PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 31, 21 September 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, September 20. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Attorney-General welcomed the Speaker (Sir Charles Bowen), who has just returned from a visit to England. The Hon. Call an moved the second reading of the Gua'rdian Trust and Executors’ Company Amendment Bill, passed lay the House, which is intended to remove certain doubts as to whether the company is empowered to act as a trustee under any deed or will, and also certain other doubts in connection with the operation cf the Property Law Act, 1903. The Bill was read a second time. , After a brief discussion, in which the Hon. Samuel and others pointed to the necessity of the Government taking stops to ensure the solvency ol such companies, the Hon. Rigg moved to disagree with the Library Committee’s report, forbidding the issue of any works of fiction to hon. members during a Parliamentary recess. The motion was lost by ]-! to 9. The Friendly Societies’ Amendment Bill and the Stone Quarries . Amendment Bill wore read a second time, and the Council rose.

HOUSE OF FIEF RES ENT AT IVES. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. PURGING THE ROLLS. Replying to Mr Massey, the Premier said he had ordered the purging of the rolls to cease to give sufficient time to ascertain if legislation was necessary to deal with the matter. It was beyond all doubt that the rolls would lie all right before the elections, if necessary he would later on ask Parliament to sanction a measure enabling him to put on sufficient officers to ensure that all persons over 21, who had been twelve months in the country and one month, in ai district, are on the rolls. The Family Homes Protection Bill (Mr Massey) was road a first, time. An Imprest, Supply Bill was introduced by Governor’s message, and consideration of it was deferred until the evening. AUCKLAND-VANCOUVER SERVICE. Sir Joseph Ward gave notice to move a motion authorising the Government to join with Canada in establishing a mail service between Auckland and Vancouver, the contract to he for five years, and payment by New Zealand not to exceed £20.000 per annum, vessels to be of not less than 6000 tonnage, with first-class passenger accommodation, and fitted with refrigerating machinery, and the journey between the two ports not to exceed nineteen days. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Minister, replying to questions, said that steps had been taken, and other steps were being taken, to prevent persons suffering from disease immigrating to New Zealand. All youths who were desirous of proving a claim to exemption under clause 92 of the Defence Act are afforded the fullest opportunity of doing so through the non-commissioned officer of the permanent staff in charge of the area in which applicants reside. That of Hie sum of £2OO voted last year for the renovation of military graveyards and headstones, only £lO had been expended, no applications having been received by the Defence Department from local bodies in this connection. The House adjourned. EVENING SUITIN'G. When the House resumed this evening, Mr Massey enquired whether the Government proposed proceeding with the Town Planning Bill. Sir Joseph Ward replied that it was not intended to go on with a Bill which took the power of control from the Govern or-in-Council. On a motion to go into committee of supply on the Imprest Bill, Mr, Massey referred to the neglect of the Government to lay on the table the returns ordered, some as far back as last session. This lie characterised as little, short of contempt of Parliament. Mr Herrics asked for some information regarding the five million loan. There was, lie said, no information in the Budget. Very little of the loan had been converted as far as ho could see. Mr Buick expressed pleasure that iho Government had decided on the castenrisation of milk and were pushing on the policy of experimental .aims. Ho complained that the Premier’s promise to erect a dairy school at Palmerston North had not been fulfilled. M'' Allen referred to the unrest at Tonga ,and said the Tonga ns were lot ting to New Zealand to s i t' mgs i:gl.t They had asked to be placed under the control of New ZealinJ, and if Now Zealand did not move in the matter, Australia would. Mi Buchanan pointed to the fact that railway freight charges for saeop •vO"e dearer in New Zealand :t at, in Victoria. f M ■ Wright, reintroducing the 1 ? iof Justice’s report on the Goo'.: island; maintained that the charges levied against the Government had been proved. Replying to am interjection by Mr Glover, Mr Wright stated that Mr Glover knew more about, bookmakers than the matter under discussion. Mr Glover pleaded guilty to having once been a bookmaker, and challenged Mr Wright’s ability to rise from the base to the apex as he had. Sir Joseph Ward, replying on tho subject to-night, said that nothing that bad occurred had to do with New Zealand and Now Zealand could not interfere. He declared that the financial affairs of tho Dominion compared favourably with other countries. As v.) the five million loan, bo bold that oven tho Port of London loan of two millions had not done as well as curs.

Wellington, September 21. In the House, after 2 a.m., the Imprest Supply Bill passed through all its stages.* The House rose at 2.10.