PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 54, 18 October 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(.Perl Pros? Association.) Wellington, October 17

The Council mot at 2.50

!t was resolved to suspend the Standing Orders to enable local Dills to ho put through all stages at one sitting. The Attorney-General moved in the dilection of confirming the approval of laying the new Pacific -cat; So between Now Zealand and Australia, the

motion being similar to that recently passed by the House. Tim debate was adjourned till next day, and the Guardian ’I rust and Executors’ Company Amendment Bill was brought forward. At the repott stage the Hon. Air Jcnkinson moved the adjournment ol the debate on the ground that the evidence before the committee ought to be before the Council before dealing further with the Bill. The motion for adjournment was lost by 20 votes to JO, and the report was adopted by 19 to 9. On the motion of the Hon. Mr

‘damned, it was agreed that the e\ iclnue before the Private Bills Committee of the (Inardian Trust and Executors’ Company Amendment Bill bo laid on the table. It was also resolved to .agree with the Governor’s amendment to the Friendly Societies Hill, eliminating the Council’s amendment in clause 2, sub-clause J, thus practically leaving the Bill as it came from the House.

The Patents, Designs and Trades Marks Bill was read a third time and passed. The Administration Amendment Hill was passed, and the Kaikoura Hospital Site Dill (Sir J. G. Findlay) and local Dills passed by the House were put through all their stages u ithout amendment.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATiVESi

The House mat at 2.30

Replying to Mr Russell, who asked if tJio'CJ overnment could see its way clear to perpetuate the memory of Mr E. Gibbon Wakefield, founder of New Zealand, Sir Joseph Ward said the memory of the founder of the country should be perpetuated in a fitting manner. An incentive should bo given to the. people to contribute to such funds. Ho was prepared to make provision in the Supplementary Estimates lor a £ for £ .subsidy up to a certain amount to make provision for the perpetuation of the memory of a great and remarkable man, the Minder of New Zealand. The Volunteer System.

The Prime Minister wished to place on record the country’s appreciation of the volunteer system which had boon in force for over fifty years. Tito Country’s Credit. Speaking to a return laid on the table of the House, Mr Allen said the figures contained therein gave the net indebtednes of the country as two millions less than given in the Budget. Sir Joseph Ward said that under the Act internal reserves could not lie included in the Public Debt. There had been no mistake in the figures in the Budget. The amount mentioned by Mr Allen was the accumulated sinking funds of the Lands for Settlement Acts, and these could not be set against tiie gross public debt. He wont on to complain of tile way papers relating to the financial transactions of the Dominion which had been placed on the table of the House were sent Home to financial houses by the “phonographs of the Opposition,” with the utnjpst«.rogfu» l.irity, for the purpose oT' hdverUsing financial transactions, thereby injuring the credit of the country. Such procedure was not conducive to tiie financial ’welfare • of the Domini u, and could not be called the conduct of a patriot. Mr Alien denied over having sent or having caused to be sent to England anything of the nature suggest ed by Luo 1 emior. He had teen in England and had on eveiv por:-;,.h- ---- i.ii c.plvl' 1 tlm i.r.ii.o r.l (ciulition of the Domiion. The information lie was accused of -lissc minuting could lie found in tiie official year bonk. A tab o there set forth dates of maturity of loans Sir Joseph Ward said the maturity of loans was quite a different matter to the renewal. it was informationconcerning the latter that he was referring to. This was circulated amongst the commercial neighbours of. the financial houses the Dominion was dealing with, and such a course was most undesirable. The Loan Bill was read a first time, and the House went into Committee on several Bills. Other EJills. The Elingamito Rentaling Bill and the Duutiuxa - .i eeni.ical benool Sue hill were reported without amendment. In the Old-age Pensions Bill, Sir Joseph Ward moved a new clause to prevent fraud by tiio adoption of children. The Bill was temporarily reported to enable the Railway Authorisation Bill to be introduced by Governor’s Message. Tne Bill was read a first time. The House resumed at 7.30. Old Age Pensions Hi!!. The House went into Committee, alien tne Old-age Pensions Amendment Bill was further considered. Mr. Guinness asked why the ago of children covered by the Bill was put at 14 and not 10, as indicated in ihe Budget. The Minister said that children under the ago of 14 years wore prohibited from entering factories, and after reaching that ago they usually went to work, and it was not intended to provide for children who were out u orkiug. Sir Joseph Ward moved a now clause exempting the expenditure of si6o a year in the case of a single man, /or £9O in the case of a married man, from ranking as the income of a pensioner. Sir A. R. Guinness opposed the amendment, and suggested that tne word income as defined in the principal Act should not include money drawn from a bank. Sir Joseph Ward explained that that proposal would encourage the dissipation of savings. 'i he clause was carried by 3b to 34. Sir A. R. Guinness moved a new clause, to provide that income shall not include any money drawn from a bank or institution where it has been deposited for interest and safekeeping. Tiio Premier said the Government had already gone as far as possible in tiie increase of the burdens of the country as far as old-apensions were concerned. Sir A. R. Guinness said that in view of that he would withdraw the amendment, as he had no der-iv* to kill the Bill. He then moved a clause to provide that monies received from the sap or exchange of property, or on an insurance policy, shall not bo doomed th be income within the meaning of the Act. A r'-w clause was added to the Bill that the terms exclude aliens. Th' l 101 l was reported with the amend-

The State Guaranteed Advances Bill was put through without amendments.

The Auckland Grammar School Bill and the Education Deserves Amend meat Bill wore considered.

’The Hon. T. Mackenzie proposed to insert a provision that high school trustees should ho authorised to grant leases of reserves with perpetual right of renewal. The clause was accepted and added to the Bill, which was reported with amendments, and the committee took tlm Widow s’ Pension Bill. Air. Poland shggested that a clause

should he added giving power to the oresont tenants to surrender their loams and take up fresh leases under tn improved condition of the presept Bid.

'i’ho clause was adopted, and tho Bill reported with amendments. All the Bills that went through Committee were passed, together with the Elingamite Rehearing Bill and the Dunedin Technical School Site Bill. The Tramways Amendment Bill was recommitted with a view to adding a new clause. Wellington. October 18.

In the House, after 2 a.m., on the> Tramways Bill, a motion that ad tram cars licensed in future shall have a passage-way throughout tho portion set aside for passengers was agreed to on the voices. The Davoy clause was amended at the instance of Mr AVilford. by making it read “that all new cars shall have a passage-way in lieu of footboards.”

A motion by Air AVilford to exclude Wellington trams from the operation of the Act was lost by 29 to 15. The Bill passed its final stages, and tho House rose at 2.45 a.m.