PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4232, 25 July 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wellington, Yesterday. GOVEBUMENT WAGES.

Major Atkinson moved that the House go into Committee of Supply. Mr Smith moved, as an amendment, " That as the 10 per cent reduction, made for the purpose of temporary retrenchment on the salaries of civil^perrants, had been^ restored,?in thei opinion of this Hdnse the same advantage be extended to platelayers and all other wages men employed by Government on railways and .other public works of New Zealand, they having received similar reduction on their wages, and which in their case has not yet been restored." He said his motion only referred to men employed by the General Government. He did not. think that the extra rise would tend to raise wages throughout the colony, and if it did he could not see what harm would come.

Mr Shepherd.seconded the amendment

Mr Johnston thought tlmt a prima facie case had not been made;out in regard to the recommendation of Mr Smith. He thought Uiat if the House did not think the Government were treating their servants properly a severe vote of censure should be brought down. He hoped, on these grounds, that the House would respect the amendment.

Mr Duncan supported the amendment. Mr Weßton said he believed Mr Johnston realised the true position of affairs, but had not the manliness to acknowledge

Sir J. Hall said a short time ago one uniform scale, of wages bad been made/ and in nearly all cases railway employes' wages Were raised annually. He said they were getting now as much as in 1879, which he considered a fair rate, and he thought the amendment was a premature one, and did not think Mr Smith was advancing his cause by pushing -it. Sir Geo. Grey thought if a time of prosperity had come these men should receive some compensation. He referred to the heavy taxation imposed, and to the poor of the country was a sore burden. He thought Government talked nonsense in taking the amendment as a vote of censure. There was a case of plain justice before the House, which. ought to be inquired, into. He hoped members would not be led astray by speeches from the Government benches.

Mr Macandrew supported the amendment, and challenged the statement of Mr Johnston that the departmental expenditure had been reduced since Sir G. Grey's Government.

Major Atkinson promised to show, by figures to»morrow, that the statement was correct. In reference to the amendment, he considered it a very severe censure on the Government. The amendment had his sympathy. He believed in paying good wages, but did not believe in Government being dictated to.

Mr Montgomery was surprised that Government should take the stand they had. He supported the amendment.

Mr Fish said so far as the working men .were concerned they never need think of getting redress from Government, which he said were a "hood-cloth" one. He appealed to the. Opposition to hoi i together and put in a better Government.

Mr J. E. Brown looked upou the amendment as unconstitutional and opposed it. ■■'..■'■•

Mr Green supported the amendment

■-.•;.. This day. Messrs Ivess, Joyce, Levestam, and Holmes supported the amendment.

Mr Sutton understood the Government intended to raise the wages, and it should be left to them.

Mr Hursthouse thought the men entitled to an increase, but as the question had been made a party one he advised Mr Smith to withdraw the amendment.

Mr Fergussiipported the Government, and thought men in Gbverment employ quite as well paid as those outside it. < Mr Bryca concurred in this -view, and defended the action of Government.

Mr Wright would have supported the amendment at all risks, unless .convinced Government would Ho justice to the men. Messrs Sheaban, Bracken, Hutchison, Harris, and Barron supported the amendment, and condemned the course taken by the Government

Mr Buchanan was driven to support the Government, because ha could find no other leaders in the House. He sympathised with Mr Smith's object, but could not support such interference with Executive duties.

Messrs W. White and Shrimski urged

the withdrawal of the amendment, as the question had been made a party one. Messrs Allwright and Trimble supported^ the Government. - s _ - Mr/Weston said when the Government had-an opportunity of testing its strength ' with the it had noi done so. He could?hot submit to the action of the Government and had deported it, and was prompted to say so. The House was held up to contempt and ridicule by all the newspapers of the Colony, and the , Government was responsible for this, and 1 the sooner a vote of no confidence was proposed and carried and new men placed on the Government Benches the Better.

Mr Whitaker condemned the action of the Opposition.

Mr Hurst begged the Government to allow the question to go on the voices. Mr Thomson (Clutha) said Government were responsible for the disorganisation of House, and the delay in business and the waste of time. ; ' .;',: v ;*- , '

Captain Morris said the Government side wished a no-confidence motion to be brought on and decided one way or the other, and the business gone on with. As to the wages of the railway employees there were plenty of applicants, and he did not see why the pay should be increased unless Government wished to do so.

Mr Hobbs said the delay in business was caused by the disorganised state of the Opposition. - , /

Messrs Levestam and Holmes spoke against the Government.

Mr Smith said he did not look on the question as a party question; he only desired a public expression from the Minister ot Public Works. He had carefully avoided making this a party question. He had the interest of the poor working men at hearty whom he knew were not receiving pay sufficient to support their families. He believed the debate had done good in getting an expression of opinion from members that these men had a grievance. He thanked members for the good-natured manner in which they had debated the question. : Mr Bryce said in asking leave to withdraw his amendment Mr Smith coupled it with the condition that it should be given practical effect to by the Government. He took it if a division was taken on this proposal all the Opposition mem 7 bers should have voted for if; and been beateu.

Mr Montgomery said all the Opposition members would not vote for it.

The motion that the debate be adjourned was negatived on the voices, and the original motion to go into Smpply was carried on the voices.

In Committee, a motioa to r ; eport progress was made. The Committee divided—ayes; 19; noes; 42; The motion for reporting progress was, therefore, lost.-: " ■;.' "■- • . ... ■ .'■>"' V' • ■ ''■ ' ' "" ) THE ESTIMATES. The Estimates were then considered. Class 2: Colonial Secretary,*£24,Bßo. Mr Duncan moved that the item £15,000 for the expenses of working the Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep, and Fraud Act, and contingencies, be re.duced by £12,000. • Mr Feldwick proposed that the item £2,400, for six Chief Inspectors, be reduced by £200. Ayes, 13; noes, 27. The motion to reduce .th* items was lost.

Progress was reported, and the House adjourned at 7-20 a.m.; ■■ ' •.