PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 17 October 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18. ... . LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Hon. J. Paul asked the AttorneyGeneral whether his attention has been drawn to an article published in the Evening Tost from its Feilding correspondent, in which it ivas stated that the Arbitration Act caused a certain manufacturer to pay wages far beyond the value of the labor, thereby making it impossible to continue manufacturing. Br. Fiiullay replied that the Labor Department had made inquiries, but failed to obtain any information whatever. The Government was led to believe that the ease must be of a very frilling character. The Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill (containing the principle of what is known as the "bank to bank" clause) was committed.

Before the motion to go into committee was carried, the Hon, All". Sinclair said he had to oppose the Bill, because it was an interference with the functions of one of our Courts of Justice. lie did not intend to say one word against (he "bank to bank" clause, as he was a director of one of the largest coal companies in the country, and therefore he felt that he could not be an impartial critic. If the "bank to bank" clause were adopted, miners in at least one mine on the West Coast would be paid for eight hours whert the actual time worked at the "face" would be six hours forty minutes. The clause further interfered with an award already delivered by the Arbitration Court. He hoped the Council would say "We have appointed an Arbitration Court and we cannot interfere with it." The Hon. Mr. Paul said Parliament was above any court. If Mr. Sinclair's contentions regarding interference with the Arbitration Court or other court were correct, then half the legislation on the Statute-book should be repealed.

A long debate ensued, in which the Hon. Mr. Rigg took a somewhat similar view and supported the Bill, as did the Hons. Messrs. Jones, Bcchan, Trask, and Baldey, while the Hon. Messrs. George, Scotland, Samuel, Luke, Macdonald, G. J. Smith, aid Tucker opposed the Bill in its present form. At 4.45 p.m. the debate was adjourned on the motion of the lion. Mr. loughnan, and the Council then rose.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. In reply to questions Ministers stated that it was not proposed to introduce legislation this session dealing with the sale of New Zealand mines; that it is not the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to abolish the Grand Jury system; that the matter of extending the benefits of the grant for swimming so as to include children in Standard IV. will receive due consideration at next revision of the regulations for manual and technical instruction; that it was not proposed to submit a Bill for the alteration of the law this session to provide for a fixed minimum wage for teachers; that information Of the results of trials made on the East Coast by the trawler Nora Niven will not be published until the trawling operations are completed, but an informal report can now be given on the first three months' work (the second three months will not be completed until 4th December); that it was intended to submit a Bill to Parliament at an early date dealing with the regulation of the price of breadstuffs, and it was hoped to place the legislation on the Statute-book this session; that if was not intended to introduce an amendment to the Loans to Local Bodies Act to enable local bodies to borrow sums necessary for the protection of local works; unlimited loans to local bodies would not be possible without great injuries to the Dominion's finances; that suggestions in connection with packet licenses were now receiving the consideration of the Government. j NATIONAL ENDOWMENT LANDS, j The National Endowment Bill was reported from the Lands Committee.

The schedule showing acreage of each district to be set aside for the purposes of the Act has been struck out.

Clause 12 of the Bill gives the Treasurer power to issue up to £50,000 a year for road formation, etc., on national endowments to facilitate settlement of the land. The commiltee has inserted an amendment providing that all sums so expended, with interest not exceeding 4% per cent., shall be a first charge on the National Endowment account, and payable on that account. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.