Parliament.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 137, 3 November 1914, Page 4

Parliament.

LEGISLATIVE COUNIOIL. By Telegraph.-Per Press Association. Wellington, November 2. The Council meti at 10.30, audi Imprest Bill No. 5 was passed through all stages without debate. The Council rose at 10.35 itill 2.30.

AFTERNOON SESSION. | Tlie Council resumed at 2.3. The Legislative Council ltefona Bill was considered as amended by the conference between the two Houses. Hon. Bell explained the alteratioas and claimed that the Bill had jioti beea aiaterialy affected. Hons. Barr and Paul declared ttiat tho insertion of the clause wilih regard to the qualifications of womex wu a plain illustration of insanity. i Hon. Beehan regretted proriiion had not been made in the first pl*»< for women to sit in the Council.

Hon. Capt. Baillie said he would aot express an opinion as to whetiher wouiien would be suitable as legislators or not. Hon Wigram thought it not os igJit 'that such a big constitutional change should be brought about by a sido issue. Hon. Bell said the managers of the House had dealt /airly with the Coniici'. The Council rose at 3.15.

HOUSE OF REPHESHNTATIVB9. WOMEN AND THB UPPER HOUS3. Tlia House met at 11 o'clock. In reply to Mr Ngata, the Premier •aid thijro was no answer yet to land from itho Imperial authorities t« the lequest that the whole Maori contingent be senti to one destination, instead of being divided >s at present. Tho Speaker announced that tike conference with the Legislative Couaoil on tho Legislative Council Bill had eome to aa agreement on fhe questio* of ad I'mitting women to the Council. Th< Premier explained that tihe agreement meant that so soon as tie House agreed to admit women to the lower chamber, then, automatically, women were entitled to become members of the Upper House. He had either to accept thi« arrangement' or lose itlhe Bill.

Sir Joseph IWard strongly objected to accepting such an arrangement witiout • further struggle, and moved an »mendinent to have the matter reconsidered.

. The Premier admitted the Bill would hare to ibe Teconsidered by Parliament foeforo it caane into effect, meantime he was not going to hare the measure tilled. Mr Russell said that the Council asked the House to stultify itself 'by imposing such conditional legislation upon it. The Legislature Amendment Ball wan received from the Council and read a first time.

The amendments made by the Council in tho Iron and St«el Industries Bill wore agreed to, on the motion of Mr Fraser.

MINING BILL. Mr Jraser moved t!he second reading of tho Mining Amendment Bill, explaining that 'the Bill was based on t'he evil»Gnco given before the Mines Committee. It ms much the isamo as th« Bill brought down last yoax. Mr Poland said itiie Bill contained many provisions beneficial to miner*. He regretted that tho Bill did not abolish rho night shift and establish a fixed temperature in minea, or provide for the appointment of modioal inspectors. The debate was interrupted by th< luncheon adjournment:, B t 1 o'clock. Oa resuming the debate on, th* Le?i»latur c Amendment Bill was contiaued ! Mr Isitt accused the Premier of insincerity if he was prepared to abandoa tli» great sitep forward without a struggle. Dr Newman said the amendment of tfcs Council did not advance the eause •f women one bit. He hoped tfce Bill would not be killed as a whole. The question depended on.ihe rot«s af th« fatur®.

Messrs Wilford ftnd Ell accused Dr Newman of deserting the caus» he pro ffS9ed to ohampiqj. Anyone endorsing tlxis compromise was false to the tavjiv of women.

Mr Escott contended that those supporting Sir Joseph Ward were Merelr trying to kill the Bill. .

Tlie Premier, i n reply, gftid the conference had gone into the matter elosely, and was convinced that there was pravf danger of losing the Bill if the ooinprom.ae was not accepted. If this arrangement was accepted then no further Council could raise the question if the House decided to admit women, to a lower chamber. It was therefore a great step in advance. He agreed that women should be Admitted to the Council, but was not going to sacrifice the whole Bill for one clause. Sir Joseph Ward's amendment was lost by 30 votes to 21 and the report of tie conference was agreed to.

AFTERNOON SESSION. Tile House resumed at 2.30. Mr Poland continued the Mate on the Mining Bill, urging more generous treatment to miners suffering from pneumoconiosis. Sir J. Ward said) he thought the mining industry was being shabbily treated, and (1 <\S(Tvi.ml a great deal more attention than it was receiving. Mr Scott commended itlie Bill. I Mr i-'olrin condemned the poor pay given to miners, and the difficulty iu getting increases. The Bill ought tto have been introduced two sessions ago, as all the material was left by the Liberals. Mr Seddon censured the Govemnwit for delay in bringing down ttoe Bill, >nd charged the Premier with, obstructing tiho setting up of a minors' relief fund in 1310. He contended that a larger sum than £SO should be paid from tiiis fund to miners suffering from miners' disease.

Mr 'VVel<!> charged the Government with delaying tills legislation at the instigation of mine owners.

In reply, the Hon. VV. Fi'ascr declared that, the best friands of iho Bill were those who said the least about it. The tmendmemu suggested could far (better hare been spoken upon in comimiifcUie. He claimed to 'be in sympathy with, the miner;), '.but it was unreasonable to auk mine owners to pay compensation wibout medical examination* Ho favoured tlie establishment of a pension fund for miners, and urged that it would he in the interest of minors to pass the measure.

The second reading iras carried o» the voicoi.

The llou?-* went into oonunittec upon th o Kill. At Clause (5, Mr G. 'M. Thomson moved an amendment to provide t(hat the holder of a degree of associate of the Otagci School of Mines shall qualify for a mine manager's certificate after three years of underground work, instead of five years as at present. The House divided tupon the amendment which was carried by 23 to 21, the amendment being warnily opposed by Messrs Poland, Webb, Teitch, 6eddo», Isith and McKenzie.

Mr. ilfcmgr Mid it was a sorry gncc- »«• to m« members endeavouring to WM foliW capital out of the Uvea w ttar fellow-qUUem, Never before !!Mi \r ft * h<luu:(i to be » member . " ew Zealand Parliament. It was toe .f! ela y and the obstruction »r toe Opposition that the Bill wag. not #«t through in 1913. wifk cKenz ' e 8 »i<l that accident* toTt Ppcn ' but ifc was uite ' to taku precautionary measures.

EVENING SESSION. The House rosumed at 7.30 . IJmq uommittee on the Mining Bill, ait clause 8, tli* conferring of mine ° n . Aduate, of *f*rs' mfn , 00 Minw after four years practical work underground was ~ f °PP«?«1 hy the rcpresentafciTe» of the nuning districts, but on a division was carried 'bv 31 to 18 Clause 15 was amended, on "tli» instance of Mr Poland, providing tliat workmen g inspectors b e compensated by the owner if they meet with an accident in the discharge 0 f their duty Mr Poland moved a new clause prbridf 1 Bt ' 1 of ««ident a miner slalr oe enti led to die same amount of compensation as hr would haTe been entitled .« under tfce Workers Companion Art IJOI. aii;l mca > of his dying of miner's , disease lus family shall be entitled to the same compeimt'on as they would have been paid under that Act. The Minister opposed the clause conleading that the proper way to' deal with these cates was by way of pen. •ion. This he w*s prepared to do next session.

Mr Poland replied that, last> year, the J" his district alone produced I<UB,QOO worth of gold and silver, while the mines iij the Dominion, laat yew. paid over i££o,o<)o in dividends, ond surely tfha owners, in whose interests those huge sums were raised could afford to to the keep of a few men whose lives were ruined in their service.

On a division the amendment, vu rejected by 27 to 24. The Bill was tiien reported witli amendments, read & third time and passed. Hon. W. Fraser moved the second reading of the Coal-mines Bill, which lie Mid was founded on the recommendation of the Mining Commission, and pre* pared by him in 1912. On resuming after the supper adjournment Mr Fraser declared llhat the Government was in no way responsible for the Huntlv disaster. It was 'grossly unfair to say the Bill would noti have boon brought d'uwn had not the Huntlv disaster occurred.

Continuing, Mr. Wilford said that while he would not pay that the Mlnistry was criminally responsible for the disaster, if it had not delayed bringing down the Bill in 1913 the disaster would have been averted.

Mr. Russell also charged the Qovc.rnment with neglect in passing the Mining Bill.

flpcaking of ihe suggestion that stepi should be taken against Fletcher, Hon. Fraser said the matter had been plflced More the Crown law officers, and upon their advice steps would be taken. * Mr V/iJford criticised the delay in bringing down the Bill, and said that if the measure had been brought down in 1912, as promised, llhe disastei could not 1 *ve occurred at Huntly. -~~t Mr Poland said it was impossible itf Wy that the Minister was entitled to try credit for bringing the Bill down. Mr Webb condemned the Government' for not taking proper legislative action to prevent the disaster. Mr Robertson said he believed lie disaster would have occurred whetner toe Mining Bill had been paased or not. (Left sitting.) , j