THE HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 297, 11 September 1919, Page 6

THE HOUSE

Tho Houso of Representatives met. at s 2130 p.m. I .Leave of absenco was granted to Dr, Thacker for one week on account of t urgent public business. \. . £ A LIQUOR BILL. "" £ The Hospital and Charitable Institu- ' (ions Amendment Bill (No. 2), (Mr. V. ( H. Heed), and the State Control of l Licenses Bill (Mr. R. M'Callum) were introduced, and read a first t.imo. ' Mr. M'CALLUM (Wairau), speaking to ( the introduction of his Bill, said that it was tho result of a challenge thrown out ' by tho Prime Minister to those opposed to the legislation of last session to sub- I rait somo real proposals for reform. This ] Bill was an honest effurl; to give tho '. State control of licenses, and to ensure to persons conducting hotel businesses 1 properly somo security of tenure. Early ] in the present year the peopio had been i divided a,Hno*t' equally on ' liho liquor issue. Many people, especially women, who bad never been in an hotel bar,'who had no interest in the question, hadbeen asked to vote on thin issue, and they had mainly voted for prohibition. Ho claimed that in lihis light between opposing parties the moderates, who belonged to neither party, wag in the position of tho (shopping-block. Mr, M'Callum detailed his scheino for tlio control of tho trade. Ono of his proposals was that evory license should be issued at a foe commensurate with the business done. Ho suggested that tho rate charged should be 3 par 'cent, on all liquor purchased, but to avoid hardship Icjo ■ licensees this should nob come into force for,- say, five yeais. Other provisions had to do with tied houses, trafficking in licenses, and tho abolition of goodwill. The general scheme of _ the Bill was to give tho Minister considerable power in controlling tiho trade. The Bill did ntw provide for State ownership, of which, Mr. M'Oallnm said, ho' did.not approve. ~ • No other member spoke on the Bill. PRIVATE MEMBEIIS' BILLS. AN OTAGO QUESTION. Mr. A. S. MALCOLM (Clutha) moved the second reading of tha Hospitals and Charitable Institutions A mendmont Bill. He explained that liho Bill wns exactly similar to other Bills introduced in previous years, and the purpose of it was to constitute & South Otago Hospital District of tho counties of Bruce and Olutha. Mr. T. K.'SIDEY (Dunxlin South) said ho had been instructed by tho Otago Hospital Board to oppose the Bill, on the ground that Ishe. severance* of this district would embarrass tho finances of the board. On general principle also that small 'district*! with insecure finance were -ncti desirable, ho thought tho Bill ought not to bo lllowod to pass. Mr. W. DOWNIB STEWART (Dunedin West) opposed the Sill for similar reasons. Mr. Or. J. ANDERSON (Mataura) supported the Bill, saying thai; there,was need for a hospital afc liaklutlm. Mr. A. WALKER (Dune-din North) also opposed flio Bill. Mr. J. A. HANAN (luvercargill) said that ho "disapproved of the crealiion of a, multiplicity of smaller local bodies; and he, therefore, oppored the Bill. , SIR JAMES ALLEN (Bruce) said that he would ndt vote on the Bill. Ho liad nob consulted his/ censtituente, who wore concerned in the Bill, and if he had . had an opportunity 4 of doing so, ho would have had to tell them that he did not approve of tho proposal. Mr. T. M. WILFOKD (Hutt) moved that the debate be adjourned, for lihe reason that members ' generally did cot understand the que-Jbjon at issue. The amendment was supported by Messrs. Forbes and Payne. Mr. MALCOLM replying, said that tho chairman of the Otago Bxiwl had agreed In conference, ncjr, to oppose the South Otago people. Now the chairman was telegraphing to members to oppose the Bill. It.was "a shamolers tiling, a most dishonourable Ithing to do," and he felt very strongly about tho action. After the tea adjournment, the motion to.adjourn tho. debate was lost on (:ho voices, and the Bill wat read a second time. ARBITRATION AMENDMENT. Mr. A. AVALKER (Dunedin North) moved the second reading of the Industrial Conciliation'and Arbitration Amendment Bill. The measure, he explained, proposed to csirond from three months to six months the period'within which proceedlnge might be tak*in for breach of award, and to bring work done in private gardens and orchards within the scope of awards. The Bill was read a second time, without debate, and referred i» tho Labour • Bills Cotmnittofc.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Mr. A. AVALKER (Dunedin North) moved the second readin; of the Work, ers' Compensation Bill. He said the Bill proposed' that in tlio caso of the deatli by industrial accident; of a person under 21 years of age leaving no dependants, tho' parents should be entitled to compensation up to a maximum of .KIM. M proposed also that coiup?ii»Riioii should be paid'from liio date til' \;he aftiduul. Mr. H. POLAND (OMiurnum) Kupjiurl--cd the Bill, ami urged, tho Goverir.uau r.ud the Hoiiss to take every opportunity of iiiip.Tjviii* the conipeiiiation system. Iti'.U'-wages \vr..; not ado(|ii:.l':c payment for an injiiraHworU'r, ami it wi> not rensoimblu that do -payment should bo made for Urn first seven days of incapacity. Other countries 'were more liberal than New Zoaland was to injured workers. The syflicm of .accident insurance was not in the interests of the workers. Tlio premiums paid to tnvontytwo insurance couipoiueii in Now Zealand last year for aceidout ' insurance

amounted to .622,000, ami tlio payments |ii) injured workers had amounted to .£32011. Tne.rcjnaiiiing £13,000 had been used to maintain largo offices, pay canvassers and hiro lawyers and. doctors to fight the injured -workers. Accident insurance should be compulsory on every employer and should bo with tho State only. The present premiums paid to a State office would givo greatlv' increased benefits. Mr. Poland discussed defects in tho compensation law. Mr. K. G. ELL (Christcliureh South) told tho Government that the House was prepared to pass tho Bill and to make general improvements in the compensation law if Ministers would givo the opportunity. Mr. Masscy: We will send tho Bill to tho Labour Bills Committee. It can tako evidonco. Mr. W. T. JENNINGS (Taumnrunui) asked for improved insurance methods. Labour and Party. Mr. E. SEMPLE- (Wellington South) asked tlio House to treat industrial questions as above party. If industrial unrest wero to be avoided, Parliament must remove obvious injustices that wert> throttling honest men. The members, of tho House surely would not daro to vote against the Bill. Industrial insurance 6hould be a national matter, without any element of private profit. Whera was the justice of requiring a widow light in the courts for compensation after tho | death of her husband, with clever lawyers employed by the insurance company ranged against h«rP The Houso" had no right to leave such injustices in existence. Social pence could not be secured by abusing men who rebelled against unfair .condition. Mr. C. 11. POOLE (Auckland West, argued that obsolete labour . legislation was bound. to produce discontent. The country wag suffering from tlie inactivity of the Qovernmeafc In the nin-ltor of labour legislation. Mr. T. A. H. FIELD (Nolson) hoped the Government would accept tho Bill and allow it to reach tho Statute Book this session. The workers' compensation law was in great need of aimendment.

Mr. W. A. VEITCH (Wnnganui) said that tho neglect of industrial legislation : was one reason why the workers through- : out New Zealand were discontented and why the people generally wero losing confidence in Parliament. He thought that eiuplovers should not be allowed to insuro fully' against industrial accidents, They should be required to carry some nart of the risk theans&lvea, _as an'inducement to use safety appliances and givo reasonable protection to workers. Tho present system of insurance -meant that the injured worker had often, to fight an insurance company before he got any compensation, and the result was a sense of injustice on tho part of tho worker and carelessness on the part of the employer. Mr. J. - (Lyttelton) advocated a State roonopcly of accident insurance. The injured workers at present received less than half the money paid bv the employors. s Mr. T. M. WILFORD (Hutt): 'I desire to make my speech as short as pos. aible. I intond to support tho Bill. Mr. J. PAYNE '(Grey Lynn) said the sole alternative to anarchy and Bolshevism was justice to the workers of tho country. Tho Bill offered Parliament a chance to start on tho right road. The Bill was read a second time on tho voices, and referred to the Labour Bills Committee. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. Mr. W. A. VEITCH (Wanganui) movedthe second reading of the Proportional Representation and Effectivo Voting Bill. He said he believed that the people of the' country wanted ( eloctoral reform. Preferential voting would be very little better than the present system, which accentuated majorities. Mr. J. PAYNE (Grey Lynn) said he looked upon proportional representation, as.one of the greatest fallacies that ever, were propounded. It was bound to be disappointing to every party. In New Zealand it would mean the return of three parties in suoh numbers that two would have to compromise and unite in order to carry on, with all tho disadvantages that compromise involved. It was based on the false premiss that the return of members to a House meant representation. A Prime Minister could hold office, and put through .any legislation ho pleased with a majority or ono in the Houso. His chief objection to proportional representation - was that it would forever prevent Labour from- coming into its own. ."First past the post" had been good enough for the other two parties, and it would be good enough for the Labour Party. 1 The Bill was read a second, time. TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES B.ILL'.' Dr. A. It NEWMAN (Wellington East) asked that his Temporary Employees Bill should bo postponed for a week.' It was a money Bill and he had referred it to tho Prime Minister. The Bill was adjourned accordingly. HUTT ROAD. Mr. T. M. WILFORD. (Hutt) moved tho second reading of tho Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Bill, without comment. Tlio PRIME MINISTER said vhe intended to look into this Bill with tho object of taking it over. ' Mr. Wilford: I hope y,ou will. This exhausted the privato members' business before the House. • Tlio Houso rose at 10.15 p.m.