TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14.

Otago Witness, Issue 2286, 23 December 1897, Page 27

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14.

". Xn the Legislative Council to-day the Old Age Pensions Bill was killed by 20 to 15. BILLS DEALT WITH. ' The Consolidated Stock Act Amendment Bill, Members of the House Disqualification Bill, and Fisheries Encouragement Act Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed. In Committee minor amendments were made in the Government Emergency Loans to Local Bodies Bill, and the bill was reported as amended.

OLD AGE PENSIONS. At the evening sitting ths proposal to read the bill a second time was lost by 20 to 15. The division list was as follows :—: — Fob the Second Reading (15).— MewsM'Oullougb, Barnicoat, Smith, W. Kelly, Kerr, Rigff, Jones, JenkinsoD, Harris, Reeves, Keldwick, Pinkerton, Jennings, Bolt, W. C. Walker. Against the Bill (20).— Messrs L. Walker, Stewart, Richardson, B«illie, Bowen, Scotlaud, MacGregor, Swanson, Shrimski, Taiaroa, Bonar, Stevens, Oirmond, Holmes, Grace, M'Lean, Williams, Peacock, Montgomery, Reynolds. Pairs. — For: Messrs T. .Kelly, Ar&w right, Kenny. Against : Messrs Johnston, Olive, Morris. Tho question to insert Mr Bonar's amendment to lay aside the Bill was then carried by 19 to 7.

In the H&ase of Representatives to-day . the Banking 811 was read a second time. A bill to abolish the tax on commercial travellers ■ was passed. After the telegraph office closed the Master and Apprentice Bill passed its third reading and final stages, and the Home adjourned. UOROWHENUA. The Hon. Mr ROLLESTON presented a petition from Major Kemp protesting against the Horowhenua Block Bill, and asking to be heard at the bar of the House in support of his petition. Mr Bolletton gave notice to move, on the second reading of the bill, that the prajer be given effect to by the House. THE BANKING BILL. <* The Eight Hon. Mr SEDDON moved the second reading of the Bank of New Zealand and Banking Act Amendment Bill, to' make further provision respecting the Bauk of New Zealand and amend the law relating, to banks. He felb sure- ho was entitled to the sympathy of every member of the House in introducing what he hoped was the last Banking Bill. He assured the House if there was not a uectssity for this measure he should not have brought it forward, but the committee last session recommended its introduction, and ho should have been open to censuro if he had not done bo. It was evidently feared the Government did not want to bring down a bill, but now that it had been introduced there were not nearly so many members anxious for the bill as there were formerly. This bill was, to » great extent, based on the recommendations of • the committee last session, but he felt there should bte a final measure on this question. It was mainly & machinery measure, tmd it was an absolute necessity that they should decide whether the present management of the , bank was satisfactory. He thought a . change was desirable, and this . bill provided for an , enlarged, board, also for the representation of the colony over a wider Eutfsce than at present. After referring to ■ the details of the bil), which he had already explained to the House ou its introduction, he said the proposed board of nine members were to be chosen from the North and South Islands. It might bs said the proposed "board was too large, but this was a committee objection, and the House could decide what the number of directors should be on the board. The bill provided for a standing committee to be elected by* the board itself, and this was on somewhat similar lines to the Btnk of Bugland constitution, which consisted of 46 directors, with a governor and depufcy-govornor. They took the power of veto from the chairman and gave it to the chairman of the standing committee. ' In large questions of policy tho bank chairman would veto a proposal tilWfc -wa.B referred to the full board of directors. He (Mr Seddon) knewnotbing in respect of the 'working of the bank, and said the Government had properly refrained from inquiring into any of the details cf the bank. There, had been statements that the agiicultural interests of the country had not received as much attention from the bank as they should have done, but that was a matter entirely for the bank itself to deal with. Iv respect to the recommendations of the committee, he said he had already informed the House they had the resignation of the auditor, as he preferred to retaiu his position in the bauk. The Government proposed to accept his resignation and allow him "to go back to the bmk. He (Me Seddon) thought they should have an auditor in Wellington and also a colonial inspector, not to see whether the agents were doing their -busiuess satisfactorily, but they wanted to see . that the securities held against advances amounted to the value of those advances, and that was what they had never yet got. The . auditor-in-chief should remain in Wellington, , arid the second auditor should be appointed to overfea all the securities held by the .' bank. As regarded the position'of president, lie said it had been urged on the Government there was a necessity for a change. In this respect, he wished to say that since the president had been in charge of the bank he, as Premier, had nothing to say against his management ; but it had been urged from time to time that a change was desirable. The committee of last year had made its recommendation in that respect, and this bill was in accordance with that recommendation. He desired to state that the charges levelled against the Government over this bank were unwarranted and ungenerous. Their conduct was patriotic all through, and they had nothing to reproach themselves with. As the Bank of New Zealand was now doing half of the business of the colony, it was desirable they should put that institution in an unassailable position. With respect to shareholders, he did not think they were asking for undue representation ; and they had stopped Jbhe proxy system— which, he thought, would be beneficial. He desired to say that the general business of the Bank of New Zealand, was fairly up to expectation, but had it not been for the purchase of the Colonial Bank it would nat have been able to carry on so satisfactorily. He asserted that the 'purchase of the Colonial Bank ■ Jwas more than anything the salvation of the Bank of New Zealand, and it had also saved the colony.* He proposed to ask in Committee to strike out the clause providing for all fcanks having assets in the colony equal to their liabilities, although he strongly held that assets equal to liabilities should be held by the banks' in the colony. With respect to the chaDge that was required in the quarterly returns, he said no one was at preient the wiser after perusing these returns, and although he ishould withdraw that clause now he should daring the reoess make fuller inquiries and briog down a general measure dealing with both questions next session. As regarded the third question, of limiting the time for the dis- ' eosftl of properties belonging to banks, he

alleged that those properties should be diiposed of within a reasonable time, and that would Tje a good thing for the institutions themselves. While, therefore, he should withdraw this clause at present, Jje thought ib should be the duty of this Parliament to deal with it. Respecting the properties of the Bauk of New Zealand, he said those of them which were disposed of had realised a fair price, and both the bank and the Assets Board should work together for the good of the institution in order to secure the colony itself. He again asserted thaj what was done by the Government for the Bank of New Zealand was done in the best interests of the colony, and that the Government were patriotic ia the action they had taken. If the same thing had to be done to-morrow he should still advise the House and colony to prevent the bank from going into liquidation.

The Hon. Mr ROLLESTON thought it would ba «xremely mischievous if any acrimonious discussion took placa^now over this bill. Mr Seddoo'a speech was certainly temperate, but from first to last it was apologetic. As to the report of last yesr'a committee, he said it was disappointing, and he thought the Premier had not shown any particular, reason for introducing this bill. He (Me Rolleston) approached the question entirely free from the clamour of the past, as he was not in the House when the banking legislation passed, hut he did not thiak they were justified in making the B*nk of New Zealand more of a political institution than it was, and the question was whether they should continue taking that course. He regarded this bill aa practically miking the ' Governor-io-Council a director of the batik, and as tending to the establishment of a State bank in the colony. He thought they should endeavour to geb rid of the bank as soon as possible. The proposed increase in the directorate of the bink would bo anything bub beneficial to the institution itself. Ib seemed to him that the increase in the number of the board, instead of strengthening, 'would weaken the position of the colony. He held that the smaller the number of boards the less chance there would be of niitchievous interference, and less risk there would be of leakage with respect to private affair*. As regarded the position of pre»idenfc, the Premier had told them he had no faul r < to find with the president,, and yet he prop )sed to abolish him with compensation of one year's salary, with power to appeal to the- Supreme Oodrfc. ' He (Mr Rolleston) hoped th'"s bill would not pass, as he regarded the proposals as extremely faulty. He thought it was a mischievous proposal to compel biinks to have an equal amcuot of assets and liabilities, as it might be Vvjry advantageous for the bank to get assistance frofli outside if necessary. With respect to the change in the quarterly returns, he did not think ib fhould be done without the gravest consideration. He said the general opinion was that the colony should geb rid of this bank as quickly as possible, and he hoped this bill would not paf s.* Mr R M'KENZIE moved— "That the bill be read thM; day six months." Messrs G. Hutchison, Millar, Bollard, Larnach, Fra«er, Brown, Hogir,, Crowther, and O'lt^gan, spoke before the Hpuse adjourned at 5.30 p.m. THE SINKING BILL. Mr MONTGOMERY resumed the debate oa the Banking Bill. Messrs R. Thompson, Wilsoa, and others spoke and the Premier replied. The second reading was carried by 42 to 20. The following is the division list : — "Ayes (42). — Messrs Oadman, Cameras*. Carroll, Carson, Duncan, Field, Flatman, Gtlfcdder, Graham, Hall-Jones, Heke, Hogg, Holland, Houston. J. Hntche3on, G. Hutchison, Joyce, Kaihau, Lawry, Let lib ridge, Lewis, M'Gowan, Meredith, Mills, Monk, Montgomery, Moore, Morrison. O'tfeara, O'Jtegau, Parata, Pere, Seddon, Smith, Stevens, Steward, Symes, Tanner, R. Thompson, T. Thompson, Wilson, Wiight. ' i Noes (20) —Messrs J. Allen, Bollard, Brown, Buchanan, Growttier, I'raser, Guinness, Hunter, Kelly, Lang, Larnach, M'Guive, M. J. JS. Mackenzie, R. M'lCenzie, M'Lean, Massey, Millar, rirani, Richardson, J W. Thomson. - Paiiis —For • Messrs E G. Allen, JL M'Kenzie, Fishev, Stout, Wason. Against : Messrs Heiries, Russell, Slijro, Ward, Rolleston.' '*» ; PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. The Hon. Mr HALL-JONES laid the Public Works Statement on the table. j PItOTECTION OF YOUNG PERSONS. The Young Porsoua' Protection Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 2, interpretation, was altered to "young person" instead of "girl." The clause was altered to make a young person include a boy or girl. Clause 3 was altered so that " other persons " may act as prbtection officers under the act as well as " discreet women." Clauee 4, power to search a house where a young parson is harbouring for immoral purposes. — Several amendments were proposed in the clause. — Mr R. Thompson protested against the House being asked to wa&te its time in discus- irig'a bill of this kind, which had not the slightectchauceof becoming law. He also strongly protested against a wretched old hag being allowed to enter people's houses ab night without j warrant in order probably to gratify a % sp'te, against some of the inmates. A leng'hy discussion arose, during which an amendment, moved by Mr R. M'Kknzie, that the Ch»irmm leave the chair, was lost by 26 to 15. — Mr R. M'Kunzie then moved that progress be reported, and protested against the Premier askiog tho Committee to consider such a mea3ure. Ib was an insult to the people that women should be allowed to enter people's houses in the Way allowed by the bill. — Lost by 24- to 19. — The clause was amended to provide that protection offieera should not enter hou«es without a warrant.

The remaining clauses passed with the amendments made by the Special Commjttee. * The Right Hon. Mr Seddon moved a new clause — " That the act shall have operation only in counties or boroughs the local authorities whereof adopt it by special order." — Carried.