PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 27, 26 October 1917, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

EXPEDITIONARY FORCES

RELIGIOUS ORDERS AND EXEMPTIONS

ALL TEACHERS ESSENTIAL

The Legislative Council met at 230 p.m. The State Supply of Electrical Energy Bill was read a first time. The Land Laws Amendment Bill was read a. first time, and a second time nro forma, and was referred to the Lands Committee. The Social Hygiene Bill was read a first time.

WAR LEGISLATION. THE RAILW ATM EN'S SUPERANNUATION. The War Legislation Bill was reported with minor amendments by (ho Statutes Revision Committee. The Hon. J. T! . PAUL protested against tho proposal to postpone tho superannuation of public servants during the war period. Hn read a petition on tho subject, from the Associated Society

of Railway Servants. 'Die members of the railway service had been guaranteed in their superannuation privileges by a special Act of Parliament, and the Council was being asked now to countenance a breach of agreement. The laihvaymen had paid for their superannuation benefits anil were really in tho samo rosition as holders of endowment insurance policies. They were entitled to receive their money at certain ages or after certain periods of service. They were entitled to rcceivo their grants at the due dates. Then if the State etill required their servicos it should make a mutually satisfactory arrangement with them, paying them wages in addition to their superannuation. The Government should have consulted the railway servants before bringing down the legislaiton. The Hon. ft, MOORE said no repudiation was proposed by the Government. The public servants were being asked merely to make a small sacrifice by delaying retirement on superannuation until the close of the war. It was a very small sacrifice indeed compared with the sacrifice of men who were going to tho front. Silt FRANCIS BELL said tho proposal of the Bill certainly did affect a statutory contract in. sows v ospects by delaying the payment of superannuation benefits secured by legislation to certain public servants. But the needs of the State, in' time of war were urgent. The younger men were-being sent to tho front, and were not available • to hll vacancies created by the retirement of the Eenior men. Another point to be remembered was that the shortage of labour caused by the'"war was inducing Civil Servants to retire as soon as they were able to do so, since they could then add a private wage to their superannuation benefits. In nine ot peace the tendency rather was lor the senior men to stay in the service as long as they were allowed. It surely was no great hardship to ask the older men to delay their retirement during the war period, in view of the needs 01 the StSte. Tho war had involved a <»reat deal of interference with contracts fu the interests of the State, formal conditions could not be maintained when the nation was fighting for its existence. Each Minister would decide in his own Department how far the restriction ot retirements should opeiate.. The power would not be used unnecessarily,, and probably would not be used extensively. But there were some valuable men. who had considerable financial inducements to leave tho service now on superannuation, in order to accept- private employment. Some of the men were essential, owing tu the men immediately below them in the service being at the front. SIR WILLIAM' HALL-JONES said that the final clause of the bill, relating to the regulation of employment, < jeemed to -give extraordinarily wide powers to the Government. Apparently could be put to work in coalmines infer Clie Bill. ... ~ Sir Francis 'Bell said that tho [lovernment necessarily possessed itsell sf wide powers in . time of war. It must be trusted to exercise the powers m a, reasonable way, and lie thought tho complaint of the country had been :hat the Government did not make enough use of its power. The Governiuent was entitled to regard itself as aossessing the confidence of the public. stlier Governments had fallen during the war, but New Zealand's National Government had continued its work ,vithout interruption. A Councillor: Yon do not- give the people a' chance to make a change. Sir Francis Bell: The people have their :epresentatives in Parliament. The slianges of Government elsewhere have jeen effected by Parliament, not directly jy the country. The position seems to 36. that ho better Government is availlbie. ' . Mr. Paul protested against the non•epresentation of Labour on the Efiici:ncy Eoard. The Bill was put through Committee ivitn minor amendments, read a third ;iine, and" passed.

OTHER BILLS, The Dunedin . Waterworks Extension Bill' was put through all stages and passed. . The Hutt Road Amendment Bui was put tlirouglnall stages and passed. The Council adjourned at MO p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day.