PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13650, 18 July 1908, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

F«r Press Association. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, July 17. The Council mot at 2.30 p.m. PURE MILK. Id reply to a question by Dr Collins respecting sanitary bottle distribution of milk the Attorney-General said that the Chief Health Officer had been instructed to obtain all information on the subject from Chicago and elvwbrre whu-li would on receipt be available for membars. As to the establishment of properly-equipped dairies at State farms, the Minister replied that, everything that could be done -was being done to secure the purity of milkSterilised bohites were not ijeins: n.'sed und the whole matter had been referred to the Minister of Agriculture. BILLS PASSED. Corporations Contracts Bill jiut-'-I tb>Corporations Contracts Bill passed thre final stage -without amendment. SECOND HEADINGS. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Law Practitioners' Act Amendment Bill. The Bill tepals section five of the Law Practitioners* Act 1908, ■which reenacts the Law Practitioners Act Amendment Act of 1898, which provides that a solicitor may be admitted without further examination to practice as a barrister after he has practised for five years m a solicitor or managing clerk of a solicitor. Mr Jone?. Mr Callan and Mr Low. ton supported the measure and Mr Rigg, Mr KeDy and Mr Jenkin3on opposed it. On a division the second reading was carried by 23 to seven and the Bill was ordered to be committed on Wednesday. Ths second reading of the interpret ntt'ii Amendment Bill was carried without, amendment and the Bill is to be committed on Wednesday. The Town Boards Act Amenf oent Bill was read a second time without amendment and will be conimitU-d on Wednesday. IN COMMITTEE. The New Zealand Society of Accountants' Bill was considered in Committee. An amendment was carried providing that persons whether exclusively carrying em business as public accountants or not •shall be entitled to be enrolled as public accountants. The remaining clauses passed wituout amendment, and the third reading was set down for Wednesday. At 4.35 p.m. the Council adjourned until Wednesday.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The Hobs© met at 2.50 p.m. SECOND READINGThe Roman Catholic Arclibtehnp ol Wellington Empowering Bill was icad a second time. BILL WITHDRAW. Mr Major's Farriers Bill was «"iludrawn. THE FINANCIAL DEBATEThe financial debate was re*uni"d by Mr Fbher (Wellington Central), who congratulated Ministers upon the Budget. He supported the member for the Hutt in the view that Parliament should not be prorogued for the visit of the American tleet- He could not understand why tiie burden of taxation had increased as the prosperity of the colony increased. W hat ■was the vee of borrowing a million annually and coming down with three quarters .of a million surplus. Hie Cust«n:cconcessions had not been real, the revenue therefrom being now higher than ever. The Government valuations of land were .excessive. The unimproved and capital value of the colony had increased in rive years by £31,000.000. He protested against trusts and the operations of the Standard Oil Company. He advocated settlement of the bus.h lands rather than lands for settlement, and said that the rents on the latter were so high that as soon as prices fell Crown Umuitrs would ask for reductions of rent, and the Government ■would have to grand the freehold. He asked "why dissatisfaction was so rife all over the country in volunteering circles. and said that Parliament should have an opportunity to debate the defence question.

Mr Hornsby iWairarapa) said that Mr Fisher's land argument had been eon-, demned again and again. He justified the statements that the prosperity of the country was due to the Libera'?, and mtid,«eu »i jrreos length organised attempts niaue Dy those opposed to the Liberal party to belittle tbw dominion and shake its credit. He paid a tribute to the ■work of the: Advances to Settlers' Department, and eaid that the superintendent deserved recognition for Lis administration, of tlie Department,,, which was a blessing to many. He was a modified freeholder- He did not believe in thedoctrine of the unearned increment.' Holders of lands for settlement should hive the option of the freehold at the original valuation. He adyacated banking reform on the Canadian system. He supported th« visit of the Ainerk-nn fleet. Dr Chappie (Xuapeka) followed*,.with a lengthy speech ou.fbe industrial sifuanon, contending .that the Act had not broken down but. had prevented universal strikes, and had substituted combination for compensation. He objected' to the present constitution of the Court, which, not consisting of experts, uave absurd dr.-isi,,i>s in each dispute. Experts should be appointed' to sit with the judge. The Conciliation. Boards should be abolished, and awards should be enforced in. the Magis-

trate's Court .The principle of our arbitration system was to guarantee a living wage, not to decide upon the division of profits. Unfortunately these two things had been confused. The right to strik* should be allowed to unions, but aiding and abetting should be sternly prohibited.

The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.50 p.m. Dr Chappie, continuing, said that preference to unionists necessitated compulsory unionism which was a corollary of compulsory arbitration. The Court should make an award on piecework only; individual effort must be paid for as uniformity of wages was lowering efficiency. Mr Henics said Uiar it was quite refreshing to listen to a new member who spoke with such candour and quite regardless of his constituents. He declined to believe that anybody had deliberately attempted to misrepresent the colony as to its finances. The speaker dealt at length with various loans. Mr Hemes referred to the small deposits in the savings bank which had fallen by £IOO,OOO in the past year. The railways had not done well; the cost of running had increased and the HurunuiBluff line paid less every year. Mr McGowau followed with a speech in which he justified the administration of the Government and replied to Opposition criticism. Taxation had been reduced ; the apparent increase yer head only showed the people were so prosperous that they could spend more on dutiable goods. Ho contended that they had spent over £300,000 per annum on roads in the past five yeais. The State coal mines were run without loss to the community and had cheapened coal. Mr McGowan referred.to the magnitude of the mining output. He said the profit on the Point Elizabeth mino was £15,481 and loss on Seddonville mine £5530. He justified the policy in regard to prison tree planting camps and objected to a prisons commission of enquiry which would do more harm than good. Assisted immigration brought the best class of settiers.

Mr Stallwortliv approved of the backblocks roading policy of the Government. He pointed out that the public debt had increased at a much slower rate than the capital value, therefore the colony was in a better position than ever it was. Mr Poole applauded the Budget. Mr Poole expressed satisfaction with t<he cperation of the tariff. The trunk railway lines should be completed b.-fore the branch liivis were undertaken. The Advances to Settlers Act was a splendid measure. He advocated irinall holdings tt> relieve live unemployed, and supported the naval subsidy, also the development of volunteering. The debate was adjourned. The House n;w} at 11.50 p.m.