N. Z. PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 30

N. Z. PARLIAMENT.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12. Iv, the House of Representatives .the Bank of Australia Bill and the M'Dougall Trust Estate Bill were read a second time. The Local Bodies’ Loan Bill, the State Advances Bill, and the Methodist Union Bill were read a third time and passed. The debate on the second reading of the Public Trust Office Bill, which on the recommendations of the recent commission, lasted for a considerable time, but after the Hon. Mr Herdman had replied the second reading was agreed to without division. The debate on the second reading of the Municipal Corporations Bill was adjourned. In reply to the question the Prime Minister stated that the reciprocity treaty with Australia would be submitted to the Hous* as soon as it was accepted by the Commonwealth Government. COST OF VALUATIONS. Tho amounts paid by local bodies to the Valuation Department for valuations made by. the department during the past six years, according to, a return presented to tho House to-dav. are; —I9OB. £5415; 1909. £4617; 1910, £6337; 1911, £5806; 1912, £5338; 1913. £4271.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13. • The House met at 2.30 p.m. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In replying to questions Ministers stated : It was probable that the New Zealand Government would take part in the San Francisco exhibition. The Act of 1908 provided for the gradual displacement of pupil-teachers by adult teachers, and when it came completely into force it would give in each large school, beside the head teacher, one assistant for each fifty pupils. The staffing was being improved gradually in accordance with the provisions of the 1908 Act, but the process was unavoidably retarded by the fact that the number of qualified teachers was not sufficient to fill all the vacancies that would be created if it were brought into full force at once. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. “ Tho Public Works Department is understaffed with the amount of work that i? has to do. There can be no question about that,” said tho Minister of Public Works (the Hon. W. Fraser) to-day. PETITION BY MR P. KEYES. Mr P. Heyes, public accountant, Wellington, is petitioning Parliament asking that tho.two specific charges in respect of which ho was asked to resign (the petitioner is an cx-Commissioncr of Taxes) may bo reviewed by Parliament, that a copy of tho evidence taken before the Board of Inquiry into those charges be placed before the House for the circumstances to be fully inquired into, .and that ho may be granted such a sum of money as ho may be deemed worthy of in view of his long and faithful services to tho Government, and of the harsh and extreme treatment he received on his retirement from office. THE MEMBER FOR INTERJECTIONS. Mr Payne is rapidly acquiring tho nickname of ‘‘Member for Interjections.” This evening he was particularly m trouble, and after several remonstrances by the Speaker ho eventually overstepped tho bounds, and was required to withdraw- an interjection that ho made while Mr Norsworthy was speaking. Mr Payne made a great many comments, until at last the Speaker rose and asked him not to interrupt so much. The interruptions continued to some extent, but about 20 minutes later, while Mr Harris was speaking about the Premium Bonds Validation Bill, Mr Payne interjected: “You ought to bo ashamed of yourself.” Mr Massey immediately called tho Speaker's attention to this, and Mr Payno was obliged to withdraw. At first ho did so “ under tho rules of tho House”; but the Speaker insisted that he should do so unconditionally. Mr Payne replied “ Unconditionally, Sir,” and the incident closed.

JOTTINGS. The Prime Minister stated to-day, in answer to Mr Glover, that the Government had no present intention of appointing an inspector of totalizators at the four chief centres.

Tho Hon. Mr Allen* stated to-day that ho was not aware that 29 of tho public school teachers in the Otago education district were at present incapacitated through illness, but lie would make inqirry into the facts. The Minister of Railways to day informed Mr Clark that the question of lighting the Mosgicl railway yard by electricity was receiving consideration. Acetylene gas was already in use, but the resu't of investigation would be communicated to Mr Clark. In pressing tho point. Mr Clark stated that because of the splitting up of long trains which took place at Mosgicl at night time it was essential that the lighting arrangements should bo good. The Minister of Education to-day informed Mr Craigie that it was hoped that tho Otekaike School wou’d be ready to receive girls early next year.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14 The House mot at 2.50 p.m. SOCIAL INSURANCE.

The Hon. Mr FISHER moved to set up a committee to combine with a committee from the Upper House to consider the report of tne Registrar of Friendly Societies, also the friendly societies’ relations to tile State in the matter of social insurance. Ho said his object in doing so was to carry out the expressed desire ot deputations who waited on him recently. He proposed that the committee should consist of Messrs Anderson, Buick, Coates, Davey, Dixon, Harris, Forbes, Sidey, Webb, and the mover. The motion was carried. WIRE LESS TELEGRAPHY.

Tn view of the recent prosecution at Hastings of a boy for the installation of an amateur wireless station, contrary to the Post Office Regulations, Mr Anderson today gave notice to ask the Postmastergeneral what arrangements had been made to give instruction in wireless telegraphy in technical colleges, etc. This question recently received prominence in Christchurch, when some 14 young experimenters sought permission from the Hon. Mr Rhodes to continue their stations under proper regulations. 'lho reply of the Minister then was that considerable inconvenience was liable to be caused by these experimenters, so that ho could not agree to the request. At the same time ho intimated that full facilities wore given in colleges and high schools for the study of the science and the conduct of experiments. THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

In the introduction to the report dealing with friendly societies which- was presented to Parliament to day, the Registrar states: “ The societies can no longer be regarded with the benevolent indifference which the British legislation has hitherto adopted towards them. A century’s experience lias convinced England that the contribute)y and self-help system stands to cure more evils than free State aliment, and it is a great compliment to the friendly societies that their organisation methods and social discoveries have now' to be adopted almost in their entirety by the State. 1 here are many who deplore the fact tliat the State has touched the societies, but it is the inevitable outcome of conditionswhich only partially dealt with great evils.” <( The report proceeds as follows: t nc New Zealand National Provident Fund Act j as it stands at present has gone as far as ; is possible without overlapping with the i friendly societies, but there etdl remains a j vast field left untouched by cither of these i agencies. It Ls at this point that the State I must sooner or later either ignore the j friendly societies, to their great harm, or j co-operate with them. The basis of national I action in New Zealand is embodied in this | Act, and its future lies in one of the folI lowing directions: (1) In extending its prinI ciples on compulsory and universal lines as jin Great Britain; (2) adopting a scmi-com-I pulsory system, to apply to local bodies, I employers, etc.; or (3) leaving it voluntary j in principle, but aiding the friendly societies j to undertake what is being done elsewhere by compulsion.” During the past year 22 now lodges and branches wore established and five were i closed, and on December 31, 1912, there

were 857 lodges registered. Of the 664 lodges which furnished returns for 1912 there wore at the end of December 73,243 members, cs against 71,665 at the beg mn.ng of the year. The increase in membership for 1912' was 2.20 per cent., as against 5.67 per cent, for 1911. The total funds of societies and branches on December 31 amounted to £1,553,339, which means that tile average capital per member is now £2l 4s 2d. WHAT HAPPENED TO JONES? Mr Webb this afternoon repeated the statement that during the campaign at Grey it was stated that if the Government candidate were not elected the Government would be justified in stopping work on the Otira tunnel and the State Co'lierics. Tina led to inquiries of “Who was that?” “11l tell you,” said Mr Webb. “ f th.nk it was Mr Jones, the organiser for the Reform League, along with Mr Michel.’ Mr Webb's dramatic and forceful ejaculation lost its effect, however, because of a quiet query asked by a member. This was merely “What happened to Jones?” The tone of genuine and guileless curiosity in which this was cast fairly broke the- House up, and spoiled "entirely any possible effect which Mr Webb might have produced. A SOLEMN PLEASURE. A laughable interchange of pleasantries took place this afternoon between Mr Hunter and Mr Witty. While Mr Hunter was speaking an Oppositionist interjected : “ You arc not a good sporr.” Mr Hunter, who is a well-known racing man, keenly denied thus, but was pacified by Mr Russell observing: “ He means in politics, not on the turf.” Mr Hunter claimed that ho would bo a good sport on the turf or under it. “I hope it will be a long tune before you are under it,” said Mr Witty. In endeavouring to respond to this courteous observation Mr Hunter modelled an amusing phrase without intending it. “ I hope,” he said, “ I will never have the pleasure of attending vour funeral ! ’ ALMOST A COLLAPSE. The Budget debate very nearly died lies evening from inanition, in the late afternoon there was a somewhat awkward pause till Mr Webb rose and filled the breach. In the evening an even worse position occurred. The Speaker waited a moment for eomoono to rise, but none appearing he put the question that the House go into Committee of Supply. As he was almost putting the motion Mr J. Vigor Brown suddenly seized the position, and, looking round with consternation, found that no one was “ up.” Plainly the Opposition had been caught napping, for they had expected a Government man to be put forward. Mr Brown bobbed up and down, in his scat in a most ludicrous fashion, while the Speaker considerately paused. At length Mr Brown rose definitely, and said that apparently the other side were not game to come forward to support their Budget.—(Loud laughter.) He, however, would carry on. —(Renewed laughter.) Mr Brown just rescued the debate from death, for a less considerate and prompter Speaker would have had the motion through. JOTTINGS. Mr Webb startled the assembly to day by addressing its members as “ friends ’ in his best demagogic manner. A burst of laughter greeted the lapse, after which Mr Webb covered up his slip by saying: “ Mr Speaker, 1 am generally accustomed to speaking to friends.” At this there was renewed laughter, FRIDAY, 15th AUGUST. LANDS FOR SETTLEMENT. Mr Clark to day gave notice to ask the Prime Minister whether he would this year introduce an amendment to the Land Act givng the Government power compulsorily to take largo areas of privately-owned land for settlement purposes, the prices to be arranged by arbitration. In a note Mr Clark stated that, at present the supply was quite infinitesimal. A WORD WITH MR WEBB. Mr Russell, in opening his speech this evening, favourer! Mr Webb with a special word upon the speech ho made yesterday. Briefly Ids remarks were in the nature of a caution and a prediction that Mr Webb would shortly bo wiser in the art of practical politics. No one, he said, could have listened to that speech without realising that there was a new force in politics, but when bo had spent a longer time in the House ho would realise that he could not

revolutionise the world in a day, that the high ideals he possessed could not be realised in one Parliament or in two. He would realise that the policy of Mr Seddon was the best—to go as far as possible, put in a peg, and start oft' with that as a foothold for the next step towards progress. That was the only way in which a great measure of progress could bo gained. In connection with humanitarian, social, and economic legislation these remarks, coming from what might be regarded as a friendly quarter, should carry more weight than if made by a Government member. SPECIAL TRAINS.

This evening Mr Russell referred to the recent visit ot the Prune Minister and the lion. James Allen to Milton, and took the occasion to iliakc a statement which was denied by Mr Massey on the spot. "When they were going Irom Dunedin to that celebrated banquet at Milton,” he said,

the ordinary train from Dunedin was not good enough for them. There had to be a special tram, and so we sec these great democrats with their special trams” —nere Mr Russell was interrupted by a growing chorus of Government cries of ‘Wrong, wrong, wrong, ’ which ended with Mr MasseV declaring good hutnoUrcdly “Mare’s neat.” Mr Russell also dealt with Mr Allen’s arrival at Auckland. When met there by the Prime Minister, he said, tlioy indulged in a special train all the way to Wellington, where it arrived only a very few minutes before the ordinary Uin ' POWELLISED TIMBER. Mr Young gave notice to-day to ask the Minister ol Public Works whether the Public Works Department has. any evidence to prove or disprove the statement that powollised timber is liable to early decay, and that powollised timber which has been in use for three years is now abs lately rotten. He added that the purpose of tile question was to ensure that in view of (ho large quantities of this timber used by the Public Works Department every step would bo taken to investigate the matter. UPPER HOUSE REFORM. The Legislative Council Reform Committee will meet again on W ednosday, when the sub committee which was appointed to prepare a programme and gather material will present Us report. The Hons. O. Samuel, J. R. Sinclair, and J. Duthichave been at work diligently preparing their report, and have, it is understood, gone through old and new measures bearing on the subject and completely redrafted them. the GOVERNOR’S SPEECH. Mr lianan gave notice to-day to ask the Prime Minister whether it is a fact that in June last, before the people had tune to form a full judgment of the Governor s Speech, the Government despatched a cablegram to the High Commissioner, London, in which w-as the following statement; “Contents of Speech delivered by Governor to-day received with great approval throughout the . dominion.” And, it this message was sent, what evidence had the Government for stating -in this message of self-glorification, before the Speech could oven have boon read by a majority of the people, that the Speech had been received “ with general approval.” When Mr Hainan read his question, the Prime Minister remarked, “Not from the Government. The message was sent by Reuter’s agency.”