THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1869, 1 October 1913, Page 4

THE HOUSE.

MAKING THE WEEK LONGER,

MONDAY SITTINGS. The House: of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Tho PRIME MINISTER gave notice to mow that on and after next sitting day the Houso sit on Mondays at 7.30 p.m. . SIR J. WARD: Does the honourable gentleman propose to do that before bringing down tlie policy Bills of the Government—it is unusual?

Mr. Massey: I don't think so. Sir Joseph Ward said that ho believed in tho session's work being expedited, but did not think that members should be asked to sit on Mondays before important Bills had come down. There 1 was the Labour Bill.

Mr. Massey: You havo that. Sir. J. Ward: It is, before a committee. Then there is tlio Licensing Bill. . 'Mr. Massey: Is there? Sir J. Ward: The honourable gentleman said ho would give an inswer in three weeks. Then there are the Land Bill, tlio Native Land Bill, and the Customs Tariff. Proper time must be given for the consideration of theso important measures, and it would entail heavy work if, in addition, members had to sit on Mondays. It would mean unprecedentedly lato hours.' His opinion was that members needed Monday as a day in which to recuperate. Tlio PRIME MINISTER said that a very largo proportion of the policy measures of tho Government wore already before Parliament. Some of them had passed through both branches of tho Legislature, and only needed the Governor's signature to become tlio law of the land. Thero wero quite 'a number of very important Bills still to bo considered. In proposing to take Monday nights for Government business ho did not intend that tho timo so gained should bo spent in tlio ordinary way upon Government Bills. He proposed to give next Monday night to Local Bills of which thero wero a large number to bo dealt with. An objectionablo practice had grown up of keeping Local Bills over until tlio last day of tho session and then rushing t'hem up to tho Legi islativo Council in a heap. He propos- ! Ed to givo another Monday night to a I discussion on t'lio report of tho Forcs- | try Commission, ana still another to

A Mombor: Cost of living? Mr. Massey: Yes, probably, cost of living Ho added that an opportunity had been promised of discussing the report of tie Public Servico Commission. SIR JOSEPH WARD said that tho Prime Minister's proposal required consideration. In dealing with such measures as the Legislative Council Reform Bill inombers should be fresh and vigorous. If matters took the turn indicated by tho Primo Minister, ■ in all probability there would be tliin Houses on Monday nights. In ordinary courso the' House could not finish its work before the middle; or end of November, and it was ashing a good deal to ask members to givo up their Monday nights at that stage. I The PRIME MINISTER said that I ovcrv reason urced bv tho Lender of the

Opposition was a reason for taking Monday nights for tile discussion of such subjects as ho had indicated, leaving other days for Bills. The session, ho added, must proceed until tho Government had placed its programme on tho Statute Book.

Sill JOSEPH WARD said that tho experience of the Houso and, indeed, of nil Parliaments, was that whore a Customs tariff oime up Mr. Massey: It is not a revision of the. tariff.

Sir. J. Ward: Well, it is an adjustment of tho tariff. Experience was, lie continued, that on such occasions tho wholo tariff was opened up. Every man interested would communicate with ■members on both sides. It meant, at bost, u long time. If mombers woro going to work on Mondays from next Monday right on, it was going to try the physical capacity of members to an enormouß extent.

At this point the subject was dropped. RETIRINC MESSENCERS. SATISFIED .WITH PENSIONS. SIR JOSEPH WARD asked tho Prime Minister what the position was in regard to. the old messengers who wore retiring. • . Mr. Massey: Are you referring to Departmental or Parliamentary messengers? , ■ ■ Sir Joseph' Ward: Both; Ho said that in his opinion tho retiring age provision should not apply to messengers. Many of the old men who were being retired were as fit to serve as messengers as they had ever been. He had been informed, ho said, that young mon were being employed as messengefs at £110 a year. The wholo country, in his opinion, would approve if the old messongers capable of efficiently carrying out their duties were retained, and not pensioned off. • The PRIME MINISTER said that ho could speak positively regarding tho ■Parliamentary messengers, but not regarding those employed in tho Government Buildings. As regarded the Parliamentary messengers, the Government ;felt,' early in tho session, that it "-was iquite timo some of tho older messengers were, who had Berved .for • many years in that place. The men, on be;ng approached, gave tho Government to understand that tlioy preferred a monthly or weekly payment for tho whole of the year to a payment as messengers during tho session. They wero given the option of retiring or remaining in the Service. A number of thorn had signed a letter sent to the Government "on their own behalf and on that of other messengers expressing approval of what had been done. He was not aware that any of them had gone back on that position. As to the Parliamentary messongers the Primo Minister asked his questioner to givo notice of the question in tho usual way.