PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1919, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The council met at 2.30. Hon, MoeGregor continued the debate on the Address-in-Reply and urged, that the tinje was opportune for the abandonment of the three party system. and the Opposition ahouljj eoalesoe to avoid the danger of extreme Labor gaining control. The debate closed and Council rose until to-morrow. .. •' i HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVE!* v ■•■ ." The House met at 2.30. MAORILAND WORKER'S APOLOGY. Mr. McC'ombs asked if the Premier had seen the full apology tendered by I the Maoriland Worker in connection with the paragraph referring to soldier M.P.s, to which , attention had been drawn by Mr. Isltt.i which he understood had given general offence. . . Mr. Massey said he had seen the apology*.. When an apology was tejp.dered the only thine to be done was to accept if Jul the jflpjrit in which sit was tendered, and so far as he was concerned the Incident was at an end. Be regretted that there seemed to be a . small, but fioisy, minority in the Dominion who seemed to consider it proper to decry the efforts of the patriotic citi- | zens of this country, whether soldier' or civilian. This must be put down with a firm hand. If New Zealand was not. good enough for these people they ought to get out, and we. could Well do withI out them. NEW BILLS. On the motion of Mr. Reid {Bay of Inlands), the 'Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill (No. 8) was read a first time. COOK ISLANDS REPORT. . Hon. Dr. Pomare laid on the table the report on the Cook and other Islands, upon which Air. Poole raised the issue that, owing to Jack of energy on the part of the administration, trade with these islands was reaching a vanishing point. Messrs. Ell, Glover,? and; Holland condemned the conditions prevailing in the islands, and urged that better shipping facilities should be provided. Hon. Dr. Pomare said the reason why the trade of the islands was disorganised Was the shortage of That shortage was affecting the whole wor!(d, New Zealand included. The Government had boon blamed for not employing other than the Union Company's ships, but the fact was that there was a contract between the Government of New Zealand and the Union Company which must fe observed till it ran out. Did the Houle expect the Government to tear up this scrap of paper! He denied that tie natives were disheartened under the present trading arrangements. A gredt deal of trouble had been created T» traders, who had been getting all tile best of the trade until the preswijt arrangement was made, under which tb,e natives now got 10» a case for fruit instead of 2s Cd from the traders. The representation of the people or" tlje islands in the Native Councils was fair nnd equitable. Europeans could not be put on these councils without breaking the compact made when the islands wers taken over, under which the native form of government [then existing imiat be preserved. Any statement to the effect that the Governor-General did n«t have a cordial reception on the occasion of his recent visit was absolutely contrary to fact. The whole native population were satisfied, while the malcontents were a few whites, many of whom did not own an acre of land. He enumerated various improvements made for the convenience of the people, yet, in.the face of all this, some honorable members said that "nothing had been done." OPPOSITION TO A BILL. Mr. Malcolm (Clutha) moved the second reading of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill, creating a South Otago hospital district, with, a consequent board, The mover explained that the Bill had the support of every local body concerned, 'Mr. Sidey (Dunedln South) Opposed the Bill on behalf of the Otago Hospital Board on the ground that it would diminish the finance of that board and would injure the medical school, also that it was unwise to multiply small local bodies with .precarious, finance. Messrs Hanan and Payne opposed the Bill because it would multiply small bodies.

Sir James Allen thought the measure 111 advised.

Mr. Wilford moved the adjournment of the debate to enable the Home to become acquainted with the facts. Mr. Malcolm said the opposition onmo as a great surprise to him, as they had two conferences with the Otngo Board Im>fore they promoted the Bill, and at the end of the conference the chairman nf the Otago Board had frankly said that if thfl Government raised no opposition the board would not, yet this man was telegraphing to members to oppose the Bill. When the House resumed at 7.30 Mr Malcolm agreed to the suggestion by Sir Joseph Ward, endorsed by Mr. Massey. to take the second reading and defer further proceedings until local opinion had been ascertained, The Bill was read a second time. LABOR BILLS. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, introduced by Mr. Walker, was read a second time and referred to the Labor Bills Committee.

Mr. Walker moved the second reading of the Workers' Compensation Bill, liberalising the terms of payment to those : coming within its provisions, ! Mr. Veitch said the proposals in the Bill dealt only with a very small part of the necessities of workers' compensation. He hoped the Bill would be made more comprehensive before it became law. Ho was afraid that under the present regime they would never succeed in preventing accidents to the extent they should, and large employers of labor should be made to protect, in the most tangiblo manner, the livaa of their workers. Nothing was so calculated to bring about more ill-feeling between employer and employee than the present compensation laws, which should be called laws for agents, lawyers, and doctors. It should be so arranged that the whole insurance should go straight to the worker injured, and he should not be forced to fight for his rights. Messrs McCombs, Semple, Wilfdtd, and Payne supported the Bill, which was read a second time and referred to the L»b« lllfe QojßßittM, |

PROPORTIONAL VOTING. The Proportional Representation Jfr» •fective Voting Bill was introduced by #r. Veitch, who said that preferential rottia; was little better than the present syitem of "first past the post." He quoted to* results of the British election! to chow how unsatisfactory the present system was and that it was urgently necessary steps should be taken to secure (he proper representation of every section of the community.

Mr. Payne considered proportional representation was an utter fallacy, bassd on a false assumption, and likely to lead to compromises between weak partita, with all the evils that compromise carried with it. The Bill was read a second time on the voices.

The Hutt Railway and Road Improve, ment Bill was read a second time without discussion. Mr. Massey said he would look into the Sill with a view to taking it over. The (House rose at 10.15,