Parliamentary.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxii, Issue 6699, 17 October 1905, Page 3

Parliamentary.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

United Pross Association—By Electric „ Telegraph. Wellington, Ocfc 16. The House met at 7.30 p.m Mr Seddon made a statement in regard to the Meikfe case. He said the Government had decided to appoint a Commission to go thoroughly into the case, and also to enquire into, the matter of the first compensation paid to Mmkle, what led thereto, and how the discharge was granted therefor. The, Cotntnission would also investigate the matter of costs incurred by Meikle in connection with the whole of the action. With regard to the claim that Meikle's name be struck off the prison' records of the colony, Mr Seddon went on to say that the Governmenfc had searched for precedents, and had found that in a case (the Beck case) that had occured some time ago at Home, the person who was wrongfully imprisoned had received £5000 compensation, but nothing whatever had been done by the Imperial Government in the direction of interfering with the records. The Government would be prepared to act on the recommendations of the Commis^ioc, j and he hoped it would never again ba said that the Government had acted either harshly or unjustly in the Meikle case.

In reply to several questions Mr Seddon said he did not think there wa3 any chance of the report being received before the session closed. The Government wanted the Commission to investigate thoroughly very phase of the case.

Mr Seddon gave notice to move that on Wednesday, and on every alternate day thereafter until the olose of the session, the House meet at 11 a.m.

The Loan Bill and Inspection of Private Hospitals Bill were introduced by Governor's message, and read a first time.

In reply to Mr Massey, Mr Seddon said that he hoped to take the debate oa the Loan and Public Works Statement on Wednesday night.

The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Shops and Offices Bill were sot; down for consideration next day.

Mr Seddou moved the second reading of the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Bill, which provides—(l) That the weekly payment in respect of compensation for total or partial disablement shall not bo less than £1 per week in every case where the worker's ordinary rate of pay for the work at which ho was employed at tho time of the accident was not loss than 30s per week, and (2) that the compensation payable in any caße of total or permanent; partial incapacity may in lieu of weekly payments be such lump sum as is agreed upon at any time by the parties or as the Arbitration Court determines.

The second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill referred to the Labour Bills Committee with an instruction to report on Friday.

Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Industrial and Arbitration Amendment Bill. Many of the proposals in the Bill, he said, were what the president of the Court considered necessary. The Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Labour Bills Committee.

Mr Duncan inovad the second reading of the Epuni Leases Surrender Bill to provide for the sections in the Epuni settlement being subdivided into lesser areas. Mr Massey said the Bill acknowledged the principle that the Opposition had been contending for all along, viz., that the surrender value of the leasehold belonged to the tenant, and nofc to the Crown.

The second reading was agreed to on the voices.

In the course of the discussion on the motion for the committal of the Mining Acts Amendment Bill, Mr Herries, Mr Herdman, and Mr Allen complained that the Bill did not afford sufficient encouragement to the mining industry.

MrMcGowan said that tha Bill made better provision in several respects for the mining industry than had ever before been attempted by the New Zealand Parliament. Further than that, there wa3 no Minister for' Mines in New Zealand who had caused the expenditure of so much money on gold mining as he (Mr McGowan) had done. Th c committal was agreed to. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Factories Act, 1901, Amendment Bill, which provides : (1) That every person at the age of twenty years or over who has been employed in a factory for not less than four years shall be entitled to a wage of not IeBS than 17s per week, and (2) % that a person under 20 years of age shall be paid a wage of 5s per week during the first year of his employment with an annual increase of 3s per week until he reaches 20 years. This was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill referred to the Labour Bills Committee to report on Friday.

The House rose at 12.40 a.m