PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2899, 11 July 1882, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

[By Telegraph.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, July 10, The House met at 7.30 p.xn. DEEPENING PORT CHALMERS HARBOR. Mr Maoandrow gave notice he would ask if the attention of the Government had been called to the necessity for deepening the harbor at the railway wharf, Port Chalmers, so as to enable the vessel now on its way direct from England for frozen meat to load alongside the wharf. NATIONAL INSURANCE. The Hon Major Atkinson rose to move his resolution on the subject of national insurance. He said it was the most important resolution he had ever been privileged to lay before the House He claimed no originality. The idea had originated with Mr Blakeley in England. His scheme, however, differed from the original one in one or two points, designed to meet the requirements of the colony. Mr Blakeley’s proposal was that if a man remained capable of labor he should have no claim from the fund. Ho (Major Atkinson) proposed that everyone, without distinction, should draw from the_ fund That was more in accordance with the feeling of the colony than the other. In this colony the rate of charitable aid was gradually increasing in proportion to the population, and they must be prepared to see a large number of persons supported by charity, unless they could devise some scheme such as this. No greater calamity could befall the colony than the adoption of a system like the English Poor Law. It had degraded and demoralised one of the finest peasantries in the world. The next question was, how could we provide for the masses without demoralising the Eeople. The remedy appeared to im to be co-operative thrift and commerce, aud that to be successful would have to be national. The first two causes were lowness of wages and inability to get work. These could not effect a young progressive country like this to any great extent. The other causes wore sickness and old age, Friendly Societies were doing a great work, but they did not grasp the evil as it existed. They made no provision for women, and otherwise they failed to make complete provision for the evil as it existed in all its multifarious branches, All the persons who . became national paupers were outside these Societies.

Alluding to a National Voluntary Insurance Society, he said it would be inoperative for the same pause that hampered the Friendly Societies. In that case national and compulsory insurance was the only effectual way of grappling with the evil. He fixed the minimum from enquiries made of these Societies as to the amount upon which a person could subsist. The, next important matter was what to pay to obtain this? Every young man and woman between 16 and 23. or 18 and 23 would be charged at the rate of £4l l'7s Id. This would be the total;contribution required to provide for sickness and old age, and it would only represent 2s 3d per week if from 16 years, or 3s 3d if from 18 years.. If the sum was paid down at 16, £3B 7s would suffice. To provide, however, for widows and orphans, a farther sum of 2s a week for 5 years would be necessary. Looking at the rate of. wages and the circumstances of the colony, he believed all could, without difficulty, pay these sums. The question, supposing they could not. pay, be dismissed by stating that if such was the case, the sooner they knew it, and the fact was looked into, the bettor. He, however, did not believe in any such doctrines of incapacity to pay. If provision was made, it must bo, made while they were young. Young men and women who stayed at home and earned nothing, ho' had no sympathy wiih. He would be told that thisscheme would apply only to persons under 23, and a largo proportion of the population would be outside_the /age. He would provide for the existing population over 23 by compelling all persons above that age to provide by payments not above £6 a year a 'certain number of years, but he would not include females in this, and would leave oat males over 50, who were already provided for by being members of Friendly Societies. Persons over 65 years might, he thought, well be provided for out of the consolidated revenue. Immigrants under 23 would be treated as other young persons were, and those over that age as the present inhabitants were. Although not a part of his scheme, he thought it would be legitimate that Crown lands rents should be brought in to the assistance of charitable insurance. Dealing with the machinery for carrying out his scheme, he said It would he necessary to divide the colony into districts. These should be coterminous with local bodies, and the administration to a great extent left in their hands. As regards the collection of premiums, it would be necessary to make employers responsible for their punctual payment, by stopping the payments so made out of wages. The Treasurer then explained a large number of details, and asked the House ! to give his scheme every consideration. Mr Montgomery and Mr Hurthouse thought the Treasurer deserved the thanks of the country for bis attention to this subject. Messrs Green, “ Moss, Hutchinson, Sheehan, and Turnbull opposed the Bill as involving unjust taxation, and the Member for Timaru contended that “ the poverty in the colony was due to land monopoly.” The debate was adjourned to to-day, and the House rose at 1.35 a.m.

THIS DAY. In the House last night after Sir G. Grey had taken exception to Mr Montgomery speaking of the party, as jt might affect the character of certain hon. members, his own included, Mr Montgomery said he had never alluded to Sir G. Grey as being a member of his party. Mr Moss expressed a hope to see a great provincial party arise from the present confusion. Mr Macandrew thought they should really leave the Government to arrange the order of their own business. The debate was then adjourned to next sitting.