PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 36, 27 September 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, September 26. The House met at 2.30. FOUL ATMOSPHERE OF THE HOUSE. Replying to a complaint by Mr Craigio as to the foul atmosphere of the chamber, and illness of members caused thereby, Sir Joseph Ward said the pressure of visitors to the galleries was mainly responsible and must >o stopped.

Tim matter was referred to the Standing Orders Committee to consider. THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. On the motion of Sir Joseph Ward to go into committee of supply, Mr Laurenson moved as an amendment that t|m timo had arrived when the seat of the Government should he removed from Wellington.' He contended that the present capital city was not made by nature for the purpose. Tim amendment was lost by 33 to 22. THE ESTIMATES. A general discussion then ensued on fcho original motion. Mr Massey referred to what lie called the unfair distribution of Government advertisements. Messrs Herrios, Jennings and Okey put old soldiers’ claims for consideration, apart from old ago pensions. These references to old soldiers Sir Joseph Ward characterised as “nothing short of political hypocrisy.” The magistrate’s reports on the claims of old soldiers ovould bo shortly la■ d on the table of the House. Tim arguments on the subject made hint sick, and be never Beard such twaddle served up by the Opposition. As to advertisement there were 83 New Zealand papers which did not receive Government advertisements at all, and he believed these papers supported the Government. The House went into committee to consider the Estimates.

On class 4, railways £2,375,000, Mr Massey suggested that the railway estimates 1)0 deferred until the railway jommittee reported upon petitions now before it.

Mr Arnold, chairman of the Railways Committee, said it would bo a fortnight 'before the committee’s .report wore completed and finished, and then there would not be full time to Oisouss the matter.

The Minister said the proper time' to discuss the matter would bo when the Government brought down the Bill to increase salaries, as had been promised. He would keep the Rill hack as late in the session as possible, *o that members would bo in possessor of all available evidence. He wanted the House and the public to know exactly what the position was. !'hc opportunity for full discussion would come this session. Mr Hcrdman asked the Minister te. ;ay how it was that railways in the South Island don’t pay, while those ■ in the North Island do pay. He would ilso like to know whether certain j>pairs were paid out of revenue or out of capital. It was quite impossible to discover from the accounts 1 ow much of the alterations and repairs were paid out of capital or revenue, 'file House adjourned. EVENING SITTING, in the House in the evening the vote for working railways was further considered. Mr Masoy asked the Minister for Railways to make an alteration in the present scale of suburban fares. Mr Poole asked for revision of classification of freights. Mr G. Thomson urged that railway tickets should be transferrablo and available any day. The Hon. J. A. Millar pointed out that many of the requests made would result in a loss to the Department. Ho had been asked to reduce charges and rates and add to the service. Whore, he asked, was the money coming from? It was impossible to derive revenue from the service if such

demands were acceded to. He declined to entertain the proposal to make tickets transfcrrahlo and usable at any time. The system in vogue enabled the Department to have a i check on tickets which would not. otherwise he the case.

Continuing, Mr Millar said the question of carriage of food stuffs on railways would bo considered. He could give no promise to extend suburban rates to branch linos. He had been asked to reduce charges on hard timbers, but this he could not do, as this class of timber was more than twice as heavy as the ordinary article. There had long been preferential tariff in favour of New Zealand timbers to protect them against imported timbers. Ain Herdman sought an explanation of the increased cost of maintenance of railways from £229.91 per mile last year to £253.58 this year. The Minister explained that a great deal of relaying was going on. Wellington, September 27. After midnight the railways vote was passed. Mr Massey suggested at. 12.25 that as the next vote was one of the most important classes in the Estimates the House should adjourn. The Premier refused to accept the suggestion. The Committee then took Class IV. public buildings, domains, and maintenance of roads, a total of £91,488. On the item for maintenance of roads, Mr Massey asked for details of tbo expenditure of a sum of £29,502 spent last year. Mr Homes asked for details of work for the present year. The vote was given in one sing, and it should be split, up. The Minister promised to lay n return of last year’s expenditure on the table. The vote was passed. Mr Massey moved to ropoit progress, which was defeated by 32 to 15. Tr.e next class taken was the Native Department. Mr Massey protested at this class being taken at that late hour, arid said ho could assure the Minister that if ha insisted he would not got homo in time for breakfast. Sir Joseph Ward said ho had not the slightest objection. Mr Massey said he was not going to be driven. The Premier: It is entirely a mailer for the House to decide whether it is going to do a reasonable amount of work for the day. Mr Massey moved an amendment that the item of £375 for the President of the Waikato-Maniapoto Land Board be reduced by £1 as an indication that he was placed in an improper position as trustee of land which was lately native land at Mokau, and which was now in the hands of private individuals, and he was receiving payment for acting as such. Negatived by 29 to 15. The total vote was passed, and the House rose at 2.30 a.m.