PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 October 1917, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Py Association, Wellington, Last IJight. The council met;'(it 2.30 p.m. The council deolded to "Adhere to its amendments in the Sale of Liquor Restriction Bill, and appointed Sir F. Bell, Hons. McGregor, Simpson and'Aitken to act, as mergers iif meet managers of the House of Representatives. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES «TT # ~ . The House met'at 2.30 )i. m. ' | SHIPPING DISPUTE. 5 Mr. Fletcher asked the Premier if, tft ' view of the ;fact'that the 4surt had given its decision in the shipping dis/iote, he » could inform the House what the posi- • tion was. ' The Premier replied that he was not ■I able to make a statement at the mo- ■' ment, but would look into the matter, ' and whatever the law wis, it would ne - carried out. ) • f RAILWAY, CLASSIFICATION. 3 The Minister of Railways laid on th» - table the railway classification (d 3). He . regretted that owing to the shortage of paper there would be only a few copies available for distribution,' , NEW BILLS. The Minister of Public Works gave notice of his intention to introduce t)w> State Supply Electrical Energy Bill. The Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill wew introduced and read a first time, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. COST OF LIVING REPORT. ' Mr. Statham (chairman of the Cost if Living Committee) reported that tl|e committee had reconsidered the clause hf t their report proposing to purchase prj--1 ducts at the ruling export prices, and " selling at a lower price, the loss to be 1 met out of the Consolidated Fund, but » had failed to come to any resolution on the subject. It had been decided to send f the remainder of the repprt back to the • House, ami to further consider the coni tcntious clause next week. r In order to avoid the discussion interfering with private members' bills, Mr. f Mas°ey suggested that the whole matter should be held over until the final report came down, and this wag agreed to on the voices. ■ ( FEMALE EMPLOYMENT IN HOTELS r AND RESTAURANTS. 0 The liouse then went into committee 1 to consider the Shops and Offices Amendi. ment Bill introduced by Mr. Hindmarsh. ■ The Bill proposes to regulate the hours of employment of females in hotels, ress taurants and, refreshment rooms, Mr. n Hindmarsh explained that the Minister f of Labor had provided him with certain t amendments to meet the requirements of i the Labor Depart ment. These he accepte ed, and would move, them as they improved the machinery, without affecting the principle of the Bill. In the discussion that followed, Mr. Hindmarsh was congratulated on his efforts to shorten the hours of labor for girls in places of entertainment, but the majority of speakers urged that 10.30 p.m. was late enough for any jgirl to work, and that the proposal to permit girls to work till midnight if sleeping accommodation is provided on the premises, would only lead to abuse, and probably nullify the object of the Bill. Mr. Hindmarsh refused to accept any modification of the midnight hour, as it was a compromise arrived at by the Labor Bills Committee, and was part of his understanding with the Premier, and a 3 clause waß passed providing that no woman or girl be employed in or about an J hotel or restaurant after 10.30 p.m., un- ' lees suitable sleeping accommodation Is • provided for her in the hotel or restaurant, or some adjacent building. If " sleeping accommodation is provided, the ' hours during which women or girls shall ' be employed after 10.30 p.m'. skill not 1 exceed 75 in one year. A new clause ,r was added providing that regulations be ' drafted relating to sleeping aceommoda--1 tion. Mr. Isitt moved a new clause, provid- • ing for the uniform hours for closing of chemist shops on the afternoon of the weekly half holiday. On a division the amendment was carried by 52 to 8. On the motion of the Premier, emergency pharmacies were exempted from s this clause. The Bill was then reported i, with amendments, t • . HUTT ROAD. 1 ; - ■ - .' , 8 The Hutt Road Amendment Bill, pro--1 viding for the raising of a loan to lay t down a concrete mojtor track in the • centre of the road, without a poll of the - ratepayers, was under discussion at the adjournment. When' the House rejutaed, Mr. Payne moved an amendment in the direction that the proposed loan of £30,000 be not raised until a poll of the ratepayers be 1 taken on the proposal. The discussion on Mr. Payne's amend. ' ment took the form of a mild stonewall i against the Definition of Time Bill (day- ) light saving), which was lower down on the order paper, but at eleven o'clock a decision was reached, the amendment being lost on the voices. Somo progress was then made,, but the subject of debentures is now the topic of discussion. The Hutt Road Amendment Bill passed its committee at 12.15 a.m. when progress was reported. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, in the charge of Mr. Walker, Shops and Offices, and Hfut r. Road Bills were read a third time and passed. Mr. Massey moved that a conference be asked for with the Legislative Council. on the Srlp of Liquor Restriction Bill, and that Sir Joseph Ward Sir John Findlay, Mr.' Wilkinson and the mover ' be managers to confer with the foun- : Mr. Massey intimated that the busi- ! ness to-morrow night would be the Ro--1 cial Hygiene Bill. The Houso rose at 12.30 a.m.