PARLIAMENTARY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 5543, 30 July 1907, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, July 26. Mr. Barr moved for a return showing the number of estates in the colony of an unimproved kalue between £20,000 and £30,000 and every additional £IO,OOO up to £200,000. The Hastings Recreation Reserves Bill was committed, and progress reported, and tire Council adjourned until 8.30 for the Imprest Supply Bill. Having , resumed the Bill was passed through all its stages, and the Council rose. HOUSE OE REPRESENTATIVES.

A month’s leave of absence was granted to Mr. Rhodes on account of ill-hoallh.

PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE

Arising out of a petition for the erection of a bridge over the Waitomata river, the A to L petitions committee reported that it had no recommendation to make, and advised that all future petitions for the expenditure out of the Public Works Fund bo referred direct by the Classification Committee ta the Government,

Mr. Massey advocated the sotting up of a Public Works Committee to which all applications of expenditure of public works money should bo referred. The Premier said that no matter what a committee said or recommended, the Government had to allocate the amount available for public works to the best advantage, and guided by their officers they went to work in the process of selection, irrespective of anything else. The proper quarter to address a petition was the Minister of Public Works, If the Government acceded to the demands now being made, they would require ft loan of throe or four millions. Sir Joseph added that no now railway works would be undertaken, ns there were seventeen or eighteen lines ndw in hand, and to open up new lines meant the allocating of public works money in driblets. The whole tendency was to press matters on the Government in a manner that was not fair or reasonable. Ministers should not be required to stand up day after day and resist from all sides of the House applications for extraordinary expenditure. No Government, unless it desired to ruin the colony, could meet anything like the number of applications made for public works. IMPREST SUPPLY. The Imprest Supply Bill was brought down by Governor’s message On the motion to go into Committee on the Bill, Mr. Homes, referring to the railways, contended that if the Department had been properly managed, the buoyancy of revenue boasted of

in the statement would bo oven greater than it was. Ho did not see any indication of a greater effort being made to increase .the rolling stock, and lie charged the Department with short-sightedness in that respect. He complained that the not profit on the capital invested showed a very small increase during the past seven years while the not earnings per train mile had decreased from £32.69 in 1900 to £28.79 in -1906. Ho drew attention to the enormous increase in the cost of construction. He assorted that the the Auckland lines had steadily increased as revenue-producers, whilst the Invercargill lino had steadily decreased.

The Premier said ho was surprised to see Mr. Ilcrries doing what he had done on a former occasion. He thought it was unfair to try and create the impression that any favouritism was being shown to any portion of the colony. His statements were contrary to fact. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m.

The Premier, continuing, quoted figures illustrating the groat development which had taken place in railway traffic since 1805, and the efforts of the Government to cope with the increase. Ho pointed out that 120 locomotives and -168 passenger cars hail been added to the rolling stock since 1805, and showed in many other respects that demands had been mot by an increase dp to and over 100 per cent. There was no difference between the class of rolling slock in the two islands, and the same rates were in force from end to end of New Zealand. The haulage in the south was much shorter than in the north, and it was futile to endeavour to strike a general average. Competitive rates were only in operation where steamer services had to bo taken into account. The Hurunui-Bluff section was at pregent served with a' maximum service. Ho showed that the North Island, because its principal lino was incomplete, was in n different position to the South. The whole railway system in the matter of results had to bo taken as one. Local rates wore certainly in operation on nil the systems to meet particular cases, but the statement that the differentiation operated differently in the two islands was incorrect. Reviewing the increase of cost of construction the Premier pointed out that the permanent way was built to a higher standard than in the earlier days in accordance with the heavier loads it was required to carry. During the time ho had been Minister of Railways the weight of locomotives had been increased by thirty tons. Dealing with the co-oporutive system he defended it in a vigorous manner, pointing out that work had been found by this menus for large bodies of workmen who otherwise would have been worklcss. On the whole the co-operative system had been a good thing for the colony. He asserted that the railway system of New Zealand' was second to none in the world, and had been responsible for great and lusting good to ithe colony.

Mr. Homes, in replying, stated (that the revenue derived from the HurunuiBhiff line was steadily, decreasing. Referring to accidents on railways ho asserted that the per rentage was very great. In 1900 the percentage of accidents lo employees was 1 in 24, and in 1906 I in 20 ; whereas in England the figures for 1904 were 1 in 150, and 1905 1 in 154.

Mr. Massey said that at the present lime the railways of the North Island earned more per mile than the railways in the South Island. He contended that minors and mine-owners had lost considerably through the insuffioncy of the rolling-stock on the Auckland linos. So much was this loss

that out of 75 working days the miners of Huntley mine lost 13 days’ work, representing to each man': An average of £3l 10s 8d a year: Mr. Massey also briolly criticised the audit' system of the calony. He urged that the Canadian audit system should be adopted, and if not the Public Accounts Committee should be empowered to call for persons and examine them in connection with accounts. Mr. James Allen pointed out that the cost of running per mile of railways had considerably increased since 1897, when th« cost per annum was £ll9 per mile, and it 1906 £232, The Railway Department paid too much for the State Coal used. Ho asserted that : civil servants who had passed competivo examinations wore being blocked in promotion owing to other officers being promoted who had passed no examination. He mentioned four instances where clerks of court had been appointed—one a police constable —who had never passed any examination for the civil service. The Hon. Mr. McGowan said the practice of the Department had been to appoint policemen as clerks of court in small places, as it was not advisable to place cadets in such positions. These policemen hud made most excellent clerks. Ho asserted that ho would not take the responsibility of sending young men to take a position of responsibility in such places which, owing to the scarcity of accommodation, made it accessary (o utilise hotels. None of the appointments complained of had blocked the promotion of clerks who passed the civil service examination.

Mr. Okoy, Mr. Mills, and Mr. Lang continued the debate.

The Premier, referring to accidents, on the railways, explained that the slightest accident was recorded, oven, when a man did not leave ibis work,. Mr. Allison stated that tiro Railway Department declined to allow the Huntley colliery to provide their own trucks, and a cause of loss to mineowners and miners was the lack of waggons and haulage power, with the result that thousands of tons of New castle coal hud been imported whiqh could have been supplied by Huntley.

The Premier maintained that the Railway Department was doing all possible to meet the demands. The Bill, which provides for £623,000, was put. through all its stages and passed. - The House adjourned at 11.59 p.m.