PROGRESS OF BILLS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18222, 5 November 1924, Page 11

PROGRESS OF BILLS.

I « YESTERDAY'S WORK IN THE HOUSE. iAISRIP'irD TEKSS ASSOCIATION BtTOBT.) WELLINGTON, November 4. In fho House of Representatives today tho Wellington City Milk Supply Amendment Bill was rejected by 35 votes to I 2S. Honey Export Control Bill. Tho Honey Export Control Bill was put through all its stages. In moving the second reading, the Minister explained that the producers asked for the measure, and there was little or ho opposition to it. In Committee the date of the poll was altered from "not later than tho first day of December, 1924," to "not later than the first day of January, lOL'o." Final Stages. Tho Egmont National Park Bill, and tho Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill wero put through all their stages. The Master and Apprentice Act Amendment Bill was read a third ti.mo and passed. Discharged Soldiers' Bill. The Hon. A. D- McLeod moved the second reading of tho Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act Amendment Bill. Provision is made in the Bill by which the Dominion Revaluation Board is empowered to deal with any application for revaluation which was received too late, but which was in course of transit to the Board within the time prescribed. In the case of mortgages given as security for improvements, stock, etc., the Board can reduce the amount owing under the mortgage, and direct that any part of such mortgage can be transferred to tho suspense account free of interest for any period not exceeding three years. Provision is ma/te whereby, in cases of realisation of securities under power of' sale, tho Minister of Lands, on tho recommendation of a Land Board, may write off such amount as represents tho excess of the mortgage debt over the amount realised, and thus free the mortgagor from any further | liability under the personal covenants j of his mortgage. Provision is also made whereby the values of buildings on settlement Iqnd leased to discharged soldiers can be reduced as from July Ist. 1921. or from the date of the lease, whichever date is later. Power is given by which discharged soldiers who hold small grazing run leases of Crown and settlement land, can obtain extensions of their leases for any period not exceeding ten years. Tho Bill was read a second time and put through its final stages. Arbitration Bill. The Industrial, Conciliation, and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill (No. 3) was read a .-eeond time without debate,, the Minister explaining that the Bill gave unions the right of appeal in cases where they had been fined Air breaches of tho Act. The Bill was put through its final stages. Companies Empowering Bill. The Companies Empowering Bill, on the motion of the Hon. G. J. Anderson, was read a second time without debate. Tho Minister explained that before any scheme unAr the Bill could operate, the Arbitration Court must certify thati the scheme.was favourable to the workers taking up labour shares in the company concerned. On the third reading of tho Bill Mr Yo/mg said the present Companies Act admitted tho right of only capital to profits, but the Bill admitted! that labour, under certain conditions, should be entitled to share tho profits and the management of a company. He hoped that it would brinp; about closer relationship between . capital and labour. Mr Massey said he had seen a. similar scheme "working satisfactorily in Yorkshire woollen mills. He was pleased when he first saw the draft of the present Bill. The proposal would make for better relations between master and men, both in primary and secondary industries. Mr Holland said he. did not think the Bill would materially alter things. The Labour Party was not opposing tho Bill, but it was not enthusiastic about it. The originator of the scheme was an idealist, and that was what was at the back of the proposal, but he

•was unable to take the samo view as the Prime Minister had taken regarding it. , Mr Veit"h said that for onoo He found himself in compete agreement with the Prime Minister. , Mr Massey: Proof that- you aro becoming wiser. fLaughtcr.) . . Mr "Vouch said that only suspicion between employer and employee would prevent tl;«* realisation of the ideal. There were Nifi'suards in the Bill providing for the pavment of award rates to workers. How" could the worker tail to cain something, or at any rate how could he lose anything':' .. Mr Isitfc said 'he would be sorry u tho Bill were passed into law. . ±w■ r cognised tho sincerity of the «"^° a of the scheme, and ho agreed that a cooperative system was better *ban competition, but tho Bill was not workablhe Hod. G. J. Anderson (» st f of LabourVsaid the scheme was Wo out pome of idealism and would w so successful so long as the manager was of an idealistic temperament ana bis energies in tho direction or makmp the effort a success. rai-nal Mr Wilford: "What about casual The Bill does not apply to casnals 1 . , Mr Wilford: That is the point. The Minister: It is an advance on what we have at present. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. I

Fruit Control BilL The Hon. W. Nosworthy moved that tho amendment made bv the tive Council in the Fruit Control Bill bC Mr Sr Hid e v o said he had looked at the amendments, and, so far as he could see, thev were on right lincs - ,- . In reply to Mr Witty, the Minister said thc P provisions of the Bill, as now agreed would not be overridden by regulations. , , The amendments were agreed to.

Samoans as British Subjects. Tho Hon. C J- Parr moved the second rcadLg of the British Nationahty £d Status of Alien, (in * ™ *f»« Act Amendment Bill, which ho ex plained was intended to meet the case of Samoan natives who were anxious to become British subjects. The Bill was read a second time without debate and passed all its 6t At* 11-5 p.m. +h o House rose until 11 a-m. to-morrow. IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. In tho Legislative Council to-day the following Bills were put through their final stages :-Native Land . Bating, Wanganui City Council Vesting and Empowering and Wellington City and Suburban Highways Construction and Hutt Road Act Amendment. The Christchurch District Drainage Act Amendment Bill and the Waunakariri Harbour District and Empowering Vet Amendment BUI were reported from tho Local Bil'.s Committee without amendment and put through their final st The Fruit Export Control Bill was recommitted and passed with amendment* introduced by Sir Francis Bel The principal alteration is that the poii on tho question of export control us to be taken not later than December 31st, 1924, instead of December Ist. The amendments made by the House' in the Master and Apprentice Act Amendment Bin and the Companies Empowering Bill were agreed to. The Council adjourned till 10.30 a.m. to-morrow. ■

An unenviable time was spent by the members of the Canterbury Progress League's Railway Investigation Cornmitteo on the trip,from. Greymouth to Christchurch. .Leaving the West' Coast town on Sunday morning, the party got a.s far as Porter's Pass without mishap, but at this stage of tho journey they found there was a foot of snow on the road. Progress here'beea.me very slow, bub the car got through saiely, ajtluvugh its occupants were subjected to much inconvenience in doing so. Real trouble was met, however, at tho last ford of the jKowai. When nearly through the stream, the car, striking a big. boulder, was soon half submerged in the icy cold water. The car had te }jg abandoned for the night, and was pulled out the following morning with a team of horses. None the worse for its immersion, the car ran smcwthly for the remainder of the journey. Christchurch being reached on Monday night.