HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6289, 21 September 1898, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.

x. .Tuesday,- Sept, 20.AFTERNOON bl'lTiAG.^ TBp House met' at 2.30 p.m. The Inspection of Schools Bill (Mr (*ufedJer) was introduced and read a first time. BKTIRNS. Returns dealing with the following subjects were ordered: — Present! output and value of bullion from the Waihi mjies, and the probable cost of firewood two years hence, prcv.d^d none is invorted ; expenses in connection with the cropping by the <Jovenunent ol the Poinanaka Estate ; amount/ of ploughing done by the State on the Otahu Estate, and the cost of the same ; and details oi the cost of the Police Commission. GOYERKHEXT BUSINESS. On the motion of the Premier it was resolved that on and after Wednesday, Sept. 21 Government business, for the remainder of the session, should take precedence of other business on Wednesdays. The Premier moved that on Monday, Sept." 1 26, and for the agreed remainder of the . «essicn the House shall sit on Mondays at 7.30 p.m., for the transaction of Government business only, with the exception of the first Monday, on which certain private jßßmbers' Bills and local Bills may be considered. After a short debate the motion was agreed to. . SECOND READINGS. The second readings of the Native Lands Settlement and Administration Bill, and Landless Natives Bill were agreed to pro forma, and the measures referred to the Native Affairs Committe3. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The House went into Committee of - Supply" on the General- Estimates. Class Hl.— Colonial Treasurer's Department, £36,789. In answer to Mr G. -Hutchison the -Premier said that the Secretary to the Treasury had devoted much of his spare time to Hie compilationof a Government telegraphic • code, and it w^s intended to give him a bonus for. this work. ■ , ' Mr Meredith asked if the cadets appointed in this Department had been appointed in the order in which they passed the examination. The Premier said that the law had been atrictly complied with. Cadets had been taken from the head of the list and according to the order of merit only. The objections raised had been in. connection with several girls who were near the top of the list; and had been passed over, but he considered that they had just as good a right to appointment. Referring to the salary of the Registrar of Consols, £50, which the Premier said was paid to the Secretary of the Treasury, who acted in the capacity mentioned, Mr Pirani said that the time had arrived when the House should devote attention to the question of perquisites to highly-paid officials, and as> an indication that the system of bonuses' and of giving officials underhand increases should be done away with he moved that the salary of the Secretary to the Treasury, £700, should be reduced by £1. The. Premier said that the Govemmemt had in its service men who, in his opinion, and gauged by what was paid outside, were considerably under-paid. An efficient officer in the Treasury saved the colony's money. In the discussion which ensued the opinion ■was expressed that when it was intended to increase the salary of an official it should be clearly shown. After others had spoken, Mr George Hutchison referred to the correspondence between the Treasury and the Audit Office respecting the refusal of the latter office to issue certain requisitions under the Public Revenues Act. The Chairman of Committees ruled that this correspondence <;ould not be referred to, as there was an order on the Order Paper dealing with the matter. Mr Hutchison then moved that progress should be reported, in order that he might have a wider scope. The Chairman of Committees said that no reference could be made to the correspondence. After discussion progress was reported, in order to take the Speaker's ruling on the point raised. After the Chairman of Committees had submitted the point to the Speaker the Premier said that he, as head of the Department, was responsible for the correspondence alluded to, and not the Secretary of the Treasury, whose salary was under discussion when it was attempted to discuss the correspondence between the Treasury and the Audit Office. Mr G. Hutchison said tha£the Government had made no attempt to bring on the interrupted debate on the matter of the» correspondence, and he considered that the present would be the only opportunity given to the House to discuss the matter. The Speaker, in upholding the ruling of the Chairman of Committees, expressed "the opinion that the subject of the correspondence was of such importance that it should be referred to the Public Accounts Committee at an early date. Committee of Supply was resumed. The discussion on Air Pirani's motion was continued, and was proceeding at the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m., in Committee of Supply. The discussion on Mr Pirani's motion that the salary of the Secretary of the Treasury sfeould be reduced by £1, as an indication that the system of giving bonuses should be stopped, was continued, • Mr Pirani said that he was willing to withdraw the motion if the Premier promised that no bonus or emolumentvshould be given to any member of the Civif Service unless sud» bonus was placed on the Estimates opposite the salary of the official receiving it The Premier pointed out that a similar official in Queensland was paid £1500. The remarks made that afternoon respecting the Secretary of the Treasury had been unmerited. After a short discussion the motion was negatived on the voices, and the vote was passed. Friendly Societies Registry Office, £1330. Mr Sligo moved that the salary of the Re-

vising Barrister, £cO, shtuld be i educed by £1 as an indication that that officer was * ut of touch withtha Friendly Societies. He referred to a recent decision of the Supreme Cturt with respect to tha Revising Barrister's interpretation of the law, which had i been given in favour of the Societies, but j • which the Revising Barrister had held to be i incorrect. j The Premier said that it had been ar- ', ranged between the parties that no matter • how the decision* went both would loyally ! abide by It. He had not heard that the Revising Barrister had refused to abide by the decision of the Supreme Court. In the course *f a short discussion it was stated that under the new conditions the j Revising ßarrister was more approachable by officers of societies/ and had toeon giving general satisfaction. Mt Sligo said that the Revising Barrister had contended that he was to make rules for the Societies, but the decision of the Supreme Court has been that the Societies should make their own rules. After several members had spoken Mr Tanner said that the law Tinder which the Department acted was not "understood, as it had required a decision of the Supreme Court to show the office that they were wrong. The motion was negatived on the vcices, and the vote was passed. Land and Income Tax Department, £21,585. | The Premier in reply to a question stated that the number of extra clerks employed in I this Department ranged from between twelve to fifty. „ Mr Fraser considered that this was an evasion of the Civil Service Act, as many of these clerks were employed permanently, to. the detriment of cadets who were entitled to the positions held by these clerks. - . • The Premier said that the Commissioner of Taxes' had almost a freehand .in "the ap Ipoihtment cf^ these clerks, many of whom were capable of doing the highest class of work.. ,„. • ... _ Mr Pirani said that some ' temporary clerks were paid a higher rate of wages than was paid to permanent officers. The Premier said that it would take two cadets to dp the work of one temporary clerk, and after three months there would be no work for them to do, but the Government could not dispense with their services. The consequence would be that tor nine months these cadets would be spinning tops and playing marbles. Some -tf these temporary clerks had been permanent officers, and the Civil Service Act of 1806 .declared that these should have the preference. There was, therefore, no violation of the Act, and the men employed were only necessary for atime, and were casual hands. After further discussion, the v.jte was agreed to. Treasury— Miscellaneous services, £6654 Mr Montgomery asked if it was t?«i intention of the Government to abolish the con- I sols account, whigh he considered never ha.o been .popular as a*neans of investment. . Ihe Premier said. that. so fur from doinoaway with the consols system, he believed m its extension, and he considered that 'he people of the colony should be able to buy £5 or £10 worth of consols. , As to the difference between the interest paid on consols and on Post Office Savings Bank deposits, he pointed out that the deposits were at call He intended next session to bring down proposals for popularisation of consols Mr Tanner said that the difficulty of negotiating consol certificates was the cause of the unpopularity of the system. Mr Montgomery said that consols were only used by capitalists who got 34' per cent for their investments, whilst the worker who saved and deposited in- the Post Office Savings Bank got only 2A per cent. ■ -- ■ . J * i ■ Mr Pirani moved that the salary of the -Registrar of Consols should be reduced from £50ito £25. , • Negatived by 27 to 26. Mr^Pirani then moved to strike out the 'iir^n r ex P enses > connection consols, ±u& Premier said that £50 would be S ? ffi . Cie ?* to meefc expenses, and he moved that the vote should be reduced by onehalf. Mr Piranrs motion was negatived by 31 to 21, and the Premier's motion was agreed to. Mr Duthie moved to reduce the item, "preparation of new Government code, £200," by £100. There was no justification for the expense, and he objected to the surreptitious manner in which the salary of the Secretary of the Treasury was sought to be increased. The Premier said that ife would be the height of ingratitude to. an official to reduce the amount, as a new code was necessary. After discussion, the motion was negatived by 26 to 25. Mr Kelly moved that the item should be reduced by £75. Negatived by 28 to 20 and the vote agreed to. Class IV.— Justice Department. A discussion ensued on the item, clerk £175, also editor Cumin's Index,£so,it being contended that this clerk was paid for two years' work, as the index only came out every third year. Mr Pirani asked the Minister in charge if, in view of the news of the death of Sir George Grey, the House would adjourn. The Hon T. Thompson said that he had not been officially informed of Sir Georie Grey's death. After further discussion, the vote was agreed to. Mr Duthie moved to report 'progress. Negatived by. 27 to 20. ' . Supreme Court — £6154. In the discussion on this vote, it was contended that registrars of the Supreme Court should be paid a uniform salary throughout the colony.. ■ The discussion on {the vote was rroceedmg when the Telegraph Office closed.