HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11727, 3 September 1902, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

„ The House antet at 2.30. FIRST READINGS. The Oamaru Endwoment, Lands Reflumipition for Mining, Savings Bank Profits Amendment Bills (Nd. 2) were intro<duced and read a firet time. QUESTIONS. Answering questions Ministers said— That at, present the colony had the services of one of the best geologists: south of the line, therefore it was not intended ty appoint another geologist, buit that a reorganisation of the staff was being mxde. That it was not intended to inquire into the hours of work and rates of pay in the Banks in the colony, the evidence taken on tha subject lasit year showing that the employees were satisfied with both. That a Bill would! be brought down giving assistance to the next-of-kin of the doopers who died from hardships suffered on the return voyage to the colony. That if local bodies are prepared to pay the costs, the Government woui'-d provide the means for obtaining full information by an electrical engineer relative to utilising the natural power of the rivers of the colony. That specific instructions would be forwarded to returning officers in connection with taking the licensing poll and (making the duties of deputy returning officers sufficiently plain. That the Health Department had received communications, from returned troopers expressing gratitude for the treatment they had received, and that it any complaints were rife they had1 not reached the Government. That i-tteps were""bing taken to make the Service Classification Bill this session.

That tte Government had no power, nor had they inclination, to prevent unemployed without means landing in this colony from Australia on account of the drought. The Immigration Restriction Act did net apply to such cases, and the proposal was anti-British. " That £400,000 Imperial guaranteed debenture* were on the 31st March and 30th June in the hands: of the Treasury. Thait a Bill would be introduced this session reducing the mortgage tax. That the Government had no power to increase the number of Maori members, as upon a population basis the prefitent number was Sufficient. That tenders for a Somth African service closed in London on the 4th September, too short a tinue: to enable a tender to be lodged from the colony. Sir Joseph Ward said he did not know1 the conditions, but thought colonial firms! should have had an opportunity of tenderinjg. That the Government diid not propose to acquire for settlement under the Land for Settlements Act the block of land 172,000 mineral springs at Maruia. -Inangahua County, available to the public. That it was not possible to ,paSs a Civil acreis, known as the Wi Pere-Ca-rroll tru-st, preferring to give ihe Board appointed under the recently-passed Act an opportunity of dealing with the land. That the question of erecting bone sterilising works near Auckland was under consideration. That the Land Bill wloiuld be brought down tin's week, when members would have an opportunity of discussing whether Crown .settlers should obtain the freehold, with due restriction as to area. That an Amendment of the Domains Act was necessary to enable the trustees of reserves and domains to grant exclusive rights to .sfports "committees and racing clubs entitled to the use of same, to exclude objectionable persons from trespass^ ing during days when sports or races are being held. That it was hoped to malce better provision by Parliamentary vote for school purposes, especially in country districts. That the Government was making in-

quiries with, respect to ,p]roviding a home for incurables, but that for this year at any rate the Government must rely upon the hospitals for the treatment of such patients. That a «urn of money will be placed upon the Supplementary Estimates for the equipment of training colleges for teachers in the four principal centres of the colony. That the Public Schools -Teachers' Superannuation Bill -would be introduced in a few days. HABEAS CORPUS EXTENSION. -^c Habeas Corpus Extension Bill was read a.first time, and! the adjournment took place at 5.50 p.m. The Hctusa resumed at 7.30. RAILWAY SUPERANNUATION. . The report of the Committee of theWhole on the Government Railways! Superanmiation Fund Bill came up for consideration in committee. .On the motion -I the Acting-Premier, an amendment ■•=•" made in clause 18, by which a contributor to the fund who is dismissed for misconduct becomes disentitled to .any refund1 of the whole amount contributed "by him to the fund; in the same clause the Acting-Premier moved to strike out the provision inserted with regard td a, widow being able to obtain a lump sum instead of an annuity, with a view to substituting the following- : "Or the widow may, if she- elects1, in lieu of the said allowance, be paiid a lump sum., so much of the amount of the contribution actually paid to the fund by the member, and of the compensation, if an*, to which the member was entitled under section 76 of the Government Railways Act, 18b7, as the Board, ihaving regard to the ri.ghta of the children, if any, think fitSeveral members objected to the proviso as likely to leadl tta abuses. Ultimately Sir Joseph, Ward agreed to eliminate "lump sum" from the .proposal, and the douse was altered' in that direction. The Bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. STATE GOAL MINES. The Hon. McGowan moved the adoption of the -amendments, made in cjommiittee in tha State Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill. Mr. Herriea objected that Parliament had not power to vote money for the State coal mines. Sir Joseph Ward said he could promise; the House that items would appear in succeeding Estimates until the expiry of the time named in the Bill, and members would have an opportunity of revising the items proposed to be expended. Mr. J. Allen protested against tha House abrogating its functions by placing on the Statute Book power tk> vote and spend 'moneys. The Hon. McGowan asserted that the Government had power to raise money, but nob to ajpend it. It was absolutely necessary that Ministers should have a ceri tain amount id freedom. The report was adopted, and the- Bill was read a third time. THE MINING BILL. The repc<rt of the Committee of the Whoi'e on the Mining Act Amendment Bill (No. 1) came up for consideration. Mr. Herries opposed several .ptrwvisionis of the Bill. Messrs;. Herries and) Massey contended that the correspondence between the promoters of the company and the Governmenib on the subject of the lease of land at Parapara shoufild have been placed before the House. Mr. Ell said the House should insist upon being informed as to the term for which it was propoisted to grant a lease. Mr. Witheford contended that the Minister was to be congratulated upon a measure that would assist in the development of the resources of the colony and opening up avenues for labolur. Mr. J. Allen believed it would be a good thing for the colony if the Parapara iron deposits were fairly worked1 under legal labour "and other proper conditions. i±& objected, however, to tne area of the proposed lease. • Mr. Laurenson complained tttiat the Biil'l I contained no piwisiota as1 to length of Mr. Bennet regretted that the Bill did not provide for the extension of ordinary mining areas. ' Mr. Napier considered that the am amply protected the piubiic interests. Sir William Russell wanted to know what bonus the promoters the company were to get and! how many shares were held by members of thiei Ministry. Ihe Bill was specially ->assed to enable two members of the Legislative Council to float a company. It was a grossly improper measure, and was a deliberate attempt to enable two members of the Legislature to obtain a bonus. Mr. Flatman contended that the iron ore at Parapara was rubbish in its present state The formation of a company to work the ore wouldu benetit the .producers and every working man in the colony. _ Mr. Monk said we had got coal, iron ore, and limestone, and he thought it would be welt for the Government to pause before delegating to a company such valuable natural resources. Mr. McGowan, in reply, said he was quite prepared to place before the House the whole correspondence on the subject ot the lease. He had no objection to the term* of the lease being inserted, but when a company proposd to expend a large sum of money he thought it in the interests ot the colony to be as geneaxxus as possible. The Bill left it o^en to any company to invest in the scheme. He pointed out that no company would take up a _ small araa of land for such an important industry. The third reading was carried by 46 tb 7. WEST COAST SETTLEMENT ACT. The West Coast Settlement Reserve Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. BIRDS NUISANCE BILL. The Birds Nuisance Bill was committed. Mr. Massey moved that the title of the Bill be altered to "Injurious Birda Destrua tion," but tha motion was lost by 29 to 17. Mr. Napier urged that the Bill be made applicable to the South Island dnly, as small birds were vaulable in the North Island in keeping down gardeai pests. Sir William Russell urged greater consideration to the subject, contending that small birds had been advantageous. At tha supper adjournment, in reply to Mr. James Allen,. Sir _ Joseph Ward made a .statement with regard to Pacific cable construction. He said the colony had to bear one-ninth of j the cost of construction, and one-ninth in. . the sliapa of deficiency of revenue, which ! necessarily muat occur. Until the Pacific ; I cable was completed and in/fworking ordle^ ■we would receive one-ninth, of any profits if the profits were made after the cable was completed/ and bear one-ninth of the losses if losses were made, -tie proposed

ta ask the House this session tb make provision on the E&timates for this one-ninth, and also to ask the Legislature to give the colony power to take a share in bifurcating the Pacific cabte from Fanning Island to Honolulu.. By doing tnis there would be an alternative route to 'Frisco, as against the long length of the Pacific cable from Fanning Island to Vancouver. By doing this we would make a wise provision againSt a breakdown on the long Pacific section. We would' be able to get this, as regards our one-ninth, expenditure, which was estimated at £200,000, for about £20,000, and it would be an excellent thing for the colony. He felt sure his proposal was distinctly beneficial to the colony, and he feit sure it would be approved by the House.