PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 1 August 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. WEDNESDAY, JULY 29. The House met at 2.80 p.m. On a division the motion for the third" reading of the Christchurch Electric Lighting Bill was carried by 26 to 16. The Minister of Education, on behalf of the Premier, gave notice to move that on and after the 80th inst Government business take precedence on Thursdays. ' The Minister for Lands said that a report was being prepared on the sheep disease existing in the Tauranga district. The report of the Committee on the Employers' Liability Bill was agreed to, and it was passed. The report of the committee on the Truck Bill was then considered. . The Hon Mr Rolleston said the Labour Bills should not have be*en considered so late the previous night as justice could not be done under such circumstances. They had been a revelation to him on going through them in committee, and he felt bound to express that opinion. They were no party question, and he was sure hon. members would give the Opposition oredit for having done

their best to ptrt them into propershape. The tendency of the Bills was to promote a period of nqi'^fjb and disgust among the people^AjlP r postpone a reconciliation of int^stAkyf which are really not conflicting, bu^| which circumstances led people to think were conflicting. He meant, of 3ourse, the interests of labour and capital. The Truck syste^.,was a very clumsy attempt to effect tile object in view, and practically tended to the reduction of employment en tho part of capitalists and prevent the free exercise of competition. The Bill would be vexatious to those* who wish to keep the law, and allowed any number of loopholes to escape from the operations of the a ct. Was it for the advantage of the country that laws should be inopeiative, and command neither rtspect nor obedi- , ence, and which he thought was both misehevions and unnecessary. But; evin then it was not so bad as the Shop Hours' Bill, which he thought would effect a revolution among the industrial classes. The time was not yet ripe for such legislation. It would, he believed, be denounced by the community before the closing of' Parliament as a sham, a delusion, and a snare. Mr Muck land objected to clause 7. which debts cannot, be sued for on an order, because it put a class of men outside the law. It was not to the advantage of tker labourers that a bad feeling should be raised between employers and employed. The Minister of Justice said the Bills did not come frot^aay set of "agitators ; they were jn^-oduced by the Hon. Mr Ilislop diWing the la-sfc Parliament, and were supported by the Government of the'day, ' If the Bill was likely to stop manufacture and industry, and hay&luch an ef- - '' foot as had been prtj^BipJd for it, why had not that efiect been: produced in England, where it had been in force for the last 60 years. As to the Truck Bill, the Employers' Conference had generally agreed with it, and nearly everybody had given ia their conseni to the general principles of the measures. The J3ills were not dangerous and revolutionary, and such expressions ought not to be used again 9t them. ..-■"? The report of the Committee was agreed to, and the Bill was read a third time and/ passed; The amendments of tha Committee" on the Shop Hours Bill was considered. Sir John Hall said the Bill would, bring into existence so many' difficu.l» ties, and bo many anomalies, and sq many hardships that it woui^before. very long, become an ixPterable grievance, Mr Soobie Mackenzie opposed the Bill, saying tUi& the numerous exceptions showed that it was unneoes. sary, and would be inoperative. / Mr T, McKenzie said therjTw~as undoubtedly a necessity for regulating shop hours, and thought the Bill was a step in the right direction. Mr Saunders supported, the Bill, although he was not sure it would effect any good. The amendments of the Committee were agreed to, the Bill was read ft third time, and passedThe House then went Into 06m* mittee on the following Bills « — Anlteration Prevention Amend, inent Bill was passed tUrpugh with* out amendment, , Some amendments were made in the Auctioneers Bill, and it was ordered to be reported as amended. The Partnership Bill passedthrough committee without amendment. The Repeals Bill was also ' v con. sidered in Committee and 1 passed without amendment. The various Bills were then reported, and the Companies;: Partnership and Repeals Bills were- 'read a third time and passed. The amendments in the Auctioneers lill Avas ordered to be considered next day. The House rose at 11. o'clock

THURSDAY, JULY 80. .; The Speaker took the chair at '2*Bo. Mr Meredith- asked the Premier whether the Government would be willing to consider some plaji during the recess by which the relief might be given to farmers and other struggling settlers by taking up the mortgages when they mature, and by lending money on freehold security • from the accumulated funds connected with life insurance, public trust, &c, at a low rate of interest, instead of allowing such moneys being placed in the banks at a rate of interest considerably below the current rate for mortgages ? The Minister of Justioe, in reply, said the Government would be prepared to give the most earnest consideration to any plan that might be put before them during the reeoss to give effect to such a proposal. Mr Wilson moved the second reading of the Palmerston North Hod pital District Bill. The second Reading was agreed to on the voices. The Legislative CouncjUppoihtments Cancellation Bill watregnsidered. Mr Rees made a statement that he did not believe the Bill would be carried but had introduced it simply as a protest. Progress was reported anfl leave given to sit again in a fortnight. The Honso rose at 12. 5;