PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13636, 2 July 1908, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

Per Press Association,

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, July 1. The Council met- ut 2.30 p.m. - , ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. !

Mr Louisson moved the Address-in-Re-ply. After briefly reviewing the Speech he referred to the advantages to !Xew Zealand of the visit of the American tkeu He approved of the reappointment of Mr Reeves as High Commissioner. He thought the reduction in the price of some of the country's commodities was not a matter for great concern as the prosperity which had been experienced, had placed the settlers in a strong position, and tbey were well able to stand two or three lean years. . Mr Rigg seconded the motion, fepeaking generally on the Arbitration Act. . The Council adjourned at 4.60 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NOTICE TO INTRODUCE. The Minister for Labour (Hon. J. A. Millar) gave notice to introduce the Aibitration Act Amendment Bill. - LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence for one week was granted to Mtbsrs Bollatd, Bat clay, and Rutherford. ' RAILWAY RETURN. Mr Arnold moved for a te urn showing the railway passenger tralfiu between Invercargill and the Bluff for the two vears ended 30th June, 1808, giving each year separately. The' return «*., hesaid, of interest to the. colony a& showing the traffic from a prohibition district to a non-prohibition district; The Prime Minister Supported the motion, which was agreed to, COMMITTEE ON NOMENCLATURE. Mr -Sidey moved that a' committee be appointed to consider the present nomenclature of the places, towns and geographical characteristics in the Dominion with a view to suggesting alterations or improvements. The Prime Minister pointed out that the residents in the districts' in which changes were proposed, were very sensitive of alterations and if the : committee was only to make suggestions, he did not object, but he could not agree to its [throwing the responsibility on the House to take definite action.

The motion-ivas'carried;; c: :• l ADDRESS-INJ*EPLY.

Mr- J; Aileri resumed'the debate .on the. Addrets-in-Reply. 'He charged Minisleiis with only touring, the .colony "on the eve of a general election,-''"and makings;.prpymises 'Tespecl.irig railways, ;: roadsV graphs, etc. iDealiiig v the; superan-: nuation fund he: t»id'he would-like ■'id:;seethe railway, police funds, placed on a : 6pund : financial'" basis;.': , The laker's revenue was'going ;^down.each year while the House.knew;little of, the ptiiers. He spoke'at length on.'the' advances for workers' homes, and quoted: v HansardJ'; to show that? ihe credit-for such was-en-tirely due to Cthe'Opposition.';' Th#" disposal of land under the" Land for Settled inent Act had not. been saiisfactory and provision should be)made for a leasee atsome time securing 1 the .'freehold if. desired. -) When the lmance question in coii r nection .) with ) local /.'gpyi^niejit;.'''.''' ; ,**' , a6; brought up the Government) dropped it. like a-'.hot potato. Mr Allen-complained that the huge' iiums of money: voted" by. the House year after year for roads <tiicl bridges arid other works, were miexperided. 1 Jiiau the vo.ts been expended; there would have been no neefssi ty - for the iPreniier's) promise to spend one )ihillidn/-fofrV roads in the next five years:) ::: While was unexperideu, .he ,; found thabf'tiho ; Tourist i»t part men t 'had expended, £6OOO oyer the amount voted, and her failed, L t6 see! i that that was) dqiiig);as much lor the countryas : 'would:;roads: )an)d bridges. • ; ;'"; : v r v '^v;-)^':.-'• V-:-'v. :'F'l! :•' Air Wilford dealt, chiefly with defence matters, and thought: tiiut'"the Jjeieuee Council should maieprpVisipri for. quick mobilisation of corps lines of communication. *'■ Dealing with -guimery, ))'iu> said he would like to 'Dduiinibii seud a team of big gunners (p .Australia to conipete against the\ -. Conuiipnweaith; There' was piecederif for this, he pointing 'out that England had sent a team to Canada. ;/.■■ He was apposed, td-an.-.iricreased ,naral 'subsidy, ■ believing -", that ■; the 'money could be better utilised in perfecbing, bur own defences; and; he was alio pppdsed to the proposed ; vote for the entertainment of the American fleet declaring that there was no love lc^-between "the a United States and Great; Brilairi.. -■He would strenuously .oppose jParliariierit:: ing or Voting money deremdny.- : : .: r Air: Flatman the;.Gp/vernmerit' policy.. ■; v', jj / ■■ The House resumed)-at .7.30 p.iri;. -

Mr Poole, in referring',(o'the prosperity of .the country, said that they muyt be cautious against baling their calculations upon boom prices. ne' ,regrett»id Nr Wi [ford's attitude towards the American ileet, and said that if, the warships were visiting Wellington, Mr Wilford as chairman of the Harbour Board would bo -«•■>■- ing a. prominent part iu" welcoming t.ie bfiicers and crew. He advocated the absolute majority on -the liquor question, and would be sorry to see the Arbitration Act amended. 'He advocated an increase of salaries of teacheis in i outlying disbricts, and said - that there should be greater supervision of prisonens 'to see that they were not sent to places to which they- wore a menace. _ \

Mr Ell leferred at length to banking matters, controvertling the argument ~.u the State cannot afford to "have anything to do with bonking.' H«f paid a high tribute to the management of the' Bank of New Zealand, as an institution winch, had the patronage of the highest finan- 1 ciers. ' Why, he asked, because*-if anything happened to it it had the assistance of the State? He saw no necessity for> a further increase of capital of the Bank of New Zealand, and had-no hesitation in urging that the Government should -increase it* hold upon the Bank and give the people of the country the benetiu ol the prolits, instead of allowing them to go into the jjockets of private bhaieholders who cared nothing for those who had helped, the "Bank.- ■ - ' •

-Air Jennings referred to ,the necessity of roading the back blocks, and advocated closer settlement. He referred to the paucity of schools in the outlying district*, in'the Auckland Education Board's district. Pealing with arbitration niattero h© said that those who had worked during, the recent strike were not the true friends of the workers." "I'ersonaUv 1 would be sorry t*bee the Act disappear." Mr Reid (Taiefi) spoke generally on banking matters, remarking that the chief danger of a state bank was the political pressure that might be brought to bear

on it. Referring to the Bank of NewZealand, he did not think the shareholders | were anxious to increase the capital, but the directors thought it .necessary, as «!' ordinary business- precaution. Mr Davcy complained that a quantity of parts required for the rolling stock on the main trunk line had- been imported, despite the repeated promises of the Government that any work which could be 'manufactured in the colony would.be. Mr Major, after dealing with banking matters, congratulated the Government on the steps they were taking to extend a cordial welcome to the American Fleet. He foresaw great difliculties in the way Of dealing with arbitration, but the House should do its best to make the Act perfect. At 11.45 p.m., Dr Chappie iose to reply, thanking members for .their indulgence in his parliamentary baptism, which , made it more pleasant than it might have been. The House adjourned at 11.50 p.m.