Parliament

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 108, 30 September 1914, Page 4

Parliament

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. iiii^

TOSEDAY, SEPTEMBER S». .""',,

By Telegraph.—Pres» Association. "'' .' Wellington, Last NigU. Ta« Council met at 2.30 v.m.

IW luaming Act Amendment and titer. Faetoiies Act Amendment Bills were *Aeeived irom the Lower House and read i a (first time.

Tke Registration and Control of ]fe&kal Practitioners, and Animals Protection Bills were introduced by the Hojt, Bell and read a first time.

TJ» Customs Amendment BiD nog pit through committee wiwiout amentftacKL read u third time and pawed. ■ Tie Council rose at 2-40 jxm.

EVENING SESSION. '

The Council resumed at 8 p.m. The amendments made in the War Kidks Insurance 'Bill by Governor's Message were agreed l to. The Council adjourned until 10 mm. so-B»rcow. ,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AFTERNOON SESSION. The House root at 2.30 ipjn. 'EUBCTOEAL ROHL& Sir Joseph Ward again raised tke ; question of the position of electoral rolfe. , / ;. r ji Mr. Massey said that everything " : wc-uM be done to give every elector • clean roll. The main roll wouH W elosed on Octpber 7. WAR fiOBKiS INSURANDR An amendment to the War TtiAg JgMmiraee Act, Extending the limit of cover from £SOOO to £IO,OOO, was infaodueed iby Governor's Message, and taiwv mitted to the Legislative Council. FIRST (READINGS. Mr. Robertson introduced the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitratioa . Amendment Bill, which provided for the terms of industrial agreement being referred to members of* a union before boioß registered by the Arbitration Court. The Premier said ihe bad a BUI (m < course of preparation. The proviaioiia dealt with in this Dill had not been meluded, but it was evident that a weakness existed in this part of the Art, and would be looked into.

Mr. Robertson urged that the matter was one of urgency, and ought to be dealt with as such.

The Bill was then read a first time. The Imprest .Supply Bill, making provision for the payment of sabuiesT"" wages and contingencies, wae introduced Iby Governor's .Message. Discussing the Imprest' Supply BID, M!r. Ell drew attention to the amount of unemployment in the building •trade, due to the fact that only £390 was> being advanced towards the erection of workmen's homes.

Dr. Newman and Messrs Witty and Sidey endorsed this view, and urged f -eater, liberality on the part of tia dvances Department. , ' Tho House rose at 5.30 p.m.

EVENING SESSION.

The House met at 7.30 p.m. Mr, Allen, in reply, said that hon. members must .realise that there were considerable demands on the financial resources of the country at Lhe present juncture, but lie was doing, his best to provide funds for building operations under the Advances to Workers Aci» He had fixed the amount obtainable at £3OO, and was considering -the possibility of raising it to £4OO.

Mr, Weblb condemned the antiquated nature of our mining law, and blamed the Government for not compelling mime-owners Lo provide life-saving appliances at mines in case of accident. The men should have the right to appoint their own, inspectors, and not tabs dependent on officers appointed by tbeic fcmjployers. Mr. Witty charged the Government with delay in fixing the price of foodEtaffs. For seven weeks they had been Taecilating on the question, and althought they had had the Commißflioafo. report en the price of wheat and flour for ten days, they had done nothing with it.

Hon. W. F. Massey, in reply, claimed ■ that the Commission, was a good one, and thoroughly impartial. It was absolutely untrue that the Commission's renort bad Ibeen referred back to them. Ibecaiuse the prices fixed wore too low. Concluding, he deprecated statements „ calculated to show tliat the country was, ■" in a tad way. The Convmlissioo was \ still sitting, and would go on dealing with the price of meat, sugar and drugs* Sir Joseph Ward said he knew of no ..*,

one who ihadi decried the country, but _',\ it was useless to say that everything *'\ should go on as usual. They could n$ ■;■ meet their difficulties by slapping themselves on the chest. There was going to be difficulty in getting away their , produce to London. The loss of the refrigerated vessels taken as transports, . and the sinking of the Kaipara, meant ' a difference in the carrying capaeity of one million carcases. The ships would ' not be available in December and Janu- * ary, and these refrigerated ships would be undeniably locked up. Speaking on the position of electoral laws, Sir Jo- •_ aenh put a direct question as to when the other legislation would be introduced this session, to which the Pre- ~ ' ■mier replied! that tihe Electoral BUI would bo down in a few days. (speaking after the supper adjournment, Sir Joseph Ward sajd he did no* agree with the cry that the>4Jovern. . ment should at this stage declare What* -if, war taxation they thought necessary. ? Tho position was very complicated, and -i no announcement should be made on j the point at the uresent. moment. ',; Mr. Nosworthy dealt with questions ! of marine insurance and the work of * the Foodstuffs Commission, defending tie Government against the charges of . delay. ;,: iMr. Poland charged the Minister of M Mines with great neglect in not having 1,01 a Mining Bill brought before tho House ~f- \ this session. Our mining legislation, 'ty i nua far behind the rest of the world. ty Not one of tho recommendations of tie "/a Mining Commission had been put into '»s Mr. McKenzic pointed out tihnt for ■ } ike last three years nothing had been t done ir, tho way of -mining legislation. V In view of the number of accidents, lejj. elation was necessary. He wanted to ■;, know it' the Government would supple- ■•£ ment any fund raised for the relatives '.. of the Himtly miners. .;. iMx. Buxton claimed that his figure* regarding wheat supplies a month ago ' were well within the nvirk. Well-in-formed millerg had told him there .» would be a surplus of two million bush- - els at the end of the year. He was informed that the c 0.4 of wlu-nt <o fctiafaxmor was 3s Id on trucks. The dif- . fc.rence llietween that price and -4s 9d was partiouhirlv l'i\';e. , * Th ( , Minister replied, and the House , rose at 2 a.m.