PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13682, 26 August 1908, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY.

P«r Presa Association. .LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, August 25. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. SECOND. READINGS. The Roman- Catholic Archbishop of Wellington Empowering Rill, and the Wellington Harbour Board Empowering Rill -were read a second time. ASSISTING MARRIED WORKERS.

Mr Trask resumed the.- debate on Mr Barr's motion urging particularly the advisability; of granting married workers special exemptions from .taxation in- order to encourage, parenthood., : Mr TraGk said Mr Bair ought to indicated how the Government should ,m«t this problem.'

;Mr Xouissonthought- the Council would: sympathise: with the "motion, A vote of the Council would ishow whether the Government, relied upon the' increased birthrate or increas-ed: immigration for the growth, oil population. ..-"."' After several other members had'spokem, the Attorney-General" said, that many «f Mr Barr's proposals were more or less practical. The Government ■ had done much in the direction of assisting the married .worker. Referring.. ibo the birthrate, he said that if the did not increase at a greater rate New Zealand w,crald r become ,1 decadent nation like Erance which could not hold her present position.. The Government should. assist those who. had assumed the responsibilities, of parentage.. City life tended to decrease and': 601111117 fife to increase the papulation; , High rents ajso told against an increase of population. The' Government had done, much to increase land settlement. •' We could not become a. great manufacturing'nation, and we must help the farmer. By so doing we would increase the prosperity--of the: country.

Mr Barr, . in. reply, said that, land settlement could not completely solve the problem -because there must always be. city workers. Children .-(should' receive free railway and tramway carriage. ,; The .motion'-.was carried on the voipfc, aTidithe Coniicil. rfdjoirrned at "B 8;50 p.m. when the Imprest Supply Bill was agreed, to. ..'•;•■•'

HOUSE OP/'REPRESENTATIVES. The House met ai 2.30 p.m. TALISMAN MINE.

In.reply to Mr-Poland, Mr McGowan (Minister of Mines) said he would enquire into the position at the Talisman mine PROGRAMME OF, WORK.. ■ln reply to Hr Massey, Sir J. G. Ward said the Government intended to . pub through., the ."whole of • the'programme. The Arbitration Bill would he, proceeded .with after the Estimates,,and Works Statement' and ..Estimates had.:been disposed "•.' '"■ , - ■ ■1? ; '".•'"IMPREST SUPPLY..' ' The Imprest Supply Bill No. 3 for £l,22j5,00Q was put through after a protracted' discussion upon railway construction in variors parts of the colony advocated by several members] * : ' The Prime Minister, replying to these speeches, <eaid that the cry," north versus south, was the most detestable cry' ev<r heard in the House. The Government w<?uld allocate the public funds fairly, without -.'reference to tlie electioneering speeches made by members. The second reading was carried on the voices. . . , ■'..-.. Sir Joseph Ward stated that £500,C00 in the Bill was for the purchase of matured debentures. . The Manawatu Railway Company could pay interest on that sum at the rate of 4 per cent, until the acquisition of the line on December 31st. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m., and reamed at 7.30.

'On the motion for the third reading of the Imprest Supply Bill, the Premier stated, that the authorisation of half a. million from the'public works fund would not prejudice the expenditure on ordinary public works. In reality not one shilling would bo taken from public works' authorisation.

(A long discussion followed tin a variety of topics during which the neglect of the country districts in the matter of roads was pointed out with considerable'. force by Mr Hogg and other members. Sir .T. G, Ward in reply said the greatest success in the matter of land settlement had been in the small settlement associations. 'Replying to Mr Herries he said 'that surburbaii rates were cheaper in) New Zealand than in any other State of Australasia. Whether the Government should further encourage suburban residence by extending 1 workers' tickets to a greater area', was. a matter for. careful consideration. Ther: Government endeavouring to carry out the policy indicated in the budget of last year. .They were not preaching a doctrine without pitting it into practice, but white'they were doing this they were also doing all tHey could in the. interest of. all .classes with due regard to the country's solidity. (The Bill was read a [ third time and passed. i NEW BILLS.

H The following were read a first time 1 — Government Advances to : Settlers ■ Amendment, Public Revenues Amendment, and Local Bodies., Loans Amendment. ! ' READINGS'. The Town Boards; Ameiidment Bill to amend the Town, Boards' Act was read a seeond time'. The'Hoii. Mr McGowan moved the second : reading-' : o£ ' the" ' Police 'Offences. Amendment Bill, which was' agreed to. 'The Inferior Court Procedure Bill to make further provision for Hie validity of iudifcinl proceedings -of inferior courts, notwithstanding technical and formal- errqrs; was-read a- second time, and - referred to the joint statutes committee. --'i The -Acts Interpretation Act Amende ineni Bill" was -also' read a second' time, and referred to the joint statutes revision committee. '■ '„,-■' ' "'"■''■' •The House adjourned at 12.25 a.m.