PARLIAMENTARY

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43115, 9 July 1907, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY

At the caucus of' members! of the Government party Sir Joseph Ward! made an interesting speech indiloating what measures Parliament would be asked to put through during the session. He s stated that an; alteration would be made in the graduated land tax, and that an 'amended Land Bill would be _ brought down. There would also be j a Native Land Bill, ensuring the set- j tdement of the great area, of native’ lands in the North Island; and a Customs tariff of a sensible nature in the j interests of all classes, with a. simpli- j fixation of the present system, would be put. through. The all important matter of the work of the conciliation and arbitration system would be amended to ensure the continuance of the benefits that had been conferred upon both employers and. workers sinbe the system had been in operar tion. The law would !be made clear to ensure that the great principles involved should he put into a thoroughly practicable "position. The question of the uncertainty of the half-holiday under the Shops A'ct would also be legislated upon;, so- as to prevent the undesirable state of things that: now existed. A classification scheme for the Civil Service, as. well as a superannuation Scheme, would also be put through with the assistance of members. Sir Joseph Ward also referred to the fact) that the great developments in the matter of legislation which had taken place during the past 15 years had enormously increased the responsibilities put upon Departments, both old and new, and Civil Servants!, who had devoted a long life to the service of the colony, were not able, from various causes, when they left; the service, to turn their hands to other avenues 1 of employment and to make provision for themselves and their families in their old age. He also stated that amendments to the Post and Telegraph Classification Alerts and the Railway Department Classification Act; would be put through. Both, those Departments had expanded enormously in recent years, though their classification, scheme in many aspects did not suit, under the altered conditions which an expansion of business had brought about. Those were the important 1 measures which the House would be asked to 'put through. He also, intended to submit a. national endowment scheme, altered in some material aspects from the Bill of last session, under whichl it was proposed to submit ai scheme to enable the public to ensure a reasonable provision being made for them in sickness and old age.