PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 October 1919, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

I LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. • By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. Sir Francis Bell gave notice of his intention to introduce the Women's Parliamentary Bights Bill (No. 2). A message from the House of Representatives stated that the House had 'agreed to the amendment made in the Women's Parliamentary Rights Bill. The Housing Bill was read a second time pro forma, and was referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. Tho following Bills were received from the House of Representatives and were read a first time: The Treaties of Peace, External Affairs, Public Health Amendment, and the Expeditionary Forces Voting Bill. The Tauranga Borough Council Electric Loans Empowering, Tauranga Harbor Board Empowering, and the Manawatu County Loan Empowering Amendment Bills were put through the third and final stages and passed. The Hon.. C. A. C. Hardy moved: "That it would be in the best interests of the Dominion if the Government would re-establish the cadet system that obtained in the national schools 'before 1912," He said teachers, were very much in favor of this being done. The Hon. G. J. Garland supported the motion, and said the Swedish drill syllabus could be carried on at the same time. The Hon. G. M. Thomson supported the motion. He said cadet training was one of the few means teachers had of getting into close touch with their pupils. The Hons. D. T. Fleming, J. B. Gow, J. Grimmond, W- Earnshaw. A. F. Hawke, T. McGibbon, H. L. Michel, and G. Jones spoke in support of the motion. Sir Francis Bell said that as a member of the Government which had abolished the junior cadet system, he could not be expected to,declare in its favor. Any resolution of the Council, however, would be treated with due respect by ♦he Government of tho day. The motion was carried on the voices without dissent. The Council adjourned at M ■y.m.'

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p,m. REPLIES TO. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr- Hornshy. Mr. Masscy said Cabinet was now considering an amendment of the Widows' Pensions Aot. The Bill would be introduced this session. , Ho also mentioned that an amendment of the Miners/ Phthisis Act was being introduced and would be in charge of the Minister of Public Works. Replying to Mr Luke, Mr. Massey said the difficulty in the way of the supply of oil fuel in the Dominion was the absence of reservoirs. It was a question who should erect these reservoirs, but he thought the proper body was tho Harbor Boards. Replying to Mr. Isitt, Mr. Mas«y said he did not wish to criticise a magistrate, but he was inclined to think that a fine of £lO imposed for assntilt on a Wellington policeman was altogether inadequate under the circurabut he did not quite see what he could do in the matter. Replying to Mr. Poland, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie said there were 3000 acres of the HaUraki Plains land ready for selection hy soldier*, and the area would be opened up with as little delay as possible. Next year another 3000 acres | would be ready, and in the following year 6000 acres. I Replying to Dr. Thacker, Mr. Masaey said Cabinet had been considering the question of assisting mothers of New Zealand soldiers huried in Prance to visit the graves of their sons, but tho problem was so big that tho Government had not been able to come to any conclusion, nor did he think they would be able to do so before the end of the year. Replying to Mr. Jennings, Mr. Masscy said the Imperial Government had steadily set its face against the pro. posal that the remains of Now Zealand r.oldiers buried on Gallipoli or in France should be removed to New Zealand. The Imperial authorities considered it would result in endlcßs confusion. In reply to Mr. Poland, Sir William Fraser said the Mines Statement was ready and would be tabled in the next few days. The Marriage Amendment Bill was, on the motion of the Hon. .1. B. Hine, introduced and read a Ant time.

MAORI WAR MEDALS. Discussing the report of the Petitions Committee, which recommended' the prayer of a petitioner for the M&uri War medal to the favorable consideration of the Government, Sir. Massey said the question of granting Maori War medals had ibeen considered many times and claimants had every opportunity of establishing their claims. Those who had done so were entitled to the modal and a small pension. Now the claim was taking a new form, namely, that those who took part, in the Maori War, but who had not been under fire, should receive the modal without pension. Personally, lie sympathised with the idea, but the matter did not rest with the New Zealand Government. It was an Imperial Government affair. He had no doubt that if the Government made a recommendation it would be acceded to. The recommendation of the Committee would come beforo the Government for consideration, and then Cabinet would consider what course should be adopted. The Native Affairs Committee recommended that the Native Townships Bill be allowed to proceed with amendments. . , THE EDUCATION BILL. j The Hon. D. H. Guthrie moved that the House go into committee on the Education Amendment Bill which had been read a second time pro forma. In doing so lie explained that the measure proposed to re-adjust the subsidies to Boardß and School Committees, and was generally an attempt to fix capitation on such a basis as would enable every Board to carry on its duties on more equitable liues. Other amendments proposed were more or less of a machinery nature. The Hon. J. A. Hanan said ho thought the Bill proceeded on the right lines, though it did not go far enough. He recognised the difficulties of the Government, but he hoped that next session a more comprehensive measure would be brought down, completing the course of reforms now begun. Clause 3, dealing with subsidies to Boards, probably would be one that would meet with most opposition, and as a way out ho auggested the proposed subsidy be

■ ' V V Increased from '£7 so to £IOOO. W•■ regretted there -was no provision ftp ■, improving the mode of electing EdtM-. tion Boards, and that It was not pw poseij to embrace kindergarten school*. within the education system. Mr. Malcolm said the Bill was only a "stop gap" measure, and only pay,, ported to give reforms that could no longer be delayed. Mr. Sidey aaid he could not, under the circumstances, advocate general rtforms, but he hoped something toon ' would be done to improve the financial position of School Committees. Mr. Parr said tho whole education system required revision, and he hoped it would be a matter of the immediate concern on the part of the Minister of Education in the next Parliament. Mr. Hornsby said some of the school buildings in the Wairaropa were a disgrace to tho Dominion. Some of then lacked the common decencies of life,.

THE EVENING SESSION. The House resumed at 7.30 pat. Mr. Witty complained that flehoel Committees were being starved while Education Boards were living In luxwy.' He objected to Clause b. Mr. Sample pleaded for further consideration for children who were toned to go out to work prior to going to school. Mr. Wilkinson endorsed those remarks. Education Boards, he contended, should be authorised to make payments out of unauthorised expenditure. At present they had no such power. Mr. Wilford contended that if the red tape of the Education Baud had\ been used in the wire entanglement! of \ the Western front the Germans woold Dover have got through. Dr. Newman held that the Bill was a very shabby little thing. The edoeation system needed some life and ttgor put into it. Mr. Poole contended that there vu no better investment for the GovWnment than in scliool funds. To-day schools were absolutely starved so fftf . as funds were concerned. Mr. Isitt said he was dead against centralisation. He hoped the increased cost of living would be considered by the authorities, Mr S. G. Smith (Taranaki), pleaded for more money for School Committees, snd said he was against centralisation which had Ibeen advocated. Mr. Jennings urged uniformity of school books throughout the oountry. Mr. Wright asked for regularity in the system of election of Sohool Own. mittees. He contended that often people went to meetings from all over the place and voted when they were not entitled to do so. Mr. Walker spoke against children having to work before going to scliool He also held teachers' salaries should be Increased. ', . ■ After the supper adjournment the de-. bate was carreid on on similar lima by Sir James Carroll and Messrs E, Newman, Hall, P. Fraser, Sykes, Talbot, W H. Field. T.uk-e and T. W. Rhodes. The. debstc went on till 11.45 pjn., when the Minister replied. He laid the rcsl reason for introducing the Bill was that there were no other meant by which the Government ciuld distribute the amount of £200,000 provided for additions to teachers' salaries. Much of the disoussion had been foreign to the Bill, but the views expressed would bo useful to the Government when they came to draft a more comprehensive measure, which must follow as soon at Parliament, could deal with it He.defended Clause 3 on the ground that there had been inpnrwlity in the allocation of funds to various boards, large boards having more money than they required and smaller bn.;rds not enough. FTc enumerated the votes provided for building and other purposes and claimed the efforts of the Government in.the service of education was not wanting in cnthusinsni or in a desire to do the right thing. He could not make any definite promise that the grant to boards and committees of £750 provided in Clause 3 would be raised, but he would recommend the Minister of Education that it be raised to £IOOO. So far as there was any opposition to the Bill it arose, he thought, from a misconception of the purpose of the Bill.;'. The House then went into committee on the Bill, and the clauses of the Bill were passed unamended. The Hon. J. A. Hanan moved a new clause, which provided that anyone who employs a child under 14 years of age for gain except under a permit from tin Minister of Education shall be liable to a fine of £fl.

' The Minister asked Mr Hanan to bold I the clause over till he was able to consult the Minister of Education. Mr Massey made a similar suggel» tion, promising to have a fall inquiry , into the matter before the Surpassed. The question as to how permit* weft to be obtained in count-y district* would be considered. Several menrbrro, urged that the pNk | poßal was being sprung upon the 8ou*» | and said more time was required ttr consider iti details. Mr McCnllum thought it should (o , before the Labor Bills Committee, , . After a discusm'oa had proceeded f* some time favorable to the principle <rt ■• the clause, but hostile to its detail!/' Mr. Massey raised a poinT o* order, "tittt!. the clause'proposed by Mr. Hanan ire*:foreign to the Bill, 'being a que«Uo» of child labor and not one of education, Mr. Hanan contended a similar clause ; was embodied in the Victorian and, Bcott.ish Education Acts. The chairman ruled against the el*us», as boine foreign to the Bill. Mr. Hanan moved that the Sutlnj ot,'.' the Speaker be taken on the point. ' This was agreed to, and on th»\ Speaker taking the chair, he upheld thav, ruling of the Chairman of Committee, The schedules of the Bill were passed! unamended, and the Bill was read »»; third time and passed. ; • The House rose at 1.84 a.i 6. * ■