FEDERAL PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 152, 1 July 1904, Page 3

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT.

ARBITRATION BILL. WARM DISCUSSION ON THE MEASURE. MELBOURNE, June 29. Mr Glynn has moved an amendment to the Arbitration* Bill providing that no registration |be granted to unions unless they are established for the purpose of the Act, or to those whose fumls are not also for the purpose specified in the Act. During the debate reference was made to the dispute between the Australian Workers' Union and the Machine Workers' Union, and also to tho remarks on arbitration by Chief Justice Darley. Mr Watson (Premier) interjected : A not too impartial judge ! Mr McDonald (Queensland) aaqpiesced in this view. Ho accused the Pastoralists' Union of bribing a man with a payment of £2OO to get other men into gaol. Hon. G. H. Hcid, in a strong ■ipeech, defended Sir Frederick Darley, and said that to brand ono of the best and purest judges »in Australia as a political judge was a gross abuse of tho right of criticism. Mr Reid, continuing, said he had appeared for the Australian Workers' Union, and wished now to say he aj)fsolutely sympathised with that union in the matter. It was a pure conspiracy part of the pastoralists and solk. working man of a type he did not believe in. It was a conspiracy to create a bogus union, and their actions in court were not fought by working men's subscriptions, but with money coming irom another source, j Thiß statement created a sensation in the House. MELBOURNE, June 30. The Government was urged to accept ia compromise on the lines of Mr Glynn's amendment on the Arbitration Bill, but declined. Ministers insist, as a constitutional » principle, on the recognition of unions. Mr Reid's speech roused memfcters on the Government benches to rebut the contention that uniona had political ends. Mr Thomas, however, confessed that he would rather have unions taking part in politics without an arbitration bill than to have a bill with unions deprived of political freedom. The debate was adjourned. A MINISTER IN TROUBLE, MELBOURNE, June 30. During the'education ddbate in the House, Mr NicholU (Ministerial head of the department) accepted the decision of a tiajority of the House, in passing an adverse vote, as a want of confidence in his administration. He could no longer sat in the House as & menfcfer of the Govbrnment. It ib believed the Premier IriU ask for a dissolution. 1 THE NEW HEBRIDES. 1 (Recnived July 1, 1.7 a.m.) I MELBOURNE, June 30. Jin reply to a question. Senator McGregor stated that the Governwnt had already sent a despatch toadying its views on the New > pbrides Land Commission.