Parliament

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 111, 3 October 1914, Page 4

Parliament

HOUSE OF REP&ESENTATIYKS. FIttDAY, OCTOBER a. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington. Lust Sight. Tie House mot at 2.38 p.m. SHORTAGE OF FLOUR. In reply ,to Mr. Ell, the Premier said hj? was consulting tlie Foodstuffs Commission relative to the alleged riiortage of flour in the Dominion and the inability of bakers to obtain supplied. In reply to Sir Joseph Ward, who complained of people not ibeiig put on the roll, the Hon. Fisher said the Bystemi of enrolling people had not been changed, and if people would not take the trouble to fret on the roll no power on earth could /compel them to do bo. The main rolls would be closed on October 7, and would be. printed as soon as the printers could get them out. In reply to Mr. McOombs, the Minister said he would ask officials to nialce a, special effort to enrol electors between now and the 7th. DEATH DUTIES.

The Attorney-General laid on th-i table a return showing the amount collee tod by way of.death duty -between 11)00-10 and 1913-14.

! Sir, Joseph Ward said the figures bore nut the opinion he had expressed when he made the alteration in death duties thi.'t the revenue- therefrom would ipay foT the Dreadnought within a coinparativelv slioit time. The increase oinco ISO 9-10 wns £144,000, which wits' very satisfactory. The increase was nearly three times as great as the interest anil sinking fund on the Dreadnought. If this system of taxation had not proved satisfactory lie presumed the Government would have repealed it. Mr. Russell claimed that the Government had received £405,000 from death duties more than, Sir Joseph Ward nad received in the year be had made the change in the system of collecting thm form of taxation—surely a magnificent 'legacy; and if tho Minister of Financs were in a generous mood he would generously acknowledge it. Messrs Payne and tsitt also com mented or. the return as vindicating the. finance of 9ir Joseph Ward. The Opposition Leader asked the Post-■mastcr-GeneTal if some modification could not be mado in the censotship of cables. It should not now be necessary to insert the full name and address of the sender and receiver is commercial cabins. It wa-t highly inconvenient to business people. Hon. PJiodcf) admitted that the kj-s----tern caused inconvenience, and said h> Would communicate, irilii tho Imperial authorities and see,it a modification could be made. BUSINESS OF THE SESSION. The Premier moved that on and after Monday next, and fon the remainder of the session, the House meet on Monday at 7.30 p.m. for the transaction of Government business only. Amongst the Bills the Government intended proceeding with the Premier mentioned thai an amendment to the Legislature Act and an amendment of hlio Land Act wonldbe brought, -down. A Bill' was also being prepared for the encouragement of the breeding of remounts and horses nuHable lor artillery, n Workers' Home Amendment Bill, Mining, Coal Mines, Cook Islands; _Fruit Industry, and an IndustrialConciliation and Arbitr.itou Amendment Act would be introduced. ProValdy it would be necessary to bring down "two Loan Bills. There would" also be »■• washing-up Bill. If a Bill dealing with the iron industry would be brought down. Without 'committing the Government to drop them, he did not at present propose to go on with the Motor, Crimea, Defamation, and Religious Instruction in Schools Bills If the Hou=,« attacked wouk in earnest there, was no reason why the session should not clos-> in three weeks. Sir Joseph Ward claimed that the Premier should make, an explicit statement, and say what Bills ], c really intended to go 071 ~v i tl,. X t wnfl no t f n .j r to leave them in doubt, as they were prepared to help through legislation if tbev were treated fairly. Tic House rose at ">.*;o p.m. THE LICENSING BILL. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. It was agreed to notify the Legislative Council that the House objected to sub-section 11, clause 6, of the Licensiag Amendment Bill, on the ground that it would mean that wine could be sold without any limit of aleoholi* standard, NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND. I

The National Provident Fund Amendment and the Provident Fund Amendment and Education Reserves Amendment Bills were introduced by Coventor's Message, and read a first time. ' Hon. Fisher moved that the National Provident Fund Amendment Bill bo recommitted for the purpose of reconsidering clause 9. He stated that sinae the Mil was in Committee a difference of opinion arose between himself and Labor members as to the effect of the clanse. Since then he had instructed the huad of the Department to consult Mr F. T. Martin re drafting an amendment, -which he now introduced. The problem was in the ease of a worker employed by a local body, who, after paying into the fund for a number of years, leaves or iB discharged from the service. The position was full of difficulty, and he now proposed that Buch a worker should be afloyed to pasg from one local body to another and retain the henefit of the fund. If he did not pass into the employ of another local body, ho would leeeive a refund of the money paid in. Mr MeCombs denounced the proposal os altogether inadequate protection to the worker.

Merer*. Isitt, Glover, Hindmarsh, Veitch, a»d Payne continued the discussion, each contending that the amendment proposed did not do justice to the worker, who, if he could not get employmeat from another local body, would derive no benefit from his previous eontributioas to tho fund. The House then went into Committee on the Sill, and upon the question of inserting tie Minister's amendment a division was called for, the amendment Being inserted by 25 votes to 11. Tho Bill was the* reported with aajendmeat.

Tie third reading was then debited. Mr Veiteh declared that owing to the iaeompleteness of the Kill it was not a safe proposal. Hon. Fisher, in reply, said he regretted the opposition shown to the Bill, beeaase it had evidently been developed fur the purpose of killing a measare that was designed to help the workers. What tke Labor Party wanted waß legalised theft of oilier people's money. The effect of the Bill would he to steady tio employees of local bodies and prevent strikes, just as tke superannuation team* \ad Jkcpt »ur railway mea withia the sounds of reason. Members had net appreciated the difficulties ia floating nth a, scheme, and had not bees siren considerate ia their opposition,

Thi iiii/i' riding will then '^#n£ ( : and the i'ltt passed. » > OP THE SESSION. ' Mr Mav.-y !> vivcd the disciifition upon uib mrti.in ' • ait on Mondays., and said he had told I lie Housa as.nearly an posBiKe what the programme would be. He wanted to go on quietly with the business of the !'; i,sion, and he saw no reason why they should not complete the work by tnc end of the month. NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITIES ACT, A Bill further amending the New Zealand Universities Act was introduced by • Governors Message and road a first time, FIRE BRIGADES Dili. _ On the question of amendments made i"r tT, } ' re Bti ß* A <* Amendment Bill, ■Mr Bidcy urged that in all eases inquests Should In held regarding cauws 0 } « a > n «. su PP"rted this contention. On the toird reading, Mr Sidcy contended that the House was entitled to an expression of opinion from the Government as to the policy they proposed to follow to prevent the present enor.moua waste by fire in this Dominion, -Now Zealand having in this respect the : most unenviable recoid in the world ! . Hon. Fisher said ho recognised the importance of the matter, and had had the matter under consideration since he had-been Minister in charge of the department. Ho had declined any negoti- | ations with private companies. The proi fits of the department were being proj ntably employed. There were full powi ws m the Act at the present time toI hold enquiries, but the power given was. ; optional. The cost of compulsory-fat- ■ quests would be. £7OOO per annum. He , admitted that the expenditure of £7OOO- - per year would pay the country handsomely. J The Bill was then read a third time , and passed. ; j The House rose at 12.55.■