PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1917, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—'Press Association. Wellington, Oct. 27. The Native Land Laws Amendment (Washing Up) Bill wa 3 put through all stages. The Reserves and Other Disposal Bill, dealing with matters affecting various districts, was put through all stages with amendments. _ The Council adjaurned at 8.45 p.m. till 11 o'clock on Monday morning. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met at 2.30. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Replying to Mr. McCombs, the Premier said that nothing in the way of profiteering would be permitted in connection with mineral oils, which, though scarce, must not be sold at exorbitant prices. Replying to Mr. Young, the Hon. (!. R r . Russell said there was no provision in the law to enable ratepayers in n camp to vote in the approaching comity elections, nor was it possible to pas's legislation this session to enable it to fie done.

Replying to Mr. Field (Otaki), the Hon. <j. W. Russell said he would inform the Imperial authorities there were in the Dominion large quantities of 8. P. Ftagmum moss, found to be suitable for dressing wounds.

STATUTE LAW AMENDMENT BILL.

The Hon. .1. A. 'Hanan introduced, by flovernor's message, a Bill amending the Education Act of 1914, and the Expeditionary Forces Amendment Bill, with amendments received from #he Legislative Council. On the motion of the Premier the amendments were set down for consideration on next sitting day.

CHANGES INTO "DRY" AREAS. The disabilities of ton licensees of the South Island electorates, whose hotels had been transferred through the electoral boundary changes into "dry" areas, were reported to the House to-day, The committee recognised the extreme hardship of the petitioners' case and the urgency of the matter, but, as it was one of policy, no recommendation could be mflde.

Sir Joseph Ward said he realised the difficulties of the position. Oeneral instructions had been issued to the Boundaries Commissioners to endeavor to avoid hardships. The people's vote should be respected, and the people should not suffer, if the commissioners could avoid it. He quoted cases where hotels had been placed in dry areas and then put back into districts where licenses existed, but in the meantime the original licensees had been ruined. There should be fair play in the matter, and the vote of the people should he respected. Several members protested against three commissioners being able by a stroke of the pen to remove a hotel from a "wet" to a "dry" area. Mr. Massey said this was not the first time the difficulty had been met with. Injustices had occurred before, but this time there appeared to be more serious Injustice had occurred before, but this complaints of late, especially from Otago, but members should recognisethat the boundaries had not been definitely settled, the report of the commissioners being only a temporary one. Objections could be lodged until November 5 for the North Island, and November. 0 for the South Island. The report was adopted.

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS, The House resumed at 7.30. Hon. J. A. Hanan moved the second reading of the Statute Law Amendment Bill, which proposes to legalise tlm present staffing of normal schools and enable regulations to be made providing for direct control of such schools by boards instead of school committees. It was proposed to establish a few observation schools under competent head teachers, where inexperienced teachers would undergo short periods of training in teaching methods. Provision will also be made to enable technical classes at small centres to he controlled by school commitees, instead of by boards of managers. It is proposed to make provision for securing the rights of soldier teachers on active service, to safeguard the status of teachers appointed temporarily in place of those at the front, to pay'inexperienced teachers a salary commensurate with their qualifications, and control the staffing of schools where absolutely necessary. It was also proposed to increase the salary payable to those in charge of Grade 0 schools, power to increase incidental allowances of school committees being sought. Another provision is that of establishing probationary homes. Under this system the handling of young delinquents and children generally will be undertaken by specially appointed officers, instead of by the police. It is proposed to extend the power ■of the University Senate to confer grees on those enlisting and to students who are called up for service under the Act. It is also intended to add economics to the list of subjects for which research scholarships may be awarded. AMENDING OTHER ACTS. The Prisons Act is also amended by enlarging the functions of Prison Boards, ivho have powers to make regulations as to the administration of prisons. An amendment of the Counties Act is proposed in the direction of preventing persons, who have made default in payment of rates, signing .petitions to county councils. There are also in the Bill minor amendments of the Defence and Land Settlement and Finance Act. Mr. Buddo questioned the wisdom of Introducing an amendment to the Education Act in the Statute Law Amendment Bill. Education was too important a subject to be dealt with in this obscure wav.

Mr. Isitt expressed disappointment tliat no provision was made in tlio Bill to settle the question as to whether religious bodies had the right to use school buildings after school hours for religious teaching. He could not understand the hesitancy of the Minister to tackle and settle this question, which was. causing a great deal of friction in some parts of the Dominion.

Mr. Hindmarsh ridiculed the system of university education, which, so far. had not produced a single man who knew anything about our forests. He 'rcgi'etfed that the Minister's only contribution to secondary education was the ■meagre (ii'oposal in the Bill. The Bill was read a second tim ,', and the House proceeded to consider the measure in committee. A heated discussion took olace over slausa i). amend-

,Ed provisions as to funds and accounts of education boards. Several members contended that before the boards' system of keeping accounts was changed the boards should 'be consulted.

The Minister replied that the clause was inserted at the instance of the Audit Department, in order to check accounts by depleting one fund in order to replenish another.

After an explanation by Mr. Massey, who said that if an amendment was required it could bo inserted in the Council, the clause passed. Mr. 'ltalian explained that assistance t 0 school committees would take the form of a lump sum which would be allocated amongst the various committees.

Clauses 10 and 16 were passed with consequential amendments. Mr. Russell moved the withdrawal of clauses 17 and 18, providing for prohibiting defaulting ratepayers voting at county elections and limiting miners' rights.

Clause 20. providing for military detention for evasion of territorial services, was withdrawn.

The Minister then moved a series of new clauses, provision being made for notification of suspension of industrial awards to allow the employment and training of disabled discharged soldiers. Mr. Herdman explained that unless this power was given it would not be possible for him to arrange to introduce discharged soldiers into various trades for tuition purposes, and the whole scheme would bi> delayed, the under-rate permit system being useless for the purpose. Mr. Massey. on the suggestion of Mr; Yeitch. agreed to have the clause amended in the direction pf giving the Arbitration Court power to consider" every case before a soldier was employed.

Mr. Herdman said he doubted if the scheme would be practicable. The powers of dairy companies were extended in the direction of enabling them to purchase share? in freezing works and cool stores and refrigerating businesses in all branches.

An amendment was made in the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act making provision for restricting the increase in the price of commodities. An extension of time was given within which aliens in New Zealand may register under the Registration of Aliens Act. The Bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. The Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill was received from the Legislative Council. On the motion of the Premier the amendments were agreed to. The House rose at 11.10 p.m., until 2.30 on Monday.