Parliamentary.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 30 October 1901, Page 4

Parliamentary.

[OUR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER.]

Petition from Oamaru. Wellington, This Day.

Forty nine of the sixty five women and young persons employed in the Oamaru Woollen Mills have petitioned the Legislative Council in favor of the retention of the present weekly working hours (43) in preference to reducing them to forty-five as prescribed in the Bill. They say that this would result in a reduced output and remuneration, and that if there must be a reduction the hours should be forty seven, which would allow an hour for dinner on Saturdays. Criminal Code Act.

On reconsideration of the Criminal Code Amendment Bill to-day, the Statues Revision Committee struck out the clause inserted on Saturday making Parliamentary papers and reports of court proceedings privileged. Kailway Classification. The Minister of Railways mat a number of railway servants yesterday, and as a result cf the Conference, amendments have been agreed on in the Classification Bill, which will ensure its passage.

(per press association.)

Public Works Estimates

At the vote for the harbour defences (£25.000), Miller moved a reduction of £15,000. He said no less than £427,000 had appeared on this years estimate for defence, which meant eleven shillings per head for every man, woman and child in the colony, and he urged the colony could not stand it.

Hon Hall-Jones said the colony should maintain its defence in good condition, and the sum asked was not too large. The motion was lost by 28 to 16, and the vote passed unaltered. The remaining items passed without amendment, and the House rose at 4 a.ra.

The Legislative Council. CONCILIATION AND ABBITEATION BILL, Wellington, Oct. 29.

The Council met at 2 30. The Minister for Education moved to remove the third reading oi the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill from second place on the order paper to thirteenth on the ground that he had not had lime to see the point of the Bill as amended and confer with the Cabinet. Messrs Shrimski and Pinkerton said if the Minister would not go on with the Bill someone else would.

On a division it was decided by 20 to 13 to place the Bill eight on' the order paper.

The Minister subsequently agreed to to make the Bill first order of the day for Thursday. rOLXCY BILLS. The Local Bodies, Gold-Fields, Public Works, and Loan Bills, Pariroa Native Reserves Bill, Old Age Pension Bill, Public Teachers Salaries Bill, and the Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill wore read a second time. THIRD READINGS. The Maori Councils Act Amendment BID, and the Evidence Further Amendment Bill passed their final stages.