PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Issue 12187, 23 September 1911, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY'S PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

(Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Friday night. j The Council met at 2.30. MENTAL DEFECTS. The Mental Defectives Biil .vas r;- j ported with amendments :aief of which were that two medical certificates should l;e given to the Inspec-tors-General upon application of the parent or guardian to commit a minor to an institution, and that periodical visits of the inspector or an official visitor should apply not only to institutions but to every bouse in which a patkmt is kept. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. The Friendly Societies Amendment Bill was reported irom Committee with minor amendments. STONE QUARRIES. The Stone Quarries Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. The Council adjourned until Thursday next. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES. Sir Joseph Wardi informed the House that the report of the Electoral Boundaries Commission would not be available before Monday. IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. The report of the Imperial Conference would be ready en Thursday evening next. ESTIMATES. The House went into committee on the Estimates. Mr Massey's amendment to reduce the vote of £1350 for Legislative Council salaries by £5 as an indication that the Council should l>e made elective, was further considered. Speaking- to the amendment Mr Massey said that he was strongly of opinion that elections should be on" the proportional representation system.

Mr George Fowlds (Grey Lynn) w a s certain that the time was coming when the present system would have to be altered. When the matter came to be settled it would .be found that the Upper House could not be elected on the same franchise as the General Assembly. He thought a portion of the Council should be nominative, to allow men who had done good service for the country to have ,a place there.

Mr Jemning- (Tamarunui) believed that the nominative system had done good work. Mr Fisher (Wellington Central) said that if some men were appointed to the Upper House for public servioes, or for their knowledge of public affairs there would not be so much against the system, nut imm'icrrants, and people who had never uttered a single sentiment in their lives had been appointed. ?vlr Hemes (T.auranga) contended that members in the Council now represented the Premier because he appointed them to some position. This would apply to any Premier. Mr McLaren (Wellington East) held that Mr Massey's amendment was designed to catch the unwary. After further discussion the amendment was negatived on a division by 37.. to 22. Mr Fisher then moved to reduce the amount by £4 as an indication that the Upper House should be abolished.

The amendment was negatived by 44 to 13.

Mr J. C Thomson (Dunedin N/> then moved to reduce tbe item by £3, as an indication that the Legislative Council should be elected by the House of Representatives. The House at this state* adjourned. EVENING SITTING. On resumption in the House in the evening, Sir Joseph Ward speaking to Mr Thompson's amendment said the proposed system would not suit the country and it was idle to move for alteration of constitution. On the item that Estimates be prepared at a proper time to submit a weiU matured and workable scheme, Mr Massey said that if they could not amend the Upper House in which the majority of the people had lost confidence as at present constituted, he would vote for its abolition.

Sir Joseph Ward, in further reply, pointed out that different sections of the public should have a voice in the Upper House and that they had that now. He was opposed to the election cf the Council on a similar franchise as the House and deadly opposed to a restricted franchise. He was not prepared to commit himself to "a regular botch." The matter should g 0 to the country. Mr Thompson's amendment was negatived by 39 to 8. Mr Massey asked the Premier if he would bring in opposed legislation following on the Hine Commission making it impossible for members of Parliament to accept positions on commission for transactions in which Government was concerned, or in selling land to the Government. Sir Joseph Ward said it was not the nicest possible thine 1 to legislate to keep members straight. The desired object could he attained by an alteration of the Standing Orders.

After further discussion the item "Legislative Council Salaries" was passed and the whole clause for Legislative Department £27,557, passed.

On the vote for the National Provident Fund Department, Sir Joseph Ward, replying to criticisms and suggestions, said the fund could not be run by the Insurance Department. Canvassing had neat been contemplat■rd, nor would it be satisfactory. The Department was advertising the oChem-3 thoroughly. After midnirrht Class 11 of the Department of Insurance was considered, (£45,584) and passed. On the item for rural telephones in the Postal and Telegraph Department, Class 111, (£960,070), Mr Massey asked for greater consideration and assistance to settlers, who were expected to do a great deal in the matter.

Sir Joseph Ward said that under the new system he proposed ta introduce, the charges for one subscriber to exchanges not open continuously would be unaltered ; for two subscribers up to one mile the charge wonid be £3 10s ; for three £4 5s 6d, Sul--cribers on one line up to three wiould he reduced to £3, while business connections would he £1 extra. From three to five miles the charge was £6 each, plus £7 4s for capital charge. For the first year this was to be reduced to £4 Bs, without any charge on capital cost for the first year and for 10 miles £8 Bs, plus £8 19s against £44 4s heretofore. The system would allow settlers bo get telephones at a cheap rate while assistance would be given to private lines. He intended going further into fchei whole question.

The vote was passed and the Hoiis e rose at 1.50.

ELECTIVE UPPER HOUSE. MR MASSEY'S AMENDMENT. THE DIVISION LIST. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The House sat until (nearly 1 o'clock this morning in committo 0 on the Estimates. It rill he remembered that when [k\ .. c-cs, was reported last Tuesday night the first \ote among annual appropriations, "Legislative Council £1350," was before the committee and Mr Massey had moved an amendment to reduce the item 'iy £•") as an indication of »the opinion that the Legislative Council should fee constituted hy popular election. On the discussion bain© resume."", last night Mr Massey said that he had moy«d the amendment in thp proper way ant! at the proper time in order to gave the House an opportunity of expressing its opinion as to how the Upper House ghoul! be constituted. He pointed out that the amendment did not state whit form of election it should be, but he personally was strongly in favor of proportional representation as the best system of electing memlbers of the Upper Chamber. The feeling in favor of proportional representation was growing, he would like + o see New 'Zealand lead the way in this reform.

After a prolonged discussion, Mr Massey's amendment was lost by 1"> votes.

The division list was : N'oes : (37). Arnold, Brown, Buddo, Buxton, Carrol!, Craigie, Dillon, J. Duncan, Ell, Field, Forbes. Fowlds, GraMm, Hanan, Hogan, Isitt, Jennings, Laurenson, Lawry, Mac Donald, R. McKenzie, T. Mackenzie, McLaren, Millar, Myers, Ngata, Parata, Rannihiroa, Ross, Sidey, Smith, Stallworthy, Steward, Taylor, Thomson, Sir J. G. Ward, and Witty. Ayes : (22), Allen, Anderson, Buchanan, Buick, Davey, J. Duncan, Fisher, Fraser, Greenslade, Guthri?, Hardy, Herries, Hine, Malcolm, Massey, Newman, Nosworthy, Pearce, Rhodes, Scott and G. M. Thomson.