COAL MINES BILL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 33, 3 November 1920, Page 8

COAL MINES BILL

QUALIFICATION OF COAL MINERS COUNCIL'S AMENDMENT The Coal Mines Amendment Bill was considered by the Legislative Council in committee yesterday afternoon, Section' six of the Coal Mines Amendment Act, 1914, is as follows: "Except with the consent of the Minister a miner shall not be put in charge of any place in a mine unless he is of tho age of twenty-one years or upwards, and has had at least three years' experience in underground coal mining, of which at least one year shall have been at the fa'co with an experienced coal miner." The Bill as sent. on ; from the House, to the Council contained the following clause: "Section six of the Coal Mines Amendment Act, 19H, is hereby amended by inserting, after the word 'coal-min-ing,' the words 'or underground, metalliferous mining,' and by omitting tho words 'one year,' and substituting tho words 'six months.'" The Bill was, however, referred to the Mines Committee of the Council, which struck out the clauao quoted l , and proposed a new clause amending section 6ix in the following way:—(a) By omitting the words "one year," and substituting the words "six months"; nnd (b) by inserting, after tho words "experienced coal miner, the words "or at least three years' experience in driving, stoping, timbering, er shaft-sinking, or in rises or winzes, in connection with underground metalliferous mining." ~,,,,, The Hon. E. Mitchelson said that tho new clause appeared to 'him to be worthless. There were not enough goldminers in the country, and the effect of the clause would be to draw men away from goldmining to coalmining, in which they could make better wages. ■ Sir William Eraser said that gold was not so necessary-to tho people of this country as coal was.' It would be better that goldraining should, suffer than that the country should be short of coal. To a certain extent the clause would mftko it easier for-won to go from the gold mines to the coal mines. ■ Several members expressed tho opinion that the period of experience required before a miner could have charge of a place.in a coal mine should be very considerably reduced. Sir William Fraser himself considered that the provision in tho 19W Act had been a'mistake, and had had tho effect of making the miners a close corporation. The amendment proposed by the Mines Committee was carried on the voices. The Bill was read a third time- and passed.

TAXING MOTOR CARS (MATTER UNDER CONSIDERATION. Having been requested by a number of people to do so, Dr. A. Iv Newman (Wellington East) asked the Prime Minister yostorday afternoon -whether' it was proposed this session to put a tax on motorears eitlhor in the way of a wheel tax,, petrol tax, or in any other form. Mr: Massey said that the matter was still under consideration, in connection with the Main Roads Bill, which he had mentioned a few moments earlier as likely to bo introduced within the next few days. _______ . - "INDISCRIMINATE" SHOOTING " THE CONTROL OF, FIREARMS. Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East) suggested that tho Government should take drastic methods in regard to. the indiscriminate shooting that was going on all over New Zealand. Notwithstanding tho restrictions, some £0 or 25 per cent, of the people were going about with revolvers in their hip pockets. If the affray at Ivttelton had been _ half an JSur or duTiour later there would have been a' disaster. Mr. Massey said that members would recollect that, the House had recently 'passed on Arms Dill with that object, but it would not eonio fully into operation for ; 6omo months.. It was intended to deal with tho difficulty. Mr. Young: Stop tho sale of revolvers. Mr. Massev: That tk not yet possible. We must allow dealers to get rid of their stock. AVc cannot stop the dealers business altogether. The automatic pistol, which I am told is the most dangerWs,~is prohibited altogether. The police information to us was that a considerable number of people had got into the habit of carrying firearms. The Act will stop it when it comes into full operation, and the Government will do all it can. rotoruaWn lands ANOTHER WIN FOR THE FREEHOLDERS. Tho Hou6e of Representatives, as re. ported in yesterday's Dominion, agreed to tho second rending of the Rolovua Town Lands Bill by 37 votes to 18. The division, which possibly was the last of the session on tho freehold versus leasehold issue, was as follows:—

Ayes (37):—Anderson, Bitchener, Bollard, Burnett, Campbell, * Coates, Dickson, ,T. S., Field, Glenn, Guthrie, Hamilton, A.. Hamilton J. R:, Hawken, Henaro, llorries, Hoekly. Hunter. Jones, Lee, Lysnar, M'Lcod, M'Nicol, Malcolm, •Massey, Nash, Nosworthy Parr, Poland, Pomare, Potter, Powdrell, Reed. Rhodes, Sir R. H., Rhodes, T. W., Sykcs, Williams, Young. Noes (18):—Atmore, Rartram, Edie, Forbes, Eraser, Harris, Holland, nom, Howard. Kellett. Mitchell. Newman, Dr. A. Iv., Parry, Savnge, Seddon, Sidoy, Smith, S. G., Wright. Tho Bill provides that sub-lessees of Rotorua town lands may acquire tho freehold from tho Government by consent of tho original lessees. When tho Bill wns in Committee yesterday morning an amendment was added on tho mo- | (ion of the Minister of .Lands, providing (hat tho consent of the lessee should not be held "arbitrarily or without, sufficient reason."

Tho Agricultural Committee of tlija House, to which had been referred tin Seeds Bill, a measure introduced by the Minister of Agriculture, yesterday reported that it approved of the provisions of the Bill, but recommended that it be not proceeded with this session.