PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13011, 31 October 1905, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BY telegraph.—press association.] . I ; .LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. f - ; Monday. The Council, met at eleven a.m., and passed a- motion of regret at tho death of Mr. Saunders. The Council then adjourned till two p.m., as a mark of respect to his memory. : - The Council had only formal business before it this afternoon, and adjourned till eight p.m. , The Agricultural Implement Manufacture Bill was put through committee without ■ amendment, and passed its final stages. The Factories Act Amendment Bill and the Ellesmere Drainage Bill passed their final stages. The Civil Service Classification Bill was amended in committee by inserting in clause 15 the words "clerks of commissioned officers of defence forces." An amendment to include." men" also was lost. The Bill was put through its final stages. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Monday. The House met at eleven a.m. COMMERCIAL CABLEGRAMS. Sir J. WARD, in answer to Mr. Vile, said the commercial cablegrams sent by the High Commissioner would bo very much 1 extended. Arrangements had just been concluded in that direction, and fluctuations on the selling exchange of all articles exported | by the colony would bo carefully watched by experts, and cabled to the colony. | . THE LATE MR. SAUNDERS. Mr. SEDDON moved the following resolution : — That this House desires to place on record its high sense of the distinguished service rendered to New Zealand by the late Mr. Alfred Saunders, its appreciation, of his valuable services as a member of the House of Representatives, and its recognition of his work as a public man in Nelson ,'and Canterbury, and as a contributor to the literature of the colony, and tenders to the members of his family its heartfelt sympathy in their irreparable loss." Mi*. Secldon spoke at some length in terms of high praise of the unselfishness and distinguished" services of the late Mr. Saunders. Mr. LEWIS apologised for the unavoidable absence of the Leader of the Opposition, and seconded the motion in his stead. Appreciative references to the deceased were made by Mr. Buddo, Sir W. Steward, Sir J. Ward, Mr. Witty, and Mr. Harding, tho lastnamed expressing on behalf of the temperance workers of the colony their high appreciation of Mr. Saunders' services in the cause of temperance. The motion was agreed to. . At mid-day the House adjourned till halfpast two, as a mark of respect to Mr. Saunders' memory. The House resumed at half-past two p.m. TOURIST TRAFFIC AND SCENIC RESERVES .BILL. A Bill to provide for the administration and control of the tourist traffic and scenic reserves of the colony was introduced by Goevrnor's message. Mr. Massey called for a division, as a protest against the introduction of a new Bill at this stage of the session. The introduction of the Bill was agreed' to by 31 votes to 20, and the Bill was read a first time on the voices. Sir J. WARD then announced that he did not propose to proceed with the Bill this session. He had only introduced it for the purpose of having it circulated during the recess among persons interested. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. Mr. MASSEY asked when the Supplementary Estimates would make their appearance. There was, he added, a very great deal of dissatisfaction on both sides of the House at the delay that had taken place in bringing the session to a close. Mr. SEDDON said the Supplementary Estimates were now being printed, and would be Drought down early this evening. He hoped to finish the work of the session to-night. Mr. MASSEY observed that the statement of the Premier would help the business through. I The Estimates were subsequently brought down by Governor's message. CIVIL SERVICE CLASSIFICATION BILL. " Sir J. WARD moved the second reading of the Civil Service Classification Bill, which provides for the establishment of a Board to formulate a scheme of classification for the Civil Service. That scheme had, he said, to be submitted to the House for approval next session. The classification of the Civil Service was a very difficult matter, and he thought the scheme proposed was the best way to do it. He believed the proposal would be hailed with satisfaction by the Departments affected. Mr. MASSEY did not oppose the Bill, and hoped the scheme would be submitted early next session. Tho second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill committed. It was amended to provide that it shall not apply to the Post and Telegraph and Railway Departments, and members of the defence forces. Sir J. WARD said the effect of clause 15 was that five years' unbroken service would entitle a person to come under the scheme. Mr. JAB. ALLEN said the result of that would be that entrance by examination would be done away with, and hundreds of temporary clerics could be appointed, and automatically become permanent at the end of five years. Sir J. WARD declared! that wo such thing was contemplated. A proposal by Sir W. Steward that the prevision in clause 15 with regard lo five years' unbroken service should apply after (as well as before) the coming into operation »f the' scheme, was carried by 36 votes to 13. The Bill was reported with amendments. • On the motion for the third reading, several members protested against such an alteration in the .position of temporary clerks being made at the end of the session. Against this view it was urged that, after a man had been a. temporary clerk for five years, it was only right that he should be classified. Mr. BAUME moved as an amendment "That the Bill be recommitted for the purpose of reconsidering the amendment made in clause 1&." • ( Sir J. WARD said he would have Sir W. Steward's amendment struck out in the Legislative Council if it was found it bad the effect intended. The recommittal of the Bill was negatived by 33 votes to 24, and the Bill was put through it? final stages. When the Legislative. Council's amendments in the Bill were reported. Sir J. Ward expressed his willingness to amend the Bill so as to provide that the scheme should be submitted to both Houses for approval, and that only temporary clerks appointed at the time "of the coming, into operation of the Act shall come under the scheme. He also agreed with the Council's amendment that commissioned officers and clerks in the Defence Department shall come under the scheme, but desired to add that persons appointed after the passing of the Act shall not come under the scheme. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT BILL. The Agricultural Implement Manufacture, Importation, and Sale Bill was taken into committee at ten minutes past five p.m. Mr. MASSEY wanted to know whether the Premier meant to go on with the Bill. Mr. SEDDON said he understood the objection of the opponents of the measure was withdrawn, in part, at any rate. It was also suggested that a bonus should be offered to our manufacturers if the Board considered it necessary If that was not accepted he would force on his Bill. Mr. MASSEY said if the Board considered the industry should be protected the proper thing would be for the Premier to call Parliament together. Mr. HOGG considered that all that was necessary was for the Board to report to Parliament next session on the operations of the trust. At clause 5, the constitution of the Board was altered and fixed as follows : —The president of the Arbitration Court (who shall be chairman), the president of the Farmers' Union, the president of the In-

dustTial Association of Canterbury, a, representative of the trades and labour councils, and a representative of the A. and I.: associations. - At clause 7 the proposal that a duty may be imposed if New Zealand: manufacturers; reduce prices was struck out, and it was provided that, if necessary, relief be granted in a manner to be hereinafter provided. Clause 12 was amended to provide that the Act shall continue in operation until August 1, 1906. lf+i , _ The following new clauses in the Bill were brought* down by Governor's message, and considered in committee: — 7a. (1) In any case where the Board recommends that relief be granted it shall be lawful for the Commissioner to grant to the manufacturers of implements in New Zealand such bonus, not exceeding 33 per centum, as he deems necessary to enable manufacturers to compete with importers of such implements. (2) The right to such bonus shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Governor-in-Council thinks fit to impose. , 9a. (1) Whenever it is proved to the satisfaction of the collector that duty-paid materials have been used in the construction of any implement he shall refund to the manufacturer of such implement the amount of duty paid on the materials so used. (2) For the purposes of this section materials includes parts of implements that cannot advantageously be manufactured in New Zealand. These new clauses were agreed to practically without amendment, and the Bill was, put through its final stages on the voices. WORKERS' DWELLINGS BILL. A Bill to amend the Workers' Dwellings Act, 1905, was introduced by Governors', message. It provides that the Pol Hill, gully and tho forts reserves, Miramar, and any other land reserved! for defence purposes that is not required for such purposes, shall be set apart for the erection of workers' dwellings, and amends section 4 of the principal Act by fixing the cost of erection of each dwelling at £350 if constructed of wood, and £100 if constructed of brick. Mr. SEDDON explained that there -were 50 sections available at Pol Hill gully, and about 200 at Miramar, all of which were now lying idle and useless. The Bill was put through all its stages in a few minutes, Mr. Sedd'on remarking that he hoped to have the first workers' dwellings begun at Pol Hill gully in a fewweeks. • ■'..-'■.,-. MAORI LAND CLAIMS BILL. The Maori Land Claims Adjustment and Laws Amendment Bill was read a second time on the voices without debate. The Bill wais put through committee and its trial stages. ! BILLS PASSED. i The Factories Act Amendment Bill (which fixes a minimum wage for factory workers up to 20 years of age), and the Ellesmere Lands Drainage Bill, were put through all their stages. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. - At -past ten p.m. the House went inte Committee of Supply for the consideration of the Supplementally Estimates. Mr. SEDDON stated that the Land Tenure Commission would not cost the £10,000. of which £8000 was proposed to be voted on the Supplementary Estimates. Mr. MASSEY urged that "it would be about £15,000 at least. Mr. SEDDON denied this, and declared that £10,000 would cover the printing and everything. It was well worth every penny. Mr. MASSEY: It is not worth 10,000 farthings. Sir J. WARD said it was intended to call for tesders for a direct service with South Africa, and alternatively via Australia, for refrigerating boats only. Mr. SEDDON, in regard to friendly, societies and complaint of.delay, said that if things did not improve there would be a change before long. The Estimates were . still under discussion when the telegraph office closed at two a.m.