PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1917, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

legislative' council By Telegranh.— Press Association' Wellington, Last Night Jhe Council resumed this afternoon'. TiJrtHer. consideration was - -given in committee to the Public Trust Offlca Amendment Bill. Sir Francis Bell moved an amendment: That if the publia trustee dissented from the determination of the.'Board, such matter should be sub* , mitted to the Minister of Finance, whoaa decision would be final. . In his comment on the proposal, Si? Walter Buchanan stated, he , was of opinion that the proposal would not he ft solution of the difficulty, and that responsibility should be placed on thq Public Trustee. The Bill was put through all stages and passed, The Council adjourned at 3.50. •

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met at 2.30. EFFICIENCY BOARD. Replying to Mr. Parr, the Premie? said reconstruction of the new Efficiency Board waß practically completed, ana it would probably begin work next week, He hoped to be in a position to make a more detailed statement next week. " "MADE IN GERMANY." Mr. Wilford produced in the Houtb a pair of white gloves which, he said, were sold to a returned soldier yesterday, and were plainly marked "Made in Germany." He thought it was an insult to a returned soldier to have such gloves sold him after he had been fighting the Huns. He wanted to know if trading with the enemy was still going on, Mr, Massey said'he, of cotirße, knew nothing of the facts, but he assured the lion, member that the Government waa just as anxious as anyone to stop trading with the enemy. If the question were put on the order paper he would have it inquired into. I Mr. Herdmaji, said he would, inquire into tlw matter, as it came within hia jurisdiction. His department assured, him there was now no trading with thrt enemy. THE RAILWAY FATALITY. Replying to Mr, Poole, Sir James A!« len said the Government had not re- | ceived any report concerning the railway accident outside Plymouth (England); in which nine New Zealanders had killed. The High Commissioner had un< dertaken to !scnd particulars at tha earliest moment. Replying to Dr. Thacker, Sir James Alien said it was not intended to send, 1 men of 43, 44, or 45 years of age out of the Dominion with the forces.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Mr. Walker introduced the Woikenf* Compensation for Accidents Act Amend* niesit Bill. . Mr. Poland contended the tiirie Jia4 arrived when the Government should pass legislation making better provision, for compensation to workers. Tier# were, he said, 27 accident insurance companies doing business in the Dominion, ' resulting in a great waste in the coat of management. The Government should take over the whole accident business, when there would be such a saving that the whole of the premiums would be available as payment for compensation .to injured workers. Mr. Poole urged the need for soma simple method of enforcing claims against insurance companies, as the feaj of long and expensive litigation often in* duced workers to accept terms much toa* low What they ought to be paid. Sir Joseph Ward expressed his gym* patliy with the principle that workers injured in the course of employment! should bo liberally treated, but combated the notion that only one, and that a State insurance office, should exist. Ha had done as much as anyone to establish State institutions, but it had never been the policy of the Government to crush out all similar institutions. They had only been established for the purpose of cheeking a monopoly by controlling rates, and that was the only sound policy the State could pursue. To drive out private offices would create groat financial embarrassment, as it is from the larga life, fire, and accident insurance companies that, the bulk of the money comet when the State wants to raise publiff loans. Messrs Ell, Payne, McCombs, anj Webb took part in the discussion. Mr. Walker, in the course of his reply, Expressed the' hope that the Government would take th,e Bill up and pass it this session. The Bill was read a first time,