provided for the payment of a subsidy of £9000 to the Taranaki Oil Refinery Company. The clause was retained by 23 votes to 10, and the Bill was reported without amendment. Sir J. G. Ward, Messrs Nosworthy, Maseey, Witty, Wilkinson, M'Callum, Robertson, Payne, and Fkher continued the discussion on the third reading, and the Hon. Mr ALLEN finally replied, and the Bill was passed.

The House rose at 6.45 a.m. APPROPRIATION BILL.

When the House resumed at 10 o'clock, the SPEAKER announced that tho Legislative Council had passed tho Appropriation Bill.

Tho Speaker and the Clerk of Parliament then left for Government House to obtain his Excellency's signature to the measure, tho House to resume on the ringing of the bell. At 10.50 a.m. the SPEAKER announced that he had presented the Appropriation B : ll to the Governor for the Royal assent, which hie Excellency had been pleased to give in the name of his Majesty. The Bill provides for the following nnpropriations:—Consolidated Fund, £8,080,225; Public Work* P-,, n d, £3,492,194; other accounts, £1,436,197 i. THE HUNTLY COMMISSION. The PRIME MINISTER read a report from tho Labour Department, which, ho contended, established the fact that there was no victimisation by the Huntly Coal Company, Mr ROBERTSON contending that the report proved the opposite. VALEDICTORY SPEECHES. The PRIME MINISTER then delivered a valedictory speech, in which he congratulated the Speaker and the Chairman of Committees upon the manner in which they had discharged their duties. He said that though the session was often stormy, they had made history; and he spoke in kindly terms of the Opposition, who were entering upon a political war and not a personal contest. There would probably be losses on both sides. He hoped that those victorious in the election campaign would take their success without undue elation, and that those who were defeated would accept the decision with proper equanimity.

Sir J. G. WARD spoke in felioitoue terms on the work of the session and of his fellow members. •

The SPEAKER (Hon. F. 3T. Lang) and the Chairman of Committees (Mr Maicolm) returned thanks for the felicitations of the Pr'me Minister and the Leader of the Oppoeition PATRIOTIC FUNDS. The Hon. Mr MASSEY announced that tho amount paid into the Defence Fund, exclusive of the funds in the hands of local committees, and gifte in kind, was £130,000. which he thought highly gratifying; Then he moved that the House at its rising do adjourn till Tuesday next. ADJOURNMENT. On the motion that the Houee adjourn a division was taken, the motion being lost by 25 to 17.

The Houee adjourned at 11.39, and the third session of the eighteenth Parliament came to an end.