PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144196, 12 September 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'. PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. rut PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Sept. 11. Tho Legislative Council met at 2.30. The Hoh. H. D. Bel] moved the second reading of the Public Trust Office Amendment Bill, explaining the nature of its leading provisions. The Hon. E. C. J. Stevens contended that tlie powers of an advisory custodian and managing trustees required careful definition, otherwise the Bill would ho a useless one. The Hon.’ J. R. Sinclair .condemned the proposal to relieve the Public Trustee from responsibility if lie acts upon the advice of an advisory _ trust. The power of investigating private trusts 'was desirable, but the powers given to the Public Trustee were too arbitrary. Tho Hon. J., Bigg argued that the recent commission to inquire into the Trust Office was set up to placate the legal profession, which was hostile because of the liberal methods employed by the office doin'? the. legal work of the people. The Hon. J. T. Paul followed on the same lines. The Hon. C. H. Mills commended the Bl Tho Hon. 0. Samuel said that the peonle were often deceived as to, the smallness‘of-the legal charges made by the office, as they were frequently wrapped up in commission charges. He deprecated the proposal to divert, the profits from tho Consolidated Fund into the Building Fund. Many more were urgently needed to develop the country, in sparsclv-settlcd districts. The Bill was .read a second time. The Irrigation rfnd Water Supply Bill was read a' second time. The Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill (Mr, 'Luke) was put through committee unamended, read a third time, ami passed. , Tho Pensions Bill passed the Commit'tec stage with formal, amendments. Tho Council then adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. FIRST READINGS. _ The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment'Bill and the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill, which provides for the raising of a million and three-quarters, of which £600,000 was for the construction ot railways, £500,000 for additions to open linos, ‘£500,000 for land settlement development, and £150,00 for other public works, were introduced by Governors Message and were read a first time. The report of tho High Commissioner’s Office ivas presented. .■ ■ Mr.. J. A. Young voiced complaints lie had heard concerning the treatment meted out to visitors to the High Commissioner’s Office In' London. _ Mr. T. Buxton ’and Sir J. Ward stoutly defended the institution, contending that nothing but tho nmst courteous . treatment was accorded to visitors by the staff, which carried out its duties in a very efficient mannor. Sir Joseph drew attention; to the unfairness of Mr. Young in . bringing charges against men who could not. defend themselves. He should have forwarded his complaints to the; Minister in charge. . ~ t Sir W. C. Buchanan said that he had hoard nothing of discourtesy from any officials in the office. > ,■, ' Mr. L. M. Isitt also defended the office. He said that he marvelled at tho hatiehce exhibited by the officials wlieh dealing with hundreds of people, some of whom did not know what they wanted. ... . Mr. E. Newman similarly voiced nis knowledge of the excellence of^ the attendance at the office. * Mr. W. F. Massey said that ho was very glad to learn that the experiences of members with the office had been so satisfactory. He, had received practi;. cr.llv no complaints with regard to the attendance at the office. He had, however, received numerous complaints about the site. The Government had ■ now concluded arrangements for a now building for the High Commissioner. The new offices would be located in tho Strand, in a building of six stones, the lease being - for 80 years. He was convinced that tho premises would bo worthy of tbo Dominion. . The report on-the Hawkosbury Agricultural College,- by Mr. E. Newman, was laid on the table. After quoting from the report, Mr. Newman recommended the Government establishment of an institution similar to tho Hawkesbury College. ~ Mr. T. M. Wilford dwelt upon tho necessity for fertilising poor lands by artificial process. He also urged cleanliness in connection with milking machines. , , , . , . Mr. D. H. Guthrie held that the improvemeut of poor lands was essential CO the well-being of tho Dominion. Primary education on agricultural matters was also a matter of paramount importance. Ho was in lull sympathy with the establishment of an institution similar to Hawkosbury College. Mr. G. M. Thomson said that it was obvious that Mr. Newman had kept his eyes open in Australia and had brought back information that would materially benefit the country. Mr. Newman had suggested that the agricultural schools should bo under, the control ot the Agricultural Department, and not the Education Department. In that connection, however, he thought that both departments should be consulted for a time. He hoped the idea would be given effect to. Ho hoped, also, that the, Government would do more in the way of providing cheap fertilisers to farmers. Mr. H. G., Ell contended that the major proposition w-as cheap transit, and that had been overlooked. Mr. D. Buddo asked whether there was room for another agricultural college in New Zealand. > He advised caution in the mutter of expenditure on such institutions. , Mr. Young said that Now Zealand could not spend too much money on the important subject of agricultural education, agriculture being the country’s staple industry. , ‘Mr. Herdman outlined tho amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Amendments Incorporation Bill. He moved that they be agreed to. Mr. 11. M’Callum contended that the only portion of the Bill not eliminated by the Council was the short title. This showed how necessary it was that tho House should have a Second Chamber in connection with, the Legislature, but it placed the House in a most , humiliating position. . Mr.’J. A. Hanan said that the iact that tho Bill bad to be recast in another place proved the worth of that Chamber, but ho hoped that the House would not rely too much on the Council to rectify defects in Bills and thus encourage slipshod legislation. ’The Minister, replying, said that tho Bill, as originally drafted, was based on tho Australian statute, but they wore not 1 awaro that it was not the custom of tho printing office to roprint statutes, so the measure had to be amended as done, by the Council.

The Land- Transfer Amendment BID ami the Land Drainage Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed, and the House went into Committee on the Land and Income Tax Bill. Mr. Wilford said that tho time was coming in New Zealand when a man who earned his inraivc would pay less taxation than a man who did not earn it. Until there was a differentiation between earned and unearned income, taxation would not b© on a satisfactory basis. I'ho Minister said that the question was fraught with great difficulty. While not contending that the present method was.perfect, it was a rough-and-ready■ way of differentiating between earned and unearned income. It would not lie possible to tax companies on dividends, paid, as the companies would simply adopt tho practice of passing their profits in to the reserve fund or water their stock, with the result that the revenue would suffer very seriously. \ few minor amendments were moved b- the Minister, and the Bill was then reported as amended. Mr. Massey informed the House that he had just received a cablegram from the Federal Defence Minister in Melbourne to the effect that -Australia * battleship Australia was in touch with South Africa and Australia, and would be- glad to forward any message from the Government to South Africa. Mr. Massey had replied: ‘The Prim© Minister, Capetown.—New Zealand’ sends greetings to South Africa by way of H.M.S. Australia, and rejoices that three of the overseas dominions of the Empire are to-day in communication with each other by a new arid up-to-date All-rod -route.” Mr. Herdman moved the seconchroading of the Local Flections and Polls Amendment Bill, which, ho said, was largely based on recommendations received from the Municipal Conference. Section 4 enables a deputy-returning officer to make the announcement of thp result of a roll over which ho presides. Clauses 7 and S provide for a more effective method of checking dual voting. Clause 0 provides that where there is an equality of votes the result shall bo determined by lot. and not by the vote of the returning officer. Clause, 15 -re-enacts the penalties provided m the Lorrislatu/o for offences at elections. Clause 17 provides penalties for dual voting. . v. Sir J. Ward said that it was a good thing to purify our local’ elections. The penalties imposed were useful, but: he would like to see the measure do further, and he suggested the addition or the word “oral” to Clause 16, and so check the defamatory statements about n candidate a -few days before election. 1-To also tbH- it should be possible to send a nomination by telegram under proper safeguards. _ , The second reading was carried without a division. ■ , • .. The Prime Minister moVed that the report on agricultural education in "New South Wales, prepared by. Mr. E. Newman, M.P.; he This was agreed to. and tho debate on the' joct. winch wasvadmurued this afternoon, will be resumed at a future date. The House adjourned at 11.25 p.m. ;