PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8489, 18 July 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

(Abridged from Press Association Report.)

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

WELLINGTON, July 17. The Legislative Council met at" 2.30 o'clock. The Hon. H. Scotland (Taranaki> moved that members of the Legislative Council ought to receive thesame rate of pay as members of the other Chamber. The Hon. 0. Samuel (Taranaki)' expressed regret that the motion had, been brought forward. To prevent the motion from being put he would, move the previous question. This being acquiesced in the discussion was killed. The Hon. W. Beehan (Auckland), resumed the debate on the Address-in-Reply. He suggested that the: prisoners at the tree planting station should be employed in wheat growing. The Attorney-General said the debate had not been surpassed for some • years. On the labour question he emphasised the point that the rights of an individual had to rank second tothose of the community and the:State. No employer should be allowed to engage help at a rate that would destroy the moral well-being of workers. Mr Rigg had said that hecould not suggest means for enforcing awards, but in his opinion there was a way which he believed would< be accepted when the time came to state it. If it was absolutely necessary to enforce obedience, even by imprisonment it should be done. There should be some distinction between a living wage for single and married men, and though he admitted the complicity of the question he thought it would yet be done. The labourlegislation of this country had done more to quicken the humanitarian, instincts of its inhabitants than anything else. They did not want to raise class distinction, but to work out a scheme that would be for the benefit of the great mass of people. The Council adjourned at 4.58 o'clock.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 o'clock. QUESTIONS. In reply to questions Ministers said:—That it is quite impossible to supply a satisfactory meal in the dining cars on trains under 2s, and the charge for light refeshments cannot be reduced; a Bill to amend the Fire Brigades' Act will shortly be introduced; it is intended to submit this session amended legislation relating to the friendly societies; the proposal to give a small capitation grant to Sunday Schools of all denominations, allotted according to attendance, cannot be entertained; firewood cannot be carried on the railways at a cheaper rate than the present; th 3 Government will not introduce a Bill for .a referendum vote on the question of the abolition of the totalisator; legislation on gambling generally will be submitted to Parliament where the matter can be tested; provision is made in a Bill now in prepaid ion to enable holders of land under the Mining Act tomorrow money for the purpose of erecting residences; the Government will consider the desirability of amending the law so as to provide that persons trading as companies should be compelled to register the names of partners in the same way as companies with a list of shareholders and members; if possible a trial will be made next season in one county of taking the actual threshing machine tallies, with a view to ascertaining whether that would be a better method of taking the grain statistics than the present system. The House adjourned at 5.30 o'clock. The House resumed at 7.30 o'clock. QUACKERY PREVENTION BILL. Mr J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa) moved the second reading of the Quackery Prevention Bill, which he explained was similar to the Bill of last session. He congratulated the Government on its action, which had the effect of checking the evil through the Post Office. The Bill would not effect any honest manufacturer. The second reading was agreed to without debate. PUBLIC AND BANK HOLIDAYS BILL. Mr C. E. Major (Hawera) moved the second reading of the Public and Bank Holidays Bill, which he briefly explained provided that whenever any holiday pursuant to the Act would fall on any other day than Monday the.following Monday should be observed as the holiday. The Act would apply to the King's Birthday, Prince of Wales' Birthday, Anniversary. Days of Provinces, St. Patrick's, St. Georges' and St. Andrew's Days, and Empire Day. The second reading w T as agreed to, FARRIER'S BILL. Mr Major moved the second reading of the Farrier's Bill. It provided for the examination and registration of farriers so as to give a guarantee of their fitness for the performance of their work. The second reading was agreed to. NOXIOUS WEEDS BILL. The Noxious Weeds Bill was committed. On the first clause Mr C. M. Gray moved to report progress, and after a long discussion the motion was lost. Mr T. M. Wilford moved to limit the operation of the Act to the provincial district of Nelson. The Chairman ruled the amendment out of order. Mr Wilford moved to report progress in order that the Speaker's ruling might be taken on the Chairman's ruling. On a division the motion was carried by 35 votes to 21. The Speaker then took the chair, and ruled that the Chairman's ruling was incorrect. It was quite in order to move to limit the operation of the Act. The committee resumed, and Mr Wilford's amendment was put and carried by 31 to 27.