THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1265, 21 October 1911, Page 7

THE HOUSE.

DEBATE ON THE ESTIMATES. The House of Representatives continued Its sittings after The Doji,mo.v closed its columns yesterday morning, until 4.15 a-iiC, and before it rose concluded the passage of the Public Works Estimates. The attendance of members was poor. At two o'clock there v.ere 20 members in the House. Half'-aii-hour later the number had increased to 21. At three o'clock there were 2,1 legislators in their seats, at 3.3 a.m. there were 21, at 1 a.m. there were 19, and at 4.10 a.m., just before the House rose, there wore 18. Throughout the later hours of tho sitting there were at all times a fair percentage of tlio attendant members exteudeil in restful attitudes on their benches. . A tally taken at 4.20 a.m. showed that only thirteen members were sitting orect, and several of them looked very tired and sleepy. At one stage votes totalling ,£.'100,324 were approved in less than one minute. Supplementary Estimates. The PRIME MINISTER stated, in reply to Mr. Massev, that the Supplementary Estimates would probably bo finally closed on Tuesday about midnight

An extended discussion took place on tho Government proposal to establish homes lor mentally defectivo boys and girls, within a quarter of a mile of ono another nt Otckaike. It was objected by Mr. James Allen that this would open the way to grave dangers, and the protest was stronglv supported by Messrs. G. M. Thomson, ]l. Scott, and C. A. C. Hardy. Eventually Mr. Thomson divided tho House oil tho question, moving tho reduction ot a vote by £1 as an indication that the homes should be established in situations widely apart. The amendment was negatived by 28 votes to IC. Assisting Prospecting. Just before tlio sitting concluded, Mr. Poland, tho member for Ohincmun, appealed to the Government to make more liberal provision for "assisting prospectors in mining districts. Mr. Herries strongly supported the plea. Both members contended that the Government was by no means doing its duty in. this direction, but they obtained no satisfaction from the Minister for Mines (tho Hon. R. M'Kenzie), who declared that all bona-tido applications by prospectors for assistance had every instance met, and signified his intention of dropping next year an item of .£IO,GOO which has figured on the Estimates foi somo years in aid of mining enterprise, but which has remained in great part unexpended. The Mokau River. Answering a question by Mr. Jennings, the Hon. R. M'Keuzio stated that ho thought an oil-launch ferry would suffice in the meantime on the Mokau ltivor, but that if the settlers would provide half the cost, he would subsidise tlio cost of a bridge on a .£1 for .£1 basis to theextmt of i61f1,000. YESTERDAY'S SITTING. MORE BILLS TO COME. LAND MATTERS. The House met at 2.30 p.m. When the final report of the Lands Committee was presented, Tho PRIME MINISTER said ho hoped that the committee wonld consent to hold another brief sitting to consider a Bill dealing with reserves, an amendment of tho Land for Settlements Act, and a small washing-up Bill. The report was thereupon withdrawn. The. PRIME MINISTER stated, in reply to Mr. Forbes, that the amendment to the Land for Settlements Act would contain new provisions in regard to tho compulsory acquisition of estates. OTAKI COUNTY BILL, - Mr. LAURENSON reported that tho Local Bills Committee had reconsiderod the Otaki County Bill, nnd recommended that it be not allowed to procced. As a Local Government Bill was promised for next session, and the Otaki Bill was contentious in character, it was deemed best that it should stand over meantime. Tlio Bill was restored to tho Order -Paper. WANGANUI HARBOUR BILL. Mr. LAURENSON, on behalf of the Local Bills Committee, moved that tho W'anganui Harbour Board Empowering Bill should be allowed to proceed. Mr. NEWMAN expressed surprise at the decision of the committee, and stated that when the Bill came up for second reading it would bo very closely scrutinised by a - number of members. Ho asked the Chairman of the Committee whether its decision had been arrived at unanimously. Mr. Laurenson replied that the committer had not been unanimous. ' Tho Bill was restored to the Order Paper. - GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS BILL. The Government Railways Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Message and read a first time. THE MOKAU INQUIRY. The PRIME MINISTER stated that the consideration of the report on .the Mokau inquiry would be made the first order of the day for Monday, ne thought it was not desirable that such an important matter should bo discussed that evening. Tho LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION expressed his agreement with this course. PATENTS, DESIGNS, AND TRADE MARKS, The Hon. J. A. .MILLAR moved that the House should agree to the amendments made in the Patents, Designs and Trade Marks Bill by the Legislative Council t The motion was carried on the voices. BILLS IN COMMITTEE. * LOCAL ELECTIONS. The House went into Committee of the Whole on tho Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill,, and the Workers' Compensation Bill. Mr. ALLEN said that "polling place" was not defined in the principal Actl It might mean tho ground round about as well as the booth. Ho suggested that polling-booth should be substituted. The Hon. D. BCDDO replied that the laiv draughtsman had no doubt intended to use a term covering all polling-places. He was quite willing to accept the word "booth," mit at the same time considered that there was no fear of the term "place" being misinterpreted. The substitution of "booth" for "placo" was agreed to on the voices. Mr. ERASER, on behalf of Mr. Wilford. proposed the following new clause;— "When a day has been appointed for holding any ordinary or extraordinary election, or for taking a poll en any proposal, and such day has subsequently been proclaimed by the Governor as s:t apart for a public fast or thanksgiving or as a public holiday, the election shall be held or the poll taken on the first day thereafter that shall not be a holiday as defined by the Acts Interpretation Act, 1908." The Hon. Dr. Buddo suggested that it would be better to mako the alternative day tho same day in the following week. Mr, Eraser agreed to this amendment. Mr. FISHER objected that the same difficulty might arise on tho second day as on tho first, for it also might bo a holiday. He suggested that "some," instead of "the fame" day in the following week should be named as the alternative. The Minister contended that this would not be sufficiently definite. Ho stated that he was willing to accept the new clause simply because it would relievo the Internal Affairs Office of work. Local bodies at pressnt had the privilege of gazetting another day. in lieu of that stleeted for a poll. Mr. Fisher's suggestion. was rejected, and the new clause, as amended by the Minister, was embodied in tho Bill. Mr. ERASER then moved (for Mr. WilforJ) a new clause giving returning nflWirs power to check returns made bv their deputies. Mr. FISHER said it did not seem that members were aniieus to get awav when they were content to deal with rubbish of this kind. (Hear, hear.) The Hon, D, BUDDO declined to accept the clause, and was proceeding to give his reasons for asking tho Committee to reject it, but was interrupted by cries of: "We will kill it!" "Give us a chance!" "I.et us bury it!" Mr. ERASER recommended the member for Wellington Central to use more moderate language, and withdrew tho clause. Mr. MAS,SET moved an amendment providing for the enforcement of a uniform method of voting in lieu of the present dual method, which permits either the striking out of names or tho rccordin-s of votes by marking crosses opposite I lie name': of candidates. The MINISTER ncrred that something was to be said for the propisal, but contended that, owing to the imminence of the country elections, it was inadvisable to moke the amendment at llic present juncture. The amendment was negatived by 35 votes to 2D. The Bill was reported. WORKERS' COMPENSATION. The Workers Compensation Amendment Bill was considered in Committee. 1 The Hon. J. A. .MILLAR proposed the adoption of a new clause providing that ' no larger amount of damages than jCSOO ' can be claimed where an accident is caused by the negligence of a fellowservant. Mr. Millar stated that it would still be open to the representatives of an r injured or deceased worker to claim for - an unlimited amount whore an accident | was due to the negligence of an cmnloyer.

. Mr. HERRIES remarked that members were working under difficulties. It was impossible to Ret copies of tho Statutes of IMS, and tho consequent*) was that amendments to this very important Act were being put through which probably half tho members did not understand. Sir Arthur GUINNESS suggested (hat whenever any section in existing legislation was being amended it should be printed oil the Supplementary Order Paper, together with the proposed amendment. Mr. MASSEY endorsed this suggestion. It was agreed on the voices tha tho new clause should bo added to tho Bill. Tho new clause extending the benefits of tho Act to domestic servants, as it came from the law draughtsman, read as follows:— ."The first schedule to the principal Act is hereby amended by inserting immediately beforo tho words "any occupation" tho words "domestic service in which tho employment or engagement is for a period of not less than seven days." Mr. M'LAItEN remarked that seemingly this did not extend tho benefits of the second schedule-of the Act to domestic servants. Tlib MINISTER said that he thought the best way to include domestic servants would be to amend the definition of worker. Ecentually, however, ho stated that tho law draugntsman considered that the clause was in proper form, and asked that it be allowed to proceed. Mr. lIERIiIES contended that the clause as it stood would include many others than domestic servants. It would includo relations or friends of tho employee, whether they got wages or not. Tho difference between domestic duties and domestic service should bo defined. Mr. ISITT contended that tho Act should cover such people as poor relations who worked in a liouso though they did not receive wages. Tho new clause was added! Mr. POLAND moved tho addition of a new clauso providing that the limitation of per week for the purposes of the Act shall not become operative save where a worker earns more than ,£2GO a year. This was agreed to. The Bill was reported with amendments. The Bills dealt with in Committee wero read a third time and passed. LEGISLATURE AMENDMENT.' The PRIME MINISTER moved tho second reading of the Legislature Amendment Bill (No. 3). Mr. MASSEY doc!ami that communications from all ovor New Zealand showed that the rolls had never been in such a state of confusion as at the present day. Tho Prime Minister said ho had heard the same thing prior to every election since, ho had entered the House. Mr. Massey continued that the confusion that undoubtedly existed was tluo in part to the electoral census and in part to the alteration ot boundaries. Mr. LUKE intimated that ho would move in Committee to repeal the provisions relating to the second ballot. After soveral other members had spoken, The PRIME MINISTER., in reply, said that he was sure tho rolls would 1» as pure as it was possiblo for them to bo in this or any otheT country. The Bill was read a second time and immediately committed. At 0.30 a.m. there were 25 members in tha Chamber. The Term of Parliament. While the Bill was in Committee, Sir \Y iliiam STEWARD moved that tho term of Parliament should bo extended from three, to four, years. Tho proposal was negatived by 46 votes ta 13. The Sccond Ballot. Mr. LUKE did not move his promised amendment abolishing the Second Ballot Act. Mr. FISHER expressed regret at Mr. Lute's withdrawal, and proposed a new clause"The Sccond Ballot Act, 1908, is hereby repealed." Tho new clause was rejected by 35 -votes to 22. The Bill was reported With amendment, read a third time, and passed. T3ie Douse'adjourned, at 1.25 a.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Monday, when local Bills will be considered. OVERHEARD IN A TRAMCAR. "It always took mo three or four days to come to town, do my business, and get home again. I had to leave early in the morning for tho eight or nine hours' trip, and the horses were always a lot. of trouble. Now I can leave home at 10 in the morning and do tho journey comfortably before lunch. If my business is jver in an hour or two I can get away and be home before sundown." This is the gist of some odds and ends of conversation overheard by tho writer in a Roekhampton (Central Queensland) tramcar quite recently. It happened that Mr. M'Kenzie, a well-to-do farmer who lived between 50 and 00. miles out of town, was telling a friend a little of his experience of motor-car travelling. Mr. M'Kenzie owns extensive property near Roekhampton, and has every facility for keeping hories. His land 'is irrigated and tho supply of fodder is practically assured, lie is nearly sixty years of nye ant not likely to change from old liabits. In addition the roads to town are very good in ordinary fine weather. Nevertheless this gentleman has become tho proud and pleased possessor of an Overland Car, and tells his friends right and left of the great saving of time —two or three days in an ordinary run to town cvei-y week. There's plenty of food for thought here. This is only one instance of tho man on tho land saving time in an ordinary little business trip. And the greater tho distance the greater tho saving of time and trouble. Horses at their best aro slow, and unless they are particularly well fed, tiro quickly, whereas the Overland is always as fresh as ever, and does not need any special feeding—just a Jiltls fuel. And so we could g'j on expounding the good qualities of this wonderful, lifeguaranteed Car, However, if you aro interested, full particulars, catalogues, and a well-written booklet bv Miss Scott, "5000 Miles in an Overland,' will be sent vou. Write to A. lIATRICK AND CO., LTD., North Island Agents, Wang-anui; or MR. 11. LEICESTER., Wellington Representative.—Advt.