NEW LEGISLATION BILL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 54, 28 November 1918, Page 7

NEW LEGISLATION BILL

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

address-in-reply concluded

The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. . Leavo of absence for one week was granted to the Hon. D. T. Fleming on account of illnes and the Hon.. H. L. Michel was granted'ten-days' leave because of illness in 'his family. .. The Military Decorations and' Distinctive Badges Bill was read a fh\st time. : THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. WOEIv OP RECONSTRUCTION. The Hon. J. T. PAUL resumed the debate 011 the Address-iii-Reply/and said • that the question each person must ask himsell was: How could lie help in the new reconstruction period? They were entering upon a time in which they would be faced with difficult problems. ■Iremendous changes were coming at an accelerated pace, and-in 'his opinion the • Labour parties of the world were the ■ only bodies which were fulh- alive to the import of the changes that wero taking place. A tremendous mountain of poverty and unrest had been created before the war. Were they going hack to the former state of things? He sincerely hoped not, for if they did the British people would 'have (0 'face a .srpat revolution. The working classes of the world wero trying to evolve a new state of things. Referring to the speech which had beon delivered the previous day by the Hon. AY. Earnshaw.Mr. Paul claini- . etl that that gentleman's vision on Labour matters had been blurred, and that his remarks showed that lie was out of touch with Labour sentiments, of the day. The speaker believed the policy of ' the Government was fundamentally wrong, because it had' neglected domestic legislation.- There vas no class of people in the country who were contented. Lessons had been learnt from recent happenings, such as the. epidemic. Overcrowding and' had housing 'had to be stamped out. 1 It was 110 good saying that New was the best country for the working man to live in until steps had been taken to improve the conditions under which the people lived. All the Labour Party, desired, was the opportunity of taking, up tlie work of reconstruction arid regeneration, not in the interests of any individuals of that . party, .biit for the advancement of the Dominion as a whole. It had been, said by one speaker during the course of tho debate that if people could not live with- . m their incomes then there was something. wrongwith them. That-was a remarkable thing to say. The whole question devolved upon a .man's individual ' Tesponsibilitiesi Some men were in receipt of regular .wages,-which, .'however, still fell short of• their requirements. 1 Importance of Scientific Research.. . ' The • Hon. G. M.' THOMSON, in referriug to the hydro-electric schemes of -the Government, sajd it was a great pity that the country was losing the .services of Mr. Evan Parry, who .was the best electrical engineer in tho .Dominion. He was glad to know that the matter of afforestation was to be treated from a scientific standpoint, because in the past it had been neglected sadly, and m&ny of our resources had been wasted. He urged that in tho-education curriculum : of the Dominion more attention Should be paid to science. The war had shown ■the extreme need-there-was for the inculcation of scientific principles. The Government had allocated only a paltry ■ sum of ,f250 for scientific research,'whereas it had made provision for the payment of XI7OO to,a war. correspondent. To provide such'a'small amount for re- i search was a farce' and a disgrace-to the ' Dominion. The Government should have come down with a sum of XIO,OOO, and a definite scheme of what they proposed in regard to scientific research. The development of -the fisheries of the coun- ■ try should be undertaken on 'broad lines j ■by the. Government.- . Tho country could ;bo supplied 'with 'fish if proper' disfe 1 .butional method's 'were employed, and I large quantities, could be exported • also. | Continued attention would ' have .to' be 1 .paid to the naval defence, of the coun- ] try,., and .lie suggested that the problem ] of-manning co.uld be., overcome" by en- .] cquraging fishermen, to become naval re- f servists. 1

The Hon. J. TOPI PATUKi .put in a plea for the establishment of .a mut-ton-bird industry in tho south. He held that Sir James Allen 'had done good work in connection with the Military Service . Act, and deserved the thanks of the country. Conclusion of Debate, .The Leader of the Council (Sir Francis Bell) said he! felt that, those who had participated in the debate had had a right so to do because they were qualified to speak on the subjects which they handled. Much would have to be faced with regard to the Te-establjshment of industries and the reorganisation of social life as a consequence of the war. . The debate concluded at 4.40 p.m., when the Council adjourned until 2.30 p.m. to-day. . • theliouse The Houso of Bepresentatives met at 11.30 a.m. The John Donald Macfarlane Estate

Administration Empowering Bill was read a second time. The following Bills were introduced and road a first time Painters and Decorators Health Protection Bill (Mr. Voitch), Crimes Act, 1003, Amendment Bill (Mr. Wilford), Auckland Harbour Board, Dovonport Borough Council, and Dovonport Domain Board Empowering Bill (Mr! Harris), Whangarei Borough Empowering Bill (Mr. Jlauder), Dunedin .City Fish Markets and Empowering Bill (Mr, Statham), Hawke's Bay Rivers Board Bill (Sir John Findlay). Leave of absence was granted to eovoral membors on the ground of illness in their families. CONTROL OF AVIATjON. Sir James Allen (Minister of Dei'once) hioved the second reading of the Aviation Bill, the purpose of which wan to enable the Government to regulate aviation. The Bill was necessary in view of the development of aviation. • The Bill was read a second time. WAR LEGISLATION. ■ THE SONS OP GERMANS. , The House wont into Committeo 011 the' War Legislation Bill;; Mr. W. D'onnio Stewart submitted an 'amendmont to provide, for exclusion from the operation of the Bill any person who has served in the war with the Allied forces, or any person a member of whoso family has served with the Allied forces. ~ ■ The Prime Minister said that he could not accept the amendment lhe Bill * at .present did not include !Ne\v /euiandborn wen, and the sons of Germans who had served were New Zealand-born. But ho could not agree that a German, however disloyal he might he, should escape soot free just 'because his son had served. ... Tho amendment was rejected. Mr. M'Comhs submitted an amendment to exclude from • the operation of the' 'Bill a New Zealand'woman who might marry a German. On objection being raised to this .proposal, Mr. Payno submitted another even more drastic—to provide that not only should a British wife be under tho same ban as her German spouse, but that a British husband of a German wife should bo subject to the disabilities imposed by the Bill. Tho amendment was rejected by 31 votes to 7. Other Clauses. Some debate occurred on the clause dealing with restrictions on rent and the protection of discharged soldiers and tho wife or widow of a soldier from eviction. It was pointed out that the effect of the clause would bo that no landlord would let to such persons at all, and a. proposal was made to make the clause cover all tenants. My. Massey said' that tho question of the extension of tho operation of the clauso would be fully considered by the Government before the Bill went -to the Legislative Council.'

Tlio Committee then allowed the clause to pass. Mr. Veitch then moved his promised amendment to repeal clauses of the previous 'War legislation Act,-making it law that' L ,retired State servants on reemployment must forfeit while so emploved their superannuation benefits. l'he amendment was rejected by 20 votes to 18. The Bill was reported wiljh amendments. The House adjourned at 9.45 p.m., to sit again at 2.30 p.m. to-day.