PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2246, 18 July 1908, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. AFTERNOON SITTING. [Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 17. Tho Legislative Council met at 2.30 Replying to a nuestion by Hon. W. E. Collins respecting the sanitary bottle distribution of milk, tho At-torney-General snid that tlio Chief Health. Officer had been instructed to obtain nil information on the subject from Chicago and olsowhero, which would on receipt bo available for lion, members. As to tho establishment of properly-equipped dairies at State farms, tho Minister replied that- everything that could bo done was being done to secure tho purity of milk. Sterilised bottles wore now' being used, and the whole matter had been referred to tho Minister for Agriculture. The Declaratory Judgments Bill and the Corporations Contracts Bill passed their final stages without amendment. Tho Attornoy-Coneral moved tlio second reading of tlio Law Practitioners Amendment Bill. Tho Bill repeals section fivo of tho Law Practitioners Act, 1908, which ro-enacts tlio Law Practitioners Act Amendment Act, 1898. which provides that solicitors may be admitted without examination to practise as barristers after they have practised for fivo years as solicitors or have acted ns managing clerks of solicitors. Hons. Jones, Cnllnn, and Louisson supported tho measure, and Hons. Rigg, Kelly, and Jenldnson opposed ■it- . Oil a division tho second reading was carried by 23 to 7. and the Bill was ordered to bo committed on Wednesday. Tho second reading of the Interpretation Amendment Bill was corried without amendment, and will be committed on Wednesday. Tho Town Boards Amendment Bill was road a second time without amendment, and" will he committed on Wednesday. The New Zealand .Society of Accounts ntisßill was considered in committee. Xu amondniont was carried, providing that a person, whether exclusively carrying on business as a public accountant or not, may be entitled to bo enrolled as a public accountant. The remaining clauses were passed without amendment. The third reading was set down for Wednesday. At 4.35 p.m. tho Council adjourned until Wednesday.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of ■VeUiiigton Empowering Bill (Mr. Izard) was read a second time. Mr Major’s Farriers’ Bill was withdrawn. The Financial Debate was resumed >y Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, who con'ratulated the Ministers upon the budget. He supported tho member or Hutt in the view that Parliament should, not bo prorogued for the visit if the" American fleet. He could not inderstand why the burden of taxation had increased as tho prosperity if the colony increased. _ What was -ho use of borrowing a million annually and coming down with threeiuarters of a million surplus. The Customs concessions had met been real,, the revenue therefrom being iow higher thaii over. The Government valuation of lands was excesivo." Tho unimproved and capital aluo of the colony had increased in ive years by £81,000,000. He protested against trusts and tho opera•ions of tlio Standard Oil Company. He advocated the settlement of bush lands rather than lands for settlement, and said the rents on the latter were so high that, if prices fell, the Crown tenants would ask for rent retd actions and the Government would iiRVe to grant the freehold. He askid why dissatisfaction was so rife all river the country in volunteering circles,- and said that Parliament should /have an opportunity to debate the defence- question. VMr, J. M. Hornsby said that Mr. Fisher’s land argument had been condemned again and again. Ho justijfied the statement that the prosperity ,of the country was due to the Liberals, and at great length criticised the organised attempt of those opposed to the Liberal party to belittle the Dominion and shake its credoßce. [Io paid a tribute to the work of the Advances to Settlers Department, and said the superintendent deserved recognition for his administration of the Department, which was a blessing to many. Ho was a modified freeholder, but did not believe in the doctrino of unearned increment. Lands for settlements tenants should have the option of the freehold at the original valuation. Ho advocated banlc- : ng reform on tho Canadian system. He supported the visit of the American fleet.

, Dr Chappie followed with a lengthy ipeech on the industrial situation, von tending that the Act had not broken down, but had prevented universal strikes. It had substituted combination for competition. He obiected to the' present constitution of the Court, which, not consisting of experts, gave absurd decisions in each dispute. Four exports should be appointed to sit with the judge. Conciliation Boards should he abol"slied. and awards should be enforced n the Magistrate's' Court. The principle of our arbitration system was 'o guarantee a living wage, not to decide upon the divisions of profits. Unfortunately those two things had been confused. The right to strike should lie allowed to unions, but aidbig .and abetting should be sternly prohibited.

The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTING. - The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Dr. Chappie, continuing, said that preference to unionists necessitated compulsory unionism, which was the corollary of compulsory arbitration. The Court should make an award on piece-work only'. Individual effort must bo paid for, as the uniformity of wages was lowering efficiency. Mr. W. HeiT.ies said it was quite refreshing to listen to a new member who spoke with such candour and ciuito regardless of his constituents. Ho declined to believe anybody had deliberately attempted to misrepresent the colony as to its finances. The speaker dealt at length with various 'oahs. He referred to tho small deposits in tho pavings banks, which had fallen by £IOO,OOO in tho past year. Tho railways had not done well, the cost of running had increased, and tho Hurunui-Bluff line paid less every year. Hon. Jas. McGowan followed with a speech in which he justified the ldministration of tho Government, and replied to the Opposition criticism. Taxation had been reduced. The apparent iucreaso per head only showed that people were so prosperous that they could spend more on dutiable goods. Ho contended they had spent over £30,000 per annum on roads in the past five years. The State coal mines were run without loss to tho community and had cheapened coal. After Mr. McGowan had referred to the magnitude of tho mining industry, ho said the profits on the Fort Elizabeth mine wero £15,401. There was a loss on the Seddonville mine of £5580. He justified the policy in regards to prison treeplanting camps, . and objected .to a Prisons Commission to hold an inquiry, which would do more harm thau good. He asserted that immigration brought the best class of settlers.

Mr. J. Stallworthy followed Mr. McGowan with a speech dealing at considerable length with, the kauri gum industry, and ho appealed for the adequate control of such an important industry. He approved of the back blocks roading policy of the Government. He pointed out that the public debt had increased at a much slower rate than tho capital value, therefore the colony was in a better position now than ever it was. (Applause.) Mr. C. H. Poole applauded the Budget and expressed satisfaction with the operation of the tariff. Tho

trunk railway lines should bo completed before branch lines wore undertaken. Tho Ad vances to Sot t iers Act was a splendid measure. no advocated small holdings to relievo the unemployed. Ho supported tho naval subsidy, also, to dovolop men into volunteers. Tho debate was adjourned. The Declaratory Judgments Bill and tho Corporation Contracts Bill wore received from tho Legislative Council, and wore road a first timo. Tho House roso at 11.50 p.m.