HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5689, 7 October 1896, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, Oct. 6. AFTERNOON SITTING, The House met at 2.30 p.m. .Mr G. W. Russell brought tip the report of the Copyright Telegrams Committee. He moved that it should lie ; on the table. Mr Collins moved that the report should be referred back to the Committee for further consideration. He said that the House would remember that he had moved and carried an amendment limiting the inquiry to the operation of copyright telegrams only, but he understood that the inquiries of the Committee had gone much further than that. He maintained that they had no right to attempt to regulate the affairs of the Press Association any more than those of other private companies, but he should like the report to be read. Mr G. W. Eussell suggested that consideration of the report should be postponed till next day, when the report would be in the hands of members. The Hon E. J. Seddon suggested that the report should be adopted, and he should give another day for consideration of the report. After further discussion the report was read. The Committee recommended that legislation should be introduced providing that the protection afforded by claxises 38 and 42 of the Electric Lines Act of 1884 should only be extended'to any Association which is prepared : ' (1) To grant to every subscriber to its service a voice iv the control and management ; (2) to grant to every newspaper its supply of cable news on payment of the same annual fee as is paid by other papers of the same class in similar localities. By this means ajl papers subscribing would have a voice in i!i6 management of the Association, and subscribing journals would be protected from the piracyof news for which they had paid! ' ' . Mr Collins said that tho House would see by the report that the Committee- had. gone much farther. than. the order of reference allowed, and it was evident thiitit had gone into the internal working of the Press Association instead of simply confining its inquiries to the operation of the Electric Lines Act as affecting copyright, telegrams. Ho understood that the report now presented to the House was not the one originally agreed on by the Committee, and he should like to know \rho was responsible for the alteration made in the report. % The Hon E. J. Seddon moved tho adjournment of the debate till next day. He said that it was not just to the Committee to order, the report back for reconsideration as the House had no opportunity of perusing the report. The amendment was carried and the debate adjourned till next day. BANKING. Eeplying to Dr Newman as to whether they were to have a Banking Bill this session, The Hon E. j. Seddon said that it all depended upon circumstances. ASIATIC RESTRICTION. The Speaker informed the House that the Asiatic Eestriction Bill had been reserved by the Governor for her Majesty's assent. * PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES. The House went into Committee of Supply for consideration of the Public Works Estimates. Minister of Immigration, £350 — passage for separated families and conth?gencies. ' Mr Earnshaw moved that this vote should be struck out. The Hon J. M'Kenzie said that the money did not belong to the colony at all. It was deposited by people who wished to bring out their friends to the colony. Vote carried by 44 to 16. Public Works— Departmental, .£14,250. Mr E. Thompson brought up the case of Mr Campbell,.an inspector of the department, who had been retrenched after many years' service, and his place filled by a person who had only .been about three months in the colony. Last year the P^remjer had offered to take him on -again, but Mr Campbell asked what was the use ov "his going on to be chivied about from place to place as he had been before he was retrenched. . The Hon W. Hall-Jones emphatically contradicted the statement that Mr Campbell Shad been persecuted by the department, and said that he was retrenchaulbecause his services were not required. A lengthy discussion arose on the matter of Mr Campbell's position, several members asserting that the Government had done a wrong thing in discharging a man who had been in the service for many years and putting in his place a man who had been in the colony only a few months. A lengthy discussion ensued. The Hon W. Hall-Jones promised to inquire into the Campbell casp, and Mr Thokpson expressed himself satisfied with that assurance. The Hon E. J. Seddon eventually appealed to the Committee to allow the Estimates to proceed, a,cd said that ho should not take i:ny further business that day boyond.the Puolic Works Estimates. Vote passed without alteration. Eailways .£2C0,000 — Blenheim- A watere .£2500. Mr G. W. Eussell moved that this item should be struck out, and said that it was simply throwing money away to vote this sum, as the line was a loss to the colony. Mr Earnshaw defended the vdte, and said that it was a continuation of the Main

trunk lino between Christchurch. and Picton. He was surprised at Mr ' Russell opposing this. The Hon J. M'Kekzie also defended the vote, and eaid that the Lands Department was very anxious to got the Awatere River bridged in order to" promote settlement. It was a dangerous river, and was the only one between Christchurch and JBleuheiin that was not bridged. Messrs Mills and Buicx strongly supported the vote. The debate whs interrupted b"y the 5.30 ', p.m. ndjouvranei.r. . ' .' j