PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 695, 21 December 1909, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

CONTROL OF BELLAMYS.

CLOSE DIVISION: SPEAKER'S CASTING VOTE.

ESTIMATES DISPOSED OF.

TAXING RACE CLUBS: SURCHARGE ON TOBACCO.

'Steady progress was rankle 'yesterday'. in connection.with the business before the. Council. In the afternoon an interesting report was Tecoived from a' committee which had been appointed to consider the question of the registration of births and deaths! Then followed a.somewhat lengthy discussion on i.a motion urging that the..Joint House Committee should•' supply Parliament* with* fuller information with reference to the management of Bellamys. After a division had»resulted in a tie, ,the Speaker gave his casting Tote in favour of the motion. During the evening sitting, the Coal Mines Amendment Bill passed its second reading. The second reading debate on the Native Land Bill had not concluded when the Council adjourned. ;j ■'■■*■'. 'The Estimates were concluded in the Honse by 11 o'clock yesterday, morning. In the afternoon resolutions of > appreciation. and condolence were passed in connection with the deaths of Mr. Alexander Sligo and Mr. E. G. Allen, ex-members, and the House adjourned till the evening, out of respect to their memory. In the evening the Public Works was brought down, several new, Bills were introduced, including the Race Meetings Regulation Bill, and the King Country Licenses Bill, Industrial Schools Bill, Inferior Courts Procedure Bill, and' Stamp Duties • Amendment Bill wer/finally passed. In the Eing Country Licenses''Bill an , amendment was .agreed to, on a division, providing that, the present licenses shall terminate on June 30 next, instead of, on December 30. The Prime Minister notified an amendment to tie Customs Duties, Bill to reduce surcharge :on tobacco i rom 2i to 1 per cent..; The Tramways Amendment. Bill *was-read!.a second tune pro'forma, and referred to a Select-Committee, who aria'to report by Wednesday 7.''..'.■.■■' .' 'r -~■ '■•■

THE COUNCIL. DEATH DUTIES BILL. ! When the sittings of the Legislative Council werq resumed yesterday, The ATTORNIiY-GENERAL stated that.the House had agreed to the amendments brought down by Governor's Message in connection with tho Death Duties Bill. Ho moved that the Council ,, should also agree to them. Tlio motion was approved.

MOTIONS OF CONDOLENCE. The Hon.' Di. FLNDLAY referred to • tho death of, Mr. E. G. Allon, a former M.P. for Waikouaiti and Port Chalmers. Mr. Allen was (ho said) a man who performed his public duties quietly, effectively, and conscientiously. Ho moyeil an appropriate resolution','appreciative of his services to the country, and extending tho sympathy of the Council to his relatives.

'. .After.- several members had paid a : tribute to ■ the, memory i of the; deceased, the resolution iras-'a'ijreed/to. . ' ■ .■ ■.■*'' Beference was also made 'by Dr. Findlay to the' death of, Mr. 1 Alex. Sliso; of Dunedin; who was one. of the representatives ,in Parliament for Dunedin in 1897. The deceased/ ho said, tad played, an important part in tho lifo of Dunedin. '•' . . . . ■■' .■;.'■.-■' ;.A suitable resolution, to vrhich' several members spoke, <'.vas "agreed: t0,., ;..;;:..■•■. .:-:As".a mark of respect to the memory, of both gentlemen; • the Conncil,-:later,\adjonrned frbmiipjn. nntil-7.45 p.ni. :•■.■;..,/■;...:■.;: i.i.vs ; .<;, REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AND ;;;■;■■■,;;:;;■.■. ■.-deaths. , , .:.;■; ; :..:-,:;v : :- SEVERAL IMPORTANT; SUGGESTIONS. \'K lengthy report.from.:the. committee on registration of births and deaths was brought down. It stated that the evidence "of Dr. .Hardwick Smith, Dr. Ml,. Dr. Purdy, Dr. Elliott, Mrs. .Kendall, and Dr.' >Valintine warf taken and considered with- the evidenco taken last year.. The committee was . of.r opinion that the, time allowed by law for the regis-, tratipn. of births, 62 days; answered ; its purposo satisfactorily. For notification of. birth.3 in towns, 72 hours was rather too long, and might be shortened to 48 hours with advantage. If the Plunkct and district nurses, could be kept in : touch, 'with thq of births,... many ; infant lives might-' bo 'saved. For the notification of births in coun-try-places, the period of 22 days was too long. Notification within the week by registered letter ; could be accomplished'in most places in'the'.Dominion. All notifications, whether from town or country, should bo endorsed-by the:.narse or other person in attendance'at the time. 3?or registration of deaths, 31 days 'was too-long, and the registration should bo effected before: burial.*. The undertaker,-or person who undertakes the burial, after collecting the certificate of death, should be made responsible for the registration, and be allowed a small fee, say 3s. 6d. It would be necessary, therefore to have all undertakers registered. Every body should be seen; if possible, after death by a medical man. In the case of persons dying in remote districts, somb other expedient might be. necessary. Tho possibility of crime was just as great, if. not greater, in cbuntry. places as it was in' towns. If the course .suggested were adopted, it. would put an end to tho present loose way' in which certificates of death were; sometimes given. Where, death took place from infectious disease it.was most important that tho health autnori* ties should bo informed before burial, in order that at.the earliest possible moment the'house and furniture of the ocoupant. might •bo dis(infected. Under the present law, it was impossible, in many cases; for the Public Health Department tp carry out those important duties. The committee ' was also of opinion .that tho law which applied to Europeans should now apply also .to Maoris and" half, castes..'. :-■■-''■ •.- ■ '■: '■■ ■'■ : . ■. '" ':'/ ■

;C(iNTROL <)F BELLAMYS. STAFF, UQUO.Ri' AND EXPENSES' ■ ■■.!-.::.■■.■■. DISCUSSED. ■ .■'•'• ; ; ri ' ;, A CLOSE DIVISION.'■;■'. .. .; ; An interesting discussion took place upon a , motion by tho Hon. J. Eigg (Wellington), "That it is desirabb that fuller information as to tho proceedings of the Joint House Cofmitteo, and especially with regard to the : con-, trol and management of Bellamys, should from time to time be reported to . tho Council." Speaking to'his motion, Sir. Eigg said that the whole of tho expenditure in connection ;\vith Bellamys used to be met by. the receipts. " Iti frequently "■ happened now , that there was a distinct loss due to the fact that an elaborate diningrToom had, to ; be kept up. The present etoward (Mr. C. Eobijison) received a ■salary of £425, and in'addition a: free house and firing, worth .£IOO, besides a bonus of iIOO, which'made a'total of .£625. That, was a higher salary than was paid to some of the highest officers of :Parliament. . During' the recess Hγ. Hobinson, who .was also the caretaker'of, the buildings, had,to supervise ..the charwomen, and during the session,-he h»:d charge of Bellamys, which' he bad . to; see was kept clean, and for which he had to obtain the supplies. He thought the duties were very light, and did not call for any "special ability. There was much to be desired,in the way ,o£ management compared with the control nnder a previous steward. He would adrait that tho place was kept scrupulously clean, and that tho attendance was very good.

'.'But the Liquor—" ' ';.;■' No fault: could be found with the food, but the liquor was not up to the standard of first■clnss hotels. In regard to the Scotch whisky nt Bellamys, all ho could say was that it was fiery enonghtobuina holo in a blanket; Then again there was a clerk for Bellamys who he & resumed was paid X 3 a week' and given a jnns.Tho;clerk could not have; moro than 'one hour's work a day, , and he was only employed becausethe steward had not the necessary knowledge of book-keeping to-enable him to keep the accounts/ There was an,impression abroad that ntembors got refreshments at a Tory- low.figure, but. as' a matter.of fact they had to pay the highest prices for everything! ■: With : to.the "whisky,' he might explain that an expert had informed him that it'was of very •indifferent quality. ■Hon. G. Jonee: That accounts' for burleds:Jetton;■/:,;,-::.;..-;;,-,.;:; ■■.k:,\.:\-r^'-

Mr. Rigg (resuming) said that'the profits in connection with Ballamys last year were .£I2OO, but it hod to bo remembered that a lot of charges had been shifted off the Bellamys account and were now ptid out of tho pulilic purse, Thero was no debt on tho part of members, .but, on tho contrary, all accounts were paid promptly. ■

Protest Against Summer Sittings. Tho Hon. J. E, JENKINSON (Wollington), in seconding the motion, strongly "urged that tho matter should bo the subject of inquiry. For his own part, ho would not caro ii Bellamys wero closed to-tnorrow; Somo of the heads of Departments wero not receiving such a high salary as the steward at Bellamys. Instead of voting a bonus to Mr. Robinson, the committee should spend tho money in providing better ventilation of the two Chambers. If members had to look forward to another summer session in the present building they would not bo sorry to hear that it had been burned down. Members: Oh! ■ Mr. Jonkinson: The committee should get on its feet and remedy the matter. The Hon. J. M'GOWAN (Auckland) thought tho comparison which had been made between Mr. Robinson and a predecessor to the disadvantage of the former was not fair.- As far as ho could see, the. present steward was one of the best caterers he had known anywhere. For himself, he was not a particularly good, judge of liquor, but he had heard people who jrere considered to be good judges say if one wanted good liquor ono should go to Bellamys. . ■ -.■.-■■ Thu Hon. W. C. CARNCEOSS (Taranaki) said that members had never .been-so well looked after as since Mr. Robinson was. appointed to the position of steward. Before Mr. Robinson took charge the condition of affairs at Bellamys amounted ■to a .scandal. Mr. Rigg was th« only person so far as he knew who had ever complained as to the quality of tho -liquors., ; i ; . • Defence of the Present Arrangements. 'The Hon. E. H. J. BEEVES (Nelson) paid a-tribute to the capable manner in which the present steward performed his duties. He was not by any means overpaid compared with the salaries which were paid to similar officials in the other States. As regards the whisky, it was the best that could be obtained south of the lino. Mr. Bigg: That is nonsense. Mr. Reeves: You don't take anything like as much of it as I do. (Laughter.) Resuming, Mr. Reeves said that the bonus this year had been increased because it was felt that during his trip Homo Mr, Robinson would effect a considerable ea-ring in connection with a large quantity of goods required for Bellamys. The Hon. Captain BAILLIE (Marlborough) declared that tho wines , at Bellamys daring the past.seven years were utter trash Upon a division tho vote resulted in a tie as follows: . . -/■••• .For the motion 16. Eigg . " . . Luke ' ■ Callan Baillie Jenkinson . Baldey Wi Pere ' . ■ Johnston ■ Ormond Wiitram George . Miller ■ Samuel Barr . Paul G. J. Smith Against the motion 16. Anstey ■ Louisson ■ .. Beehan Macdonald Carncross M'Gowan ... •■ Collins ■; Marshall ' ' Findlay : Mills Gilmer ; Reeves : . • ..-• . ( Jones.. ■ 'Thompson Loughnan ; ' Tucker ,v v '/The chairman (tho Hon. C. C. Bowen) gave •his casting vote for tho motion which he declared carried. : . . COAL MINES,AMENDMENT BILL. SECOND READING DEBATE. Resuming the debate on the question that the Coal Mines Amendment Bill should be read a second timo, . > ■ ■The Hon. J. BARR (Canterbury) said that the men did not resent tho medical examination on-the ground that it was degrading, but because they feared that if. they did not pass they would fiad themselves out of employmont. What was wrong on tho West Coast was that it was not a no-licenso district. Ho did not think the measure \would handicap the ln C. M. LUKE;(Wellington)thought that Parliament should pauso before it put more disabilities on the industry, seeing that 280,000 tons of coal, had to be imported last year and that, tho quantity which'-would bo imported this , year would total over 300,000 • tons. He was opposed to Clauso 8 which proposed to extend the, compensation for accidents. With regard to the question of medical examination he might point out that the State • made such an examination compulsory in the,case of some-classes of its , env ■ ployees. i' ' • ■ . Tho Hon. Dr. HNDLAT said that.it was. not right that upon contracting a disease which his employment produced, an employee should be turned away to- find (if ho could) other employment. ' '■';>•' '.'•-.•■. Mr. Luke: Would it not be better for him to go to other work? , ; . ....... , Dr. Findlay: That is tho wisdom of the serpent. - '- .;" . : " • ' ■-. Eesuming, Dr. Findlay defended the proposed increase in the amount of compensation for. accidents. , Legislation had got to differentiate, between different classes of employment and make special provision for. workers who took epecial risks for the sake of tho comtaunity. ' ; - .. . The second reading was agreed to on the voices. . . . . ■.•;..'.'

.NATIVE LAND AMENDMENT BILL. In moving the second reading , of the , Natire Land Amendment Bill, ■ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL described the measure as perhaps the most important which had been brought down this session.', No pages in tho history of this country redounded more to its discredit than those which told o£ free trade in Native land. The assertion on the part of those who declared that , fee Native should be allowed to.deal with his,/yids as he liked amounted not only to a courlsel of folly,, but also to a couneel -of wiekjidness. The measure 1 was a work of specialists, and any member who thought he would like to alter any part of it should think .twice t;rst. It was his opinion that ,tho Council might -without loss, of dignity, pass tho Bill'with reasonable promptitude." ... ■'■'■~ ;'XJpon the motion of the Hon. W. W. M'Cardle, ; tho debate was adjourned until to-day." ■■'..' ■ . . , .' . , Speaking on the motion for adjournment, the -Eons'.-.' J. 'E. Jcnkinson and 0. Samuel described Dr. Findlay J s outline of the measure as masterful to a degree. . ■ The Council will resume this afternoon..