THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1563, 5 October 1912, Page 6

THE HOUSE.

•NATIVE LANDS. Tho Honso met at 2.30 p.m. Mr. C. K. WILSON (Taumaranui) gave notice to ask tho Minister for Native Affairs what steps had been taken to give, access to Native lands. REEFTON DISPUTE, Mr. J. COLVIN (Buller) gavo notico to ask the Government, what steps they intend to tako to settle tho dispute between miners and mine-owners at Itoefton. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. On tho motion of Mr. J. C. Thomson, five days leave of absence was granted to Mr. C. Parnta (Southern Maori) on account of illness. SIX DAYS' WEEK. Mr. J. PAYNE (Grey Lynn) asked the Prime Minister whether ho would this cession place on the Statute Book a Bill providing for one clear day's rest, not necessarily Sunday, for hotel and restaurant employees. The Hon. W. F. MASSEY (Prime Minister) advised the honourable member to put his motion on the Order Paper. AN EXPLANATION. . Mr. G. W. RUSSELL (Avon) said that in the course of tho debate on the Taxing Bill tho previous evening, the Minister for Financo had said that he (Mr. Russell) had stated by way of interjection that a similar Bill had been before the Mackenzie Government. He asked the 3linister whether ho was now prepared to repeat that statement. j Tho Hon. J. ALLEN (3linister for Finance) said tbat ho had mis-stated the | position, and •ho apologised to Mr. Russell for it. Tho member who had inado the statement referred to was Mr. Ell, member for Christchuvch North. He (Mr. Allen) quoted the passage from Hansard recording thestatenient. He said the Bill had been in his hands, and the taxation on land proposed under it was not so heavy as under the new Bill. 3lr. G. W. RUSSELL (Avon) thanked the Minister for his ready correction and apology, and added that he personally had no recollection of any such Bill. MACARTHY TRUST BILL. A message was received from the Legislative Council stating that it 'had passed tho Macarthy Trust Bill. The Bill was road a first time and set down for second reading in-the name'of the' Hon. A. L. Herdman. PNEUMOCONIOSIS. NEED FOR.COMPENSATION. Mr. R. SCOTT (Otago Central) presented the report of the Mines Committee on tho mining regulations. Mr. H. POLAND (Ohinemuri) spoko at some length on the mining regulations. Ho said that the 3d. per ounce tax on gold won levied in New Zealand was intended to 'provide a fund for compensating minors killed or injured. He suggested that the fund should not be open to claims for injuries, but should be reserved for miners suffering from pneumoconiosis. The amount now paid at death, £50, was quite inadequate. He urged that the payment of ,£SO ■ to a widow, ought not go to reduce the pension payable to her. He urged the Government to expedite the passage of an amendment to tho Mining Bill.

Mr. T.'W. RHODES (Thames) and Mr. J. COLVIN (Buller) endorsed' what the member fori Ohinemuri had said.

The Hon. R, M'KENZIE (Motueka) minted out that the tax was paid equally on alluvial gold as on quartz gold, and it would be unfair to exclude from benefits under the'fund men working on dredges, and in alluvial mines. He was as much in favour of compensating men suffering from pneumoconiosis'as any of the other members, but pneumoconiosis could be contracted only in quartz mines, and it would bo unfair to make other mine-owners contribute to compensation. Ho thought the best arrangement would be to amend the Workers' Compensation Act to provide for.the payment of compensation to men suffering from miners' complaint. The Him. W. FRASER (Minister for Mines) pointed out that there were men working at mining for themselves, as well as those working for rich companies. It would impose a hardship to levy a tax on the gold won by these men. It had been urged that miners' complaint should bo brought under the Workers' Compensation Act, but the reason ,why it had been excluded was because the House had decided, on the advice of the mining community, not to allow employers to submit their men to medical examination. The mine-owners had therefore argued that i they coiild not be made responsible for men who might hava contracted disease in a former employ. The main question was how best to relieve the unfortunate men suffering from miners' complaint. Ho was afraid he would .not be able' this session to bring down a new Mining Act, but provision could be* made for making allowances to these men by regulation without any new legislation. He added that the fund was'now exhausted, owing to the inordinate drain upon it, and also to the strikers at Ecefton. and Waihi. Ho hoped this condition ( would soon Ijo remedied, and ho promised to give his attention to the question of amending tho regulations to uiako it possible for the Government to grant relief to mon suffering from miners' disease. SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION, The Hon. W. P. MASSEY (Prime Minister) gave notice to introduce the Shearers' and Agricultural Labourers' Accommodation Bill, .'.-•' ' NEW BILLS. Yesterday afternoon in the House of Representatives, the Hon. W. H. Herries gave notice of his intention to, introduce the Native Laud Act , 1909, Amendment Bill, and»Mr. J. Robertson (Otaki) the Pure Water Supply to Flaxmills Bill.

A HAWKE'S BAY PETITION. • On behalf-of-Mr. H. M. Campbell, who is absent on sick-leave, Mr. G. Hunter on Thursday presented to the House of Representatives a petition from W. C. O'Reilly and eight others, settlers on the Tongoio special settlement. Petitioners state that the greatest number of them have occupied holdings for two and a half years, and find that owing to the presence of blackberries, manuka, scrub, and wasteareas, the carrying capacity of the land is reduced by half. They state that the mortality in sheep and loss of wool by the blackberries, and the annual expenditure upon futile attempts to eradicate the pest, amount on some sections to the rentals charged Petitioners ask for' substantial reductions in the rentals now charged, stating that it is quite impossible for them to continue present payments and make a living. On the motion of Mr. Hunter the petition was read by thd clerk and referred direct to the Lnnd Committee.