Parliament.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 56, 27 June 1914, Page 5

Parliament.

PLENTY OF BUSINESS. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. £Pib Press Association.!! Wellington, June 26. Hon. H. D. Bell gave notice of intention to introduce the Land Agents Amendment, Legislative Council and Masters and Apprentices Bills. Hon J. Barr gave notice to move the Address-in-Reply on Tuesday, and Hon C. Hardy would second it. The Council rose at 2.-10 p.m. till 11 a.m. to-day. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. BILLS INTRODUCED. The House met at 2.30 p.m. 'Hon. Herdman gave notice of intention to introduce the Civil Service Officers Repeal Bill, Crimes Amendment Bill and Defamation Bill. Hon. Fisher gave notice of intention to introduce the Immigration Restriction Bill, Local Exemptions, and the Proportional Representation Bill. Hon. James Allen introduced the Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Sir Joseph Ward, in introducing the Public Service Amendment Bill, said he was in a position to say that there was grave 'dissatisfaction prevailing throughout the public service because the right of appeal did not prevail in all branches of the service. His Bill proposed tot give the right of appeal in accordance with the recent decision of the Chief Justice. The Public Service Commissioners were fair-minded men, hut were an autocracy, and had taken away the right of appeal where it had previously existed, with the result that several important department* were in a state of suspense. To-day there were hundreds of appeals which had not been dealt with. It was proposed in the Bill that every vacancy in the service should be advertised. It was understood that the Commissioners intended not to advertise vacant positions, f.s then there would be no applications, and therefore there could be no right of appeal. That was not fair. Further, he thought that every applicant before the Appeal Board should have the right to annear tor. The Commissioner had that right, and members of the service should be on an equality before the Board. The power of retrenchment should remain in the hands' of the Government, and the Minister of Finance should bo in a position to say how much should be spent on the public service. A serious position had now arisen in this connection as a result, of the alteration of the laws. Those dismissed from the service should also be furnished with the reasons for dismissal. They should also have a statutory right to peruse any references as to good character or ability contained in any departmental report, otherwise the whole of their future would ba left in the hands of three men not responsible to Parliament. He was in earnest in this matter, and proposed to say a great deal more on the question on some future day.

Hon. Herdman denied that there was widespread discontent in the public service. He claimed that the position of the Commissioners was not autocratic. They were responsible to Parliament, and could be removed from office if Parliament willed. He quoted an extract from "The Katipo" to show that the Post and Telegraphy Department was well satisfied with the administration of the Commissioners, but. he proposed to take higher ground than the view of the departments. Parliament was concerned with the public, and its first duty was to see that the people were supplied with a good public service, having due regard to the interests of those employed. He contended that if there were any discontent, in the public service it had been fomented by the- Opposition, and was oonfined to the friends of that party. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, said that if that were the case, then ninety-nine per cent, of the public service must be friends of the Opposition.

The Bill was read a first time. OTHER BILLS. The Hokonui County Bill (Mr Anderson), Fire Inquests Bill (Mr Sidey), and Railway Improved Lands Bill (Mr McCallum) were introduced and read a first time. IMPREST SUPPLY. Hon. James Allen introduced the Imprest Supply Bill, No. 1. providing for £964,000 for the payment' of the public services. Sir Joseph Ward asked when the Financial Statement would be brought down. Mr Massey said it would probably como down in about three weeks. During the interval he would introduce the Licensing Bill. UPPER HOUSE REFORM. Sir Joseph Ward raised a question as to certain advantages to the Whangarei Borough Council, also the pledging of gilt-edged securities, and the Legislative Council appointments. At the evening session he reiterated that the Government had no mandate to change the constitution of the Legislature. The nominative Chamber had uo right to make a chancre in

the constitution which affected the rights of the representatives of tho

people. Mr Massey asked, was the leader of the Opposition in favor of reform of the Legislative Council? It was a matter of opinion as to whether the Government had a mandate from the people to reform the Council, but a majority 6f the present Parliament was elected pledged to the reform of the Council. He quoted resolutions submitted to the House last session,, and also quoted figures to show .that the resolutions were carried by a two-to-one majority. The leader of the Opposition complained that the Government had no mandate to alter the constitution, but what about the second ballot?

Sir Joseph Ward: That is electoral reform, not constitutional reform.

Mr Massey contended that it w*s constitutional. He said that Sir Joseph Ward's reference to the land tax was paltry. In the last two years there had been two and a-half millions. The suggestions that appointments to the Council were being made to block the Land Tax were absurd. The appointments were being made to enable the Government to pass its Bill. The proper thing to do was to pass the Bill this session, and allow it to ccme into operation at the following general election. Mr G. W. Russell criticised the accounts of the Railway, Defence and / Lands Departments, and said he was afraid that the wonderful skill shown in the management, of the March quarter accounts had a "great deal to do with the production of the surplus of £426,000. He thought the Government had done. what-it-Jiad often accused its opponents of doing, "faking" the surplus. He characterised the proposals for a change of the constitution as an act of political perfidy. Language failed him to express his opinion of the .proposal to bring the reform into operation in 1917. * The Hon. James Allen replied, and the Bill passed the committee stage without amendment. On the third reading, Sir Joseph Ward proceeded to / discuss Rear-Ad-miral Henderson's report on the establishment of a local navy to show that his statement that the cost of a fleet would be £25,295,000 was correct.

(Left sitting.)