PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 47, 24 August 1892, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Yesterday's Afternoon Sitting. petitions. The Hon. W. H. REYNOLDS profited two petitions againßt tho Ocean Bench (Dunedin) Domain Bill. FIRST KEADINOB. The following Bills wore read a first time : —Small Arms Act Repeal Bill, Fisheries Encouragement Act Amendment Bill, Aliens Amendmont Bill, Tahoraito Settlement Bill. The second readings woro fixed for next day. FINAL STAOES. The Mere Taka Land Grant Bill and the Auckland Univeraity College Land Exchange Bill passed through Committee and final stages. EIOHT HOURS BILL. Tho Hon. W. D. STEWART moved the socond reading of this Bill. The Hon. R. PHARAZYN opposod tho Bill. He did not think it was required, bonause, as a mattor ot fact, workmen could and did look after their own interests without any intorforonco being required on tho part of tho State. Whilst ho agreed with tho preamblo of tho Bill, that it was desirable that working men shonld have reasonable time at thoir disposal for recreation, mentil culture), und tho performance of social and oivil dutioH, ho considered that the question was one of supply ami demand. The labouring oluhsob hero enjoyed almost universally tho Eight flours Systom, and personally he would be ono of the last to oxproaa tho desire that thoir working hours should bo increased. lint whilst Haying so much, ho would add that tho Eight Hours Movement was ono for tho consideration of the employers of labour and tho working men, and should not bo a question for the consideration or the interference of the Legislature. He expressed the hopo that in Now Zealand at any rato the freedom of contract as between employer and employe would never bo interfered with by Parliament. He regarded it as being very ahprtsighted policy on tho part of Trades Unionism to sock to inako eight hours a statutory day of labour. Ho firmly believed that if the Bill became law it would load to much ill-feeling, and possibly to considerable litigation between master and men. To sum tho Bill up in a few words, he considered it as a misohiovous and meddlesome piece of leginlation. If it passed, it would, he feared, defeat tho objects it had in view, and would vory probably have the offect of roducing wagos. Tho Hon. Sir. G. S. WHITMORE regretted that tho Bill hud not boon brought down by the Government, bocauuo in that case it might have boen considered seriously by tho Council. As it was brought in by a privato membor, ho should move that it be road :i sooond time that day six months. The Hon. R. OLIVER was not opposed to tho working man having an oighthours day for labour. He rojoicod that tho relations between capital and labour, and tho fortilty of tho soil, permitted the Eight Hours Movement to bo the unwritten law of the land. That the Eight Hours Day was recognised throughout tho colony, and had boon achieved by workmou without any bitterness of feoling against their omployorn, was sufficient reason, in his opinion, why the Legislature should not interfere. IV do thiß would assuredly injure tho cauao of labour. If workmen could show that they could earn enough in seven hours, or in six hours, to keep thorn, ho for one would rejoice in thoir success, but to legislate upon the question would, ho thought, curtail the liberty of the workmen, and would most assuredly croate ill-feeling between employer and employ^ Ho hoped that tho Bill, whioh wan a sham, would not pass tho Counoil. The Hon. Dr. POLLEN rogardod tho Bill as totally unnecessary. Tho custom that eight hours should bo a day's labour was established throughout tho colony, and that custom was stronger than laws. Tho Hon. E. C. J. STE YENS charnctorised tho Bill as one of tho most extraordinary legislative productions he had ever road. He thought it did not require any sorious consideration on the part of Parliament, and he hoped it would not be roleguted to tho Labour Bills Committro, bocauso it was not worthy tho serious consideration ot any body of sane persons. Tho amendmont was carried by 1G to 4, and the Bill was killed. _ Following is tho division list : — Ayes — Barniooat, Dignan, Holmes, Hart, M'Loan, Oliver, Ormond, Pharazyn, Pollen, Reynolds, Scotland, Stovens, Swauson, Taiaroa, Walker, Whitmore. Noob — Baillie, Buokley, Stewart, Wabatvaba. Tho Counoil adjourned at 4.30 p.m.