PARLIAMENTARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 174, 3 August 1901, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY.

House of Representatives. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Wellington, last night. The House met at 10.30 a.m. The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Cemetery Trustees Validation Bill wore agreed to. The Factories Bill (Mr Seddon) was read a second time pro forma and roferred to the Labor Bills Committee. THE COUNTIES BILL. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Counties Bill. He said be thought the House should affirm the principle of tho Bill, as tkero was a great necessity for legislation improving the local government of the country. Tho Bill would then he sent to a Select Committee, where the whole of the details would be threshed out. He went on to say it must De admitted there was too much local government, and too many bodies in the colony. This Bill, however, was to a great extent optional. If they wanted to make steady progress it was better to start by being optional, and then, if the new order of things was satisfactory, to make them compulsory. Explaining the provisions of the Bill, Mr Seddon said tho existing counties were retained under the Bill. In some parts of the colony he found if there was to be any local government at all* the road boards must be retained. He was in favor of increasing the number of counties, and giving them extended powers and assured finance. He was not at alt in love with tho presont system of subsidies, and should

prefer to give subsidies on construction ol

roads and bridges, as being better than the present system of subsidising rates. The question of finance, however, would bo dealt with in a separate measure. Increased powers were given to county councils to make by-laws, and he thought it was only right that the hampering restrictions at present imposed ought to be removed. He asked members to approach the measure with an earnest desire to improve our system of local government.

Captain Bussell agreed that tho time had arrived when tho local government system should be revised, but be thought the second reading of tho Bill should be held over until a Select Committee had considered the Bill. He moved, therefore, that the debate be adjourned, but did not do so with any intention whatever of obstructing the passage of the Bill. A Select Committee could deal more completely and satisfactorily with the details of the Bill than the House, and when the Committee had finished its labors the House would have something tangible to discuss. He did not beliove there were half a dozen members who had properly studied the Bill. Mr Seddon said tho Bill was circulated early in the session. It had been before the Counties’ Conference in Wellington, and members should bo well acquainted with its provisions. If they did not want the Bill, lot them say so. Eventually tho motion for the adjournment of the debate was withdrawn, and the debate proceeded.

Mr G. W. Russell said he bolioved the people would bo prepared to part with the county system before the road board system, and it was unfair to those boards who had not been represented at the recent conference on the Bill.

At this stage Mr Seddon asked to be allowed to withdraw the motion for tho second reading with the view to moving it pro forma in order that it might go as soon as possible to the Select Committee. This tvas agreed to and tho Bill was read a second time pro forma on the voices and referred to the Select Commitoe. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. Mr Mills moved tne second reading of the Government Advances to Settlers Bill, to empower tho Governor-in-Council to raise an additional loan of two millions for the purposes of the Government Advances to Settlers Act, 1894. He said up to July 22 advances had been accepted in 9101 cases, amounting to £2, 859,570, and it was necessary that Parliament should authorise tho raising of a large sum of money to enable the Department to come to the assistance of settlers.

Mr James Allen did not think there was any justification for raising such a large sum, and he did not believe the money was wanted so much for the Advances to Settlers Department as for the purposes of general government. If the Government wanted to raise a loan they should say so straight out. Messrs Guinness and Barclay generally approved of the Bill as being necessary to increase the usefulness of the Department. The debate was interrupted by the luncheon adjournment. AFTERNOON SITTING.

The House resumed at 2.80. Mr Herries resumed the debate on the Government Advances to Settlers Extension Bill, and urged that no good ground was being shown why this fresh sum should be granted. 5 ' Mr Seddorx said that there was only the sum of £560,000 available for advances on the 81st March last, and unless an additional vote was obtained the business of the Department would be blocked. The Department had done excellent work, and

its investments had been very safe. The money asked for in this Bill was not intended for any other purpose than the Advances to Settlers Department. Captain Russell contended that this money was not wanted by the Advances to Settlers Department this year. He could not help believing that the money was not wanted by tho Department, but for some ulterior object. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.tn. After further debate the second reading of the Government Advances to Settlers Extension Bill was read a second time on the voices. Mr Seddon moved the second read-

ing of the Rating on Unimproved Values Act Amendment Bill, which brings the principle of rating on unimproved value into general operation. Captain Russell said he was thoroughly convinced that the attempt to rato.on unimproved value was a will-o’-the-wisp, and he would vote against the Bill. The debate was interrupted by the 10.30 adjournment, and tho House rose.

Legislative Council

The Council met at 2.30. The Referendum Bill was thrown out on tho second reading by twenty-nine votes to one, the Minister for Education being the only member to record a vote in favor of the Bill. The Police Offenders Bill passed through Committee. The Mortgages of Land Bill was read a second time.