PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1920, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

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WELLINGTON, July 32. . S THE COUNCIL. i The Council met at 2.30 p.m. Sir F. D. Bell moved the second reading of the Law Practitioners Aineiid- ; ment Bill. He explained that the Bill j provided for the period on active service to ho counted in the live years lieI . . . ** . cessary for admission as a barrister. It , further provided for the repeal of a ’ previous enactment under which no barrister practising as a solicitor or a barrister in partnership with a solicitor. | shell bo appointed King’s Counsel. 'Die Bill was read a second time and roI ferred to the Statutes Revision Committee. ' >Sir If. 1). Bell moved the second i-ead-j ing of the Revocation of Naturalisation j Amendment Bill, explaining it made I operative the principle of the Act by giving power to demand the return of ; papers revoked. The Bill was lead a | second time. | Sir l l ’. D. Beli moved the second read- ! ing of the New Zealand Institute Amendment Bill, which provides for a* increase of the Government subsidy from £5(-X) to £I,(XX). The Bill was put through all stages and passed. The Registration of Aliens Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee, Sir F. D. Beil intimating that certain amendments were to be made. Hon McGregor, at the suggestion of Sir F. D. Bell, agreed to refer his Juries Act Amendment to the Statutes Revision Committee. Tile Council rose at 4.22 p.m.

THE HOUSE. The House met at 2.30 p.m. The following Bills were read n seisin i time:— Dominion State Bank Bill, (Mr Veitcli). Workers’ Compensation Amendment Bill, (Mr Howard). Master and Apprentices Act Amendment Bid, (Mr Bartrum). Factories Act Amendment Bill, (Air Sullivan.) The House rose at 11 p.m.

JOTTINGS FROM THt LOBBY (Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) PRIVATE MEMBERS DAY. WELLINGTON, July 22. To-day was private members’ da# r . Ministers answered a few questions. Mr Massey accepted favourably a suggestion that the police should he asked to seek more severe penalties in cases of reckless driving of motor cars. WORKERS’ HOMES. Sir AV. H. Herries stated that builders and workers were conferring in Wellington regarding the erection of homes on a large scale and he thought the scheme might be extended to other parts of the country. STATE BANK BILL. Then Mr Veitch, (Wanganui), moved the second reading of his State Bank Bill. This measure, which has been before to House in other sessions, is modelled on the Australian law dealing with the Commonwealth Bank. Several members advocated the principle of State banking, and they succeeded in bringing Mr Massey to his feet. PREMIER’S VIEWS. Mr Massey said the Government was a partner in the Bank of New Zealand. The business was profitable and it would be bad busni-ss f r the State to compete with the established which was providing large revenue for the Government. I,e thought that he income of the State from the Bank of New Zealand was likely to be increased Mr Massey mentioned that the Dominion banks were in a strong position. Their note issues were fully covered by coin and bullion, and he expected notes would remain legal tender ftp- a considerable time. The Bill was read a second time, and is not likely to appear again this session. A LABOUR MEASURE. Mr Howard, (Christchurch South), moved tlie second reading of thejWorkers’ Compensation Amendment Bill, pro posing various amendments in the lau. Mr Howard is one of the new Labour members and he has made a better impression than most of his colleagues in the House. He proposes that limitations of compensation for death or complete disablement shall be raised from £SOO to £750; that payments shall date from the date of the accident; tnat allowance for medical treatment in cases of accident shall be increased from £1 to a maximum of £25, and that doctrine of common employment shall bo abandoned. He pointed out that more than half the money paid for insurances of workers went to provide maintenance and profits of Companies, and that ’the benefits to injured workers couid be largely increased, without extra cost to the industry if the State took a monopoly of industrial insurances. Mr Ho. ward was able to point to some injustices under the present compensation law, but the Hoppe does not pay much attention to private members’ bills, and his measure is not likely to make much more progress without Government aid. It was referred to the Labour Bills Committee.

THE MISSING £IOOO. WELLINGTON, Ju'.y 22. The dsappearance of a Trustee with funds belonging to the O’Connor Trust in Westport, was mentioned in the House recently by Mr Holland, (Buller), who is himself one *f tho trustees and who complained that the missing trustee had been given an open cheque by the Public Trust Office. Mr Hol.and suggested that the cheque should have been crossed or otherwise safeguarded. MINISTER’S REPLY.

Hon J. G- Coates made a statement on this subject in. the House this afternoon. He said the three trustees m the estate were Mr Hplland, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Wellington, and the Mayor of Westport. Tho Public Trust Office had forwarded a voucher through the local postmaster. The Mayor of Westport presented the authorities, signed by the other two Trustees, and he received a cheque payable to bearer. If ho had asked for cash, the postmaster would have had to get it signed. The Mayor had full authority to reccivo’tho money. The crossing of tho cliequo would not have made any difference since he would have boon able to cash the cheque through his bank. Mr Coates read a certificate signed by Mr

| Kane, financial advisor to the Public Trustee, stating that the money had been paid over on the definite instructions of the Trustees, and that tho pub. lie official hud taken every reasonable precaution to see that the money was paid to the persons to whom it was due. MASTERS AND APPRENTICES. WELLINGTON, This Day. The Masters and Apprentices Bill, introduced by another of the Labour members, Mr Uartram, (Grey Lynn), produced some discussion. The idea of the Bill is to improve the status of apprentices and provido for a more thorough training. Soveral members thought something ought to be done in this direction, and Mr Kellett, one of the.lndependent Labour members complained that the Arbitration Act had not merely wrecked the apprenticeship system, but had produeed a generation of inefficient tradesmen. MINISTER’S VIEWS. Sir Wm Herries, (Minister for Labour), said he had never regarded technical schools as an adequate substitution for the apprenticeship system. He was lad to have the views of members. The scarcity of apprentices is due to the Arbitration Act. A POOR STANDARD. The poor standard of efficiency among your workers to-day is due to the Arbitration Act said Mr Kellett-, (Dunedin North), in preference clauses it had been considered to be necessary, but their effect had not all been good. Apprentices knew they wore entitled to certain increases of paying at fixed periods and would receive journeymen’s pay at the end of their apprenticeship, whether they were efficient or not. The inducement to seek efficiency was jacking, and the consequence was that New Zealand possessed to-day a class of craftsmen who were not efficient. The Arbitration Court was responsible. The desire to excel did not exist among these men. The Bill was read a second time.