PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 192, 23 November 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, I-ast Night. In the Council litis afternoon the Dentists' Amendment Bill was considered in committee, ami progress was reported after substituting for «!ause 2 a new clause making provision for the registration of any person who passed the examination in dentistry by a dental board constituted under the Dentists Act, 18S0, or who. was before or at the time or within 15 months subsequent to the passing of the Dentists Act, 1904, an apprentice of a person qualilie 1 to be registered under that Act. Application for registration under this section must be made within three months after the coming of this Act into operation, and no person will be registered under the Act after December 31, 1011. The following Bills passed their final stages: —Monopolies Prevention, Urewera District Native Reserves Amendment, Public Health Amendment, Shipping and Seamen Amendment, and Railway Authorisation. The Council adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Education Committee reported on petitions praying for improvement in the classification of country schools, and expressed an opinion in favor of the existing condition of affairs, and that boards are not using the powers they possess to carry out the improvements necessary. The committee recommended that, if necessary, the regulations should be altered -to give inspectors greater powers of classification in smaller schools, so as to remove sole teachers of such schools from local influences.

On the motion of Mr. Sidey, the report was referred to the Government for consideration.

The Native Lands Disputes Bill was introduced by Governor's Message and read a first time and second time pro forma. The House went into committee on the Shops and Offices Bill. Clause '2 (defining hotels and restaurants) was amended, on the motion of the Minister, to read as follows:—'"Hotel means any premises in respect of which a publican's license is granted under the Licensing Act, 1908, and a restaurant means any premises (other than an hotel) in which meals are provided and sold to the general public for consumption oil the premises, and whether or not lodging is provided for,hire for the accommodation of persons who desire to lodge therein, and includes tea-rooms and oyster saloons. Clause 5, specifying the hours of employment, was amended by re-inserting the word ''restaurant" (struck out by the committee) and providing that the hours of assistants in restaurants shall not exceed 02 hours (exclusive of meal times) in case of males over 16, nor exceed 52 hours in any other case. The following new sub-clause was added : "Neither the wife nor the children of the occupier shall be deemed to be shop assistants within the meaning of this section."

A new clause was added, providing that, notwithstanding anythin'g in the Act, any award of the Court of Arbitration relating to hotels or restaurants in force on the passing of the Act shall continue in force for the period for which it was made.

I A new clause was proposed by the I Minister, providing that every shop shall be registered by the proprietor thereof 'with the Inspector of Factories in the name of one person as occupier, and except in the case of husband or wife, any other person engaged in the shop shall be deemed to be a shop assistant. The Minister explained that the clause was intended to prevent Chinamen competing unfairly with tobacconists as at present. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. In the House in the evening, consideration of the Shops and Offices Bill was resumed in committee.

A clause was inserted by the Minister that all persons except the husband or wife of the occupier of a shop shall be deemed shop assistants. An amendment to section 25 of the principal Act, other than sub-section 8, a hotel shall not be deemed to be a "shop," raised considerable adverse discussion, several members expressing the opinion that hotels ought not to be allowed to sell tobacco when tobacconists' shops were closed. After considerable discussion, the Minister withdrew his amendment.

On the motion of Mr. Taylor, a proviso was added to the schedule restrictting the sale of tobacco in hotels during statutory half-holidays to boarders.

The Bill was reported with amendments.

The House went into committee on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Institutions Bill.

Clause 2, referring to medical attendance in case of child-birth, was struck out, and the Bill passed through committee.

The Stamp Duties Amendment Bill was committed.

Clause 7, providing for duty on the sale of land, together with live stock, stork in trade, plant, goodwill, eto., was objected to bv Mr. Massev, who said the clause provided for an increase of tax a-, tion. Sir Joseph Ward said the clause was intended to prevent evasion of stamp duty by misrepresenting the value of goodwill in sales of land. Mr. Massey moved to strike out the following words from the clause: "Fixtures, plant, machinery and goodwill," with the object of leaving the law as it is at present. The amendment was negatived bv 42 to 25. On the motion of the Minister, a proviso was added, providing that no conveyance or transfer made on any change of trustees shall be deemed a sale within the meaning of section 7. The Bill was reported with amendments. The Slaughtering and Inspection Rill was committed. At clause 4, which amends the principal Act by defining a meat export slaughterhouse as one wherein not less than 25 per cent, of the stock slaughtered is for export beyond Xew Zealand, Mr. T. E. Tavlor said he would take a division on the clause, which he regarded as inimical to the interests of municipal slaughterhouses. The clause was retained bv 51 to lfi.

Replying to Mr. Davey, the Minister said it was proposed to appoint inspectors in the four chief centres to examine pigs coming in for human consumption. The Tfawke's Bay Rivers Bill passed through committee with minor amendments.

The Crown Suits Amendment Act was committed .

Xew clauses were added on the motion of Sir Joseph Ward. (8a) providing that claims under the' Act in respect of personal injuries shall not exceed £2OOO. and (On) providing that any debt payable to the Crown, and not exceeding £.lO. mav be sued for and recovered in the Magistrate's Court.