PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S SITTING.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Council agreed to the change in b‘he date of the coming into effect of the Insurance Companies Deposits Bill, as proposed by Governor’s message. Managers were appointed to attend a conference with managers from the House relating to the disagreement on the amendments made by the Council in the Shops and Offices Bill. The Housing Amendment Bill was received from the House, read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Council adjourned at 2.41 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DELAY ’IN UNLOADING BUTTER. Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr. 0. Hawken (Egmont) the Hon. W. Nosworthy said a cable had been sent to the High Commissioner asking him to inquire into the reported delay in the unloading of butter at the Port of London. A reply was expected in a few days, when a statement would be made on the subject.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. The Workers’ Compensation Amendment Bill, promoted early in the session by Mr. Howard, was brought before the House by the Labor Bills Committee, which recommended that the Bill should be given consideration when the proposed consolidating measure was proceeded with next session. Sir John Luke, chairman of the committee, said the committee was prepared to deal with the Bill in the usual way, but it received an assurance from the Minister for Labor that he proposed. to bring down the consolidating measure next session, when the points raised in Mr. Howard’s Bill would be considered. . Mr. Howard explained his Bill m detail, and said the principal clause was that abolishing the law of common employment. He claimed that in this he had the support of Sir John Salnaond. .who spoke of the system as pernicious and one which should be wiped out. Mr. Howard urged that the opposition to the proposal to abolish the law of common employment was owing to the rear that the insurance companies would not accept the risks, and not because it was honestly believed the principle was wrong. The report of the committee was tabled.

PROTECTION FROM LEAD

POISONING.

The Labor Bills Committee recommended that the Painters’ and Decorators’ Health Protection Bill should be brought up next session. Sir John Luke said this course was suggested because of the pressure of time.' He thought the Bill would get a good run next session. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) contended that an excellent non-poisonous substitute for white lead in paint had been found, and that steps should be taken to prohibit the use of white lean in paint, as it was a menace to the health, not only of painters, but to the occupants of houses in which it was used as paint. Air. Howard supported the contentions of Mr. Veitch and gave a large number of details as to the effect of lead poisoning. The report of the committee was ordered to lie on the table. THE UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM. On behalf of the Labor Bills Committee Sir John Luke said the committee had come to the conclusion that the Unemployed Workers Bill was to some extent an appropriation Bill, and should be redrafted before it could be considered by the House. It introduced a new political principle in New Zealand, namely the payment of the unemployed, and would require a good deal of careful consideration. Mr. P. Fraser, who introduced tne Bill, said the Bill was based on that introduced by the Queensland Labor Government, but he recognised that the conclusion of the committee that the Bill was an appropriation Bill was just. At the same time, the House should not adjourn until some provision was made to cope with the unemployed problem. Personally, he dreaded, facing another winter with unemployment as rampant as it was last year. The payment of unemployed, though new to New Zealand, was not the most important feature of the Bill, the fundamental principle of which was the right to work ; The report was ordered to lie on the table. The remainder of the sitting was taken up with the discussion of reports on, petitions considered by the Public Petitions Committees, and the House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.

ENING SITTIN

AMENDED BILLS. The House resumed at 7.30. The amendments made by the Leg is_ lative Council in the Shops and Offices Bill were agreed to. x. t • The amendments made by the Degislative Council in the Land Agents Bill were considered. The Hon. W. J • Stewart suggested that the House should disagree with the amendments' prohibiting land agents from acting also as land brokers, and prohibiting solicitors acting as land agents. i" lfi course was followed. HARBOR BOARDS BILL. The Hon. Sir W. H. Berries moved the second reading of the Harbors Amendment Bill, empowering boards to provide dining anti other accommodation for waterside workers, also to regulate traffic on the foreshores, and to enable useless mudflats to be utilised. Mr. Wilford objected to power being given to grant the freehold to persons taking up mudflat land, some of which, when reclaimed, would be very valuT W. Rhodes (Thames) agreed that all the waste mudflats "hould be put to good use, but reclamation should be done bv the Government. It leases were granted to private persons, however, they should be for terms long enough to enable the lessees to bring land into profitable condition. Hon. J. G. Coates pointed out.

the Bill applied particularly to the foreshore of Hokianga and adjoining inlets. Lessees could not be expected to go to the expense of reclamation unless they could some day get the freehold. Mr. Wilford said he did not object to the freehold being granted, but wanted the terms defined on which the freehold would be obtainable.

Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) did not like handing over these lands to private enterprise, which would hold on for speculation purposes.- The reclamation should be done by the Government, which was the only body able to undertake the work on a scale necessary to produce profitable results. Mr. V. H. Reed (Bay of Islands) said the Bill would be a great boon to his district, where there were very long tidal river foreshores (300 miles in one river alone) which were valueless until reclaimed.

Mr. H. Atmore (Nelson) urged that the harbor boards should have power to grant extended leases of mudflat lands so that they might be brought into profitable occupation. Mr. J. M. Dickson (Chalmers) supported this suggestion. Mr. S G. Smith (Taranaki) advocated that harbor boards should be given the same power as municipal authorities to buy back their own bonds. The Minister replied this was a matter of great difficulty, as each harbor board loan was authorised by separate legislation. The whole question would be reviewed in a comprehensive Harbors Bill to be introduced next session. Referring to the criticism of clause four, the Minister said the proposal was not new. It was only proposed to grant leases of land between high and low water marks. The Minister of Marine always had power to give leases of these lands for twenty-one years, but this term was not long enough, and greater encouragement must be given to possible lessees, especially where, as in North Auckland, these are chiefly email fanners.

LOAN COMPANIES BILL.' Tlie Loan Companies Bill (Hon. E. P. Lee) was read a second time. Hon. D. H. Guthrie moved the second reading of the Government Railways Bill dealing with classification and the scale of wages (at hourly instead of daily rate) in the second division, and other administrative matters. It proposed a penalty of £lO for breaches of regulations by motor cars at level crossings. This was prompted by reason of the number of accidents recently at such crossings. Clause ten enabled local bodies to contribute to the construction and maintenance, of a bridge or subway to obviate the dangers of a level crossing. . Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) said he would move in committee an amendment to the clause covering agreements as to hours of work, so that in any new arrangements nothing should be done to increase the hours of work. This was necessary in the interests of both ~the staff and public safety. He urged that an improvement in railway facilities at the chief centres should be undertaken without delay, thereby adding to the productive possibilities of railways, and providing work for a large number of unemployed. Mr. Holland urged an improvement in the. accommodation on trains and the abolition of the second-class. He accused. the Government of neglecting the country’s own sources of coal supply by not providing proper housing for the miners. If this was done the New Zealand mines would produce all the coal required, and there would be no need to go outside for supplies which were frequently of inferior quality. The Minister, in the course of his reply, combated the argument of Mr. Holland with regard to the importation of foreign coal, contending that for ’the past twenty-five years w*e had been importing coal for the railways. New Zealand had spent many thousands of pounds on. foreign coal, which ought to have been spent in the Dominion, but this had been made compulsory because the coal miners of New Zealand had been weak enough to listen to the ad; vice of the extreme leaders. The Bill was read a second time and referred to the railways committee. OTHER BILLS. ) The Hon. E. P. Lee moved,the second reading of the Companies Temporary Empowering Bill, also of the Arnw Amendment. Bill, which were agreed tn

without debate. The former Bill enables companies, with the consent of the depositors, to issue preference shares against deposits held by the company, and the latter extended to other persona the privilege of holding certain arms, which at present is only enjoyed by returned soldiers. MEASURES PASSED. The House went into committee and passed the Harbors Amendment Bill, Loan Companies Bill, Companies Temporary Empowering Bill, and the Arms Amendment Bill. AH these Bills were then read a third time and passed. DENTISTS BILL. The Dentists Amendment Bill was then taken in committee. On the suggestion of Mr. Wilford, the Hon. C. J. Parr agreed that the total dental experience to qualify be reduced from five years to four, and in that form the Bill was" read a third time and passed. RELIEF FOR LANDHOLDERS. The Land Laws Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor’s message, read a first time and referred to the Lands Committee. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie said the Bill was intended to give effect to the recommendations of the High Lands Commission, which reported with regard to high lands in the South Island, and to o-ive some relief to pastoralists and lessees of education endowments during the present slump. HOSPITALS BILL. The Hospital and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill was taken in committee. Mr. Hanan said that a Bill of such a contentious nature should not be brought on at such a late hour. It was not fair to members who had had a strenuous day. It simply meant that a Bill that should be carefully considered would be rushed through. He specially objected to the clauses dealing with private hospitals. These claused should be held over to enable the British Medical Association to meet and express an opinion on them. The Minister said he had no intention of forcing these clauses through. At the same time they were the result of careful thought by his department, the officers of which thought that in the interests of the public private hospitals should be subject to closer inspection. He asked the House to pass these clauses, and when they went to the Legislative Council the

Medical Association would have an opportunity of (stating their objections before a committee of that body. Mr. A. D. McLeod (Wairarapa) objected to clauses seven and eight, which provided for an immediate levy against local bodiee, when it was well known that these bodies had not collected rates, and that, owing to the large number of soldier settlers, at least twenty-five per cent, of the rates cannot be collected.

The Minister said he proposed to modify that portion of the Bill. Members continued to urge objections to the Bill and at 12.25 Mt. Veitch moved to report progress, which was defeated by 31 votes to 17. The Premier asked the committee to pass the first clause, and then he would agree to report progress. Mr. Hanan said that if the Minister would hold over the objectionable clauses he would not offer any further opposition. The Premier said the Minister had agreed to do so.

Mr. Hanan said that under these cir cumstances he was satisfied.

Mr. McCombs said he congratulated the Minister on bringing down such a Bill. There was great need for better supervision over private hospitals which, in some cases, were deplorable. Di. Newman supported the Bill as a whole, and hoped it would pass. He, however, objected to the withdrawing of subsidies from certain institutions.

Mr. H. Atmore objected to the “snuffing out” of St. Andrew’s orphanage at Nelson, which had done such excellent work for the past 50 years. The ’Minister said, with regard to subsidies, the trouble was that if) money were given to one institution it should he given to all. They, therefore, proposed to withdraw these subsidies and change the system of meeting such

After further discussion and opposition to the Bill, the Premier promised' that the measure should be again considered by Cabinet, which meant, he said, the session must go on next week. This, however, did not relax the opposition, which was still proceeding. (Left Sitting).