PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143625, 19 October 1911, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Oct. 18. Tho Council mot at 2.30. On the motion lor tho thud reading of tho Guardian Trust and Executors’ Company Bill, the Hon. 0. .Samuel took exception to tho resuscitation of a practically defunct company by an Auckland .-peculator ami its enuowment with all Uie powers that should be given to a new concern. He appealed to the Council to ivi use to let such a measure go through. Sir J. G. Findlay contended there were far more safeguards in the case of this company than there were in connection with the Dunedin company. Tho Hon. J. ATGowan considered tho Bill should never have boon brought on at all. Tiie Hon. J, Rigg held that the system ol giving special rights u> private imlividiuds or companies to exploit the public was wrong, it led to wholesale ••Doodling,” and he hoped the Council would put its foot down and stop this sort of thing. After limber discussion tho Bill was road a third time by 15 to 14. The Christchurch District Drainage Bill and the Death Duties bill were read a second time, and the Council adjourned until the evening. EVENING SITTING. Tho Council resumed at 8 p.m. Tho Laud Tax and income Tax Rating Amendment, Shipping and Seamen Amendment, Methodist Church of New Zealand, and University of Otago Council Bills were passed 'through all their stages. Tho Public Works Amendment and Auckland 'University College Amendment Bills were read a second time. When the Public Works Act Amendment Bill was being taken the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson suggested that the proviso to the clause giving tho Minister certain powers in regard to electric linos should follow the ensuing subsections, so as to curtail tho power of tho .Minister. Sir J. G. Findlay said ho did not think the suggestion was material, but iio would consider it when the Bill was in committee. Progress was reported on tho Auckland University Bill. The Methodist Church Bill was passed through committee, and the Council rose at 11. Id. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WELLINGTON, Oct. 18. The House met at 12.30. Mr. Massey read a telegram 1h; had received from tho Rev. It. fc>. Gray, Christchurch, as follows; ‘ ‘Protest strongly against Government attempt to retain over thousand names on eaHi electoral roll of persons not found in district as a result of the doctoral census and .subsequently not found by registered letter; dirty rolls a positive danger, door wide open fur impersonation.” Mr. Massey asked what steps wore being taken to remedy the difficulty stated in the telegram. Sir Joseph Ward replied that he had given definite instructions to registrars that names of persons who were not entitled to vote should bo removed from the roils. Air. Gray’s statement was wanting in fact. Mr. Jsitt said he was aware of an instance whore the name ol a dead man had been restored tu the roils. Air. Gray’s telegram suggested that registrars were si ill dubious as to what they should do.

Sir Joseph AVard promised to repeat his instructions to die registrars, making them clear. Air. Jennings asked the Premier what was intended to bo done with ids Gaming Amendment Bill. In ins opinion the House would gel no reply from the Pacing Commission during die session. Sir Joseph Ward replied that lie had already promised that it the Rat-ini' Commission did not report this session he would provide an opportunity for the Gaming Bill to be discussed further. in reply to questions, the Minister staled that Sir John Eimllay’s opinions expressed in Auckland in connection with Native representation in the House, duties of citizenship, and use of their lands wore his own private views, expressed in his capacity as a candidate. The Government’s attention had been drawn to one case of evasion of the law umior the Commercial Trusts Act, and the case was being inquired into. The question of the substitution of commercial geography lor Proncii in the syllabus under the Civil Service examination regulations had been carefully considered, ami no reason bad been seen lor a change. A statement that tile Government had "squandered money in hiring a whole ship to come from England in” was an impertinent fabrication and absolutely untrue. It was proposed to go into the whole question of the constitution of the Court of Arbitration during next recess. The Government was always ready to assist local bodies in giving" every facility to consider the question of electrical or any other method of trad ion. The question of subsidising the construction of tramlines to lie electrically operated was worthy of consideration, hut unti. the Government developed some large fmc of hydro-electrical power for° In. .... mission to suitable localities it was doubtful whether It would be profitable for local bodies to undertake the construction of small schemes with a view to electric traction on light tramways. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. The Guardian Trust Bill.was received from the Council with amendments. Mr. Allen was not sati. lied with the Hill, which was designed to reinstate a company which had been defunct for 00 years. ■Air. Tsitt wanted to know if this wn.s the company that had charged :tm , x . ponses for administrating an esta. ; f some ,£IIL’. Mr. Bollard (who was in charge of the Bill) said ho knew nothing of the mattor. Further diaenssion was deferred. Sir Joseph AVard moved that the House records its lm;h .sense of the faithful service's rendered to New Zealand by the late Mr. J. S. Shanks, also the late. Mr. A. S. Collins. The motion was seconded by Mr. Massey and carried. The Hon. !). Huddo moved the second reading of the Local Flections and Polls Amendment Fill, which provides that every elector who on the close of a (mil is present in the pnJliin.s place for the purpose of voting r-h;; 11 he entitled to receive a voting paper and exercise his vote. The 13ill was read a second time.

On tlio motion to commit tho Workers’ Compensation Amendment Hill, tho Hon. J. A. Millar explained that tho now clauses provide ior wives and children of deceased workers receiving reasonable and proportionate compensation ; also that where an action is commenced for recovery of compensation in respect of an accident happening out of Now Zealand, or in the harbours of New Zealand, action shall, on the application of defendant, be stayed until plaintiff has given an undertaking not to institute any proceedings for the recovery of compensation or damages m other parts of the Empire in respect to the same accident. Provision was also made to make proceedings taken outside Xew Zealand available as a defence to an action in Xew Zealand for the recovery of compensation. Another clause provided that in addition to compensation payable, a sum equal to reasonable expenses incurred in respect of medical or surgical attendance (including first aid) on a worker in respect of his injury, but not exceeding £l. Sir Joseph Ward said n clause would bo introduced into the Bill in committee bringing servants under the term of workers, so that they would get the full benefits of tho Act. The Rev. Isitt and Messrs. Luke and Brown congratulated tho Minister on tho introduction of the measure.

Mr. Poland urged the Minister to make provision for relatives of workers killed in New Zealand but living away from tho Dominion being able to claim compensation. Jlo urged tho State should take over the whole of tho accident insurance in New Zealand. On tlm motion to go into committee Sir Joseph Ward, replying to Mr. Massey, said he hoped to got the Public Works Estimates through to-morrow, and go through the Mokau report on Friday. Sir Joseph Ward moved the second reading of the Loan Bill, which provided for £1,500,000 to give effect to the proposals in tho Budget for public works expenditure. Mr. Allen said ho was not opposed to reasonable loans, but what ho did oppose was wasteful expenditure of borrowed money. The present cost of construction of railways was nu instance. Railways should be taken into the backblocks and the country opened up. Ho entirely agreed with the policy of tho present Minister of Railways, who held that railways should earn 4 per cent, and not 3i per cent., as did his predecessor.

Mr. Massey strongly objected to the way money voted for roads and bridges was dealt with. When money was voted it should be expended. In connection with tho development of water power, tho Government was pursuing a dog-in-the-manger policy. Ho thought that if private concerns wished to pursue tHo matter, they should bo allowed to dose. Local bodies, too, should be allowed similar privileges with regard to lands for settlement. Tho Land Department was not doing enough for settlement purposes. The land in Kawhia district would supply the needs of New Zealand for the next two years. WELLINGTON. Oct. 10. After midnight, Mr. Laurenson, referring to Mr. Massey’s speech, said the latter had delivered the same old speeches year after year. Ho was a political bully and Mr. Allen a politico l nagger. Mr. Massey, ho said, had no sense of proportion. Mr. [-lorries said tho country should ho opened up by borrowed money, but the way this was done at the present time did not appeal to him. The present system of railway construction was distinctly wasteful, lie. complained of the failure of the Minister to spend monies voted for mining districts. Mr. R. MM\eu/ac said the charge that there had been extravagance in public buildings had not been sunpertcd. There bad been no borrowing in this country, save for public works urgently required. The development of tie- hydro-electrical energy scheme would necessitate borrowing some five or six million pounds. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, said Mr. Allen had said lie was'not opposed to borrowing but was opposed to wasteful expenditure., yet bo was one of tin* principal supporters of n most wasteful expenditure—tho Ota,go Central Railway, 'fhe contention that the North Island had boon unfairly treated was incorrect—as a matter of fact there? had been a far greater expenditure in the North Island than in the south. The railways of the Dominion wore being carried on as fast as possible, and yet tho Opposition continually raised objection to the policy.

In the Hout-o after 2 o’clock Sir Joseph Ward continued his speech on the Loan Bill, lie said that the suggestion that population was leaving tho country was really too paltry to answer. Within the next few months tho arrivals would probably reach two thousand. Hie Bill was read a second time.

In committee Air. Pearce moved to strike out “£200.000 for other public works” as an indication that borrowing was excessive.

Mr, Laurenson twitted the Opposition with inconsistency and said thgv should not accent items in the [Miniates for their districts from borrowed money.

Other members supported thus view and suggested that the vote for railways in Mr. Pearce’s district should bo struck out. Mr. Pearce said this resolution was an indication that tho brake should lx? put on. Mr. Fisher contended that the question was not of borrowing, hut the way the money was expended.

Sir Joseph Ward said that an immense amount of nonsense was bmng tallied about borrowing. He n-ked where the reduction was to be made in public works or railways. Tho amendment was lost by 45 to 8, thus*' voting tor it being Messrs. Allen, Anderson. Guthrie. Mine. Nosworthy, Pearce, Scott, and Wright. On the motion for the third reading tho Premier said that members of tho Opposition who voted for the Bill had affirmed the Government’s policy. The Bill was road a third time. The Premier announced that the increase in revenue for the voar ended September 30 was £1,270.000. The House rose at 4.5 a.m.