POLITICAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8524, 31 August 1907, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(From Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 30. THE TARIFF. After much tribulation the new tariff has been embodied in a Bill, and the Bill has got into its committee stage, where it will remain for an indefinite period. When the amended imposts were first brought down by resolution the general impression was that there was little to complain of respecting them, and the same opinion holds good to-day. Therehave been certain readjustments to meet legitimate objections, and there are still certain items which are likely to prove contentious; but it is improbable that any serious amendment will bs made in the proposals now before the Committee of +he House. The principal controversies will arise from the tariff impositions on fruit, boots, and flour, though there are many other controversial points. In regard to all these questions, the House is naturally divided because in the practical poliitcs of to-day Parliamentarians have not yet reached the stage of sacrificing the local to the general. The cultivator of hot-house grapes, for instance, demands protection against the importer of grapes grown in a state of nature, because he has gone to a certain amount of expense in erecting hot-houses. His Parliamentary representative, of course, feels it incumbent upon him to shut his eyes to all other considerations, and he goes "nap" on the hot-house grape. The city representative, on the other hand, thinks, with his constituents, that the masses should have grapes that are much less expensive than those grown in hothouses, and therefore he urges that the duty on the imported berries, if not abolished, should at least be reduced to the minimum consistent with I revenue production requirements. The same remarks apply to the question of fruit supplies. In the matter of boots the Parliamentary representative, who has a majority of supporters amongst the wearers, apart from f he manufacturers and employees of manufac turers, wants the inferior classes of boots at least admitted free, whilst those representing the powerful influence of the manufacturer demand a practically prohibitive duty. In the matter of flour, it '*s the same. The "ring" objects to the duty being taken off of imported flour, hypocritically asserting that it would in the end place the "other fellows" from beyond the seas in a position to increase the price. The advocate of the cause of the people generally believes that the removal of the duty on flour would be beneficial to the multitude. The matter is eventually determined not by honesty of conviction, but by preponderance of influence—usually inimical to the people —an influence which would be minimised materially were it not capable of endangering a position valued at £3OO a year and perquisites in the way of free railway passss and other trifles which under present conditions are perfectly legitimate. So the game of pro and con goes on all through the piece—the selfishiy influential pitted against the utilitarian. "THE DEAD HAND DOES NOT RULE."

What the late Mr Seddon would or would not have done in any particular circumstance apparently has no effect upon the action of present Ministers —at any rate so far as the tariff is concerned. When dealing with the machinery section of the tariff, on Wednesday night, several mining representatives grumbled at the impost upon certain mining machinery, and one member averred that Mr Seddon, were he alive, would never have done what was now proposed to be done. Mr Millar, Minister of Customs, there- j upon dispelled any notion that the possible wis'.ies of the late Premier \ influenced his actions. He declared that "the dead hand does not rule," I adding, "It is quite beyond the question what Mr Seddon would or would not have done; I am responsible for my actions here." This declaration j evoked manifestations of approbation. It is open to question whether uris principle has been acted upon from tlie outset of the present Ministerial regime, but "better lat3 than never!" MOTOR WAGGONS. In the House, on Thursday, Mr Davey gave notice to move that motor waggons be admitted free of duty. This was originally one of the Government's proposals, but last night the Committee of Ways and Means decided to impose a duty of 20 per cent, on motor cars and buses. AN IMPORTANT LABOUR BILL. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill was circulated on Thursday, and provides food for much discussion. It practically abolishes Conciliation Boards, and establishes Industrial Councils. After the coming into operation of the Act, in January next, no industrial dispute is to be referred to the Conciliation Board, but to the Industrial Council, which is empowered to make awards. Any awa v d so made is to have effect within the industrial district within which the Council has jurisdiction or such portions of the district as it determines. Any party to an industrial dispute may muke application to the Clerk of Awards to establish an Industrial Council for the settlement of that dispute and the award is to be made within one month of the appointment of the Council, and thereafter that body ceases to exist. An award of the Council is to have the same effect as an award of the Arbitration Court. Right of appeal to the Arbitration Court within one month is provided for subject to resolution of the Union or Association concerned. Where the Arbitration Court is satisfied that an industrial agreement, whether made before or after the coming into operation of the Act, is binding on employers, who employ a majority of the workers in a particular industry in a district, it is made permissive for the Court, on application of any person bound by the award, to extend the operations of the agreement to all employers who are then or may be in the future engaged in the industry in the district. In the matter of dealing with breaches of an award.

Magistrate's are given power to impose a fine upon an employer up to £IOO and on an employee up to £lO, the fine to be payable, in the Magistrate's discretion, to the Crown or to the person on whose application the fine was imposed. The fine is recoverable as in the case of an ordinary suit for money. Imprisonment apart from the process of an ordinary debt is not provided for. Where an industrial union is concerned, if the fine is not paid within one month, all the members arejointly and severally liable for the amount up to a limit of £lO each, and where an employee does net pay his fine his employer may de duct 25 percent, of* his wages until the total amount is paid. This provision applies to past as well" as future breaches of an award, and also to cases in which persons have been fined for taking part in a strike or lock-out. Without a specific resolution of members no union may make application for the enforcement of an award or agreement. The term "worker" has been extended to apply to any person of either sex who is employed by an, employer. Unionism is practically made compulsory by a provision which enables the secretary of unions: to demand union contributions from employers or workers, as the case may £be, interested in an industryconcerning which a union exists, though they are not members of the union.