THE RAILWAY BILL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 31, 1 November 1920, Page 6

THE RAILWAY BILL

NEW RATES OF PAY AUTHORISED

> HOUSES FOR RAILWAYMEN

Tho Government Railways Amendment Bill, introduced on Saturday afternoon, provides principally for authorisation of the' rates of pay for the various grades of the service as recommended by the commissions which determined the points in dispute after the strike of April-May last. It institutes a new schedule to the i Railways Ajt, and makes the new rates retrospective to April 1, 1920. The measure provides for the. promotion of any member of the service, probationer or apprentice from one subgrade to another, or where there are no nub-grades for a corresponding increase in salary, on the grounds of efficiency, on tho recommendation of the permanent head of his division. Regulations may

be made by Order-in-Council prescribing special rates "of. p,a'y for railwaymen or the second division living in isolated places or working important machines. By the principal Act it was provided that where any life allowance or other grant was made to a member of tho service on retiring, to be computed on t'he basis of his pay. the rate for computation was'to be the rato ho was receiving at the time of his retirement unless

within the previous five years he had served in a grade below that in which he was placed at retirement, In that event the pay for- purposes of computation was to be the average ho had been

receiving during the seyen years immediately preceding his retirement. The \ Bill proposes that the seven years and five years shall each bo reduced' to three. Certain provision is made for obtaining land for nouses for railwaymen. Tho Governor-General in Council may issue proclamations talcing any land'required as sites for dwellings for employees of tho. Department, under conditions similar to these- established by tho Public Works Act, 1908, and the Government Railways Act, 1008, in the case of laud taken for a railway. Such houses may _ bo ocdupied by persons other than the employees of the Department at-the discretion of the permanent head. In such

a case, if the house is required for a railwayman a Magistrate may issue an or- , der of ejectment.

UNREGISTERED DENTISTS PETITION FAVOURABLY DEPORTED UPON. • The report of the A to L Petitions Committee upon a petition of George Barker and 13 <£hcr unregistered dentists, was \ presented to the House on Saturday by Mr. '&. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs). The petitioners asked that legislation be passed to enable any person • with experience in practical dentistry of not less than six years to quality for registration after submitting to a proper investigation of his qualifications by a board of registered dentists. The committee recommended the petition to the Government for favourable consideration. The petitioners, sai'd Mr. Wright, were doing-the best of work with the registered dentists employing them, but because they had not gone through the very severe course of instruction prescribed for dentists they could not be registered. Tho member admitted that the question raised was a contentious ont. • Several members:. Hear. hear. The House did not nDoear at all anxiOU9 to enter into a the matter, and the motion that the petition bo referred to the Government for favourable consideration was promptly carried.

MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL

AMALGAMATION OP BOKOUGHS. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon.' G. J. Anderson) on Saturday moved that the House agree to the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Municipal Corporations .Bill. -Mr. Anderson said thnt almost all the proposals contained in the amendments had been considered by a Select Committee of the House, but had been referred to the Government because they involved questions of policy. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) moved that the House disagree with the alterations made by the Council in clause 118 and 120. The alterations rendered it- necessary for boroughs to be contiguous in order to amalgamate. Mr. Sullivan pointed out that a inero strip of "no-man's land" Wis sufficient to prevent desired amalgamations. Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington North-) suggested that Mr. Sullivan might get a clause inserted in the "Washing-up Bill to meet any particular case he was interested in. As the Minister did not accept Mr. Sullivan's amendment, the member agreed that its fate should be decided on the voio'-.'s. The amendment was lost. All the changes made by the Council ■were agreed to. BONUSESIffIT HOUSES

COUNCIL'S AMENDMENT CONFIKMED.

The Housing Bill, as passed by Hie Houso of Hepreseutntives, provided that' anv person demanding or accepting a bonus for the letting of a dwolling-piacc, nnd anv newspaper publishing mi advertisement relating to a bonus, should be liable to a iino of .CIOO. The Legislative Council stiHick out Iho reference to newspaper advertisements. When the Bill returned to tho House of Representatives on Saturday the Minister of Labour moved that tho House should accept the amendment. Mr. 1. Tracer (Wellington Central) objected Ho said he did not see why newspapers should 'bo relieved from liability for the publication of unlawful advertisements. The. Houso rejected an amendment moved by Mr. Fraser by -17 votes to la, and agreed to the Councils amendment.

NURSES' REGISTRATION

The House on Saturday passed tho Nurds' .Registration Amendment Bill, which lowers from 2!1 lo 21 years the age at which a nurse alter uuairtyinß may become a registered nurse. The Incorporated Societies Amendment Bill providing for tho incorporation ot brandies of registered societies, was passed by-the Houso on. Saturday alternoon. The measure originated in the Council, where it was introduced by hir Tvancis Bell.