PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 67, 24 July 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wellington, July 23 THE ADDEESS-IN-REPLY".

Tha Council met at 2.30 p.m., and immediately adjourned for the purpose of accompanying the Speaker to Government House go present the Ad-dress-in-Reply to the Speech from the Throne to his Excellency.

On resigning, formal business was transacted, tho debate on the Legislative Council Bill being adjourned till to-morrow.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Me House met at 2.30 p.m i ‘ FIRST HEADINGS.

The Wanganui Borough Council Street Access Empowering Bill (Mr Weitch), the Wanganui Borough Council iSpecial Rate, Empowering ‘and Special Loan Bill (Mr, Yeitch), the Wqrlvfens’ Compensation Amendment 1 Bill: (Mi 1 ; Ma^S6y) ? hancl ‘the; Methodist ‘ 'iiuigq. Bill; (Mr Massey) -Vyere lead ’ a first'i.tiwe, i ’ -:1m: ,r ; 'i mi,, .if WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Speaking on tho Workers’. Compensation Bill, Mr H. Poland said, that ithe present Act did noi go the length lit should in connection with , those I engaged in manual laboiv ’l he 'niost a man cculd .ntjw, fori ; di'accident ; was half-pay. 'Jt/was recognised that i thei po king man 'had a. big fight to | keep things going on full pay. Then how could lie possibly live ou half pay, with extra expense in the way of medict 1 attendance? Ev t n Germany, he said, paid full rates, with a 50 per cent. miniL um, and ti ls was payable for life. There wa> no argument against paring a man from the day ho was injured. In New Zealand a man had to wait seven days before he could claim. The insurance of workmen against accident should be a State monopoly. Cases would then be dealt with upon their remits by inspectors. Miners’ complaint had been taken out of the Compensation Act, 1909, and put in the Miners’ Relief Act, which was a farce. All a man could get now was ToO for a disease contracted while woridng, winch was worse than a total accident. He urged tho rei. statement of the disease in the Act wlmro it originally was. Mr T. M'. Wilford <■ untended that where an action for compensation before a magistrate failed, the magistrate ,should have power to assess compensation under the Workers’ Compensation Act. The Arbitration Court had that power. Mr J. H. Eradney said that it would be establishing a very dangerous precedent if they increased compensation above 50 per cent. Many workmen who drew large benefits, plus 50 per cent, of their wages, were in receipt of more than their ordinary wages. They were not in a hurry to go back to work. Mr G. V. Pearce said that local bodies should be allowed to set up an insurance fund of their own. It would save the bodies an enormous amount of money. Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Companies should be allowed to insure against accident. Mr H. G. Ell said that the time had arrived when the House should see that more generous terms were granted to workers who meet with accidents.

Mr H. McCallum advocated a State monopoly of accident insurance. The State should compensate for all accidents, deriving funds from the graduated tax. /

The Prime Minister said that he was not in favor of creating a State monopoly, but did favor giving local bodies power to create their own insurance fund. Ha also approved of mutual insurance funds, which had worked 'veil. The other suggestions made would ko carefully considered.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

In answer to questions, Ministers stated:—• That the Government is not aware of a irupf operatin'; in the butter trade. The present high price in the Dominion arm ars to be due to the comparative v small quantity in cold storage, there being only 2!,231 boxes

on July 35, as against 37,374 on the same date of last year.

That if a workman is incapacitated for a fortnight half wages are paid from the date of the accident, together with medical erpenses up to £l. These allowances compare favorably with payments made under Similar circumstances in oilier countries, and it is considered inadvisable to increase them.

That it is proposed to introduce legislation this session dealing with the prevention of the use of the pearifle.

That the desirability of introducing legislation to compel certain goods of common consumption to bear sufficient trade descriptions is under the consideration of the Government.

That the matter of inquiring into the origin of every fi.ro was under the consideration of the Government.

That ihe Forestry Commission has recommended that tree-planting operations should be carried out on a larger scale than at pres< nt, and that sand dunes should bo some of the lands to be afforested, and that a beginning should be made on the dunes at the month of the Rangitikei River. Operations are now being started there. That arrangements are being made to appoint a New Zealand trade representative for Canada. That the Defence Act deals with volunteers for special services outside the New Zealand service. Any expeditionary force will be,- purely voluntary, but in order that any help offered may be effective, every detail should bo thoroughly worked out, and every possible preparation made beforehand. This is all that is suggested. When the scheme has been.finally completed the fullest possible- information regarding it will be laid before Parliament.

That clerks of courts who are clerks of licensing committees have been instructed to pay fees received by them from local bodies for performing duties into the Public Account. That instructions have been issued by the authority of the Public Service Commissioner, in accordance with the Public Service regulations. That there is no power at present to prevent the importation of shoddy boots and shoes, provided the same are not marked in 1 such a manner as to mislead piirchaSArs 1 as to the material of which they arc composed.

SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m

Mr D. Buddd i moved the second reading of the Saturday Half-holiday for Shops' Bill.' which provides all shops other tharf those vending perishable, goods aljall i dos<j> at on©: ©’clock Vh Satiij-days. .f fPhen Prime Minister . aid the, Govemmeint would hot/, take the Bill up because while the present arrangement was not satisfactory the Government was not satisfied that the proposal, the going to ,be< more satisfactory. He suggested that the areas over which polls are taken should he. enlarged and a vote taken,ov- gjh© pro? ipqi,pl.digj^ct,;The people lipw had. ,^| right to <fo9J.aw.for if :;>k(tvs,,Jud this fact, ho did pot think ..the time had yet an red when, Parliament should declare for a universal half-holiday. Mr D. Buddo. in reply, said that Parliament should not try to shelve its responsibility on local bodies. Whatever day was observed as the halfholiday should lie universal. Saturday was the most suitable.

A division was called for, the voting being for 1 i, against 46.

COMMERCIAL TRUSTS

Mr J. Piiyne moved the second reading of ihe Commercial Trusts Acts Amendment, adding bacon, butter, cheese, eggs, and milk to the schedule of tho Commercial Trusts’ Act, 1910. He said tixat in the disposal of all these commodities, lings and trusts had been formed. The price of bacon had increased 100 per cent, in the interests of the Merchants’ Association and to the detriment of the farmer and cons: timer.

Mr H. J. Okey contended the Bill vcas an imputation that Ihe farmers were making a ring when they placed butter in the freezing works to keep op the winter supply. Mr C. A. Wilkinson supported the Bill, advocating the creation of a Board of Trade to control prices. Mr Massey said that no objection could be taken to the principle of the Bill. He knew of several articles which should be included in the Bill, and ho hoped they would be. The reason for the high price of butter was because last winter was a particularly bad one, and also owing to the excellent market existing at Home end at Vancouver. He did not know of the existence of any butter ring in New Zealand. If any did exist it was in New Zealand from the farmers’ point of view. There could be no objection to tho Bill.

The Bill was read a second time, and the House rose at 11.45.