PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2684, 14 December 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS. * ! I Pkh I’uebb Ahhooiation. l WELLINGTON. Dec. 13. In the Council this afternoon ,tho Hons. R. H. J. Reeves, W. C. Smith, and G. Jones Avere sworn in for another term .as Councillors. Leave of absence was granted to the Hon, Sir Maurice O’Rorke for the remainder of the session on account of the ill health of his wife. The Attorney-General gave notice to move that the Standing Orders be suspended for the remainder of the session in order to enable all Bills to be put through all stages at one sitting." The third reading of the Land Settlement Finance Bill was agreed to on the voices after a long debate. The Shipping and Seamen Act Amendment Bill was passed through its final stages. DEATH DUTIES BILL. The adjourned debate on the Death Duties Bill Avas resumed by the Hon. J. Anstey, Avho thought that the succession duty might have been higher and the estate duty somewhat lower. He criticisedi the principle of graduation in the Bill. The Hon. H. F. Wigram having criticised certain phrases of the Bill, the debate was adjourned until 7.45 p.m. At the evening sitting, the Hon. F. Trask resumed the debate on the Death Duties Bill, giving it a general approval. He suggested taxing motor cars and racehorses, and said he would put Id a head on all sheep raised, Avhicli would bring in revenue amounting to £87,459. There Avere other things, too numerous to. mention, upon avhich he would put a ’tax, but in nothing Avould lie tax the Avorking man. The Hon. J. Barr considered that the Bill went in the right direction, but he Avould like the Government to distribute Avealth Avhile it is being created, and not after it is created. A Death Duties Bill could not do this. After the Hon. G. J. Smith had briefly spoken, the Attorney-General, in his reply, admitted that the Bill was not perfection, but he hoped that, if the necessary alterations could not ho made now, he, as Attorney-General, Avould be able to improve it later on. The second reading wa s agreed to. NAVAL DEFENCE BILL.

The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Naval Defence Bill. The country, he said, was committed to the Bill, and it was unnecessary for him to dwell upon the subject. It was a measure to give effect to the will of the majority, and it was for those who might disagree to cheerfully submit to that will. The second reading was agreed to. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT ADMIN-

ISTRATION BILL. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Land for Settlement Administration Bill recently passed by the House. He proposed to refer the Bill to tho Statutes Revision CommitThe second reading was agreed to, and the Bill was referred to the committee as suggested. v The Council,then adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AMENDMENTS TO THE GAMING ACT. In the House this afternoon, replying to Mr. Massey, Sir Joseph Ward safd he intended introducing an amendment to the Gaming Act this' session, and to pass it or, at least, an (Act to prohibit Galloway and pony racing. Mr. Massey announced his intention to oppose the legalisation of bookmakers on the turf. NEW BILLS INTRODUCED. The Stamp Duties Amendment Bill, which provides a tax of 2-} per cent, on race meetings’ receipts, and ten per cent, on bank note issue, and the Public Works Act Amendment Bill were introduced by Governor’s message and read a first time.

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. The Premier announced that the Public Works Statement would be brought down on Monday next. HOURS OF SITTING. The Premier moved, in accordance with previous notice, that on and after Tuesday next the House sit from 10 a.m. until rising, for the remainder of the session.

Mr. in opposing the motion, asked for a statement of the business proposed to be taken by the Government, and especially what was to he done in regard to the Land Bill, which ought to be proceeded with. He did not approve of the manner in which business was being rushed through. Speaking for himself, he was quite prepared to come back after Christmas, rather than have legislation hurried through. This would cause members who had agricultural interests considerable loss.

Mr. Pearce expressed similar views. Mr. G. M. Thomson, moved as an amendment that the motion should read that the House rise at 12.30 a.m. The Premier’s motion was carried by 45 to 28. ,

Mr. Allen urged the Premier to give the House a clear statement of the work he proposed to get through before the close of the session, and protested against the custom of hurrying Bills through the House in the dying hours of the session. Sir Joseph in reply, said that much time had been wasted by speakers on the Opposition side in debate. In regard to the business of the session, he could say, from experience of the House, that the present session had been more productive than any he remembered. He asked the House to sit in the forenoon in view of the approaching end of the session. This had been done before in order to meet the convenience of members. Mr. Thomson’s amendment would have resulted in blocking business. He would ho in a .position on Thursday or Friday next to give a statement of the business proposed to be concluded before Christmas, so that the House could decide whether it was necessary to come bade after the holidays or not. He would suggest that Ins motion to sit in the mornings should not take effect till Thursday, which would mean that the House would sit in the forenoon for a week before closing down. , The motion, as amended, was agreed to, and the House rose at 5.30 p.m. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL. At the evening sitting the Friendly Societies Bill) was received from committee witlh unimportant amendments, and was nassed. STATE GUARANTEED ADVANCES BILL.-..-On the motion that the New Zealand State Guaranteed Advances Bill be read a third ±ime, Messrs Allen, Newman, Massey, and Buchanan discussed the proposed amendments to the Bui, which had been rejected, and expressed

regret ‘ that part 2 of the Loans to Local Bodies Act had been repealed, ■and that local bodies bad, therefore, to find their own sinking funds. Sir Joseph Ward expressed astonishment at the strictures of Mr. Massey and his colleagues, seeing that under the Bill the mode of borrowing was a distinct improvement on the old system. At present members of local bodies were applying for loans, but the moneys were exhausted, as the full amount authorised had been lent, yet tlie friends of the local bodies in the House were opposed to the proposals of a Bill which 1 would be of immense benefit to local bodies. The Premier declared that the provisions of the Bill were exceedingly favorable to local bodies, and that the system of State guaranteed advances was on© which, he considered, other countries would quickly follow. Applications for loans at the rate of £12,000 a day were coming into the to settlers office, or four millions a year. The Bill qiade provision to meet this large demand for money ,at a reasonable cost, and the Government was keeping the whole system on a solid financial basis. The Bill was read a third time. MILITARY DEFENCE.

Tlie Prime Minister moved the second reading of the Defence Bill, which proposed an expenditure of £352,000, inclusive of £202,000 now included in the estimates. The volunteer system, he said, had broken down. It lacked continuity, and was disheartening to officers, and the only remedy was to change the system. The Bill was compulsory to a certain extent. All recognised tho good work done by tho volunteers and their enthusiasm. Referring to the Imperial Military Conference, tho Premier said that an important point was made clear, namely, the right of the colonies to do "what was proper for their own defence without the interference of the Mother Country, but it was recommended that the forces of the overseas dominions should be standardised in regard to arms, stores, etc., so as to provide for the creating of a homogeneous army in case of need. Not only was autonomy preserved, but the Dominion had' the disposition of its forces, and could not be called upon to send men abroad. The* Bill would provide for a general staff scheme, a council of defence, reorganisation of headquarters, the creation of a territorial force, an alteration in the organisation of the permanent force and the creation of a reserve. In connection with the re-organisation of the volunteer force, a committee of arbitration would* be set up to assess the assets and liabilities of corps, with the view of taking them over on the lines adopted in Britain when the volunteer force there was re-organised. Provision would be made for men attending encampments. . Payment at about 3s a day and rations would be made to each volunteer so as to recoup him for loss of time. Two years would probably be required before the machinery in connection with the encampments would he in good running order. The Premier proceeded to go into minute details of the provisions of the Bill, its powers for the erection of ammunition factories, penalties for evasion of training, penalties to be imposed upon employers who prevent emplovees receiving training, reserves, mobilising, etc. While providing for defence in a proper way. he said the Bill would do nothing to create a spirit of militarism or jingoism, to which the country was opposed. Mr. Allen supported the second reading of the Bill, hut regretted that provision was not made for enrolling cadets at an earlier age than 12. He did not agree with the proposals with regard to a territorial force, which involved carrying on the militia prin-ciple-alongside the volunteer system. Mr. Hogg said that the Government was laboring a misapprehension if it considered that the oountry had oalled for the Bill, which would impose a huge expenditure on the Dominion. The Bill was repugnant to the country and indefensible. (Left Sitting.)