Parliament

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 47, 16 July 1914, Page 5

Parliament

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WEDNESDAY, JULY 15. AFTERNOON SESSION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. t, « .ffHington, Last Night, the Council met at 2.1)0 p.m The lions, f. C. VV. Aithe.i.G. Oareon. A. T. Magimuuty, awl Dr. W. E. Collins were sworn in, and took their seat*. Captain BaiUie, the senior member of the Council congratulated fflre new members. Hon. Ban- presented a. petition carrying 33,17:1 signatures, protesting against the passage of the BiWe-in-schools Referer.duin Bill. lion. W. Orncross was re-appointed chairman of ernvmittees. The. second reading of the Legislative Council Bill was postponed until Tuesday. The second reading of the Master and

Apprentice Bill was set down for Friday next. The Council rose at 2.57. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SESSION. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr. Coatcs introduced the Da-rgaville Municipal Site Vesting Bill, which m« read a first time. Hon. Fisher introduced the Customs • Amendment Bili. In iop]y to Mr. Russell, Mr. AHassoV stated till at the Bill "was merely a machinery moasij'e, which involved ivo onangeß. The Premier laid on the table the annual sheep returns, showing an increase in the flocks of the Dominion by 403 .W a decreiu«c for tile North Island of 175'..' 314. and an inorease in tile South Island of 578,909. I REPLIES TO QUESTIONS: The remainder of the sitting' wis taken up in discussing Ministers' replies tc questions. In reply to (juestions, Mr. !M!assey stated that the Government was doing everything possible hy its dcretojmttsit policy to provide opportunities for work, but did not intend this session to submit legislation in the direction of the Right-to-Work Bill. Inquiries would be made regarding the establishment of a Commercial Board for (he Dominion. The question of granting holders of licenses umbr the Mining Districts Land Occupation Tcmire the right to t'hte fee simple would receive cartful consideration when the report of the Haitratoi Mining Teniira Commission was received. When the regulations under the Sale of Foods and Drugs Act were being considered attention would he given to the indiscriminate sale of drugs, such as morphia and cocaine. Hon. Jas. Allen, replying to qiw?9tions. said that tiio intentions of the Government with regard to payment of an honorarium to chairmen of Education Boards would be disclosed in the Education Bill. Hon. Herries said be could not grant [ the locomotive mien a half-holiday on : full pay on the day of the general' ejection. Hon. Herdman said lie would consider the suggestion to follow the lead of tihe British Chancellor and omiend the Death Duties Act so as to make substantial reduction in succession duty in cases of death 111 quick succession of 1 beneficiaries. AH post offices andi sub-post-offices had been supplied with enrolment forms, and notice cards were beinff dispatched. It was not intended to make any change in th<> present method of pay- : ing the old-age pensions'. EVENING SESSION, The ITouw resumed at 7.30 <p.m. Mi'. Hindiiiar.sh moved the second vending of vhe Imprisonment for Debt ' Limitation Amendment Bill. In outlin- ' ing the clauses of the Bill, Mr. Hind- ' marsh urgwd tlat a debtor should hwvc I the right of re-hearing. He also illu-s- - trated 'Vow adjournment fees nccumu- ' lated. He knew bow the;,e. fees ac- ' cumulated, and how difficult it was to ! pay them. He thought the second read- 1 ing should be carried, but the Bill ' should be amended in committee. Messrs SLitham, Hanan, Sidcy, ' Brown, Wilkinson and Piavne supported the 1 Bill. " Sir Joseph Ward urged t'hbt the Bill would injure the credit of the small man. who wanted credit. Mr. Herdman was not convinced that the Bili would be of any advantage, 'but it would lie well to refer it to the Statutes Revision Committee. The second muling was carried. Mr. Ilindmarsh moved the second , reading of the Industrial Conciti.itio.i and Arbitration Bill. The object of Mie measure was to bring charter''.-; clubs under the operation of the Ari'i'.i ition Act. Mr. Brndnoy said it wa.< jir.ulit-ally going into the homes of the people when they attempted to bring club employees under the Act. iSir Joseph Ward supported the measure. and said lie saw 110 reason behind the arguments <>f Mr. Bradney. If hotel employees had holidays, why should riot club employees have. the. same privileges. Mr. Masscy said lie was not opposed to the Bill, but doubted if it would do much good. It was logical, ho'wever, Unit club employees should be on the same footing as hotol employees. Mr. Tsitt said that if the owners of restaurants and licensed houses were called upon lo give privileges to their employees, why should not the clubs do the sa.ne? Mr. Veit'.'h gave a general su|»port to the men ure, and also held that industrial unions should have the right to employ thwr funds to assist political act-ion. Mr. MeCombs justified the use of union funds fov political purposes. He pointed out tl.at a minority in a union was in exactly the same position as the minority in a State, and had to submit to the will of the majority. Hon. Fisher declared that a union not on strike had no- right to contribute to strike funds, and members:' had a , right to object to the funds of a union ■ being used for objects outside the objects of the union. Mr. Webb, while supporting the Bill, attacked the W's at present r -lrirting freedom of unionism. Hon. Jas. Allen said the experience of Labor Governments in other countries was not encouraging. 110 pointed o'ii Mia I in New Zealand unionism was I compulsory, and in such case il waa n it »V-it ti'at union funds should he used for political purposes, I'nioni-m was noi compulsory in the Old Ooimfry. and 110 member of any union in England nerd cnntrilmU to political funds if he did no). m desire. Mr. Russell said the Opposition would not object to union funds belli-; employed for p'i'ili<'al purp»s"s. provided that every member of a union loul (bo right to withdraw, if he desiivd, from such con t.ribution.. Mr. Robertson, speaking for Mr.

llinilnuirsh, said tliat the mover wished the Bill to i;o to the I.(\l>o r Bills Committee. second reading was carried, and 1 was referred to tie Labor Bills Committee. Tlie House rcse at mid-night.