QUESTIONS.

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 32

QUESTIONS.

Replying to questions. Ministers said: —

The Government cannot authorise a higher rate of pay for casual labour on the railways, but a uniform rate of pay of Is per hour will bo adopted Ihrotigho/ut the colony. With a view to enable it and other questions to be tested, a Referendum Bill will bo introduced this session to ascertain the will of the people on the question of Biblereading in schools.

An amendment to the Old-age Pensions Act will be introduced, regarding which suggestions will be asked from stipendiary magistrates.

The Goyernmeut have no formal offer from a private firm for the construction of a railway from Sentry Hill to Kawakawa.

A Technical Education Bill will be introduced this session.

The Government do not approve of sellingfreehold land in town and suburban sections which has been reserved for settlement purposes.

Facilities will be given to have some of the youths of £lfe colony instructed so as to qualify ss meat inspectors. The Government are aware that 287 nativeborn persons have died during the yeor 1699 from phthi->i-j. and suggest that a way to meet the case is to introduce an Undesirable Immigrants Bill to prevent people suffering from such complaints entering the colony. Mr SMITH moved the adjournment of the House to mark his disapproval of the answer tc the question with respect to the construction of the line Sentry Hill to Te TLuiti, to connect Taranoki with the Main North I?land Trunk railway. He com- [ plained that the Government would not take i his advice and borrow 10 millions right out for railway construction. They could spend I one million alone in his district in what would proro profitable lines. I Mr ELL said Lc also was dissatisfied with the answer to Ins question regarding conFnmptives. iio contended that the disease wa? already in the colony, and it was the duty of the Government to see that a sanatorium wa« established principally for the benefit of poor people, who could not .iffora to go to a sanatorium outside the colony, whe^e tl'c treatment of that disease was mcfci. sveee^sf ul. tic triisted the Government would do something tr- arrest the rav.T~ej of 'he disease amor.g-t the young psowle of the colony. Me^-s LA WRY r,rd PALWR advocated t^e Sh'itio-rl rcrulo for l'..e Main North Island Trunk line. Mr WILFORD advpsstecl pXQr® qonsida

1 ition in the way of salary and a more secure tenure of office to railway employees, temporary clerks, etc.

Mr MASBEY believed if the Awakino route had been adopted for the Main North Island Trunk railway it would have been completed long ago, and at much less cost than any other route.

The Hon. W. HALL-JONES and Messrs FOWLDS and SYMES carried on the debate, which was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.