PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2282, 16 October 1914, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

EDUCATION BILL,

BOUNDARIES PROBLEM

DISCUSSED.

THE NUMBER OF DISTRICTS.

FACTORIES AMENDMENT BILL

THROWN OUT.

The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. 1 The, interrupted debate upon the Hon. J. X. Paul's motion to commit the Factories Act Amendment Bill was proceeded with. The Bill proposed to reduce the hours of women employees in.woollen faotories from i'orty-eight to fortyfive. •..''. The Hon. E. MOOBE, continuing his ' speech from the previous day, said that. Labour unions should not be allowed to ilout the Arbitration Court. Hβ ■ said, also, that it would be imposeible to reduce the houns of women in woollen factories without reducing the hours of the men, or causing disorganisation. . ' ' . : The Hon. J. DUTHIE said that the Hill proposed the floating of one of the great institutions of the .land — the Arbitration Court. Nothing ought to be done to detract from the importance and the stability of the Court, : which had full power to deal with this question. Why ask Parliament to pass over the Court? Surely that was not the custom—to interfere with a. Court! Ho could not understand how the Bill had passed througli the other Chamber. Did tke honourable member in. charge of the Bill realise the grave act he was asking the Council to commit? In times of strike people were used to 'hear of broken agreements, but wae .Parliament, in cold blood, to break a isolemn engagement? Mr. Duthie regretted that the women, in the woollen industry should be asked to work longer than the women, in other industries, but said that, if a remedy was needed, the remedy ehould be sought in the 'Arbitration Court. This was a case of a measure which had been ill-con-sidered in the other Chamber, and in which the Council should exercise great care. The Labour Bills Committee, after hearing evidence on the Bill, could have made no ether recommendation than that the Bill snould-not be proceeded with. Tho Hon. J. T. PAUL, replying, said that the workers had to "force on these reforms." . it was the Legislative Council alone which made- "this iniquitous law" possible twelve years ago, and it ' was toe Council alono which- now stood tetween the women workers and this reform. The representative Chamber had passed the Bill. ■.. , The Council divided on the motion to commit the Bill. Tho motion, wae lost by eisteen votes to ten. _. Ayes. Paul Parata , Jones Ualdey Louisson Thompson' Beehan , Wigram Earns'haw Hail-Jones Noes. Bell Fisher Aitken. Morgan. . , Uufhie Hardy George Ormond Mac Gibbon lilaginnity Nikora Simpson ■ Moore ■ . . . Mills SlacGrregor Samuel . OTHER BILLS. The Eden .Reserves Amendment Bill was read a. second time. The Remounts Encouragement Bill was read a second time, put through Committee, read a third time, and passed. The following measures were committed, read a third time, and passed: — Fisheries Amendment Bill, Taieri Land Drainage Amendment Bill, Rangitaiki Land Drainage Amendment Bill, and HauraM Plains Amendment Bill. The Council rose at G p.m.