PARLIAMENT DAY BY DAY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11371, 2 September 1908, Page 2

PARLIAMENT DAY BY DAY.

(From Qur. Pailiam&ntary Reporter.) . ;WEI_iNG^ON, this day., WAIKOHU COUNTY BILL; The . Waikbhu County Bill, .providing for the formation) .'of a new county for the internal" portions' of the Gisborne district, which was introduced m the Legislative- Council recently by the Hon. Captain Tucker, has passed the Committee stag^ pf that .Onamber, and it was reported! to the Council yesterday without amendment. The measure will be set down ..for, its second reading m the Council at the earliest date. AGRICULTURE. .In view of . the present programme, the Minister for Agriculture considers there would, be.no hio^pe. of,. passingi the promised Noxious 'Weeds Bill this year. Sheep, and cifttle at the present time are being •purchased!' at Home by the Department of Agriculture. , Ihe. .agricultural vote, £149,033, the consideration of which occupied- five hours, was passed unaltered; at 5 p.m. , PRODUCE PESTS. •■ With a view .to preventing the sale or' importation of agricultural produce infected, by pests, the Minister for Agriculture has introduced the Agricultural Produce Sale and Importation Bill, which provides that every person who, whether on. his' own advice or as the servant ■ or agent of any other person, selte or introduces into New Zealand or delivers to- any person by way of gift any produce which he has reasonable cause to believe to contain the seed, of j Californian thistle, or to be. affected with the following diseases:- Anguniois grain* moth, Mediterranean flour moth, grain' weevil, Indian meal moth and 1 meal snow moth, is> liable, fOn summary conviction before a magistrate, to a fine not exceeding £20, and the magistrate may direct | that the produce shall be forfeited to the Crown; and disposed of as the Minister of' Agriculture directs. '; MR GILRUTH'S RETIREMENT. > An. explanation! was tendered to the ! House last night by the Minister for ' Agri culture respecting the resignation of Mr Jl A. Qitruthj chief veterinarian^ whose * salary Mr Herries ' moved to re- j duce by £1, m order to obtain some information on the subject. •Thfe> Hon. R. McNab, m, his reply, read a communication received by him from Mi* Gilruth. through the Secretary of Agriculture^ dated August 7, explaining that some time previously he had received a communication from Melbourn e? intimating that a Chair of Pathology was being established, and inquiring whether he would accept the position. He replied that he would accept it, as it was.. such a position that few men would decline. He had since been informed ,by ' cable that he had been appointed. When he was desired to take up his new duties he was not then informed; but it- would not be -imtil the beginning of the new year. In a courteous letter, the Minister requested that his congratulations be conveyed to Mr Gilruth, pointing but that the Victorian authorities, departing from the well laid- down custom of sending to England', had shown great confidence m the veterinary service of the Dominion,' and also through making the offer direct without the usual method of calling for offers. Arrangements would be; made to suit Mr Gilruth's convenience, to relieve him of his duties when he desired it. Mr Hemes asked- who was to be Mr Gilruth's successor, expressing the opinion that Mr, Reakes appointment to the position w,ould meet with the approval of every member who knew anything about the Veterinary. Department. He also asked if. there was any intention to reorganise the Department, , and suggested that the ; Agricultural ' Department should be split up, add the division placed under the direct control of the Minister. T The Minister for Agriculture replied that m connection with hisi administration he tried to make a rule that when the head of- a department was removed to give the men of all grades a step np, He had informed Mr Reakes that if Mr Gilrufcli left the first refusal of the position would be offered to him. This was. not a time for him to suggest a reorganisation of the " Department; as it might be inferred 1 as a reflection upon Mr Gilruth, whom he assumed hadi a good internal organisation throughout: If, however, when Mr * Reakes assumed charge he had any proposal to make, it would receive consideration. Referring, to the relations of one division, of the Department .to another, the Minister added that the time would come when the various departments would have to bo; drawn -into closer touch with, the Ministerial head, but he. had no 'intention of making a change this year. He had no . doubt that tlie Department would some day require a Minister to devote the . whoje 7 of Lis> time to What was- going to-be -'an enormous department. The Minister must • know something of the -details . of . his Department to be able to answer the many questions of- members and the public. He would lose control nnless he could keep m touch with the whole of the Department, and at present it' was a great tax. Satisfaction was expressed at the nature, of the^statement, and Mr Herries' motion. was allowed to go by the board. THE - ESTIMATES DISPOSED OF. "> Tlie Estimates w.erp. finally,, disposed of this morning. The following votes were passed: State coal mines. £319,123; Maori land settlement, £737; Public Trustees' . account, £49,914;. Government insurance, .£70,354; Government accident insurance, £B^lo ;• State fire insurance, £13,313 ; -Advances'- to Settlers' management, £156,773; -Advances to Workers, £11,023.The House rose at 1.20 a.m. SCENERY PRESERVATION. . The Scenery Preservation Vote, £9745, was passed with practically no comment. Poultry graders. Considerable surprise was expressed by the Leader of the Opposition that £3000 should be paid for the preparation of poultry for export whenc there were only 9117 pairs valued at £1831 exported last year. The Minister replied that £3000 was refunded to the State. Thus there was no cost to the country. Mr Massey considered the explanation unsatisfactory, declaring it was evident the staff must be employee; m produce for the local market. The Hon. R. McNab explained that they had to retain a staff . at* export places sufficient, to deal with theY rush, anil he saw no reason why they should not make use of the men's service for grading as they were doing. It

did nob increase the cost, but rather diminished it. AFFORESTATION. "To encourage afforestation the man i who plants trees should be exempted from taxation so far as his land and [ trees are concerned," urged the Leader of the Opposition, when the State Forest Vote, £27,416, was under review. We owed ' it to posterity that something should be done,, he. said, to replace the forest that had gone up' m smoke and ashes. Hon. R. McNab stated that the reason for the vote . being lower than last, year was that the number of nurseries' iiad been reduced owing to several of the smaller ones being unprofitable. A scheme, he said, was at present under consideration, and which he hoped; to submit to , the country. : The plan. was not to exempt taxation; Tha> was;onlya small item, compared with what he'; had m view. Fanners generally were ignorant of forest conditions. Outlining his plan the Minister . said that if a farmer planted a given, area*' and protect, ed it effectually frpin stock, planting the trees according -to specifications, he hoped to see the time when the State would supply the trees free of cost. The annual taxation was a mere bagatelle. It was the initial cost which made farmers hesitate to put m trees. Plants would cost £7 per acre at- the rate of 2720 . per acre, f our : feet .apart. Mr' Hemes said' he .Would be glad to see the trees snplied free, -but the chief cost was, fencing. He asked that trees be given free to schools, for Arbor Day. The Minister, replied that he was satisfied the difficulty with the farmer was the cost of trees , which worked out at about : £3 per thousand. -•■ JOTTINGS. , "With private enterprise (m State coal) the peoples. are being -.fleeced like the sheep on the.' hills."— Sir Hogg.