PARLIAMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XVIII, Issue 4365, 7 December 1897, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press Association—By Electric Telegraph. Wellington, December 6. lhe House met, at 7.30 p m. JUDGE KBTTLK.

Mr Seddon, replying to Captain Russell, said the correspondence between Government and Judge Kettle was not yet complete. TKOKKIOAI. EDUCATION BILL. A Committee, consisting of ton members, waß appointed to consider the Technical Education Bill, PATJ-NT DESIGNS AND TRADES MAKKS BILL. The second reading of t he Patents Designs and Trade Marks Bill whs agrMd to.

MASTERS AND AI'I'RENTIOKS WILL. In moving the second reading of the Musters and Apprentices Bill, the Premier staid that the Kill had beuu carefully conHiileted by the Labor Bills Committee, and the amendments made had been generally approved of by the employers. The Bill also dealt fairly with employees. la order to avoid v protracted debate he would accept the Ootnmittee'a amendments, which he explained. Sir Robert Stout said that the Bill was full of blunders, and in his opinion it would prevent apprentices being employed at all in some trade*. He admitted that the Bill wan better than as originally brought down, whioh would have thrown nix or eight thousand young people out of employment. Mr Guinness said that he would oppose the Bill, the moot objectionable part of whioh was the clause regulating the proportion of apprentices to journeymen. Mr H, Thompson intended ( ,votiDg against fche Bill, and was of opinion that the Labor Bills Committee had shown very little regard for the effect it would have. Mr Moore referred to the inconsistency of providing the yotith of the colony with technical education and then restricting their ohances of getting employment). The Bill should not be passed. Mr Morri'ou said that the Bill was only a feeble attempt to deal with a troublesome question. He would (support any measure to compel unscrupulous employers to teach Uds their trade* in a proper manner, an at present a large number of lads were turned out without being taught their trade at all. He denied that the effect of the Bill would be to throw thousands of young people out I of employment. Mr Monk opposed the measure, and said that every mother in the country should resist the social interference it contained.

Mr Hogg pointed oat thst the object of the measure was to protect and not injure young people. At present) apprentices were not turned out skilled workmen, and the Bill was intended to compel employers to teach them their trade. Mr Millar contended that it was of interest to the workers that the Bill should pass, and if the country was to be a manufacturing one it wna absolutely necessary that the children of the colony should be turned out aa competent workers. The practice at present was to take on boys at 2* 6d per week, which wage was paid them for two years, when they received 7a 6d per week, and if they asked for more wages they had to go. Mr J. Allan denied the statement made by Mr Hogg, that the employers of girl labour starved their employees into immorality. From the speeches of Mr Morrison and Mr Miller it was evidently wished to make this measure one to regulate boy labour. Mr Taylor said that those who denied there was a serious problem underlying trio

question, simply ignored facts. The Biil might be fuli of blunders, but he felt that it was an earnest attempt to deal with this great, subject. Mr J. Hutcheson contended that the obection's in the Bill could be remedied in committee.

Mr Maßsey contended that the effect of the measure would be to hamper the industries of the Colon}', and oljected to the provision for ompuisory indenturing, Mr Fraaer and Mr Lang opposed the Bill, Mr E. G. Allen supported the measure. ; MrMerertilh considered that the Bill contained a great deal 1 hat was useful, Mr Crowther and Mr Wilaon gave general support to the measure. Captain Russell whilst in favour ef the apprentice system did not think the Biil I dealt with it properly. Mr Buchanan and Major Steward having spoken, the Premier replied and the second reading was agreed to by 50 to 20. BILL PASSED. The Patents Designs and Trade-marks Bil was committed, and was agreed to without amendment. The Bill was then put through its final stages. The House adjourned at 1 a.m.