HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 22, 19 September 1912, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tho House met at 2.30.

Question Day. Mr. Poland asked the Prime Minister if the Government intended to take any immediate action to bring about a settlement of tho trouble at Wailii.

Mr. Massey said that the Governmou had been doing, and would continue to do, ail possible to settle the disputes both at Wailii and Reef ton. Air. Poland further asked if the Government intended to withdraw the extra police at Wailii. The Prime Aiinister replied that the extra police would remain at Wailii a: long as was necessary to provide ado quato protection. Replying to Mr. Robertson, Air Herd man said that scores of people at Wailii had applied to the Government for adequate protection. LL thought there were between sixty and seventy police there now. Replying to Mr. Payne, the Prime Aiinister said that the Cabinet war considering the matter cf introducing a Bill to provide for six days a woe!-; for hotel and restaurant employees. In all probability the measure would lie introduced this session.

The Prime/Minister gave notice_ to introduce the Barmaids’ Registration Bill.

The Minister, replying to other questions, said that all legitimate complaints as to unsatisfactory or in adequate accommodation for shearers and farm labourers, will, ns hitherto, receive careful and prompt attention. Inducements are being offered to farmers to carry out experiments under the supervision of departmental officers. During the year ending March last experiments of different kind? were conducted on 400 farms. The question of granting to tenants of education reserves the same rebate: on their rents as tenants on Crown lands is under consideration of the Government. Regulations under theSale of Foods and Drugs Act dealing with the standards for, and labelling of, a number of foodstuffs in ordinary daily use have been prepared by the Department, and are now before the Crown Law Officers for final revision. The Marriage Validation Bill war thrown out on the motion for the third reading. Mr. Sidey’s Daylight Saving Bill was withdrawn. Mr Hindmarsh’s Legislature Amendment Bill was taken in Committee, but the House adjo,urped before any pro gross i ! j j i Third Readings. ! .1 . In the evening the Local Author! ties’. Superannuation and , Auckland, Education Reserves Bill were read r third time, the latter after two hours’ discussion. Land anti Income Tax Assessment. The amendments made by the Committee on the Land and Income As sessment Bill were agreed to, and tin Bill put through its final stages. Civil Service Bill. The House wont into Committee on the Civil Service Bill. Sir J. G. Ward urged that the Bili should be reprinted, seeing that -thr Minister had given notice that im portant amendments, including thi raising of the salaries of assistan! Commissioners from £BOO to £IOOO Further, the Post and Telegraph Ser vice was distinctly oppjosed to the ir ea sure, and ho thought it reasonable that the proposals in regard to tin Bill should be clearly set forth before being discussed. Mr. Herdman disagreed with tin suggestion. He had discussed tin matter with the executive of the Pos! and Telegraph Officers’ Association, who declared it would cease its oppo sition providing certain conditions re fating to leave and promotion - wen agreed to. Ho agreed to make provi sion for tlio amendment asked for. Both the public and the service were in favour of the Bill. Ho did not in tend to make any alteration in tin principle of the Bill. Several speakers stated that branches of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association had not agreed to a O3 amendment which did not exclude tin Department from the operation of the Bill. The Minister said that the Bill wa: intended to do away with any chance of favouritism and political influence. He reiterated that he could not agree to the exclusion of the Post and Tele graph Department from the oporatim or tho Bill.

Mr. Buddo said that he would op pose the Bill at all its .stages. • Wellington, September 19. After midnight, consideration in Committee of the Public Service Bil' was continued. Mr. Laurenson (Lyttelton) declaimed. against the action of the Minister in bringing down amendments durinc the evening. He practically put the whole of the Public Service under tin rule of an autocrat. Mr. F orbes (Hurunui) believed them would be such a storm of objections to the Bill that the Government would drop it altogether. Several members endorsed Miy Lauren son’s objection to the Minister bringing clown a long .series of amendments at the last moment, and i‘ was urged that an opportunity should lie given to those who objected to the Bill to give evidence before a Select Committee. ’L'he Prime Minister said that so lony as the Post and Telegraph Service was under the control of the Minister, the officers of that Department would be subject to Ministerial influence. Ho indicated that while ho Wild not believe in legislation by exhaustion, business would have to bo done if they sat till Christmas.

At 1.15 a.m. the first three clauses passed, and the House rose.