PARLIAMENT IN SESSION
SHEARERS’ ACCOMMODATION
STANDPOINT OF THE FARMER
LATE MR MASSEY’S BURIAL PLACE
-■ Members of the House of Representatives spent the greater part of yesterday afternoon inj discussing Ministers’ replies to questions. In the evening steady progress wls made o n Bills. All party feeling was very obviously laid aside when the Massey Burial Ground Bill was under consideration. The Shearers’ Accommodation Amendment Bill was debated from a standpoint of expert knowledge by both Labour and farmer members. A long debate on the Local Legislation Amendment BUI turned chiefly on technical matters. The House rose at 0.0 a.m.
The following Bills were introduced, ' read a first time, and referred to the Local Bills Committee: Waitau Domain Board Empowering Bill (Mr. C. L. Macmillan, Tauranga) ; Wellington City Empowering Bill (Mr. A. L. Monteith, Wellington East) ; Auckland Harbour Board Empowering Bill (Sir James Parr) On’the motion of the Minister of Einance (Hon. W. Nosworthy), the Repayment of the Public Debt Bill was read a! second time pro forma and referred to the Public Accounts loin-under-mentioned Bills were read a second time and dealt with as foll°The Cook Islands Amendment Bill and the Nurses and Midwives’ Registration Bill were set down for committal next sitting day. . . . The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill was referred to the Labour Bills Committee. I The Weights and Measures Bill was read a third time. SHEARERS’ ACCOMMODATION I LABOUR PROPOSALS ■*" CRITICISED ’)- Mr. F. Langstone (Waimarino) moved the second reading of the Shearers’ Accommodation Amendment Bill, which proposes certain alterations in the present Act to provide better facilities for shearers in the matter of sleeping and sanitarv accommodation where needed, in sheds where five or more hands are 1 employed. * In an explanatory statement on the measure, Mr, Langstone said it proposed to remedy some of the existing con- . ditions throughout New Zealand. The Act in the Dominion was verv much behind that in force in Australia) particularly in Queensland. Owing to the • unsatisfactory conditions /under which in some cases the shearers were accommodated at present, said Mr. Langstone, the health of the men had been affected. Sleeping arrangements, too, also wanted improving. It was to ensure better conditions generally that the Bill had been brought before the House. The Minister of Lands (Hon. A. D. McLeod) said that no inspector under the present Act would ever pass such conditions as had been described by the sponsor of the Bill. The Minister considered that sufficient powers under the existing Act were available to prevent anything of the nature of the stated conditions arising. Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller) declared that the laws were not written to compel those who had to provide the conditions to make them decent. He considered that the killing-shed should be 300 vards from the men’s quarters, and should have a concrete floor and flyproof safes. He could not see how the small sheepowner was going to suffer anv hardship bv being forced to provide decent accommodation. Mr. W. S. Glenn (Rangitikei) stated that in most sheds throughout the Dominion the men were very well off as far as accommodation was concerned. He sounded the warning that the Bill was likelv to prove awkward to the backcountry settler, who would have to face prosecution. The terms of the Bill, he •thought, were not unreasonable, but he took exception to the suggestion by Mr. Holland that the killing sheds should be 300 ■ vards from the men’s Quarters. It must not be overlooked that the country might not lend itself to this. Much of the land in the vicinity of the men’s quarters was occupied bv sheep vards, shearing sheds, etc. Mr. W. D. Lvsnar (Gisborne) thought the Bill was "quite unnecessary, _ all necessary powers to ensure good living conditions being contained in the existing Act. With reference to the suggestion that hot and cold water should be provided that, said Mr. Lysnar, was all nonsense—childish. In the heat of the summer the men would not use the hot water. Mr. A. L. Monteith (Wellington East) suggested that the Minister of Labour should take over the Bill. ’ The Prime Minister suggested to Mr. Langstone that it would be better not to fix definitely 300 yards from the men’s quarters as being the nearest point for the killing, yards. Air. Coates . ’ said that he knew a number of cases where 100 vards away would be just as good as 300 yards. It was very hard to lav down specifically by law just what "should be done where circumstances made such a material difference in individual cases. “I am always in favour of giving the worker good accommodation,” said Mr. Coates, “ and looking after him. Unless you look after the worker you can never get good results,” he added, "but that must be applied within reasonable limits.” He felt sure the Bill would receive the sympathetic consideration of the House. The Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) said that everything in the Bill could be provided for by regulations under the Act. The Bill was referred to the Agricultural, Pastoral, and Stock Committee. LATE PRIME MINISTER’S RESTING PLACE POINT HALSWELL DEDICATION The Prime Minister, moving the second reading of the Massey Burial Ground Bill, explained that the measure was merely to validate what the Government liad done in connection with the death of the late Prime Minister in acquiring the burial ground at Point Halswell. It also provided for the setting up of a board to control the reserve. •• , • - ■ Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) assured the House that so far as bis party was concerned everything would be done to assist the passage of the Bill. The Bill was read a second tinWft
LOCAL LEGISLATION AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE “WASHING-UP BILL” Considerable discussion took place on the Local Legislation Bill, which proposes to make better provision for due notification to ratepayers and other persons interested of the form and of local legislation before being considered bv Parliament. Under the Bill, application in writing may be made to the Minister by any local authority ot public bodv for preliminary consecration and provisional approval of a clause or clauses to be submitted to I Parliament affecting such matters as the exchange of anv lands vested in the applicant, the disposal of land by sale, lease, grant, or otherwise, the .borrowing of monev either with or without a poll of ratepayers, or any other purpose deemed to be in the public inteThe Minister of Interna! Affairs (the Hon R F. Bollard) briefly explained the provisions of the Bill, mentioning the clause empowering the Minister, on the approval of an application in the terms prescribed, to give notice of Ins annroval in "tlie Gazette. Mr W A. Veitch (Wanganui) said the Bill would not be to the benefit of 10 Sir JohT’Luke (Wellington strongly supported the Bill, which, h said. would do away with manv of the present difficulties met with in the dying hours of the session, when clauses were being rushed into the Washing-Up Bill at short notice. The measure would prove beneficial to local bodies general Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) considered the Bill a good piece of legislation, such as the country had desired for a considerable time past. In any case the present svstem of “washing-up legis ation was bad. and the Bill would make many necessary improvements Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West), referring to the clause providing for the advertising of the Minister s notice o approval of an application in the Gazette, said that was as good as no advertising at all. Very few people saw the Gazette. „ „ , . -, Mr T W. Rhodes (Thames) said some of the washing-up ’eP 51 ,^' 0 ! 1 . the past would not have stood the light of day. They wanted the light ofpublicity so that no local body could get in By a “side entrance. The Mu ster’s" notification of approval should be advertised in the local papers m the district concerned. ' The Minister having replied, the Bill was read a second time and referred to the Standing Orders Committee. DISCHARGED PRISONERS DEPARTMENT’S WORK “The suggestion that a central organisation should be formed for the after-care of prisoners has had the Department’s attention, but, in view_ot the fine work carried on by the Insoners’ Aid Societies and Salvation Armv (both subsidised by the Government) and probation officers, it is considered that the existing arrangement should not lor the present be disturb, ed ” stated Sir James Parr (Minister of’justice), replying to a suggestion for the organisation of a society for the after-care of prisoners. Continuing he said that for some years past the Department had given the. rehabilitation of discharged prisoners considerable attention. _ After the first three months every prisoner was given the opportunity to earn a small sum daily which accumulated until his release'. In this way sums ranging from £5 to £2O had been available on release, while a number had sums of £25 to £35 to their credit. Exprisoners were encouraged to consult their probation officer with regard to employment. Prisoners’ Aid Societies and tlie Salvation Army were always readv to assist prisoners. During the past’financial year the Department paid out to discharged prisoners the sum of £l6BB, and to prisoners’ dependants £7016. The question of providing for the after-care of women offenders, particularly girls released from the wo--men’s Borstal Institution, was receiving attention. HIGHWAY BOARD MATTERS Questions in the House during the posit two weeks brought their usual crop of requests for amendments of the Highways Act. A desire was expressed in one quarter for the establishment of a Highways Board for epch island and met with the response Jrom the Minister of Public Works that the Government’s information did not indicate any uniform desitc in the South Island for the constitution of a South Island, board. Then the system of subsidies to local bodies was queried as not being equitable, and a further amendment of the Act was suggested. The Minister intimated that he failed to see in what way the present system of subsidies was inequitable, as they were more liberal than was the case before the introduction of the Highways Act. Mr. Murdoch (Marsden) wanted provision made to deal with applications from cities and boroughs. He was told that provision was made under the Main Highways Act to permit of assistance being granted to boroughs towards cost of maintenance of continuations of main highways in the boroughs, and it was not intended to alter the legislation this session. The matter of hardship experienced by commercial afforestation companies in respect of stamp duties, duty charges on various documents and securities was ' stated by the Minister of Finance (the Hon. Mr. Nosworthy) to bo under consideration.
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Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 248, 23 July 1925, Page 10
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1,785PARLIAMENT IN SESSION Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 248, 23 July 1925, Page 10
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