PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9655, 20 November 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. By Telegraph— t tjss Association. WELLINGTON, November 19. This afternoon the House went into Committee of Supply. Mr W. P. Massey asked the Pre. mie. to state what system was being followed in the matter of retrench me nt. He hopsd every information Wo Id ba forthcoming as to what had already been done. He urged an amendment to the Crown Suits Act to enable State Departments to be sued like private individuals. Tne Premitr replied that the re* t errhment scheme was not yet complete, i>nd it was impossible to give all de ails Referring to the Crown Suits Act the Premitr said that the tendency to multiply suits against State Depaitmenta must be guarded against. Juiies were generally in favour of individuals as against the State, and il a way was opened to these suits the country would have to pay a heavy cost. The Government had no intention to make any material alteration in the Act in the way of allowing Departments to be sued by individuals without permission of the Crown. Mr A. L. Heidman (Wellington North) contended that when the Government entered into business and compete J against individuals it should be put upon the same level as the latter. Mr F. E. Baume (Auckland East) was of the same opinion as Mr Herdman on the Crown Suits Act. It would be an infamous thing that if a man were injured while working for a State Department the Government was not to be held liable. The Premier, iri reply, said that it the demand were acceded to all sorts cf absurd law-suits would be brought against the State. The House in the evening|went into Committee at ulass I. of the | Est.mates' (Legislative Departments, salaries and other charges, £1,350). Mr W. P. Massey moved a reduc tion of the vote by £5 ss an indication that the Crown Suits law should be tmnded to allow persons or firms to recover compensation against the State in cases of injury for which State Departments were responsible. Messrs P. M. B. Fisher (Welling- j ton Central) and C. H. Poole (Auckland West) supported the amend I ment. i The Premier replied that the ' Government always paid compensatioi to worker' injured in its im- I p lo y- „ l