PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13714, 2 October 1908, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

L Per Pt«g» Anoeutitm.

, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. October 1. ; T&a Cbumal. met at 2.30 p-m. - *'-. FIBST READINGS.

- • VXh». SvraL'Suhady Bill, AdVance* to ■ Sautes- Act Amendment- BUI, and Immigration Restriction.' Act Amendment , But were read * fint time.

~.,■; •;.-.. BILL PASSED. Tbe Christchujch (Sty Sanitation Ball TO read a third time and passed. ■;■*■■" ■pWßEia. BODIES-LEASING. The Pnßßc Bodies leasing Bill iw further cowkiezed in. Ootnmittelß. -

daßttf'B wjssvtaiended to provide that * public;bodjr need not accept tbe highest bid.- or tender for a lea*e, and that"* lease offered and not sold amy within three months be sold by private contract.aV& rent not less than tbe upset n&,4&Vhich it was offered, bat this ma£/fcnry be done in pursuance of a •pecial/nsohrtkm of tbe leasing body. - - clause 14".progress was reported. . EDUCATION RESERVES. ' On tbc'motion of the Attorney-General Um Education Reserrea Leases Validation and Empowering Bui which provides for the validation of certain leases granted by the'Otaga. School Commissioners and cmpowers the WelKngUm School Cbmmisaionen to borrow £6OOO to discharge certain, existing liabilities was read a second tuns, pot through Committee and reported" unamended, read a ■ third time and *V: --> » GORE LIBRARY. .She &ir« Palate library Veeting Bill •was read » second time, put through Committee/ reported unamended, rend * t&ird time and passed. PUBLIC WORKS. The Eibttc Works Act Amendment Bui. which has. already passed the House was read a second time by 14 to 13. .:■"■■■• :■ NAVAL BUBSIDr. Dr Fuwflaj ,«a moving the second reading of the Kwal Snbady Bfll eulogised \uc measure and tbe rtuniers acttou. " Mr Ttaak seconded the motion and also expressed gratification at the measure. -Mr Bigg, in opposing the Bill said that he would ahraTs oppose an increased subsidy to the British nary so long as the New Zealand defences wtre not developed. He urged; that some form of marina defence should be organised for New Zealand. Mr ICsJIy, Mr BaMey and Mr Callan supported and Mr Patd opposed'the BUI. The Stood leading wa» agreed to by 2S to 3, Mr Barr, Mr Paul and Mr Bigg voting amincW . The Bui was pok through Committee unamended, read a third tune and passed. The Council-adjouxned at 5 p-m. till to-morrow.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Ih* U«u» met at 2.30 p.m. ; IMPOKrED TBIBEK.

On the nrpwt ot the iaxumaoa of Commeros CbmmittM upon serexai pethiona (praying for aa incrta»« of duty on imported timber), that in the committee's opioioa an mcrease of <Jnty would bo inactriaabt*, bwfc th»t pttitkms shoold be r«ferred U> the Uorernment for consitkrirtwa, Mr Seddoo mored to refer th© report back tw the Committee.

A lengthy debate then took place upon Uw Oregon pise question, upon the linos of preTMU* debate* thif sawioti, several members contending that tbe Committee jJkooid b*to eiprw«d an opinion upon tbo adrisabtlily of impewng a duty, accing that th* whole maMer k. to be referred to a- Royal Commiuioa. ETentaallr the report was ordered to lie on th* table. SECOND READINGS. The Auckland Unirenily Colkg«- Land Bill was read a Mcond time. Tba Hon. Air McGowan mor<d the Mcood reading of tbe Justices of the P*ar« Amendment Bill, providing that information and afSdarita mar be> bworn before tbe clerk of tbe court, and atso making certain amendment in the pmecdnro with respect to habitual offenders. This motion w.-» agreed to. OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Sir J. O. Ward mored tbe second reading of the Old Ag« Pensions Bill, which. ne said, propones various improvement* in the »y»>t«in of oM ape pensions. The chief amendments ha,*« the folowine, effect:— Any pernon tjiulinrd in other respect* for the penuon can have the pension if fi>r on* year be> ha* J*d & »ober. -repntablo life. " tbn* removing; the anomaly und.r which an old age pensioner at prew-nt *» datqtulitkd for h>e years for a ronvirtion of dcunketnest. Provision m al«o nude tfiafc in cisw of conviction for drunkeno*-**. megistratee may. upon application of Uie registrar. etwpend the pension certificate for a period of one rear, and alio rtui under certain circom»tanc«-s mk!» o-rtifi-rate* ma* be cancelled. Section 10 of the principal Act i* »t»> ame-nded in the direction of providing that tbe intend ..f mit pysoo m any life amnrance poll. r. or aqnmty from, a. Hfo aanorance company. »hI»H not be deemed to b* accumulated property. Section 11 of tb«* principal Art in amended in tbe direction of incnuins the .value of .property which can l«e ptoced in tbe hand* of the pobli.: It »Mw from £3OO to. £650. Sir J. «:. Wan! *tat*«l that on * 32 per cent. ban* nl population." the cost in 1909 w«mM I*-, at. £26 per pennon, £351.442. which would increase \tr 1913 to £3?4,4C0. •Tbe Howe adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The Home resumed at 730 p.m.

Mr M»>£cy generally approved of the Bill as an improvement upon this exiting law.

In the rkbatc which followed, general appreciation of ih-j una-?urb wit> cxprctaed, though a number of Commit tee amendments were *ugg>-sted, one amendment being that the age lor qualifying for a pension cliould \k- reduced to oj years.

Several UK-nibcit> pointed to an anomaly under; which a persou -.•'uo h«-i b-eu 01 years in the Dominion, but lour years absent, cannot get a put-ion. \ nttejs a person who at rived lieu- it ~&V ytars ol age can, after 26 ycais' 'cid.nee. obtain a pension. This anouulv, it nas itntended, should be removed.

Kir J- U. Ward/id •« j".viug, *xiir:.i J std gratification at tbe tray tlie I'.ll had been rewired. Rehiring to tmirctcal peusions, be con&idered tLe :<lca. in ; u eibfv. He averred that univcit-at pension* of £26 per annum would in 1910 cost &1,928, U.U. and by 1915 Ui-.- amount wonid be £-1,113,131. On fciniilar gtouuls he opposed tbc abolition of the ptvpi-rty limit qualification, and baid that it vnuld b*. wrong «o tun the i.*k of <!< wn the old ago pension .\vstera. To *<_ : < |H "the suggestion that- bioken iu>ttlri:c-.-nhould not disqualify for a u.mioii,-vbj not practicable. ». peopl? wiuld rvturii here simply for the purpose of i brining a pension. The Bill was trad a I me. * INFANTS. Tbe Hon. Mr Fowkfe moved th: stuond reading of the Infants Act Amendment Bill, making certain amendment" in the direction of improving the miciiiiKry ot the financial prov*>ion» in th» prui'tipa) Act. * The Bill wan read a second lime trillion: debate. THIKD READING. The Local Bod ire Loans Act Amend tnent Bill was read a third tim-. LAND LAWS AMENDMENT. ■ The Land Lawn Ait Amendment Bill *sra«» introduced by Governor's nu ;<-»g>\ Mr Herriuj, Mr Gmuslade, and Mr Masacy profited againnt tbe m«iMirt; being brought down at. thi* lau- pi rioJ of the gctision.

Sir J. G. Ward uaid that iuipoMant measures were brought down by evur Government in tbe world toward* the tnd of tbe setbion. He objected to b • charged with joshing things. Jf j t Wi , n necessary to sit * month lougu, Ut ilk-ui do to.

After tome further dk-cmi-ion. th» Bill was read a second unx-. and teKrnd lo the Native Aifaits Commute-. HARBOURS 'BILL.

The Hon. Mr Millar moved the tc.oud reading of tb« Harbours Act Ami mini-nt Bill.

Tbe motion -was agreed lo on the vuitt*.

WAI i' LKA B LOCK

Tb« Hon. Air McXab moved t]ie 'fond reading of the Waipoka Block Bill. Th« motion tr-aa agntd to. .second baf.mT sai:rifu;i-:. The rcpon of the Managers with tb-> Council on lb* Second Ballot Bill was read by the Speaker. It shows that the amendmenlß madby (he C'onncil in clauixt. 21. 18 and 22 are agreed to, and '.bat. clauoe 19 is struck oat.

Th» meant that ihe 50C nujoritr .|,i U5 .. and the gag clause disappear. Sir J. O. Ward stated that th- gag claVoc had been jwciiheed b:caii?e th." Council would not agte-.- to the daive a* sent from the Hot-w, but iiuisttd uiioti its own amendment.

Air Alac-jcy eaid rli.it thU wa. thgreatest -surprise of die -.e-nion. * In -.pitof h* loud talk, the Prime .Mmi't-r liad been beaten all along th* lim-. The rrpurt wnt, arre:d to. IN CUMAHITi;!.. The Auckland Lnivtixitr C'olif" land BtlJ .lt*tiix> „f »h; IV..- AiiHudiiient Bill. Infant Amendment Bill. Haibnuc Amendinent Bill, and Waipuka Blo<-k Bill were p«*ed through Commitle-.- wth minor amendment;.

In Committer on the t>M Ag« I". hmoii Amendment Bill, >|r (Miinnr r, ....npl, mented the <lovernm:ut. He thought tie.* monry in the Savings Bank .>hou!d not btreated a« income for the puipo-e of penali"ing coupk-5. Thrift -»hould not b: PeDbiocm >hould not by wTT*!!held from rfidenfa of 33 yeati and o»er in broken p»-ri«»d-. A clatira- was inreited, pnividing that ii a saved up lo £2 a we-k in any year, it üball not opeialf again.'t Un p* nsion at renewal. provi.h-.I he can ihuw Inba» tea»cd earning woney. iLcft sitting •»- '£ a.m.-