PARLIAMENT PROROGUED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 232, 1 October 1925, Page 10

PARLIAMENT PROROGUED.

ALL-NIGHT SITTING. FINANCE- BILL PASSED. (By Te3esrap"fct.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. After the Telegraph Office closed, the committee stage of the Finance Bill was proceeded with. The Labour party made an attack on clause 8. granting a remission of the totalisator duty to racing clubs. Critics contended that the remission would amount to £25.000, and would be shared ■by rich clubs as well as struggling clubs. Much better use could be made of the money in housing schemes for the people. On a division the clause was retained iby 26 to 15.

'The Labour party also attacked clause 16. which they interpreted as paving the way for an increase in the rate of interest on money borrowed from the Advance? Office. It was argued that this would strike at the root "of tbe whole system, which primarily was intended to provide cheap money for settlers. On a division being taken the clause was retained by 23 to 17.

: Strong opposition also developed towards clause 45, removing disabilities on newspaper proprietors serving on local bodies, and. on the motion of the Minister, the clause was withdrawn. J The bill was then reported without amendment, and at 3.15 a.m. was read a third time and passed. Other Bills Passed. By Governor's Message, the Counties Amendment Bill 'which was dropped Mime days ago i was reintroduced in the House of Representatives in the early hours of this morning, minus a hostile amendment to which the Government objected, and the Eand Laws Amendment Bill was also introduced. The Hon. McLeod explained that the bill con--1 sisted of clauses -flinch he had intended to include in the Washing-up Bill, but that was found not to be possible. These bills were put through all stages . and passed. j Hon. W. Nosworthy then, without comment, moved the >econd reading of the Appropriation Bill. The Shipping Strike. ! Mr. Armstrong criticised the Prime Minister's statement on the shipping :arike. He said it was incorrect to say the seamen were represented on tbe Maritime Board, from which they withdrew in 1921. Mr. Havelock Wilson was the only man on the board who could be said to represent the seamen in any way. but he was not truly representative of tiie men. who since 1921 had their wages reduc-ed by i 5 10,'. until now they were working for £9 per month when at

sea. Xo men were more loyal during the «ar than the British seamen, but what did the shipowners do? Up to 1917 they increased their wealth by six hundred millions, and yet paid their men 50 per cent less than the wages paid by New Zealand companies, and more than 50 per cent less than was paid by Australian companies. Shipowners talked of trade within the Empire, hut when it suited them they sent their shipbuilding orders to Germany, because German labour was cheaper than British. For these reasons the Labour party stood with tbe men in the strike, and be would l>e ashamed of any Labour party which did not.

i Messrs. Sullivan and Howard criticised the Government's failure to place ; workers' compensation on a proper basis.

I Reply by Minister. The Hon. Mr. Anderson replied that !he would not introduce legislation on ithis question until he could bring down a i-omprebensive measure. and t 'icre ' wa? not time to do that this i-ession. 'He claimed that the Reform party had ; done more for the workers than any .other party in the history of New Zea- : land. Mr. Monteith complained that they I had for three years been given promise? of a perfect measure dealing with (workers' compensation. He described jthe Minister as a "'shifty promise j breaker." Mr. McCombs charged the Minister of Labour with refusing to carry out | tiie law in regard to shop hour?.' The | Arbitration Court had fixed hour?, but .the Minister wotild not ent'oree them be- • cause he did not agree with what the court had done. I Mr. Wright said the truth about the seamen's strike was that it via? a j strike of a minority of the union i against the majority, and that fact had not been disclosed by Mr. Armstrong. i Mr. Fraser declared that a. humane solution of the strike was for the Govern:ment to use all it? efforts to induce the i shipping companies to pay the men the j il for whicli they were striking. There wa? not a member in the House who .did not believe £.? a month vva? a • starvation wage.

The bill "a? read a second time and the House went into committee. all clauses being passed unamended.

i The bill was read a third time withi out debate and passed at 0.-l.i a.m.. and at that hour the House adjourned till !11 a.m. The Final Sitting. When the House resumed at 11 j o'clock a message was received from , the Legislative Council announcing tne passing of the Land Laws Amendment Bill and the Appropriation Art. Mr. Speaker then left the chair to wait | upon the Governor-General with tbe ; Appropriation Bill. There followed a mock Parliament!, in which members indulged in riotous fun until Mr, .Speaker returned, and Parliament nnailv rose.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

PROGRESS OF BILLS. , ilty Telcc-rap'-i.—l'reFS Association ■ I WELLINGTON". Wednesday. The Legislate c Council met at 10.30 a.m. , The Reserve? and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill and Hospital and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill were received from the House of Representatives and read a first and second times. The Deteriorated Lands Bill. Public Reserves ' and Domains Amendment Bill. Ashley Kiver Improvement Bill. Harbours Amendment Bill, and Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill were also received front tiie House, put through ail stages, and passed without amendment. Progress was reported on the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill after the reading of the short title, and tbe Council adjourned at 12.23 p.m. until 3.20 to-day.