PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 42, 12 October 1912, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Per Press Association.l Wellington, October 11. Public Service Bill. In the afternoon the Public Service Bill wais further considered in committee. Clause 10 was altered on the motion of Mr Bell, to provide that the Go-vernor-in-Council and not the Governor, should act in connection with the removal of a commissioner. On the postponed clause 7, providing that the term of appointment of commissioners should be seven years, Mr Paul moved to substitute five years for seven, on the ground that the system was quite an experiment, and if it proved a failure seven years would be far too Jong. Mr Bell objected, holding that as the salary offered was only £I3OO it would bo far more difficult to obtain a good man at that salary for five years' than for seven. ’ On a division, the word seven'was retained by , the casting vote of the Speaker, who supported; its retention on the ground that the House had pass* ed it without discussion or division. I ):Chffise hfe! was amended to provide that the CWuhtysioner [shall; report to the Governor dice a year; ivithin sixty after ifeiclx dI ? mpTthat .such ref p6rt should beforfe; j wtyLin 21 days {[of the Commencement of the isession. Progress was reported, and the Council adjourned. The Council resumed at 8 p.m. Bills Passed. •’ ;:The Pharmacy, Local Bodies, Superannuation, ‘Justices of the Peace, and Wanganui RiveL;Trust .. Amendment Bills were put through their final stages, _ Mr Bell moved the second rfeadihg of the Auckland...« University-. College Amendment Bill. The second reading was agreed to. Public Trust. The Public Trust Office Amendment Bill was read a second time.

Lana and Income. Th'e second reading of the Land Tax and Income Tax Bill was moved by Mr Bell. Mr 'Anstey said that the Bill wiped out almost all those jumps in amounts which existed heretofore. The Government had, however, (sacrificed efficiency for punctilious exactitude, in compiling the table, and the scheme could not be adapted to future requirements without recasting the whole of it. This Bill provided for an increase of 45 per cent, on estates of £35,000 over the existing tax, but an increase of only ten per cent, on estates of £50,000 was provided. The lightest increases were on estates of £50,000 to £70,000, and this was a mistake, as here, if anywhere, increase should be the greatest, especially as compared with estates of £30,000, which were really model-sized estates. He was of opinion that the figures were prepared purely to collect as much tax as possible, and not with the more laudable intention of the bursting up of the largest estates which should be the primary object of the graduated land tax. Mr Tucker thought that the 25 per cent, surtax should not apply to the first £30,000, but only to amounts over £30,000. Mr Bell, replying, said that the process of taxation was being made as gradual as possible. The new scheme provided for the increase of three hundred pounds taxation on hundred thousand pounds estates and over a thousand pounds on estates of £200,000. The Bill was road a second time, committed, and passed all its stages. Valuation of Land. Mr Bell moved the second reading of the Valuation of Land Amendment Bill. Mr Anstey moved the adjournment of the debate, and the Council adjourned at 10.55 till Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. Co-operative Workers. Mr Brown moved the first reading of the Co-operative Workers on Public Works Bill, explaining that the measure aimed at bettering the conditions under which the men on cooperative works laboured. He held that the cessation of co-operative works such as had occurred at Napier was inimical to the best interests of the men and the country generally. It was a terrible thing that one man should

have power to suddenly stop work which had been ordered by Parliament. The Minister for Public Works should not be an autocrat, but should carry out the will of Parliament. Mr Forbes said that before condemning the co-operative works system the Minister should have made a thorough investigation. ’He hoped that the Minister would not abolish the system. Mr Fraser: I never said I would. Mr Forbes: I am glad to have the Minister’s contradiction of the statement. Continuing, he contended that if investigation were made the Minister would find that some of the waste lay at the door of the engineering staff. Mr Pearce maintained that the works at Napier should never have been started. Dozens of “first sods” had been turned just prior to the late Government going out of office. The ( works had been undertaken with the Public Works Fund empty and money at 5 per cent, in London. He held that it would be better for the men and the country if the co-operative ; systeih were abolished. Mr MacDonald held that it was very hard on the men to employ them in the winter on work and then dismiss them when the long days come and they could earn good money. Mr Ell said that the men now had a system by which they could ballot out wasters and classify themselves. Mr F. H. Smith said that it was ridiculous to ‘suppose that strong men would ballot their weaker colleagues out of a gang. He contended that the barrow system was out of datefifty years ago. Mr Fraser said that if they would make the co-operative system a small contract system lie was with them. Mr Forbes: “It is now.” Mr Fraser: “You don’t know much about it.” He went on to say that the principle of co-operative works was not the principle of small contracts. “Why,” he said, “the Otago Central Railway works were a by-word in the district.” What was really wanted, he said, was more inspection, and inspection did not end with the navvys. The gangers needed watching, too. (Hear, hear.) He insisted that the men should have the right to select their own mates. In connection with the Napier works, he said he refused to sanction the wasteful method of carrying out:the public works of the Dominion. , Mr Wilson sthted that the co-opera-tive labourers"-themselves werp thpri-j oughly dissatisfied, and had universally condemned ' the ‘system. ,’ He knew: ’of cases, whore - gangs had to sit down • (or a" weekiwaiting for an;overseer to' come alopg , , , Mr R. Mblvenzio said that 'thb ‘Government: members I were thb Jonty .ones! who condemned thoisystem.' i Ale had very fe\y,complaint^,dijrtyg threeyears: die i had administered > the Department’ 1 c He' pointed 1 out* 5 that throughout the Dominion local bodies carried out earthworks on the co-opera-tive system. 1v The Bill was read a first time.

Typhoid. 3 The: ffflKaff % J , • 'Mr R.vH-.vßhodes'Wadena'Stafomefiit' f■ tlieit Hoftsd AcbnSernift&lllife i posh' tion at the Manawatu |lax mills/’ Hi? .stgted. tbak : ,ong t g)t phoid complained of had Teen under observatioff'by’T'doctor fbf m dn¥ ; mbnfli’'' and it had only been at the end of that period that typhoid had manifested itself. He also stated that a health officer, accompanied by an inspector of the Labour Department, would inspect the’whole of the mills in the district. He would assure the House that he would pay all attention to the matter of water supply at the mills. The Macarthy Trust. The Macarthy Trust Bill passed unamended. Widows’ Pensions. The Widows’ Pension (Amendment Bill was considered in Committee. Clause 2 was amended to provide that certificates of two medical practitioners, instead of one, should he necessary regarding the incurable condition of a husband detained in a mental hospital, as the preliminary to enable the wife to qualify for the benefits under the Bill. The Widows’ Pensions Bill was reported with amendments. Aged and Infirm Persons. Mr Herdman moved the second reading of the Aged and Infirm Persons Bill, which has already passed the Council. v / Births and Deaths Registration. The Birth and Dearths Registration Bill was read a second time. The House rose at 1 a.m.