THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1573, 17 October 1912, Page 6

THE HOUSE.

PLUMBERS' REGISTRATION BILL. The House, mot at 2.30 p.m. Tho Plumbers' Registration Bill was introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. The Bill was at onco read a second time, pro forma and referred to tho Labour Bills Committee. CIVIL SERVANTS' SALARIES. SUGGESTION OF WEEKLY PAY. Mr. W. NOS WORTHY (Ashburton) asked the. Prime Minister'whether he will consider the propriety of arranging for the weekly payment of the salaries of all Civil Service and railway employees, permanent and temporary, who are. in receipt of less than Ml't per annum, except those stationed at places not directly served bv a raihvav. The Hon. Wl F. MASSGY /Prime Minister) replied: The matter will be looked' into and an endeavour made to meet the convenience of the employees of the State. LOCAL BODIES LOANS. The local Bodies Loans Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Mesflie Hon. JAS. ALLEN said triat the first amendment dealt with the sinking funds of local bodies. It gave these bodies power to invest their own sinking funds on loans not obtained Jrom the Governnient. Another clause dealt with the rise in the money market. Local bodies were empowered to raise loans at five per. cent instead of four and a half per cent as hitherto. .; In Teply to an interjection by Mr. Russell, tho Minister stated that another Bill would be introduced to "give effect to' the Budget proposal' that the State should pay the sinking funds on local body, loans. The Bill was.read, a first time. KAIAPOI RESERVES. Tho Kainpoi Reserve Bill (the Hon. W. H. Herries) was read a second time pro forma, and referred to tho Native Affairs Committee. SUPERANNUATION. The Amendments made in the Local Authorities Superannuation Amendment Bill by the Legislative Council were agreed to. » •■ . . THE DEFENCE 81LL...,' RELIGIOUS OBJECTION. Tho Hon.. J. 'ALLEN (Minister for Defence) moved that the amendments made in l the Defence Bill in- Committee;! bo agreed to. Ho stated he was having drawn a more correct, definition; of religobjector.-' If he could--get a 'more satisfactory definition he would have it put in when- the Bill was iu another place. ■;■•

Tho discussion did not close for some two hours.

The-Hon. , ,T. ALLEN (Minister for Defence) replied to the criticism raised. He said there was a sympathetic feeling among the officers and the men, and between them and the head of the Department. Mistakes had no doubt been made, but the wonder really was that more mistakes had not been made. But why magnify tho mistakes? Some references had been niade to the cost of tho scheme, but it must lie remembered that in the first year the cost was necessarily higher, owing to the amount of money that had to bo spent iu the\ purchase 'of equipment. He was not prepared to argue against the member for Wellington South (who had raised the question) that tho pensions under the Defence Act were, all that they might be, but he was also not prepared to say that the country could undertake to pay pensions on a more generoris scale. He sincerely hoped that it would never be necessary to pay any of the pensions. Finally, he thought the House had, done exceedingly good work in putting through a Bill which would remove anomalies in tho existing law. The amendments were agreed to, and the Bill was read a third time. A DIVORCE BILL. The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill, 11)12, was received from the Legislative Council and read a first time.