HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13566, 6 November 1912, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tlie House, met at noon to consider local Bills.'

The Wanganui Harbour District and Empowering Bills -No. i and iN'o. 2 were struck oil' the order paper.

The Opunako Harbour Amendment and the Hawko's Bay itivers Amendment Bills were road a third time, and passed.

The House- then . adjourned, and .resumed at 2.30 p.m.

A report on public health was presented by the Hon. ii. Jbi. lihodos. He stated tiiat the- death-rate for the liominion tor the year was 9.39, compared with 9.71 for 1910. The lowest rate on record was in 1896, when the figures were 9.10. TJio birth-rate for the year was 25.97 per thousand.

Mr. G. W. Kussa.i askod the Premier what steps the Government intended to take in connection with relief for the relatives of those killed in the Mount ijyell mine disaster!

The Premier replied that the Government would consider the matt-er to-mor-row. They had to remember that £1000 had had to be transferred to the miners' relief fund, which was in a baiikrupt state; also that the Government had practically to take over the maintenance of the Waihi hospital since the strike commenced.

The House went into committee on the Barmaids Registration Bill. A new clause was added, on the motion, of the Premier, providing that every -person who was, on the passing of the_Licensing Amendment Act, 1910, entitled on application to b© registered as a barmaid, but who failed to make application within the time- limit, shall be entitled to be registered as a barmaid it the application is nm-de- by her in the prescribed manner on, or before, theiinst of June next.

The Committee considered the Land Agent® legist-ration liijl.

The Premier accepted an amendment proposed- by Mr. C. E. Statham, which provided that licensed auctioneers carrying on private business as land agents should be brought within the scope of the Bill, and the period extended within which a laud agent shall tender an account of a sale by a vendor from 14 to 28 days. ■> A -clause providing that land agents shall pay a fee of 10s every time they change their address was .struck out.

The Barmaids Registration Bf.l and the Land Agents Registration Bill were read the third tim© and passed.

The Plumbers Registration Bill was committed.

The House then adjourned and resumed at'7.3o p.m.

The Plumbers Registration Bill was reported with minor amendments from committee.

The Hon. W.- Eraser moved tho second reading of the Railways Authorisation Bill. The idea of the Bill was to enable the Department to make surveys, and estimate the probable cost of contemplated line®. In most of the lines proposed he thought light lines would be found suitable

Sir Joseph Ward said the Bill was to b£ commended, because it did not authorise any expenditure on proposed railways. If light lines were adopted the present gauge would have to bo adhered to, and the whole matter would have to be gone into carefully. Tho experience of New- Zealand was that light lines were ultimately the most expensive system of construction. If private X>eiople were to be allowed to construct light lines there wou'd be a great deal of political jobbery. The estimates this year ..-provided for £600,000 more than was .snent on public works last year, yet it was rumoured that work was to be stopped on several lines. Mr. W. C.\ Buchanan declared that there were three lires—Picton, Nelson, and .Kanakawa —on which £1,000,000 had been lost.

Mr. G. J. Anderson advodated the betterment system on light lines. Tho Hon. R. McKonzie said some of the lines were political lines of the worst description. The Railway Bill was read the second time.

The Hon. W. F. Massey moved the second reading of tho Shearers' and Agricultural Labourers' Accommodation Amendment 'Bill, which was- agreed tc on tho 'voices.

The Public Service- Classification Superannuation Amendment Bill, and the Education Amendment Bill, were reported with amendments. (Left sitting.)