THE OLD AGE PENSIONS BILL THE BILL AGAIN BEFORE THE HOUSE.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1898, Page 2

THE OLD AGE PENSIONS BILL THE BILL AGAIN BEFORE THE HOUSE.

AMENDMENTS IN THE QUALIFICATION CLAUSE. AN ALL-NIGHT SITTING. The House of Representatives resumed consideration of the Old Age Pensions Bil in Committee at 7.30 last evening, at clause Bof the Bill. This clause bets out the qualifications that entitle one to a pension and naturally provoked muoh debate. Mr. Wason moved to strike out sub-clause 1, which makes it necessary for the would-b( pensioner to be resident in the colony at the date he establishes his claim to a pension. Mr. Hogg said this meant giving pension! ' to absentees.

The Premier coukl not accept the amend- | menl. Mr. Wason denied that the deletion of the clause would allow absentees to claim the pension, and asserted that the sub-clause was quite superfluous. Several members considered that the subclause might prevent sailors, shearers, and others periodically absent from the colony from getting a pension. The Premier said there might be something in this contention, and promised to look into the matter. On this understanding sub-clause 1 was passed. Sub-clause 2, providing that a person must have resided in the colony continuously for not less than 20 years immediately preceding the date of his application for a pension, was next considered. Short absences from the colony, provided the}' do not in the aggregate exceed 18 months, are not to be regarded as interfering with continuous residence. It was suggested that provision should here be made for sailors and shearers, and also that if any person had resided in the colony for more than the 20 years iie should be allowed one month's absence for each year of residence. Mr. Lang moved to strike out the word " continuously." This was lost by 40 to 20. Mr. Lethbridge moved to make the term of residence 25 years instead of 20. This was agreed to by 37 votes to 25. Mr. Moore then moved to extend the term of absence allowed from 18 months to two years. This was agreed to on the voice". Mr. Moore moved to add to the subclause a provision that during the last 10 years of their residence in the colony prior to making claim for the pension, shearers may be absent from the colony for one month in each year. This was lost by 38 to 25 votes. Mr. J. Hutcheson moved to add a proviso to the effect that in the case of seafaring men engaged in vessels trading to and from the colony their absences will not he considered so long as their families are in the colony. Practically it relieved seamen from continuous residence. This was carried by 30 to 26. An amendment by Mr. Buchanan to allow one mouth's absence from the colony for every year of residence over the 25 years was negatived. Mr. Rolleston moved an amendment making the pension conditional on the applicant having contributed for a certain time to some pension scheme of a friendly society or other private society approved by the Government. This led to a lengthy debate on the general principle of the Bill. At 1.30 a.m. Mr. Kelly moved to report progress. At this stage there were 30 members in the House, and of this number only eight were members of the Government Part}\ In fact, since about 10 o'clock the benches on the Government side of the House had presented a very empty appearance. The Premier opposed the motion to report progress, and, x>n the division bell ringing, the Government supporters came tramping in from the lobbies, and recorded their votes upon Party lines, the motion being negatived by 29 to 27 votes. Mr. Rolleston's amendment was negatived by 35 to 21. Mr. Kelly again (1.50 a.m.) moved to roporfc progress. This was lost by 31 to 27. The debate on sub-clause 2 was then continued in a thin House. Mr. Duthie moved to do away with the necessity for continuous residence in the case of commercial travellers. This motion was debated till 4.30 a.m., when it was negatived by 36 to 16. Mr. Montgomery then moved to report progress. The Premier refused to agree to the mot) on. Captain Russell suggested that sub-clause 2 might first be passed. The Premier refused this compromise. Several members of the Opposition protested against being kept working on a Bill of such importance as this measure ab such an hour of the m&rning. H'lhe Premier still refused. Mr. Pirani taunted the Premier with being as unreasonable as possible in order to prevent the passing of the Bill. Mr. Montgomery's motion was negatived by 28 votes to 25. Mr. Herries moved to exempt horse-tenners and jockeys from the residence clause. The flow of talk weut on, and gradually the grey of daylight crept into the Chamber, and cluster by cluster the electric lights were extinguished. At 7.30 a.m., Mr. Herries's motion was negatived on the voices. Captain Russell again urged upon the Premier the foolishness of attempting to force through this important Bill, or any Bill of importance, at such hours of the morning. Each night they discussed the Bill he could see that members got a better grasp of the questions it involved, and he therefore urged the Premier to recognise the reasonableness of full discussion. They should have gone home at 2 a.m., and when the Premier refused to let them go he had determined that they should get no further with it. It was improper for the Premier to attempt to force through such a Bill as this by sheer brute strength. The Premier said progress must be made or thty would -never get the Bill through the House. Mr. Carson pointed out the importance of the clause they were on, and urged the Premier to meet the Opposition and avoid bittefrness. He and most of the Opposition supported an Old Age Pensions Bill, but they wanted a good and workable measure, and claimed that its provisions should be considered at such hours that members were in a condition of body and mind to fully realise what they were doing. He suggested that progress should now be reported. In the end it would be in the interest of the Bill. At this stage there were only seven Government members in the Chamber, aud five of these were wrapped in rugs, and apparently fast asleep. This had been about the average attendance since 3 a.m., save when the jingling of the bell summoned a quorum. The Premier said business had not gone on as it should have done after the arrangement made a fortnight ago. This, 'he admitted, was no fault of the Leader of the Opposition. If, however, this sort of thing was going on, he must refuse to do any other business until this Bill was disposed of. The only recourse seemed to be the closure. He was ashamed to have to say this, but it was forced on him. The facL was that up to a certain hour no business was done, and then members wanted to go home. At this rate no business would be done. In answer to this it was claimed that there was no special urgency for passing the Bill within the next day or two, and that even if the House took a fortnight over it, it was better to do that than pass an unworkable measure. Mr. Mills claimed that the^Government had been most reasonable all through with this Bill. Mr. Carson pointed out that throughout the consideration of the measure the supporters of the Government, almost without exception, had taken no interest in the proceedings, and had not given any assistance to improve the Bill. The Opposition knew that the Bill would have to pass, but it was determined that every line of any importance in it should be closely scrutinised and improved as much as possible. Mr. Scobie Mackenzie said the position they had got to on the Bill was a scandal, and he and the Opposition repudiated anj" responsibility for that position. It was due to the want of tact of the Premier. It was true that they had not passed many clauses of the Bill, but they should remember the

extraordinary importance of the Bill. Up to 1.30 on that morning the progress had been fair and the discussion reasonable. Mr. Herries pointed out the amendments carried and proposed as showing that the proposals of the Opposition had not been trivial. At 9 o'clock it was suggested that the Chairman should leave the Chair for breakfast, and the Premier agreed to adjourn for half an hour.