PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14042, 28 October 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY.

Per Press Association. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, Oct. 27. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. SECOND READINGS. The Roman Catholic > : Bishop of Auckland Bill and- McLean Institute Bill were read a second time. CONDOLENCES. Motions of condolence were passed with the families of the late Mr Richardson and Mr Telling, former members of the House of Representatives. REPRESENTATIVES. The Council adjourned 'until to-mor-row out of respect to the memory of the deceased. ' .' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met 'at 2>Bo' p.m. SUNDAY LABOUR. Mr Fisher's Sunday Labour Bill was read a second time pro forma. THE LOAN BILL. In committee on the Aid to Public Works and Lands Settlement Bill, Mr Herdman moved a new clause providing that no grant of .public money for expenditure on public works he paid without having been -approved by an advisory board. The,?mover said that there was an enormous waste in the expenditure of public moneys' on roads and bridges, and in 6omo cases this was done with a view of -influeneiug the electors. The chairman ruled that the clause was foreign to the Bill, and an appeal to the Speaker resulted-ih that ruling being tipheld. •. On Clause 3, providing -£400,000 in respect of public work;s,-' ; other than railways, roads and bridges, Mr Allen moved that the amount be reduced by £200,000. Mr Massey urged the Premier to give the House fuller information respecting the £400,000 for "other public works" which was a vague phrase. Mr Taylor said he would support a motion to strike the, clause. out altogether. The whole method of raising and spending public money needed reform. ...........

Mr Allen's amendment was negatived bv 42 to 22.

The Bill was reported unamended. A debate ensued on the motion for the third reading. ■■ i • :,. Mr Herries regretted, that such scheme as .that embodied--in his motion had not been adopted. It would prevent, the sweefcshing/Of--electorates by Ministers, which, was-.'a;scandal at present. i. </<>-•; ■:', ; : ' Mr Hanan characterised-the' proposals as undemocratic. ■'•■ - :

Mr Massey said it was -too dernperatic .to be supported -by > the ''Government. Parliament>had-no check and no control over'the public works expenditure. The lmste-shown!" in'putting a loan Bill before the'"'House was unseemly. He. asked if jfiCO.OOO..half tlie annual subsidy, to the Imperial Government on account "of. ttaVal defence had been paid.' "..':.- "'■ '■'■"' The House rose at 5.30 p.m. On resuming, the debate on the third reading of the Public Works Bill was continued.

Mr T. Taylor dealt-at length with Mr Lloyd George's Budget proposals, arid the methods adopted to secure a share of the community-created value of land. The lands of the Dominion had increased "largely; in" valueas a result of borrowed money'. ' The' system of taxation was most inequitable, and the Government ouglit' to' introdiice the betterment principle',- 1 so. that people who receive unearned increment may not leave others" to pay the taxation bv means-of the' Customs tariff. In the past 17 years -28,'O00.freeholders in the Dominion paid six. milliiSris ih'land tax, hut received e'igEty-five''millions n the shape of unimproved "Value' of their property. He. could-' not agree to the proposal that Parliament should abrogate;' its'; .functions and become a glorified'-road board. • ]Mr Baunie said that'local' 'goyernmont reform was'sadly-needed,' to remedy the existing state- ; of.. things in connection with the "execution .of public works. Parliament;;3hbuld' not be asked to discuss '-'-'a -gfea't many ' small matters that ; at preseriti were dealt with in the House. : > He" was'a thorough believer in- the ■ betterment principle, but he did. not .approve of increasing or ' taxation on small settlers. . ; 1:"'"\'- '_ ' Affer much discussion '"Sir J. G. Ward rose to reply. He deprecated the introduction into the debate of a di« enssion on the land proposals'riot yet placed before the House.:."' 'He ridiculed the flimsy pretest of Mr Allen in moving a reduction of the amount allocated in clause 3, by half, on the ground of lack of. details, when he knew the Government'coWld Wot ap : propriate the amount until- the purposes for which it was wanted were stated. On the question of urgency he had made it clear when introducing the Bill that Jhe Dominion was not in need of money. l He intimated that it was desirable to obtain money before the end of the month as money was cheno amd plentiful;' and changes might take place"at Home altering -tho state of the money' market; ing the payment, of the Naval subsidies, these were paid in London on receipt of an application from the Admiralty. Up to the present ho had: not received a voucher since the .-subsidy was mcrpisod, but the High ' Commissioner ■had instructions'to. nay it. immediately lie received a remiest. Thp third reading was passs'ed on the

voices. ' ■ ,;. The House ( rose at midnight