GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2099, 16 September 1890, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. On Friday, SUPREME COURT JUDGE,

The report of the Select Committee was read to the effect that there was an urgent necessity for the appointment of an extra Supreme Court Judge. Sir George Whitmore gave notice to move that the report be referred back to the Committee for reconsideration. The Council rose at 9.80 p.m.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVE?. On Friday, THE NATHS' LAND LAWS AMENDMENT BILL. On the motion for the third reading Sir George Grey said he considered it his duty to oppose at every stage so monstrous a Bill, which for years to come would ruin the prospects of every laborer in the colony. He moved an amendment “That council be heard at the bar of the House against this measure.” Lost on the voices. The Bill was read a third time and passed. the federation debate. Mr Perceval resumed the debate on the federation resolutions. Mr Seddon moved an amendment that Captain Russell and Sir George Grey represent the colony at the Conference.

Captain Bussell said that he had consulted Sir George Grey on two or three occasions and he had distinctly refused to act as a delegate. Mr Seddon said that Sir George Grey had informed him that he was willing to represent the colony at the convention if he were appointed by the House.

Eventually Mr Seddon’s amend ment was carried by 30 to 25.

THE CHEISTCHtJECH EAILWAY EMPLOYES CASE.

Mr Beeves then moved the adjournment of the Federation debate so that he might refer to this matter. The conduct of the Government, he said, in endeavouring to stifle debate on this question was not creditable to them. It was a great mistake to attempt to gag the people who wished to act in a proper and guarded manner

and it was surely not right to prevent 1 discussion by the people’s representative in the House. No body regretted more than he did the unfortunate differences that existed between the.. Commissioners and their men. He thought that the Commissioners had sufficiently vindicated their authority in this matter. There was no occasion for Mr Maxwell making such an unreasonable demand on the: men —a demand which they could not possibly comply with. [An hon. member: Why say Mr Maxwell.] Mr Reeves said because Mr Maxwell rules the other two Commissioners. If the railway unionists harboured any such thought as to have it out with Mr Maxwell some day it would be a most unfortunate thing for the colony. The railway seivahts who had been dismissed had done what they had from feelings ef loyalty to their union, and there was no occasion for such harshness used against them by the Commissioners.

Sir George Grey also condemned the stifling of debate on this subject. He hoped that m the present case the Railway Commissioners would do their utmost to attach their servants to them and deal leniently with them in what they had done, so as to promote a lasting benefit to that great organisation, Mr Fisher said that it was well known that the Commissioners were determined to involve their men in a general strike if it were at all possible to do so, and to that end they had goaded them on and irritated them in every way. Mr Marchant warmly defended the action of the Commissioners.

Mr Moss took up a stand in defence of the dismissed men. Mr Ballance said that there was no doubt that the railway men were convinced that the Eailway Commissioners were trying to crush the unions, and that was what was underlying the whole thing. The four men dismissed at Christchurch had been dealt with in a most arbitrary manner, and they would find no analogy for the way they had been treated. There should in his opinion be some tribunal for these men to appeal to, for in the present case, although they were to convince every member of the House, there was no remedy and no redress. The best way of settling the difficulty in his opinion was by arbitration, which he believed the men perfectly willing to accept, and he hoped that next session the first Act to be passed should be one to establish boards of conciliation for settling differences between employers and employes. Sir John Hall contended that members of the House were not justified in alleging that the Eailway Commissioners wanted to precipitate a strike, and when Mr Ballance asserted that he had authority for the statement that the Commissioners wished to involve the men in a strike, he should in all justice have given his authority for such a serious charge. Mr Withy said if he had been in the place of the Commissioners he should have given the men who were dismissed a good deal more notice, in order to enable them to consider the position they were placing themselves in. No doubt the Commissioners had much provocation, owing first to the dispute at Westport, but he was sure if the men bad been allowed more time to consult their fellow employes the result might have been more different. After referring to the origin of the London dock strike, he said he was an employer of labor for tan years. He thoroughly believed in XJnions and they could not help admiring the loyalty displayed by the Unionists towards each other, but he was afraid that in this colony that loyalty had not been directed in the beat way. He looked upon the boycott as distinctly illegitimate, as the law imposed upon every carrier the necessity of carrying goods so long as they were properly packed. His opinion was that the method adopted by the Unionists at present was not a wise one, as if any ship or train in the colony had been stopped that would not advance the cause of Unionism in the least. On the contrary, it would seriously injure it. He wished to make a few suggestions to Unionists. One was, that the charges for admission to their Unions was too high. Another, that they should in every way put down threats of intimidation to free labor, and they should also discontinue the use of the very offensive term “blackleg,” as applied to non-Uoionists. If they were to act in the manner he had suggested it would enormously increase their numbers, and they should certainly reduce their charge of admission to Unions.

Mr Buxton had a very high opinion of Unions, and he said the reason why the railway men had formed a Union was because of a system of insurance that was sought to be forced on them. The mistake they had made, however, was in joining the Maritime Council. As to the dismissal of the Christchurch men, he thought the Commissioners had acted in a very arbitrary manner towards them, and they should have had at least twenty-four hours’ notice to consider their position.

After some further discussion the matter dropped. On Saturday, COAL LEASES EOYALTT BILL.

Mr Fergus moved the second reading of the Coal Leases Royalty Bill, to enable a reduction tu be made in the royalties to the Crown under certain leases of coal mines situated m the Grey Valley. Several members objected to a Bill of such an important character being

brought down in the dying hours of the session. i Ultimately the debate was adjourned ! by 30 to 28. THE OCEAN MAIL SERVICES; Mr Mitchelson in moving the resolutions relating to the Ocean Mail Services said that the reduction proposed would doubtless be largely appreciated by the people of the colony, as all letters could now be sent to any part of the world for except by way of Brindisi. The Government desired to reduce the postal rate to one penny, but this could not be done without entailing heavy. loss on the colony. He contended that, the colony would greatly benefit by the arrangements made for continuing both the direct and Pan .Francisco services, and the House and the colony were to be congratulated on securing what at one time looked like an impossibility. Mr Ballance said the arrangements reflected great credit on the Government. Mr Fulton moyed a further amendment that after “Auckland” the words “or Wellington at the option of the contractors,” be added. The amendment was carried by 38 to 31.

The resolutions as a whole were then reported to the House, and agreed to. THE IBIMAGE DUTY. Mr Mitchelson moved the second reading of the Property Tax Bill to authorise the imposition ef the property tax of Id in the £ for the ceming year. The motion was agreed to, and the Bill was then then committed. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m.

The Property Tax Bill was read a third time and passed by 42 to 21. COMMITTEE OP SUPPLY. The House went into Committee of Supply for the consideration of the Supplementary Estimates.