PARLIAMENTARY

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 11592, 30 October 1901, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY

Per Press Association.

WELLINGTON, October 29. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. LABOUR BILL.

*The Minister of Education moved to remove the third reading of the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill from second place on the Order Paper to thirteenth, on the ground that he had not had time to see a print of the Bill as amended ■ and to confer with the Cabinet. Mr Shrimski and Mr Pinkerton said that if the Minister did not go on -with the Bill some one els& would. On a division it was decided by 20 votes to 13 votes to place the Bill eighth on the Order Uaper, the Minister voting against. ■ The Minister subsequently agreed to make the third reading of the Bill the first order of the day for Thursday. He stated that it might be found necessary to recommit the Bill, to alter but not to i destroy it. LOANS BILL.

The Local Bodies Goldfields Public Works and Loans Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Goldfields Committee. MAORI COUNCILS BILL. The Maori Councils Act Amendment Bill, which gives the Maori Councils established under last session's Act power to enforce their by-laws, was passed through all its StageS " SECOND READINGS.

The Porirua Native Reserve Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. The Old Age Pensions Act Amendment Bill was read a second time on the voices. The Public Schools Teachers Salaries Bill was read a second time on the voices. The Coal-mines Act Amendment Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Goldfields Committee. NATIONAL PARK BILL.

The Bgmont National Park Bill was. reported from committee with amendments.

EVIDENCE FURTHER AMENDMENT

BILL. The Evidence Further -Amendment Bill passed all its stages The Council rose at 4.40 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The following concludes our report of Monday's sitting: AID TO PUBLIC WORKS AND LAND SETTLEMENT BILL. After the telegraph office closed the debate on the second reading of the Aid to I Public Works and Land Settlement Bill, which involved a debate on the Public Works Statement, was continued by Messrs Barclay, Ell, Collins and Hone Heke. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones briefly replied. He pointed out that members from one end of the colony were not able to speak as to the merits of a public work at the other end of the colony. As to the arguments of the Auckland members, he held that Auckland had been treated very well, and quoted figures to show that the sums spent by the present Government .were considerably in excess of those spent ihy .previous Adminis-i trations. He said no one supposed the Government was going to borrow money at 4 per cent, if it could get it at per cent., and quoted from recent Stock Exchange to show that New Zealand securities were favourably regarded on the London money market. They had plenty of money, he declared, and could carry on. The second reading of the Bill was agreed to on tha voices, and it was immediately committed. Amendments were made :in accordance with the Governor's Message,, increasing the amount authorised to :be from £1,000,000 to £1,250,000. The Bill was reported and passed its final stages. The House rose at 3. ID :a.m. The House met at 2.30 ,p.m. PETITIONS. Mr Witheford presented 2.9.7 petitions, bearing 4060 signatures, praying for the more speedy construction of the North Island trunk railway north of Auckland.

MOTION TO INTRODUCE. The Premier moved to introduce the Food Trusts Bill. Mr Meredith said that he opposed the introduction of this Bill as a protest against

the method adopted of introducing so many measures towards the close of the session, when members were mentally and physically exhausted. The time lad arrived when members should take a stand in the matter.

Mr Ell had no objection to Bills coming down at this late stage of the session, if the Premier was prepared to give the House reasonable time to consider-them. The Premier said that that was a reasonable request. Mr Pirani and Mr Collins asked M another day would be given for local Bills this session.

After further discussion, the Premier said that the Bill had already appeared on the Order Paper under another name. It -was simply a Bill to prevent the formation of trusts in foodstuffs, and he thought he would have been able to get it through the House this session, but if he found there was any great objection to it he would not press it. It was, however, a most important matter, and deserved every consideration. As to local Bills, he would be quite prepared to give another opportunity to pass those local Bills that were not opposed. * The Bill was introduced by 36 votes to 18 votes, and read a first time. WORKERS COMPENSATION FOR ACCIDENTS BILL,

In introducing the Workers Compensation for Accidents Bill, the Premier said that it was desired to make the point clear as to the application of the Act to agricultural labourers. He did not propose for a single moment to go back on existing legislation. It was intended simply to insert a proviso relieving farmers from liability in respect to threshing machines. It was necessary to clear away the friction and doubt that existed on that point.

Mr G. W. Russell said that the Premier had run away from his guns because of the motion recently passed by the Farmers' Union at>, Ashburton. He had scuttled away and left the agricultural labourers out in the cold. Mr Millar asked the Premier if he intended to alter the principal Act to give a mortgagee a first claim in case of accident. Mr Tanner declared that if the law was to be given the restricted application proposed by the Premier, the Act might just as well be off the statute book, because agricultural labourers constituted a large section of the workers of the colony. He strongly urged that the Act should /include agricultural labourers. Mr Hutcheson urged that it was only common honesty to farmers that their position under the Act should be specifically defined. Mr Ell declared that the Bill would not go through if it contained a clause to exempt agricultural labourers. Mr Buddo and Mr i'latman said that they should either have the English Act in its entirety or let things remain as they are.

After further discussion, the Premier said that the cause of the great dissatisfaction among the farmers was an impression that if an accident happened on a threshing machine which a farmer had engaged to come on to his farm and thresh his crops, •the farmer was liable under the Act. The English Act made it clear that the owner of the machine and not the farmer was liable, and it was to make this point clear in the New Zealand Act? that this amending Bill was brought down. He had no intention of amending the principal Act so as to give the mortgagee a first claim in case of accident. If the Bill was made to include agricultural labourers, it would never pass the Legislative Council. He did nob intend to deal with casual labour. The Bill was introduced and read a third time. REGISTRATION OP BIRTHS BILL. In introducing the Registration of Births Bill, the Premier said that it was designed to meet the cases of people who had neglected to register the births of their children within the statutory period. The Bill was read a first time. IMPREST SUPPLY BILL.

An Imprest Supply Bill for £570,000 was introduced by Governor's Message. On the motion to go into committee on the Bill, Mr Pirani moved as an amendment that a day be set apart for consideration of local Bills.

The discussion was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Pirani's amendment was negatived by 34 votes to 20 votes.-

Mr Herries said that as the Bill provided for £IOO,OOO being transferred from the Consolidated Fund to the Public Works Fund, he hoped the House would have an assurance from the Government that the main trunk railway lines would .be carried on with more expedition. He also urged that the extra quarter of a million loan granted the previous evening should be allocated on the Supplementary Estimates, as the House had a right to know how the money was to be spent. Mr G. W. Russell drew attention to the failure of three of the workmen's hamlets near Christchurch, and asked why the Government had not selected more suitable land for the purpose. The Premier said that the Government took no responsibility in the matter. The land was purchased on the recommendation of the Land Purchase Board.

Mr Pirani considered it an extraordinary proceeding to bring down an Imprest Supply Bill at this stage of the session. Before the Bill was passed he thought the Colonial Treasurer should bring down a rough balance sheet showing the particular purpose for which the amount was required, and the state of the colony's finances.

After further discussion, the Bill passed through committee without amendment, was read a third time, and passed. FIRST READING.

The Maori Councils Act Amendment Bill was received from the Legislative Council and read a ■ first- time.

AMENDMENTS AGREED TO,

The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Trustee Act Amendment Bill ■were agreed to. THE PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES. At 8.50 p.m., the House went into Committee of Supply for consideration of the Public Works Estimates. Public Works Department, £13,250. Mr Herries asked the Government what was proposed to be done in regard to the Midland Railway. The Hon. Sir J. G. Ward agreed that the Midland Railway debenture-holders should be treated fairly and honestly, but he ridiculed the suggestion _ that the colony was to to be affected in its loans on the Home markets because of the debentureholders of this railway. He hoped that

the two questions would be kept separate. In reply to an interjection, the Hon. Sir J. G. Ward said that , if the worst came to the worst the Government could borrow the money in the colony. The Premier said that there had been

I rumours, as to what the dabenture-holders I intended to do, but he took it that as business men they would never be so foolish as to threaten the colony while their petition was before Parliament, Ihe position of the colony was so -strong that he feared nothing from any action oi tiie debenture-holders. He added that the financial position of the iGolony so sound that the Government could get whatever money they wanted. The vote passed unaltered. Railway Construction, £561,000. Mr Massey protested against the .treatment of the North Island main trunk railway. The sum of £242,000 was voted to the North Island, as against £279,000 for the South Island. Yet the -European population of the north was greatly m excess of that of the south. Mr Houston moved that the vote for the Kawakawa-Grahamstown line (£15,000) be reduced by £l, as a protest against the Whangarei-Grahamstown section of the line being completed bfefore the HukerenuiKawakawa section. After considerable discussion, the amendment was carried by 29 votes to 24 votes. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones quoted figures to show that the expenditure on roads and bridges in the North Island was greatly in excess of that in the south, and that the expenditure in the Auckland province (including expenditure on the main trunk line) was especially heavy. Captain Russell asked to be enlightened as to the position in regard to the Midland Railway. Was there to be a tunnel constructed at Otira, and what was its estimated cost?

I Mr Hogg said that he understood the tunnel in question would be six miles in length, and the money to be spent on this work might just as well be thrown in mid-ocean. He went on to complain that no attempt was made to prosecute the •Rimutaka deviation, and he predicted that, sooner or later; a serious accident would probably happen on that line. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones said that a good route had been found for the deviation, and he believed it ought to be made, but other districts which had no railway communication must first be considered; As to the Otira tunnel, he declared that it would be more economical than carrying the line over the heights. Arrangements had been made for an American expert to report as to the best means, of carrying the railway through that country, and he hoped he would be leaving for New Zealand in about a week. He t was aMr Bogue, and he believed he was one of the best men in the world for the work.

After a lengthy discussion the total vote for railway construction passed as reduced by £l. ' Additions to Open Lines, £675,969. — Passed without alteration.

Public Buildings (total vote), £207,250. Captain Russell submitted that the cost of renewals, renovations, and maintenance should be taken out of the Consolidated Revenue and not charged to capital account. He contended that once moneywas transferred to the public works account it became part of the capital account of the colony. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones replied that as the Public Wprks Fund was supplemented by £250,000 from the Consolidated Fund, it was proper that the vote for renewals, etc., should appear on the Public Works Estimates. If there was no contribution from revenue he admitted that it would be improper to charge these renewal items to the Public Works Fund.

Discussion was proceeding when the Telegraph Office closed at 2 a.m.