PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3010, 6 October 1908, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(By Telegraph—Aridged Prom Press Association Report). WELLINGTON, October 5. The Council resumed at 2.30 o'clock. The Hon. J. Rigg gave notice to move on Wednesday that a committee be set up to consider and report on the best means of providing an efficient method of national defence j such committee to consist of the Hons. Callan, Collins, Stevens, McArdle, Jones, Anstey, Paul, the I Attorney-General and the mover. On the motion to go into committee on the Arbitration Bill, which was reported from the Labour Bills Committee. Mr Rigg said that clause 9 provided that a worker could be imprisoned for striking, and lie could not support any measure which permitted the imprisonment of worker or employer for non-payment of a fine for a strike or lock-out. He moved that the Bill be read this day six months. Tl.is lap >ed for want of a seconder. The Attorney-General pointed out that a worker could i.ot be irnpnsoi.ed for striking, but if he failed to obey an order of the Court in not paying a fine when hs was able to he was in exactly a similar position to a man who disobeyed ar. order of a Court to pay his grocer's bill. The Council"then went into committee on the Bill. An amendment by the Hon J. Rigg to make the aggregate penalty payable by workers bound by an award for striking not to exceed £SOO was negatived by 23 votes to 1. The Council adjoun:ed at 5 p.m. The Council resumed at 7.30 o'clock. Clause 9, as returned from the Labour Bills Committee, increases the penalty for the employer who locks cut workers, and for industrial association, trade union, employer, or any person other than a woi'ker who incites, instigates or assists in a breach of tne section to £SOO. The clause was passed unamended. Clauses 10 to 28 were passed without material amendment. A new sub-clause was addsd to clause 28, providing that every commissioner can exercise his jurisdiction within such industrial district or districts as may be from time to time assigned to him. A further new sub-clause was added preventing an attack being made on the validity of the appointment of the commissioners. Rapid progress was made to clause 53. At clause 54 objections were pointed out by the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson, and after some discussion the Attorney-General said that he agreed to drop tha clause. This was done. s

HOUSE OF 'REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 o'clock. Mr i'. J. Okty gave notice to ask the Minister of Lands a question regaiding the Agricultural Produce Sale and Importation Bill. The Hoii. R. Ivio.iSiab said that with respect Ij mat rueasuie, which was sent to "another place," he understood the Bili had bten sent to an Agricultural Committee o c that place wiri-.h had mada a reconmsw • dation and as a result the Bill would not be proceedtd with. Mr Oi-ey said that he considered that an unusual come, and would move to set up a search committee. , The Premier pointed out that it j was an unusual course for a private member to move as suggested in respect of a Government Bill. Mr Oke.y amended his motion to ask th<3 Governmen to up search cumm't^te. The Industries Committee recorrlj mended that the Daylight Saving Bill be.not allowed to proceed, i 'On the House resuming at 7.30 o'clock . the report of the Woodwards Street Exchange of Landv Committee afUr fi rther discussion was agreed to on the voices. The Premier moved that the report of the Joint Parliamentary Buildings Site Committee be adopted. There was, he sajd, responsibility on the House, and in turn upon the Government to give effect to the recommendations in the report. There was no particular hurry in deciding upon the design of the new Parliamentary Buildings as business of Parliament was i.ow being carried on with a tolerable degree of comfort in the present quarters, and the Government proposed that competitive designs should be called for from architects in New Zealand, including the Government ai*chitect. Alternative designs should be called for a building in brick, ferro concrete, stone and wood, the cost of the building not to exceed £150,000. With regard to the extra accommodation for the Government Buildings, i£ was proposed to erect a three-storied building in brick or concrete, costing £20,000 on the Molesworth street site. The limit for Government Hduse should be £25,000. A site must be found in Wellington, and the House should be erected with«sit delay. If the House agreed to the report and they proceeded gradually leasing the Lambton Quay site they could provide the interest on the cost of the whole scheme together with a sinking fund to repay the whole sum in 25 years. Mr Massey protested at so much of the most important business Parliament had to deal with being kept until the last days of the session. He ventured to say that by the time the whole of the building scheme had been completed it would cost the country £500,000. Mr Massey said that the proposals were the maddest, wildest and most extravagant ever laid before Parliament. Whilst we should erect a Parliament Building worthy of the Dominion, and still worthy of it in a hundred years to come, we must be careful of our finance. Mr Laurenson urged that the whole question should be left over for consideration by the new Parliament. Mr Izard said he regretted that the Parliament Buildings could not be erected on the old site replete with historic traditions. But all the evidence given betore Committee was against that. He thought competitive designs should be called for from beyond the Dominion as well as from architects of the Dominion. Mr Hogg said he was glad the

Premier intended to go cautiously. The report was the most reckless one ever brought before Parliament. This was certainly not the time to spend huge sums on buildings, which would not be reproductive. He thought buildings could be erected o»* the old site at a much less cost than it was now proposed to spend. Less should be spent on buildings and more on public works in the country. Mr Lang moved to amend the report in tha direction of recommending the re-evection of Parliament Buildings on the old site in Molesworth Street. Mr Hernes seconded the amendment. Dr Chappie said that it was absurd to include wood among the alternative materials in respect of which the designs should be submitted.