PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 210, 26 August 1908, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.-Press Association. Wellington, Last N ght. Ihv! Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington Empowering Bill, and vVeJlingion Harbor Board Lmpoiverinu Bill were read a second time. ° The Hon. Trask resumed the interrupted debate on the Hon. Barr's motion urging particularly we advsubility of granting married workers special exemptions from taxation, i u urdcr to encourage parenthood. Mr. Burr, lie said, might, have indicated how the Coveruincnt should meet the problem. The Hon. BouisSou thought the Council would sympathise w ill the motion, lire vote oi the Council would show whether the Uoveruineiil relied upon increased birth-rate or increased immigration for.the growth ol uopiiln-

filter several other members ban spoken, tne Attorneyvijeneral said many of Air. Barr's .proposals wewr more or less practical. ±'h u Government had done mud in the direction of assisting the married. JKoferriw to the birth-rate, he said if the population did not increase at a greater rate, New Zealand would become a decadent nation like Friracc, which could not bold her present position. The Coveimnent should assist tnose who had •assumed responsibilities of pareuta"e. City life tended to a decrease of population, country life towards an increase. High rents also told against an increase of the population. The Government had done much to increase land settlement. We could not become a great manufacturing nation, and must help tho larmer. Uy so doing we would increase the prosperity oi the country.

The Hon. Barr, i.i reply, said land settlement could not completely solve the problem, because there. must always be city workers. Children should receive free railway and tramway carriage. The motion was carried on the »oicus, and the Council adjourned at •j p.m. till 8.30 p.m.

HOuiSK OF KEI'IiJioJiiNXATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. In reply to Mr. Poland, the Hon.. McGowan said lie would inquire into the' position at the Talisman mine. In reply to Mr. Massey, Sir Joseph said the Government intended to put through its whole programme. The Arbitration Bill would be proceeded with after tihe Estimates and Public Works Statement and Estimates had been disposed of.

Tire Imprest Supply Bill, No. 3, for £1,220,000, was put through after' a protracted discussion upon railway construction in various parts of the colony, and advocated in elwtionecring speeches by several members. The Prime Minister, replying to the speeches made, said the cry Nor till, versus South was the most detestable cry ever heard in the. House. The Government would allocate the public funds fairly, without reference to the electioneering speec'hes made by members. The second reading was carried on tho voices. The Prime .Minister stated that CoOO.OOO in the Bill was for the purchase of matured debentures. Hie Manawa-tu Company could pay interest on that sum at the rate of 4 per cent, until the acquisition of the line on December Hist.

The House adjourned at 5..')0 p.m. and resumed at 7.30. O.i the motion in connection with the' third reading of thy imprest Bill, the Premier stated that the authorisation of half a million from ihe Public Works Fund would not prejudice tho expenditure on ordinary public works. In reality not one shilling \vouhl be taken from the public works authorisation. A long discussion followed on a variety of topics, during which the ne,gleet of country districts in the matter of roads was pointed out with considerable force by several members. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, said the greatest success on the matter of land settlement had been in connection with the small settlement associations. Keplying to Mr. Herries, he said the suburban rates were cheaper in New Zealand than hi any other State of Australasia. Whether the Government should encourage suburban residence by extending workers' tickets to a greater area was another matter. They were doing all they could in the interest of all classes of the country with due regard to its solidity. The Bill was read a third time and parsed.

The following Bills were introduced by message from the Governor and read a first time:—The Government Advances to Settlers' Amendment, Local Bodies Loans Amendment.

The amendments made by the Legislative Council to the xNew Zealand Society of Accountants' Bill were agreed

The Pawnbrokers Charges liill passcil the committee stage. The Civil Service Amendment Bill also passico? the committee stage unamended, The Tauiio No. 2 Block liill (Mr.. .McNa.li), to repeal section 32 of the Mauri Claims Adjustment and Laws Amendment Act, li)(l(i, was read a second lime without discussion. The Public Holidays Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to thi! Industries and Commerce Bill Committee. ' Tim Imprest Supply Bill was received from the Council, having passed that body. (Left Sitting).