THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 898, 18 August 1910, Page 6

THE HOUSE.

'RAILWAY GRIEVANCES. SHOULD THERE BE TWO UNIONS? ' When the sittings of the Houso were, resumed yesterday, -Mr. T., E. TAYLOR; (Christchurch North), upon the laying on the'table of • the "Railways Statement, asked the Hon. 3.:"A. Millar (Minister'for Railways) the positiou ivith- reference to'the claim' of the Engine-Drivers', Firemen's, and Cleaners' Association to official recognition. He said ho wished in particular to. know whether the.Minister intended to redeem ,a promise that the new asfociation'would be officially recognised if its membership reached 1000.

Official Recognition Never Promised. The ; Hon! J. A. MILLAR said that in the first place the new association was absolutely refused recognition in any way. When later they deputationised him they embraced 800 out of 1250 workers in their branch of the service.' He then told them that if their .numbers reached 1001) the wholo position would be reconsidered. Recognition ha'd never been promised. Whether he had 1 been prepared to agree to that or not the. fact remained that the .new association had petitioned Parliament.'on the matter. Last year.the Railway's Committee had reported against tho petitioners, and Parliament had approved of their report. Personally he, was prepared to recommend that the new association should be recognised. Seeing,; however, that Parliament.; had declared against an amendment of the law, ho ha.d told,them to re-petition the House. Cabinet had already been informed as- to his recommendation;.but had decided to allow Parliament to de'eido the question. Mr/ Field (Otaki) inquired whether it was proposed, to. review the Departmental regulations. , The- Minister said. that he. had agreed to lay the regulation's and amended regulations, on the table ot'vthe House, when they could be discussed. Position of Casual. Workers. Mr.' WILFOKD (Hutt) referred to the position of long-service workers who had not been enrolled as pormanents. Although many of them were willing to pay up back arrears, they, w;ere not allowed to join tho superannuation fund. What was'the procedure by which casuals became permanents? ,

The MINISTER said that it was pruvided by. the Act that GO per cent, of the total number of railwaymen should be permanent employees. Permanent positions wore filled year by year from among tho casual workers. . A member: Regardless of length of scivice.

Mr. Millar said that some casuals could never be made permanents because at the first they had never complied with tbc" regulations. Jt had been found that it was nut possible lo get the contributions necessary to. maintain tho superannuation fund from workers who were over thirty-four years when they joined the service. Tho fund hud enough to carry without adding to its responsibilities. Length of service alono did not qualify for u permanent position.

Mr. MALCOLM (Clutha) pointed out that generous terms hod been mnde with a view to getting;the new association to re-join tho A.H.K.S. Can the Breach be Healed? . Mr. RUSSELL (Avon) said that thero wus no possibility so fur as he knew of the engincmen re-joining tho A..S.R.S. Whilst the cnginnmcii had 05 per cent, of members of that branch within its ranks the amalgamated society did not contain two-thirds' of the remaining members. . Mr. M'LAREN (Wellington East) said that he was credibly informed tnat about 700 of the locomotive men were also members of the amalgamated society. The Minister should, in his opinion, keep in view the necessity for solidarity in the

ranks of the railway workers. Mr. MASSE V said lie thought that tho proper time to consider the matter would be on railwaymen's petitions or tho railway estimates. On that occasion he had risen to correct a mis-statement made byiMr. Alillnr. It was nut true that the Railways Committee had reported against tho prayer of tho petitioners. The report was to the effect that the commit•tee had no recommendation to make.

The PRIME MINISTER said- that in his opinion the proposed division among the railway workers was a weakening movement. It was not the duty of tho Government to endeavour to force upon any section of its' workers whether or not they should belong to any union. Speaking with a considerable knowledge of tho working of tho railways, he would say that for a number of years but for tho amalgamated society a great number of difficulties in connection with tho adjustment of hours, etc., would in all probability havo been deferred for a considerable time. If the. new association wore decided upon, the railway surfacemen and sections of, the workshops workers would want separate organisations. Tho. liest thing for the whole of the service would be that all the railway workers should be representee! : by one solid institution. Once the workers began to split up it would be the beginning of a number of similar unions. Alleged Cause of All Discontent. Mr. IrlSHßlt (Wellington Central) said that in the past the locomotive men had felt that they had not had their rights. The feeling of bitterness between the two associations -was"not going to be healed by any speech in the House. Mr. HOGAN (Wanganui) said that for some time there had been a clear majority of engine-drivers', firemen's and cleaners' representatives on the executive of the amalgamated society. What caused the discontent in the service were minor pin-pricks which' would not mean in all JSIOOO to the Government.

Mr. JENNINGS (Taumarunui) referred to tho difficulty which settlers experienced in getting -permission to travel by trains which were conveying explosives, and he hoped that tho matter • would' be remedied.

The Hon. J. A. MILLAR said that as. the request for official recognition of the new association was before.the committee he did not intend to say anything further about it just now. The committee had previously said it had no. recommendation to i make, which nieant shclvin? the matter. The matter as to special allowances referred to by Mr. Hogan was simply one of the interpretation of the regulations.

Mr. Hogap: Are you referring to one case—there .are hundreds?

Mr. Millar said ho had only heard of thematter a-day or two ago. Ho would inquire who issued: the circular in question,: and by; what right it was issued. With reference to the withdrawal of certain free passes,- this had been, done Without his knowledge, and he had given instructions that they, should be reissued. As regarded the complaint made by Mr. Jennings, the construction of a type of car specially adapted to .suit the requirements of sparsely-populated districts was contemplated. '■'-~

It was then agreed that the Statement should be laid on the table and printed.

BANK AND CLIENT..

. A SETTLER'S. PETITION.. , Mr. HALL, M.P. for Waipawa, moved: "That a Select Committee be appointed to consider the petition of G. D. Hamilton, of Dannevirke, with power to call for persons and papers, the committee to consist of Mr. Bollard, Mr: Ell, Mr. Hogg, Mr. Stallworthy, Mr. Poland, Mr. Rhodos, Mr. Ross, Mr. E. H. Taylor, and himself." • .

Mr. T. E. Taylor: I don't see why there should be a Select Committee.

Mr. Hall said that on a former occasion a committee had been set up, but it had not time to. consider the matter fully. . ;"•-<" . .

Mr. Taylor: What are, the facts?.-, Mr. Hall: The petitioner owned an estate worth .£30,000 in Hcwke's Bay.' As he could hot repay money which ho borrowed, a bank foreclosed,.. buying for ,£SOOO property which they acknowledged to be worth .£170,000.

Mr. MASSEY said that ho might be mistaken, but he understood that some few years, ago a committee, of which the Hon. R.M'Kcnzie was chairman, reported against the petition. .He did not see why a Select Committee should be appointed! The Hon. R : M'KENZIE said that he did not see how Parliament could help the petitioner. The only chance of the petition being heard Would be for- it to go before a special committee. . Mr. T. E.! TAYLOR (Christchurch North) said he did not know anything of the merits of the case. What he wished to point out, 'however, was that there were thousands of people'who had a grievance against the Law Courts. No committee could do justice to a large number of complaints of this kind. He understood that the petition was an- impeachment of a deliberate decision of nne of the Courts.

Mr. FRASER (Wakatipu) said that there was. no good of sotting up a specialcommittee unless fresh evidence was available. ~ -.. '■ ' ■

. Mr. PARATA (Southern Maori) declared that he had evidence, from Maori sources that petitioner was not. entitled to have the matter dealt' with by a special committee. .

Mr. HALL (Waipawa) said that the former' committee suggested to petitioner that lie should'apply to the Courts, and when he had exhausted .these remedies, he should then apply to Parliament. Mr, Massey: Didn't the committee report to the.House?' ••'. Mr. Hall replied in the negative. He believed. that petitioner had been treated unjustly. There would be fresh evidence in the'form of the printed evidence before the Court. Tho motion Vas then agreed to. BILLS REFERRED TO COMMITTEES. At the commencement of tho evening sitting the following Bills were read asecond time pro'forma, and referred to the Committees named:— ■ Mining Act Amendment Bill (Mines Committee). Shops and- Offices Amendment Bill (Labour Bills Committee). Inspectiott of Machinery. Bill (Labour Bills Committee). '" Kauri Gum Industry Bill (Lands Committee). Tramways Amendment Bill (Labour Bills Committee). Coal-mines Amendment Bill No. 2 (Mines Committee). AN AWARD OF THE N.Z. CROSS. WAS IT JUSTIFIED? The circumstances under which Sir. H. J. Wrigg, of Auckland, obtained the New Zealand Cross were the subject of a discussion in the House yesterday. This matter has on several previous occasions occupied the attention of Parliament. Recently other holders of the decoration petitioned the House with the object of having the award made to Mr. Wrigg cancelled. The Public Petitions Committee reported yesterday that it had no recommendation to make in regard to the matter. Mr. HOGG (Masterton) moved as an amendment that the report should be referred back to the committee for further consideration..

Mr. PEARCE (Patea) seconded tho amendment.

Mr. MYERS (Auckland East) held that the opposition to the award of the medal was due to personal spleen. When he was in the Opotiki district tho late Mr. Seddon satisfied himself that Mr. Wrigg bad performed n conspicuous act of bravMr. JAS. ALLEN (Bruce) said that the distinction was gjvon to Mr. Wrigg by, tho Cabinet. When tho House.was asked to vote the monetary allowance, which should accompany tho award, it refused to do so. This showed that it felt that the coveted distinction had been wrongly placed. 'Clio Hon. T). BTJDDO thought that Mr. Wrigg should bo allowed to retain the medal, which it was evident lmd been honourably earned. Mr. HARRIES (Tauranga) could not see how Mr. Wrigg hud earned tho award.

At tills stage, midnight, Mr. Laurenson suggested the adjournment of tne debate. Mr. HOGG' said that he would prefer to ■have a division on the subject that evening, in view of the fact that the debate might not be revived again this session.Mr. MASSEY said that his party would vote for the adjournment only on condition that the Acting-l'rimo Minister would give an assurance that the House would at an early date have another opportunity of reviewing what was undoubtedly "one of the most disgraceful incidents in tho Parliamentary history of New Zealand." Mr. Carroll: I will give no such assurance. Upon a division, the proposal to adjourn the debate was carried by 30 votes to 22. ' It was thon suggested by the Hon. J. Carroll that tho debate should be continued on "next sitting day." •Mr. Massey moved, and Mr. Hogg seconded, an amendment to the effect that it should he set down for 2.30 p.m. "This side will never agree to act on tho dictation of tho Leader of the Opposition," rejoined Mr; Can-oil. The amendment was rejected by 31 votes to 21. At this stage, 0.25 a.m., tho House adjourned. .

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

The investigations of the Minister of Railways, into Mr. Field's suggestion to have a siding constructed at the Pukerua railway station indicate that there is no road access to the Pukerua station, nor has there, up to the present time, been any indication of business that would justify the Department in incurring the expenditure necessary to provide a siding at Pukerua.

According to a reply given to Mr. Hine by tho Minister of Public Works, provision ■ for the construction of the Stratford-Ongarue railway line is to receive consideration when the Public Works Estimates are (being framed. The Government has promised consideration to Mr. Brown's suggestion. that they should repeal the Act, or have the regulation suspended which requires vendors of ammunition and guns to tako out and pay for a license for the sale of those goods. I

•Replying to a question by Mr. Ross as to whether he will ,'issuo instructions to the Department, in Wellington, advising it to. cease compelling the public to place 6tamps on telegrams before being handed into the office, the Postmaster-General gays the regulations requiring senders of telegrams to affix the stamps has been, in force since 1884., Its observance is regarded as a protection against fraud, and it is not considered that there is any good reason to exempt the Wellington office from its operation. . ' • AT LAST? • ' It was reported in the lobbies yesterday that, steps will bo taken. to-day to fill" the position of Chairman of Committees in the House. The Prime Minister (it was stated) will move'a resolution on the subject,-but no name has yet beon disclosed. Usually well-informed members now think that Mr. Hanan will ho nominated.