PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8232, 8 September 1906, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. The House met at 2.30 p.m. FIRST READINGS. The Slaughtering and inspection Amendment Bill and the Waimafce Agricultural Reserves Bill were read a first time. LAND BILL. The Premier (for the Minister of Lands) gave notice of I the introduction of the Land Bill at the next; sitting. THE TOTALISATOR. Mr Tanner Rave notice of a Bill for reducing the number of tolalisator permits.

SUPPLY, '"*■ The House went into Committee of Supply and took up the Estimates. Class I.—Legislative Council and House of Representatives general expenses. The first item, Legislative Council £2OO, was passed on Wednesday night. On the present occasion the House passed the House of Representatives and other charges £5,720, salaries and other charges £7,886, total Class 1. (passed unaltered) £25,889. Class IL Treasury salaries £9,706, Friendly Societies Registry £2,600, Land and lnoome Tax Department £22,038, Rates on Omwn Land £BOO, miscellaneous £11,461, total £46,605 (unaltered). Class lll.—Post and Telegraph Department, salaries £375,050, conreyHoce of mails by sea £56,420. The House rose at 5.30, and resumed at 7.30 o'clock. Before the item (£56,240) was passed there was a discussion on the St»n Francisco service on the vote proposed of £20,000. On the Minister's explanation that the whole question oan be gone into when the proposals for tho aervice are brought down later the discussion dropped. The items were passed unaltered. Tho items conveyance of inland maile, £55,910, find carriage of mails by sea, £33,934, were passed without alteration. During a discussion on the item, maintenance of telegraph and telephone lines (£35,500) it was objeuted that with the Iris repairing steamer in New Zealand waters the Tutan*>kai was unaecessary, and should be sold. The Minister explained that the colony was nothing to do with the Iris. The item was passed unaltered'. The item, miscellaneous services (£58,215) was passed unaltered. That finished the class. In Class IV. (Tourist and Health, item office of Industries and Commerce £7,390), the Minister explained, in answer to a question, that the vote for £I,OOO for the shale industry was an old standing vote; tnat the expenditure on various exhibitions in London had been profitable from the advertising point of view, arid there had been £4OO of recoveries. Mr Allan objected to the large amount spent on-advertising. The Premier pointed out the aompetition. Against this country Canada waß spending £185,000 in England alone on advertising. / Mr T. Mackenzie said that more oaght to be spent in advertsing, but he thought the colony's trade in Britain ought to be handled better. The Premier agreed. After some further disous&iou tbe item was'passed without alteration. Tourist and Health Department (£31,392)— During the discussion on this item Mr W. Fraset suggested • that the Government should take up all the necessary licenses, and the Premier said the question was under oocsideration. The item was passed without alteration. Old age pensions (£5,215) item was passed unaltered. The Committee reported at 10.40 o'clock, and the House adjourned at 10.45 o'olook.