PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 13099, 6 October 1906, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

Per Press Association.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, October 5. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. SECOND READINGS. The Church Properly Trust .. (Canterbury) Act Amendment Bill, and Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland Empowering Bill, were read a second time. The> folio-wing Bills were read a second time—Otago Docks Act Amendment, Napier Harbour Board •'Exchange of Lands Empowering aad Auckland Savings Bank, Education Special Donation. NATIVE RESERVES. Mr Stevens drew the attention of the Government to the v last two paragraphs of the report of the Public Trustee, of 51st March,last, in which it is shown, that native recipients of rents from reserves under the administration of the Public Trust Office buffer . injustice through the operation of the. Land and Income Assessment Act. ' ' i- ~ s The Hon: A. Pitt said that the report related to certain native lands on the west- coast of he North Island, and he asked why native owners should be exempted, from taxation more than the owners of native lands elsewhere.; - He failed to see that "there .was' anything unreasonable in asking the natives.to'pay the tar. ' AUDITOR'S TAGS. Mr Feldwick moved for a return giving the full text of all tags placed by 'the Audit Department oa balance sheets of local bodies at the end of the last financial year of .'each such body, together with any explanation that may be necessary where, on the face of it a tag is not absolutely explicit in itself. The motion was agreed to. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Government Advances to Settlers Bill {received from the other ehamber), which, he explained was a- consolidation Bill, with a few minor amendments. " Mr Carncross snoke in approbation of the Bill. Mr Stevens said the measure was one which had yet to be tested during hard times. He condemned the system of lending on leasehold securities. Mr Jones said he was surprised that any financial- man could condemn in any way a law that bad given such general' satisfaction. The Act had made a difference of between 12 per , cent, and 5 per cent, for money. He applauded the amendment which would enable Government assistance to be of some value to leaseholders. Mr Macdonald pointed to the danger there was in measures of this kind where there was a probability of a drop in value. While he agreed as to the advarc-: tage the Act had conferred, he held that we - could not adequately judge of the value of such measures until we had undergone" hard times, and to this extent he concurred with Mr Stevens. Mr Marshall spoke strongly in support of the Bar • , The Attorney-General' having replied, the second reading was agreed to on the voices. TESTATORS' BILL. The Hop. A. Pitt moved the second reading of the Testators' Family Maintenance Bill to consolidate and amend the law insuring provision for testators' families. The alterations of the law consist in enabling the Court to -order that provision may consist of a lump sum or s periodical or other payment to be made out of the estate, or any specified part of the estate, and for that purpose may direct abatement or alteration of shares of all or any beneficiaries under the will in such a manner as it thinks fit. The time for making application is extended from six to twelve months from the date of granting probate of the willf BILLS PASSED. . The following Bills were passed—Vincent and Maniototo Hospital Districts, Greymouth Harbour Board Loan 'and Otago Boys and Girls High School. The Government Valuation of Land Act' Amendment Bill was read a third time. The Council rose at 4.45 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2130 p.m. FIRST READING. The Thames Deep . Levels Enabling Bill was read a first time., . THE" ESTIMATES. The House went Jnto Committee of Supply. r ' ' . ' Customs, £43,880. motion, made by Mr Tanner, to reduce the amount by £BBO as an indication of the House's opinion that the potato duty ought to be abolished, was defeated by 35 votes to 32 votes. Mr Baume moved a reduction, by £1 for the same reason. A long discussion ensued, and the motion was defeated—Ayes 28, noes 29. The following is the division list: —For the reduction ;28). Messrs Alison. Arnold, Barber, B.iume, Buddo, Davey. E'il. Field, Prater. Gray, Graham, Greenslade. Guinnes?. H-'cnn. Herries. Hoean. Hogg. Jennings. McLach'an, Malcolm. Mander, Masaey. Pd'asd, Seddon. Siney. Smith. Tanner. Th'-mson. the relneion, (23 ; . Me«rs Br»rc3?r. Bennett. Bollard, Calvin. Dillon. Dr'nc: l . Flatoian. Fowlds. Hal 1 . T!Y!-- T oT?2i-. K?-rh\ Houston. Kidd. Lawrr. I McGowar-. Me-P'-r- Psr';-.. Rem:-:- - . ,]> : - •

Stevens, Ward, and Witty. The vote passed unaltered. Miscellaneous services, £2762. —Passed unaltered. Marine and Harbour,' Government steamers, inspection of machinery, miscellaneous, £6l,l2s.^—The amount passed unaltered, after a slight discussion. Department of Labour,- £<13,715. —In reply to Mr Herries the Minister explained that recently certain- immigrants had arrived without- notice, /and therefore the officers of the Department had not met them. Everything was done for these people that was necessary for their reception after landing, board-and lodgings, and the' finding of work,- '" The" navvy impor-tation*-had ceas-ed. ' " >• :■• . : ■ The vote passed. j Land and Survey Department, £141,I 176, under discussion when the House ad- ! journed at 5.30' p.m. , , v . The-House resumed at- '7.30. . The'vote passed unaltered, after a discussion of unimport.itnt items. \Miscellaneous service (land and survey), £48,i46. . ' .. • to various representations the Minister explained that the great and growing;' subject; of river control..was engaging the'attention of the Government,, and there might be a' cbmpreHensiye.systein later, on ; s but the-present the Government- would deal impartially, with all cases'requiring its •assistance. r :';L_v . xvlr Herries raised the question of subsidising doctors- in outlying, districts. . His ex-perjehce. .was that,'more doctors would apply if the readiness of the Government to subsidise were known. .He hoped the vote would be over- rather than, underspent. The Minister said that no difficulty would be placed in the way. of genuine applications. ■ In answer to Mr Poland, the Minister explained that it had been thought advisable to bring out a second edition of the Settlers' Handbook for the information of the large number'of visitors shortly to be expected at. the Exhibition, and to satisfy the very large number of enquiries from all quarters. - The vote passed unaltered. ■ Department of Agriculture, £59,283. In traversing tLe criticisms levelled on. all sides at the Department, the Minister said' the secretary is absolutely the poorest, paid officer in the service, in view of the majgnitude of Ais department, and the ra•pidity with which that Department -has come-to tha front. Every expansion of the Department had been met with ridieule, and- the result had- been, comparatively 'Speaking, to paralyse the Minister's hand. The* Department was not- yet organised on the complete footing of the older departments of the State. There ha-d not been time.' When the House is prepared' to pay jUnregardedly for the organisation of the .Department—adequate salaries and iso forth—• the Department" will be organised. His predecessors had :been greatly hampered in .their, efforts by the ridicule and parsimony of tie (House. For his own part he had. ■not -had time to go into the matter properly, but he hoped by next year to be able' to. plaice 'before the House a scheme that it would approve. It was' his. intention to iely 7 chiefly -on the : colony for the. technical skill, required in the expert ficientifiG positions. As a matter of factit has; been arranged that all youpg men entering the service of the Department shall have 'a three months' course under the veterinarians.'; That was the first step in a comprehensive scheme of classification which would' eventually make the Department self-contained and . satisfactory to every man in "its' service and the public of the colony; but the House must not expect that scheme before next year.. Several iireiiibers expressed satisfaction at the Minister's statement. Mr Herries criticised the wc>rk of the experts, and complained that he never saw any results. He concluded^h&t 4 .'was because theywj ere toot ■suppH^"'mt& ! kufficient equipment. The;, questfen of .the stock tax was raised an<£'discu&yd." ' Bfeferring the complaints of cruelty to the Minister said, that sort "of'tlnng''always cured itself by reason of the *ldss L 'it-' entailed.. The vote parsed;unaltered.,. Miscellaneous, £63,045.—The Minister sketched, the scheme of the Department for' the' collection of information; for . tha flax" industry and assured the committee that the precautions against the introduction ; of anthrax were faithfully enforced. T This Vote, passed unaltered. : , * ' {Department, £31,156. . Mr 11, Herries moved to report progress. The motacm. was lost oto the voices. The vote .passed Unaltered. VALUATION OF LAND. The Government Valuation of Land Bill was. reported from the Council with amendments, which were agreed to. ADVANCES TO WORKERS. The Advances to . Workers' Bill was received by Governor's message and read! a first time. The House adjourned at 11.55 p.m.