THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1537, 5 September 1912, Page 6

THE HOUSE.

SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr. B. M'CALLUM (Wairau) asked the Minister tor Public Works (the Hon. AV. Eraser), without notice, whether the dismissal of certain men on the works, at the northern end of thp South Island East Coast lino meant that work on this line was to bo discontinued at the northern end. The Hon. W. ERASER replied that this seemed to be a part)- question. The Hon. gentleman, if ho wished to know what the Government would do in future,.must wait until Die Public Works Estimates came down. VALUATION BILL, The Hon. W. F. MASSEY (Minister for Lands) introduced the Valuation of Land Amendment Bill, and the Bill was read a' first time. AUCKLAND EDUCATION RESERVES. The Auckland Education Reserves Bill was introduced by Governor's Message, and read a first time. SUPERANNUATION. The Public Service Classification and Superannuation Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Message, and read a first time. Mr. T. M. WILEORD (Hutt) referred to the case of a telegraph linesman, .■• recently killed in Wellington through coming in contact with a live electric lighting wire. This man had paid MO into the Superannuation Fund, but his widowcould recover .£SOO under the Workers Compensation Act, or some 18s. per Week from the Superannuation Fund. She could not recover under Irath heads, because there was a provision in the Superannuation Act prohibiting any nerson so situated from recovering under both heads. The fact was that if the .deceased had spent his money in life insurance his widow would have been much better off.-

The Hon. .TAJIKS ALLEN (Minister for Finance) replied that, the Bill was ouo of _ two clauses only. It proposed to allow offieers of tho Defence Forces, who must, owing to the nature of their work, retire before the ordinary retiring age, to withdraw their superannuation payments with compound interest at tho rate of 35 per cent. ■

The Hon. A. L. HERDMAN (AttorneyGeneral) said that tho case cited appeared lo he one nf hardship. The provision in (he Bill referred to seemed to put Public Servants in an invidious position, and possibly legislation might be introduced to remove the anomaly. ' NATIVE LANDS. The Hon. W. H. HERRIES (Minister for Native Affairs) moved for leave to introduce the East Coast Native Trust Land Amendment Bill. A LOCAL BILL, On the motion of the Hon. W. F. MasEoy, the Waikato River Board Bill was discharged from tho Order Paper. Tho Local Bills Committee hod recommended that tho Bill be not allowed to proceed, EDUCATION COMMITEEE, Mr. R. M'Callum (Wairau) was appointed to take tho place of tho Hon. T. Mackenzie ou the Education Committee.