PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 158, 27 July 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

PER FBEBB ASSOCIATION:. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, 26th July. The Council met at 1.30 It was resolved, on Hen. W, T, Jenning's motien, and on the casting vote of the Speaker, that a retarn b< furnished showing for the ptet fin years(l) The number of birthf registered and the number of vaccinations reoerded, (2) How many cases for non-cempliance With the eompn] sory claures have been constituted bj registrars for" the past five anc how many persons were fined for re fusing to have their children vaccia< ated. The Lands for Settlement Acl Amendment Bill wag read a fret time. The Cemetery Trustees Validatioi Bill pined all stiges. The Police Offences Act Amendmtnl Bill was reidasecendtime, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The second readiog of the Referendum Bill was adjoarned after a epeeet by Hob.G. McLean in opposition. At 4 5 p.m. the Council adjourned till 8 p.m. Evbnihq Sitting, The Council met -and p«ssed th« Imprest Supply Bill for £470,000 through all its stages without amendment. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES Thubsday, 25th July. i j After the Telegraph Ofiie closed lasl s night the debate on the ssetion for thi . third rsading ef the Lands for Settle . Bill was centiaued. Hon. C. H. Hills defended tbi valuers under the Advances to Settlen . Department from the charge ef unfaii t valuing. f Captain Russell condemned a Fair i Rent Bill bated on the revaluation of . leases in perpetuity, as itwasadeliber- , ate and wanton fraud on Crown ten--9 ants to suggest a revaluation. Clause 8, providing far the number of applii can's for land bv ballot to bo reduced . to the number of sections available, was g also absurd. The provision for cem- " pulsary acquisition had, he declared, e been us d for political parrots r Other members spok", the Premier • replied, and the third rending wa< s carried by, 32 to 6 And the Bill passed its final stages, i The House adjourned at 3.28 a.m. « # 1 Friday, 26' h July. f The Hoose met at 2.30 p.m. 8 police ADitraimmoir. • The Imprest Supply Bill wai # brought down by Governor's message, ' On the motion to go ia f o Committee ol Supply for its consideration, Mr, * Fisher moved an amendment that a S l»ct Committee b* appointed to in- * quire into the conduct of the Pelice . Depavtmenfc as administered by Cona- ; misrionvr Tunbridge. He said he was ' prompted to hring for**-d thii 1 motion because of the widespread complaint* through the colony at the ad- ? minirtration of the police force bj Commissioner Tunbridge. He wished tp make it clear that the motion in »c 8 way applied to the rank and file of the 0 force. Its scope was limited to Oom- * miisioner Tunbridge. an«l the higher 9 officers who were directly under his 1 control. He proceeded to make a 8 series of charg«e eeamst the Commie sioner, going very fully into details. Hon. J. McQowan defended Comt missioner Tunbridge, and said he had ' always found him mo t anxiou* to do the sevioe of the colony in the be<t J manner end to do fairly by 01 1 cagesthu c >me before him Mr. Fioher h d not one strong instance against the 1 Comaaistioner. If it could be shown " that Commissioner Tunbridge had done anything against any of his officers, he (Mr. McGowan) would be only teo will- • iaff to facilitate an enquiry inte the ' matter, but no'hirjg had com* tinder 1 his notice which wou'd warrant such ' action. Mr. Millar said the whole trouble r was that the Commissioner was too ' clever for the schemers in the police ' force. Mr. Wilford contended matters were ' not satisfactory in the police forci in " Welliitßton. ' Mr. Napier said in Auckland matters wer« rna«t satisfactory. ' Mr. S'ddon said they should keep this maHer out of politics, as political interference in the put had be»n detriurntal to the police force. He i highlycomplimented the Cimmission»r. He had been told b fnre approaching 1 him th«t he was one of the ablett men ia the swvio? at Home, and sine* hie arrival here he had done first-rlaii work. The Government desired to have the pslice force kept a* perfect and independent as possible, and did not want to eave it dragged into politi-1 ■ callife. I»i would not promote harmony in the force or further the ends of i justice to hive these charges b inifiid abiut on the floor o f the House, and he hoped the member f r Wellington would withdriw hit amendment and let the House get, on with the Bill. A large number of other members spoke, the tone ef the digcursion being strongly in defence ef the Commissioner's adminis^ra'ion. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment Evmrara Sittikg. The Hou«e resumed at 7.30. _ Mr. Fisher's ameadrcent was negatived on the voices. imprest supply. The House weat into Committee of Supply for the purpose of putting the Imprest Bupply Bill for £470,000 through its final stages. Captain Russell pointed out there was an increase ef .£190,000 in imprestto date as compared with the corresponding period of last year. Mr. Seddon said tbe increase in the estimates was very largo, in addition to which there were very hrge ord-'r-from the Agent-General. The nddi tional imprest was due to increased general expenditure, both in the Public Works Fund and the Conaolidated Fund. Captain Rus<eU contended that tbel Premier should give the House some [ idei of the nature of the increased expenditure. j Mr Srddwi replied that if t>/> t» v! lie W tks expe- dit; e wa i.. p. : J the impr>st'uustal in ; I 1 ■ "ply t.> Mr, M.:sseylo %•••! -i. i,ey;. had b?en expended in acc rd nee with the direcions of Parliament. * Cap*a;n Russe'l desired to know | when the Financial Statement and Estimates would be b: nug'it down. I, [Three months of *he finan;i.-.l yoar hsd 1 J gone, and £940,000 had already beers ' vo»ed for imprest this year, and mem-1 i ;bers had to idea how tit* aesey had b«si» spent, j

down tne gutememi^^^^^^H Than *u tb# Stateme^^^^^H jnr. «u preiect rate of the finances carefally, verament was deaireus of aasittanse of members aa aoon^^^H Tha Bill piaud through witheut amendment. On tha motion for tha third readingl) Mr. Mvsay enquired why a retaro, shewing- tha travelling «m«m of Ministers, had not yet baas bid on tba ttble. The Premier weuld lad hie estimates would ga through quioker and aaaier if tkie return ware forthcoming. Mr. Sadden said the return referred to bad bean overlooked through atraaa af other bueines* but it would ba availi able ia a day or two. There was no n»ces«ty to keep the return baek, aad : there was no warrant for attemptiagte make capital out of the Blatter, Tha increased imprest was due te the foot ! that expenditure was going up aod was already in excess of last year. Certain red uc ions in taxation had fren promised, and he referred particularly ts the mortgage tax; but was afraid these remissiqns oould not be granted unless an increase waa made in another direction, viz,, ia the graduated laad tax. The Bill then pauad its final stages. SECOND HEADINGS. Mr. R. MoKenzie moved the aeooad reading of the Uiners' Rights Fee Ba* duct ion Bill, which, after a skert , debate was agreed to on tha voices. Mr Baroliy moved the seooad reading of the Shops and Bhep Assistants Act Amendment 811, whioh waa agreed ; to on the voioes. i Mr. £ll moved the tecond reading < f the Totalisator Abslitioa Bill, which fave rise to considerable ditoustioo. i Tbe debate waa interrupted by tha i 1030 adjournment, and the "tin • rose.