PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1569, 12 October 1912, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM.

When the House of Representatives t met..for. .business yesterday tho state of \ its Order .Paper indicated that the whole of the sitting would ba spent in considering Government Bilk. Any such expectation was defeated, so far as' tho greater part of the afternoon was concerned, when Mr. J. Vigor Brown, member for' Napier, moved, for leave to in- • troduce' tho Co-operative Workers on I Public- Works Bill; Ho explained that [the measure was intended to provide beti ter housing and conditions of work for 'co-operative labourers, but this imme'diate object was lost;sight of in the discussion which followed. Mr. Brown and other members protested against tho stoppage of works on the East Coast railway, and an extended, discussion took place regarding the 'merits and demerits of the 'co-operative works system. As in previous debates, of the kind, tho system was defended by Opposition-members smd condemned by Government supporters, most of whom declared their preference for a system of small contracts. The debate lasted until 4.40 p.m. , ,' when .Mr., Brown's Billwas read, a first time on the voices. ■ ;, '.. : ' The rest of.tho' afternoon sitting was spent in transacting formal business. When the House met in the evening the Hon. R. E. Rhodes made a statement in regard to the housing conditions of flaxmill employees in the Mana-watu district. Mr.' Rhodes stated that his Department was doing everything possible to .remedy 1 the conditions', which have, recently been the subject,of complaint. A. special; health'inspector, has been appointed to go round the mills, and a Labour Department inspector is to inspect the ; housing accommodation of flaxmill employees. Special attention is to be paid to water supply at the mills, and if legis--lat ion is required , to enforce proper conditions it is to be introduced.

The Thomas George Jlacarthy Trust Bill gave rise to a brisk but non-party discussion. A. bone of contention: was found in , a clause which empowers tho Macarthy Trustees to receive and administer other bequests similar in nature to that of the late Mr. Ifacarthy. An objection was raised by Sir Joseph Ward that a body of general :trustees should be established by distinct legislation and not by a Bill Sealing with'a" particular trust. The clause was, warmly opposed by a number of Government members and supported with equal animation by several members'on the other side of the House. The objections raieed by Government supporters were numerous enough to make tie fate of the. clause appear doubtful, but on a division it was retained in tho Bill by 31 votes to 29. Apart fr'oid its single contentious clause, tho Bill was supported by all sections in the House, and-it passed through committee imamonded.

The 'Widows' Pensions Bill was discussed at length in Committee, and some minor amendments were made; •'

The Aged-and Infirm Persons' Protection Bill, which aims at protecting, the estates of persons suffering from senile decay, etc., without bringing into operation the provisions of the Mental Defectives Act, and the Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Bill were both,read a second time. The House rose at 1.3 a.m. The- Committee stage of the Public Ser-. vice Bill was further forwarded in the ■Legislative Council yesterday afternoon, 'and in the evening some nine Bills which j originated in the House of Representa- ' tives were dealt with.