NOTES FROM THE HOUSE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 31, 1 August 1901, Page 5

NOTES FROM THE HOUSE.

PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

(From our special correspondent.) The debate on the seoomi reading of the Lands for Settlement Ac r Amendment Bill wan resumed on Tuesday forenoon, The measure being a technical one there was little exception taken to its principles, the criticisms of members being devoted to certain clauses. The Premier, in replying to some o! the objections, said that the figures given by Mr. G. W. Russell, with reference to the area of land acquired for settlement last year by the Government, were not correct. The sum of £350,193 was expended under this heading last year, as against £353,000 for the previous year. Mr. G. W.Russell gave the figures for last year as £186,621, and Mr. Seddon claimed he was out to the tune of £1t>3.573. For want of knowledge Mr. Russell had misled himself, then misled the House. Mr. Seddon went on to say that if the amount expended on workmen's homes last year wa-< included the total expended for settlement purposes would be £356,000. The Government had been blamed for not facilitating the establishment of workmen's homes, but ho pointed out that 150 of these had been established. The second reading wae agreed to on the voices, and thu Bill was tiken in committee, the discussion on the various clauses lading until the House rose. Private bills and questions occupied the timo of the House during the afternoon sitting on Wednesday. The Hon. Sir J. G. Ward stated that the Public Health Department has under serious consideration the question of establishing homes for incurables, and something would be done probably in the direction of attaching an additional ward to the principal hospitals in the Colony to accommodate incurable cases. The amending measure to the Lands for Settlements Act was further considered, in committee, and occupied the whole of the sitting.

In the Council on Thursday afternoon it was decided to order a return showing what Education Board? permitted their inspectors to examine private schools. Speaking 1 on this matter the Minister for Education i-tate<i that the Government, by the appointment of pj.ecial inHp<ctoi*H, h;id alwaja dori'> it« part towards affording opportunities to the pupils of private schools, but the control of the other inspectors was in the banda of the boards. He was not prepared to propose to Parliament to take the inspection from the boards, being content for the present session to deal in a satisfactory manner with the larceqiu stion of teachers' salaries. In his opinion theae board? that were not broad-minded enough 10 allow their inyppptoT-s fiof i 0 examine private Bchools were not carrying out the Education Act. Oa the House resuming on Thursday evening the Land for Settlements Bill was again considered, and some of the amendments made in committee reviewed. The debate lasted until three o'clock on Friday morning when the bill was read a third time. On the House resuming on Friday afternoon an Imprest Supply Bill for £470 000 wa* passed through all its stages after some sharp criticism from the Opposition benches. Mr. Barclay's pet measure — Shop and Shop Assistants Amendment Bill, which provides for a weekly half-holiday for domestic servants and chemists — was read a second time. The second reading of the Totalißator Abolition Bill waa moved by Mr. Ell, who was supported by Messrs. Laurenson, Meredith, and Willis. The opponents of the measure were Messrs. Lawry, Carncross, Fraser, Herries, Beimet, and Carroll. The debate had not concluded when the House rose.