PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 64, 30 October 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (I’er Press Association. , Wellington, October 28. In the afternoon an amendment mauc in iiia House by Governor's iUwssage to the rest and 'J.eiegrapn jjiu, uas agreed to. ino Attoi ney-General gave reasons why the Council's amcrminent in the Workers' Compensation mil should he insisted on. rue Coal Mines Amendment and. Tamil Land Drainage mill were received from tne House and read a first time. Hon. Sinclair entered an emphatic piotest against Bills being introduced during the dying hours of tlie session. He regarded it as a travesty on legislation that Bills such as these should be sent down on the last day of the session. Opportunity, ho contended, should be given to make full enquiry into conditions surrounding- any measure which came before the Council.

Hon. Carncross also objected to messages such as these being brought down from the House on tiie last day of olio session. Bringing Bills down as was done was a deliberate attempt to force measures through when a number of members had gone away, and it was calculated the balance of members would force the measures through in their anxiety to get home. Hon. Barr, jonkinson, and Samuel also entered protests. On division the second reading of the Coal Mines Bill was defeated by 11 to o. the voting being:—Ayes: Sir John Findlay, Hons. Baylie, Bigg, Paul, Beehan, Baldy; and Noes: Barr, Jonkinson, Gilmer, Carncross, Collins, Longhnan, Anstey, Thompson, McGowan. Samuel, and Sinclair. The Council adjourned until 7 o’clock to enable further conferences to take place on the amendments by the Council in the Native Land Claims djnstmont R; ll and the Workers’ Conference Bill.

On resumption the Appropriation Bill was cut through’ all its stapes, and tho Council, after farewelling Sir John Findlay, finally adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tho House resumed at 2 o’clock

The House agreed to tho report or the conferences between the Council and the House on the subject of tho Council’s amendments in the Workers’ Compensation for Accidents Bill, and the Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill.

A Governor’s Message was received, striking out tho clause in the Mining Amendment Bill referring to contracts. This was done on tiie clause being in conflict with tho Lien Act. The amendment was carried. A new clause was added to the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill, providing that on the recommendation of the land board of tho district that Crown tenants of land other than settlement lands, which have not been opened for selection, subject to the provisions of the Bush and Swamp Crown Lands Settlement Act, 1903, of section 127 of the Land Act, 1908, should he afforded relief, owing to exceptional circumstances over which they have no control preventing pro--11 table occupation of such lands. The Governor in his discretion may by proclamation declare any suen sections referred to in the Land Board’s recommendation to he subject to the provisions of section 127 of the Land Act, 1908, and may fix in tho said proclamation the period for which the land so proclaimed shall be exempt from payment of rent and general rates and exercise with regard to these lands all the powers conferred on him by section 12/ of the Land Act, 1908. 'i lie proclamation would be submitted to Parliament within twenty-one days of the date of issue if Parliament was sitting, and twenty-one days after the opening of Parliament if the proclamation occurred during the recess. The House resumed at 7;30 p.m. It was announced that an agreemen had been come to with the Legislative Council on the subject of the Council’s amendments in the Native Lands Claims Adjustment Bill. Hie Appropriation Bill, providing for an expenditure of £5,593,47b, already authorised under various headings of the Estimates, was put through all its stages. Valedictory speeches were made by Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. Massey, concerning Sir Win. Stewart, Messrs. Lawry, Parata, Hall, Graham, Dillon and Phillips, who are retiring from political life.

The Prime Minister, on behalf of the House, paid tribute to the Speaker _ (Sir Arthur Guinness), the Chairman of Committees (Mr. Colvin), and the officers of the House. The members, Sir Joseph added, wore parting as friends, and lie hoped they would return as friends.

CLOSED DOWN,

FINAL SCENES

Wellington, October 28. The last session of Parliament closest last night. For some considerable time during the afternoon the whole work of Parliament was blocked by Hon .Wi Pere, the Maori member in the Upper House, because he could not get a clause in one of the Bills framed to his satisfaction. The two Houses disagreed, and it took three conferences and a good deal of persuasion with the representative of the native race to effect a compromise. Just about six o’clock it really seemed as if the persistent Maori might keep the Parliament going into next week.

WJiilo tho House was waiting for tlic printing office to catch (up with its great press of work, tho Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition made valedictory speeches in regard to those members who are voluntarily severing their connection with tho House of Representatives. Sir Win. Steward, Messrs. Lawry, Parata, Hall, Dillon, and Phillips spoke in reply, and tho House adjourned till 10 p.m. On resuming, tho usual friendly speeches by tho leaders on each side of the House were made, and the usual compliments to Mr. Speaker and tho Chairman of Committees. There was then a long delay owing to the printing office having difficulty in getting the Hills printed in time for tho Governor’s signature. It was. midnight before the session ended, the last division was taken, and “Auld Lang Syne” and the National Anthem sung. Tho southern steamer was delayed to enable the southern members to reach their homes expeditiously, and for tho northern members especially a train was waiting at the North Island Main Trunk terminus. Tho members were all very tired, and extremely glad to get away. >

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER

Wellington, October 28

In moving the second reading of the Appropriation Bill, Sir Joseph Ward congratulated members on the work that had been done. Ho had had, he said, to give instructions to his lawyers to proceed against a newspaper

for what ho considered a gross libel, and but for an explanatory statement he would have proceeded against a private individual. Ho regarded the work done by Parliament as of great value to the country, and in this connection hq instanced the Widows’ Pensions Bill, a measure which had been adopted in no other country. The State Note Issue Bill would also bo of considerable value to the Dominion, and in his opinion would make for material improvement in the condition of the country in case of a crisis taking place. He went on to say that the proposed system of farmers’ co-opera-tive banks was going to help the small farmers by enabling them to get that help which not infrequently they could not get from private lending institutions. The amendment to the Duties Act would be the means, of producing taxation from estates which in the past had not contributed to the revenue. ■» THE OIL INDUSTRY. The assistance given to the oil industry would, lie oelieved, prove of a practicable nature, and assist in putting the industry on a commercially sound basis, separate from monopolies of other countries. Not only had exploration been carried out, but help nad beep given in the remission of Customs duty on imported machinery for oil boring purposes, and in this connection ho stated that a new and much quicker system of boring had been invented and would soon oe at work here. The result, ho believed, would be to develop tlio industry to an extent not hitherto contemplated. He was sorry they had not been able to carry out the legislation proposed for the development of THE IRON INDUSTRY. Tho Government would go carefully into the matter during tho recess. If it could be done on a proper basis, it would bo a good thing of the iron industry was established in the Dominion, and he believed that eventually it would bo a good asset to the Dominion.

SIR JOHN FINDLAY.

FAREWELLED BY THE UPPER HOUSE.

Wellington, October 28. In tho Council in the evening, while waiting for the Appropriation Bill to be sent to the Council, Hon. Jcnkinson moved that the Council place on record its appreciation of tho services rendered to the Council by the Attor-ney-General, Sir John Findlay, in his position of leader of the Council. The mover expressed appreciation of the good work done by the Attorney-Gen-eral, and his belief that ho would continue to forward humanitarian measures for the good of the Dominion. Hon. Loughnan seconded the molion, and spoke in eulogistic terms of Sir John Findlay. ITons. Beehan, Samuel, Sinclair, Anstcy, Rigg and others endorsed, and added to what had been said by the mover.

Tho motion was carried with applause. Sir John Findlay, in ‘feeling terms, acknowledged the great compliment paid him. Ho that night approached a very important stage of his life, and he left his friends in the Council with

a sense of deep regret on his part. Ho spoke in highly complimentary terms of tho good work which tho Council had done, and ho pointed to the fact that thirty-six measures had within five years been radically altered by the Council with advantage, and which alterations tho House had accepted. The ccusure which had been levelled against the Council had been tho result of ignorance. While admitting the value of the Council as a revising chamber, it was impossible to overlook the spirit of the time, and that a democracy would insist upon having song: direct contact between tho tipper House and tho people. Ho thought there would come to be a chamber have some elective element in it. He, however, objected to a ■purely elective revising chamber. In the Chamber in the evening tho amendment made in the Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill was agreed to. L ■