PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2244, 2 September 1914, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

, BOY IMMIGRATION.

THE LICENSING BILL.

COUNCIL AMENDMENTS. . SHIPPING FREIGHTS AND THE ' WAR. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Hon, H. D. BELL moved the third reading of the Master and Apprentice Amendment Bill. Tie Leader of the Council said that the Labour Bills Committee had altered the Bill by adding clauses for tlio apprenticeship of New Zealand-bom farm boys, so that nowthe-measure provided for both immigrant and native-born boys. For this important "and valuable amendment the Committee deserved the thanks of the Government and the country. The Hon! J. BARR said that themeasure was a good deal different from what it was when it passed its second reading.. Ho had never been satisfied with the system of fixing minimum wages by legislation. One of the grievances he had with the Arbitration Court was that it laid down a hard and fast apprentice, clause for all industries, and that that was a great difficulty was evidenced in the class of labour which was concerned iii the, present Bill. ,Tho farm boys were told before leaving England that they would not get less than 7s. 6d. per week. In other industries ss. was given as the weekly wage for the first year, and some industries gave up to 95., but did not give food and clothing (as the farm industry did), and. the reason was that it was an impos-' sibility iii those industries.

, Labour's .False Prophets. "Mr. Barr severely criticised reported observations of Mr. Semple, who apparently was strongly opposed to the mea-. sure. Mr. Barr said that Mr. Semple's statements were inaccurate and misleading Mr. Semple's alleged remarks iucluded such allegations as "tying the serf to.the soil," "legalising boy slavery." They should not belittle New Zealanders, and 'play the dog in the manger as Semple and Co. did. They (Semple and Co.) were more conservative than Conservatives. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Semplehad said that certain members of the Council (Messrs. Paul, Earnshaiv, and Barr) had declared that New Zealand could do with 10,000 of these boys, at once, and also a inumber of girls obtained in the same way., "Labour's sacred cause," Mr..Semple had concluded,' "has surely been dragged into the gutter." , "I admit," said Mr. Barr, "that Labour's cause is being dragged in the gutter—by this man and his like." /Mr:" Paul and he were opposed to - such (importation of girls, and he believed that-"Mr. Earnshaw also, on reflection, would agree with him. The Hqn.v.Mr. Earnshaw interjected that he had hot changed his views. Mr. Barr: "jWell,.you are a bigger fool than I thought you were." Mr. Barr went on'td' say that the Bill would tend for.gdoduto all.parties, and that ; the provisions-in it for protecting both were only right.and only reasonable. Honlr J." T. : PAUL believed that the interests'of the ,boy; were being well conserved,'and that there was no desire on the part of the Government or the farmers: to bind the boys into jvhat had been termed slayery. The boys would, generally speaking, be very well taken care of. The Hon. AV:'EARNSHAW, referring to a previous- remark by Mr. Barr, said that'.it was "a deliberate-insult," and only what lie had expected from the quarter it had come from. Boys Amply protected. -Heplyingj the Hon. H.'D. BELL said that' the essence of the whole'proposi-tion-was that the boy leaving his parents and home must be looked after, and'the object was to place him in subjection'to the Minister of Immigration l . His real and binding obligation was to the Government of the day, who would look after him and see that he was properly looked after until he was 21 years of age. If that was slavery, those opposed to slavery should reject the meaj sure. If it be slavery to bo subject, I to one's parents, then this was slavery, because, the Government was to exercise'a parental, control over the boys' who had left their homes. j The Bill -was then read a' third time and passed. . ' . ' j . ,'- —' LICENSING BILL. NEW ZEALAND'S WINE INDUSTRY. The Licensing Amendment Bill was considered in Committee. ..The Hon. H. D.'.Bell said that he had found it necessary to postpone Clause 6, which dealt with wine-makers' licenses. '• The Hon, G. Jones had complained that the' provision in the clause lor wine to be of a proof of 20 per cent, allowed too high a proof. Mr.-Bell, on making inquiries from the Customs to see if the percentage could be reducea, had found that it was not high enough. He was -told that wine even of the lighter' kinds fermented, to over 20 per cent., so that the Bill as it,stood would prohibit altogether the wine industry. Tho heavier \ Australian wines went to close on 40 per cent. He was informed, also, that wine would not keep unless fortified to a certain extent; it would go sour almost immediately. If, then. \vine v ferniented.yt;o 20 ; per cent., and was, in addition,'fortified, it went above the 20 per cent, proposed in the Bill. • The clause was postponed: . The Hon., A.. T .MAGINNITY proposed an amendment to the effect that transfers of licenses may he signed by the chairman of a licensing committee instead of' by' the chairman and two members, "and this was carried. The Hon. H. D. Bell moved amendments with the object of prohibiting licensees froni selling liquor to anyone under the age of twenty-one years, whether the liquor is for consumption on, the premises or off the premises. The amendments were agreed to. The Hon. J. Barr moved to the effect that people tinder twenty-one years of age should not be allowed to sell liquor in hotels—should not bo employed behind the bars'.- This was agreed to. 'On the motion of the Leader of the Council, the clause requiring carriers to deliver liquor to the purchaser on the same day as tho liquor is taken into a No-License district was struck out. Mr. Bell said that the reason was that the clause would not' bo practicable; in a district like the King Country a carrier who.got liquor one evening might find it impossible to deliver it before the following day. Further consideration of the Bill was .postponed till to-day. PUBLIC BODIES' LEASES. The Public' Bodies' Leases Amendment Bill was put' through Committee, read a third time, and passed. The Council rose at 5.15 p.m.

THE HOUSE

The House of Representatives sat at 7.30 p.m. ■Mr; A. (Wellington South) 'pres'e.)ited a petition, signed by,2050 residents.of Wellington, praying .for the" postponement of tho election.-. .•"•••''• ' "■'•' . '..'•-.. SHIPPINC FREIGHTS. \ COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER ; / QUESTIONS. . The Right Hon. AV. F. MASSEY gave notice to move;:' "That a Select Cornjjittee bg app.oiftted to and r^.

port upon such questions relating to freight and charges-levied by shipping companies upon produce and. goods of any kind shipped to or from New Zealand as it may think desirable, or that l niay. be referred to it by the. Government, the Committee to report within 21 days." The Committee will consist of the ,Right Hon. Sir Joseph.Ward, Sir Walter Buchanan, Hon. I). Buddo, Messrs. J. A. Hanan, E. P. Lee, A. M. Myers, E. Newman, G. V. Peafce, G. W. Russell, C. A. Wilkinson, and the Prime Minister. MASTER AND APPRENTICE. • The Master-and Apprentice Amendment Bill, and The Public Bodies' Leasing Amendment Bill were received from .the Legislative Council, and read a first time. . THE LAND BILL. The Land Laws Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Message, and read a. first time. The House rose at 10.50 p.m., to sit again at 7.30 p.m. to-day.

LAND BILL

TWO- IMPORTANT CLAUSES. The Land Laws Amendment Bill, introduced into the House of Representatives last night, contains two important olauses. .The most important provides for an. alteration in, the basis of classification of land. At present the law defines as first-class, all. land of an unimproved value of £4 per acre and upwards. In actual fact, no land that is in fact first-class in quality can be purchased at this price, and the law works badly,; especially as the value includes the value of timber.. In, some cases the timber on land is worfii upwards of £3 per acre, and when ft is taken off the land is very poor indeed. The Bill ■proposes to make the minimum value of first-class land ,£8 per acre. Probably no first-class-land will be procurable at this price, but the increase will improve the state of things. Another provision relates to the application of moneys specially raised for the purpose by the, Minister of Finance, and the reading of Crown lands. ? At present the law. does not permit of expenditure under this head upon the roading of endowment lands, and the Bill proposes to extend the operation of the law to endowment lands. ..-.•'