PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 262, 11 December 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

4 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10. >■' LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL liy Telegraph.—Press Associatien. Wellington, Last .Night. In the Council this afternoon the Designation of Districts Bill was passed. The Land Settlement Finance Bill was put through the committee stages. The Shipping and Seamen Amendment {Bill vu further considered in committee. On the motion of the AttorneyGeneral, a new sub-clause was inserted relating to accidents. This was to em-| body in the Bill clause 21 sub-clause 1 of the law as contained in the original l&ct* It atao induded a provision that when an accident happened either in . port or at sea a report should be made to the superintendent. The Bill was -e- ---' ported as amended. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Death Duties Bill. He explained its provisions at consider- ■ able length, and maintained that the measure was in harmony with the modern spirit of this and every other progressive country. The Hon. George thought the Bill was in the right direction, and that those people in New Zealand who had made their money in this country, and had been assisted to do so by the operations of the State, should pay to the State * proportion of what they had gained, l>ut this Bill applied to every part of the •world. Clause 5k would read so, though that might not be its intention. He went on to criticise the various' deta'fs of the measure. (The Hon. A. Loughnan having alto spoken on the Bill, the debate was adjourned and the Council adjourned. 1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES * . THE RAILWAY SERVICE. The House this afternoon went into - Committee of Supply. On the vote for working railways, £2,143,500, Mr. Masny asked what would be done wit.i regard to the report of the Commission 0& the Addington workshops. i , 'Mi. Taylor asked whether casual rail- e toay hands who cdbplied with all necessary conditions would be included in 1 the permanent staff. 4 Mr. Miliar said it would be necessary ] to decrease the permanent staff, and it

(would be an injustice to that staff to take on casual hands. Mr. Baiune moved a reduction of *. In the item £1250 for general manager, U an indication that an independent vribuual should inquire into the hours of labor and rate of wages in the aervk". Mr. Liike advocated the placing of rail-' iway servants under the Arbitration Act. Mr. Millar said the men had the fchance to come under the Arbitration 'Aet, and he was prepared to give .it to them again on condition that they were [rat on a level with other men earning similar wages, and that the whole of the men came under the provisions of the Act. He admitted that the Hon. Hall-Jones had promised to pat casual bands on the permanent staff, but this was found' impracticable, and his predecessor , had instructed officials not to give effect to it, as' it would upset the superannuation scheme. Effect had been given to several recommendations of the Commissioners on the Addington workshops, but it would be too costly to electrify the cranes as suggested. The debate was interrupted by tae dinner adjournment.. The debate on the railway vote on the < Estimates was resumed in the evening.

■ Replying to Mr. Taylor, Mr. Millar ■aid about 350 men were affected by the son-fulfilment of the Hon. Hall-Jones' promise to place casuals who have been five years in the service on the permanent Staff, but 250 of them had now Ibeen retrenched. As far as bringing the men under the Arbitration Act was contented, they by a large majority had Iretoed it.

Mr. Allen said the country wanted a Clear statement of the policy of the Government in regard to the construction of railway"* in the backblocks. , Mr... Millar stated, in reply to questions, that the interest on the cost of construction was 3% per cent., and the loss on last_ year's -working was 1£220,000. Referring to casual hands, he Isaid he would, make inquiries and see ■what could be done to ins*al them on the permanent staff. _