PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 170, 28 June 1900, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

[PUB PKBBB ASSOCIATION] LEGISLATIVE COUNOJ^ Wednesday, June 27. The Council met at 2.30 p m. """SB FIRST READINGS. ™ On the motion of the Minuter of Education, the Societies Act Amend- * ment Bill, the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Bill, and the Gompaniei Act Amendment Bill were read a fint, time. THE ADDBESSIN-BEPLY. The Hon. 0. Jones resumed the da- ■ bate on the Address-in-Reply. H«fl said the calling of labour members taV the Council had proved of benefit every respect, and he thought should have been some reference in Spsech to the re-appointment of Hong. J. Bigg and J. E. Whilst he agreed that the African war compelled New Zealand toaV look to her defences, he would be to see any approach to militarism Our young men should be trained the use but not in the abuse of arms. The Hon. F. H. Fraser believed the people would consent to a little extra taxation in order that volunteers might be more liberally treated in the future. It would be a good thing to give the inhabitants of more of the Pacing | islands an opportunity of enjoying the benefits of our civilisation and oar system of government^ The Hon. J. M. Twomey thought the number of Ministers of the Crown should be increased. In justifying Great Britain for waging war in South Africa, he stigmatised the Bo*rs ae a brutal, ignorant, and immoral people. The rejoiced that there -jheWflkHsjen such x a eon-tiouou.~-ecord of Asperity in Governors' speeches of the past seven or 4 eight years, and attributed this fortunate state of affairs to the policy inaugurated by the lute Hon. J. Ballanoe. There should be no halt in (progressive legislation, and in order to ocjmplete the railways money should be borrowed. The surplus should be devoted to defence, technical, and agricultural institutions, higher education, opqainc up of scenic and health resorts, Sand State control of liquor traffic. \ The Hon. W. T. Jennings, whiipt

thinking colonists had graver duties* than the development of a military spirit, approved of drill for school boy** the beneficial effects of which mtm already noticeable in Auckland. /He urged the encouragement of mfle Shooting Clubs. Unnecessary deDavs took place in the postal service BS Taranaki back districts. Settler* there ■ and elsewhere should be given mora *y i facilities for telephon c communication. Concessions should be given to encourage the establishment of factories in country districts, by which means overcrowding of cities would be reduced.

The Hon. A. Lee-Smith said that * the war had brought the Imperial idea more to the fore than twenty-five years of talk would have donarlu had never known the industri* of the colony to be in such a happy fend satisfactory condition as they wdre at present. He regretted the Speachdid indicate a bold railway policy. They should borrow or even £10,000,000, and railway construction a way cxpenuVur^p^^^^^^^l was greattr * but bo did n *ud he hoped the Act wt' permanent piecn of * D# Tie Hon. W. Pnkiif 0 "»oved tht idjournment tf the de***** *«» d the Council adjourned at 4.4P P' m -

HOUSE OF ItEPRESEN&TIVm V Wednesday, June 27. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr. 0. Fisher gave notice to more that th* Home is of opinion that thwf should hci ii n amend meet in the Oh> toms tariff so as to reduce the duties on tea, suf.mr, coft'ae, and simihr articles of general consumption; that the revenue so lost to the State be made op on musical instruments, silver west, furniture, carriages, etc. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence was granted SieMM Parata and Hone Heke fur one week. THE ADDKKSS-IN-BEPLY. Mr. J. McLacblan resumed the * debate on the Address-in-IU ply, and eaid he approved of the policy adopted by the Government in railway end public works prosecut i»n—that was, by giaduil p.uccs.l instead tf going in for a large loan, with all ia disadvantages. He would not agree to federation if the independence of the colony were to be sacrificed. Mr. E 1 oaid he had been returned a an 1 udepeudent Liberal, and whenever A he fouud Ministers at views he would let them know ft approved of a moderata number of Ministers and salaries. With regard jf the Service, he did not tbJJnk were to blame for thjuKpointments, as membersimDOftiipfla Ministers. He objouhed l toTue principle of raisinf——— through the customs large sums to carry on public works, instead of extracting the cost cf such works from ? the increased land values. What mi wanted was the introduction of the betterment principle in the construe- -- tion of railways as the one means of relieving the customs on necessaries. ' Mr. Arnold, a new member, defined, his position with' respect to the party

he supports. He and other young members had been sent to the House to represent certain views, and while the present Ministry tried to carry out these views they would have his loyal rapport. With regard to the remuneration of Ministers, he contended that no man should be asked to devote his whole time and ability to the interests of the country for a less sum than he would earn in a private capacity. He agreed that, no matter whether a man was employed in mental or physical work, he should not be asked to work longer than eight hours a day. and it was because Ministers had not been able to overtake their work in that time that they had broken down in health and required to be numerically strengthened. He was averse, however, to the appointment of undersecretaries. He eulogised the present system of education, but said that on account of the reduction of salaries o r teachers many of the best men were leaving the service, which must ultimately lead to deterioration in the system. The House took the 5.30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr. Arnold continued his speech on the debate on the Address-in-Reply, and said if the Government approved of the principle that eight hours was a fair day's work for men employed in either mental or physical work that principle should be extended to all its employees, including warders in gaols, who cites were oh duty 12 and even np to 15 hours a day. Mr. T. M. Wilford said it was the first occasion that he had the honour of addressing the House, and he hoped members would bear with him while he tried to elucidate a political programme that would prove instructive. He chaffed the Opposition for tbe reticence they had displayed, and hoped that before he had finished he would succeed in bringing some of them to their feet. He declared that he had been elected to support the present Administration, and he repeated their platform as the stand he would take in the House and bis attitude regarding the legislation of the Administration. Speaking on the land question, he spoke disparagingly of the native land laws, and advised that the present laws should be swept away and the whole native lands of the colony vested in the Government. Let the Government hand over to the natives the money for these lands, and If*" hem squabble over its division. : Resent they were at the mercy of and lawyers. Speaking he showed the necesamendment of the local laws in the direction of them and subsidising the local bodies for rouds and regard to the railway . the Minister recently concessions rewhile the comlines had become an Witheford, in reply, said that of the debate showed that the of the Government generally had support. Address-in-Reply was agreed to voices. QUESTIONS. reply to Mr. W. C. Hogg, who if the Government was aware the Imperial authorities prohold an.-eiaquiry inlfl>the.,-,<on-war Vi" is and OnriL tne colonies be represented thereon, Mr. Seddon said that he did not know whether it was intended to hold an enquiry, but looking at the manner in which Field-Marshal Roberts had conducted the campaign the matter of holding an enquiry might fairly be left in his hands. The Premier added that he did not think it would be wise for the colony to interfere or meddle in the matter. Replying to further questions, Ministers said that it was mainly a question of finance as to the construction of main lines and extension of existing lines; they had no objection to a committee being set up to enquire into the matter later on, after the Financial Statement had been delivered; the Government had the matter of the weight of sacks of wheat under consideration, and hoped shortly to make an announcement on the subject, but personally Mr. Ward favoured 1001b bags as the most easily handled; the Government would later on inform the House whether the capitation grant would be increased to £i; that the report of the Commissioners into the damage caused by fires by railway engines would be laid upon the table; that an experiment would be made by calling for competitive designs and tenders for a standard bridge in some

suitable locality under proper precauk tions; that the Government was not that butter served to troops on the Waimate was unfit for consumption, but that enquiries made and punishment in—the contractor had been paid a priee and should have supplied a good article; that members of the con- ™ tin gents eerving in South Africa would receive the Imperial clasp or medal, and, therefore, the Government did not think it would be wise to issue a colonial decoration; the Government appreciated the offer of the services of volunteer companies, and regretted that it could not accept the same, as the amount voted had already been exceeded, and it had accepted the services of a corps at Masterton; that it was 4 matter for Parliament, and not the Ministry, remit the succession duties imposed "on eetates of deceased persons belongicg Ito New Zealand Contingents who had lost thejr Ijyeq in South ; that the Government approved the pi inciple of an universal penny postage, but the nut'ttion is one of finance, and it did Bbt Jbiuk the time opportune for makLg a reduction ; that ! a Bill amending Re Conciliation Act would be introduced this session; thai the ijuestioL of a colonial scale of sa'aiits foi teachers was under considers'ion ; that tfr* Statement mauo that the Guvernmant had neither arnisnsraii-iiiumtioij to foster the volunteer service was not correct—on the contrary, it had thret |jme« the amount of aims for the present numerical strength of voluntas. that % Bill rajld ta ISftgght'»

; f this session to make pigeon shooting i matches illegal; that experience had now proved that rifle clubs would be useful, and Ministers would offer rifles at cost price and a certain amount of ammunition for those who proved themselves efficient shots, FIRST READINGS. The Mortgage, Miners' Eights Fee Reduction, Absolute Majority, Westport Harbour Board Loan, Removal of Women's Disabilities (by 57 to 5), Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Act Amendment, Dunedn City and Suburban Tramway, Alexandra Borough Rates Enabling, Spread of Californian Thistle in Canterbury Prevention, Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment, and Contempt of Court Bills were introduced and read a first time. BUBONIC PLAGUE. A Bill to make special provision for dealing with the bubonic plague was introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. In moving the second reading, the Hon. J. G. Ward said the Act would only operate in such distriots as were proclaimed in the Gazette, and that the Governor would have the power of a Board of Health or local authority, and, in addition, power to-direct the isolation, quarantining, inspection and curative treatment of persons, premises, - the destruction of buildings, the control of ships and such other things as he thinks expedient to deal with the plague. The expenses of administering the Act were to come out of the Consolidated Fund in the first instance, and to be refunded by the local bodies interested. He read reports from Mr. Gilruth, Drs. Fyfe and Mason, that the case of Kelly at Auckland was one of true bubonic plague, which showed the necessity of the Government taking active steps to prevent the spread of the plague. He was sorry that the plague bad broken out in the northern city, and was sure the House would sympathise, and he hoped the House would assist the efforts of the Government to stamp it out with the least trouble and interference with the trade of the colony. If the Auckland representatives were not satisfied with the reports of the authorities named, the ! Government was quite prepared to send ov«r to Dr. Thomson, of Sydney, who was a high authority on the subject, to ' make an examination and report. Mr. Bollard said the people had no ' confidence in Dr. Mason and Mr. Gilruth as bacteriologists. Mr. Jackson Palmer recognised that the Government would have to be guided by their experts, but he, personally, seriously doubted that the case in question was one c f bubonic plague. | Mr. Seddon said, even if the case in question was not bubonic plague, there would be no harm in passing the Bill, He objected to the statement that the officers appointed to conduct the extmina ion were not efficient experts. They would be n anting in their duty if they did not take every s'«p to prevent the t-pref.d, au>l he asked the blouse to invtst the Government with power to that eud. Mr. Fowlds said the crux i f the Bill lay in the clause of taking out d the funds of local authorities the cost of administering the Act &vd saddling them with the cost. (Left sitting.)