HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 24, 13 August 1892, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, August 11. Mr Fisher askfd the Minister for Education (I) Whether he intends to give effect to his formerly expressed opinion in favour of the retention of the " working avenge " as opposed to the " strict average ?" (2) Whether he intends to give effi-ct to his formerly expressed opinion in favour of the establishment and maintenance of training colleges ? (3) Whether it is his intention io continue the education of children who have passed Standard VI, which is o violation of the spirit of the Education Act, is for the benefit of children of Ihe wealthy classes, and costs £10,000 a'year ? The Minister suid that m reply to part 1 and 2 he would only say, not this session. In answer to the third portion he would suy. that the practice was not in lm opinion a violation of the spuit, as it was not the letter of the kducatioti Act, that it was not only taken advantage of by any special class, that it did not cost the Colony £10,000 a year, and that he did not propose to interfere with it.— Mr Fisher : Thanks. Mr W. C Smith moved the second reading of the Napier and Wanganui Museum Endowment Bill, which was intended to give endowments in land to the museums at the two towns named. After a lengthy debate the second reading was lost by 29 to 24. The House then went into committee on the eight hours Bill, as reported from the Labour Bills Committee. In clause 3, an alteration was made altering the word " seaman " among those persons exempted to "sailors or any other persons employed on any ship or vessel. " Clause 4 was amended by striking out that part referring to a day's work being calculated as eight hours in any contract of hiring. An amendment was made in clause 5, by striking ont that part stating that not more than eight hours shall be worked when other competent operatives are procurable ; and clause 6, relating to the inability of an employer, to require any workman without his own consent to work more than eight hours in one day, was similarly dealt with. The penalty was altered to net exceeding Jb'2 for first offence, and not exceeding £5 tor every subsequent offence. Clause 7 was also struck out ; it provided against the employment of any child under 18, and that no person under 16 years should be required to work for more than five hours a day.— The Bill was then reported with amendments. Mr Shera, in proposing the second reading of the Inebriates Home Bill, said. There were two principles contained in the Bill ; one that no person snould be sent to gaol for habitual drunkenness, and the other, that it was the duty of the State to regard habitual drunkards as suffering from a disease, which no effort should be spread to cure. The second reading was carried on the voices. August 12. The Conciliation Bill was read a third time and referred to the Labor Bills Committee. The second reading of the Local Authorities Accounts and Audit Bill and the Land Boards Election Bill was carried and the Bills referred to committees.