HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Evening Post, Volume LXII, Issue 17, 19 July 1901, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House continued Its sitting after We went to press, yesterday afternoon.

WOODVILLK COUNTY. Mr. O'Menra moved the second reading of the Woodville County Bill, wh'jch, he said, would murgo four local bodies into pno, and considerably lessen the cogt of administration. The Minister for Railways, in reply to questions, said bo did not Bee why the Counties Bill now bofore the Houso should not apply to the county now proposed to bo created. The second reading was agreed ta on the voices. AN INVERCARGILL MEASURE. On motion, of Mr. Hanan,, the Invorcnrgill Reserves Leasing Bill was road a second time. DISTRICT COURTS. » Mr. Hogg withdrew his District Courts Act Amendment BUI, an the Government has a similar measure now before the House. CYCLE BOARDS. Mr. Fowlds moved the second reading of the Cycle Boaras Bill, which is intended to enable cyclists to tux themselves for the purpose of making and maintaining cycle trucks for their own convenience. The Bill was brought up last session, bub time did not permit of its being put on to the Statute-book. The mover urged that the cycle roads formed' by the Boards in outlying districts would be useful for footpaths for settlers in the winter time, and would give cyclists better opportunities to see the country, and would generally be the beginning of an era of better roads. Cyclists in all parts of the colony had petitioned in favour of the measure, which was per' missive, ,aiyl could only be brought into operation by all the cyclists in a district beng practically unanimous. The Minister for Railways complimented Mr. Fowlds on having introduced a Bill which if passed would do "an in-, calculable amount of good to a largo number pf people throughout the coun : try. He would .cordially assist him in passing a Bill which would be of great benefit both to town and country. Mr. G. W. Russell wanted to know -why cyclists should be required to tax themselves to provide* roads for, their vohicles. They did not tax the owner of a buggy to provide a road. The Minister for Railways— They want a special portion of tho road set apart for them. ,Mr. Russell went on to urge that the Boards would be likely to expend the money near the towns, and tho interests of country cyclists would bo neglected. The districts proposed -were too large, and the taxation proposed would causo moro dissatisfaction thau did tho dog-tax among the Maoris. Mr. Palmer strongly supported the Bill, which, he thought, could in Committee be easily made a good workable measure. Good tracks wouM also foster tho tourist traffic,, and would serve tho interests of the colony as a -whole. After further debate, Mr.; Fowlds 're* plied, pointing out that the size of the districts was particularly in favour of the country, because that was where trucks were required, not in and closo to the towns. Tho Boafrh might be relied on to do justice to all parts of the district, and ho would accept au amendment providing that if a portion of tho district did not receive justice it could petition to bo cut out of tho area of administration, upon which the cyclists there would be exempted from the operation of the Act. Cycle tracks could ba made' for £50 a mile, and ho believed that in a very few years a large part of the country would bo covered with such tracks, which would also admirably serve tho purpose of a footpath. The socond reading wa» agreed to on the voices. STATUTES COMPILATION. Major Steward moved tho second reading of tho Statutei Compilation Bill, which is designed to enable the Aota, with thoir various amendments, to bo compiled and printed, so that any oue desiring it can obtain all tho Acts in a contpkte form relating \o any particular subject, without being compelled to search through a number of' amending Acts- for the purpose. Mr. Wilford and Mr. Palmer expressed approval of the Bill, and the second reading was earned on the voices. PEDLARS AND HAWKERS. Mr. Houston moved tho second reading of the jPcdlara and Hawkers Bill, which he said was absolutely required in the country. The principal feature of the Bill was that hawkers must. have resided in the district' at least twelve months beforo they could obtain a license, and he said the provision was aimed chiefly at Syrian hawkers, -who, especially in the North, travelled about in largo numbers, disposing of goods which wero practically worthless. Before .obtaining 'a < license a hawker must' get a certificate of good character from four ratepayers, and the Bill was also designed to put a stop to the practice at present in vogue of sly-grog selling by hawkers. A distinction was made between hawkers and commercial travellers, and the Bill ' proposed that the latter should be prevented from soliciting orders from any one not engaged in trade. Mr. Tanner urged that the BUI, would conflict with the Municipal Corporations Act of last year, which laid it 'down tiiat within a borough a liamse- should be charged to haVrkers, and thai a certain class of goods should bi hawked free. It might be sufficient if the. Bill was made to apply only to, counties. Mr. Wilford said an absolute change in the oriminal law was proposed by the clause which provided that a constable might, without warrant, seize iftid detain a person found hawking without a license. He was suro members would not) dare to vote for such a proposal, under which no one would be safe. The ola.uae relating to commercial travellers would prevent a man selling a number, of pairs of moleskin trousers to a farmer for the bands on his station. He. .agreed with the object of the Bill, bu,t its author had gone beyond what was necessary. Mr. Massey said no good oase* had been made out for the Bill except in regard to Syrian hawkers, and under its provision? commercial travellers and hawkers would be compelled to take* out a license in every district in which they did business, while, tho interpretation clause was so drafted that the measure would apply to bakers and grooers and butchers going about the country with their goods in carts. Mr. Meredith said the, laws of tho colony allowed the Syrians to come here, and nothing should be done to prevent them obtaining an honest living. Mr. G. W. Russell said the Bill proposed to tax certain members of the community, and ha- wanted to know whether it should not emanate from th* Government and be introduced by Governor's Message. \ The Spei&er said lie would nat itop the Bill at its, present stage, but would consider the point raised. Mr. Russell went on to oppose the measure, which he said should b# called a Bill to confer a. monopoly on country storekeepers, and would, if carried, deprive country residents of the chance they at present possess of buying goods from .travelled for town firms' at less rate* than they could buy them locally. Mr. Barclay objected to tha proposals in the Bill regarding commercial travellers, Mr. Collins opposed the Bill as a needless piling up of legislation, und

said tj&re wos'tibsolufcety' 3(o' nW lor it. " My. Houston urged that if a commercial traveller converted himself by his actions into a pedlar und hawker, and did not take out a license, lie should be punished — that was all the Bill proposed. As to the arrest of offending hawkers, . arrest by a constable was the only way in which they could be dealt with/ lis before a summons could be served upon them they would have left the locality. . . . The Bocond. reading was negatived by 30. Votes tbZ4, and the I 'Bill was' thus thrown out. • l ' ' , A BILL POSTBCyNED. "-,•;• When the House resumed afi 7.30 tfee jinotiou for Iho second reading pf Mr. llornsby's Control of Female Employment Bill was, in the absence of the mover, adjourned to 15th August. DRILL IN STATE SCHOOLS.' The State School Children Compulsory Drill Bill was committed, Major Ssewar4 taking the chair. ' Mr. Collins suggested that tho title of tho Bill shpuld roafl "State School Children physical Prill Bill, 4 ' omitting the word Mr. Guinness, in charge of X\q Bill, could n°t agree to such an amendment, though he intended to move in clause 2 mi amendment making physical and military driU compulsory for boys and physical drill compulsory for girls. Mr. Millar contended that compulsory drill would kill the cadet corgs. v He objected to the compulsory element; Mr. M'Lachlan sold that if the measure was not compulsory it 'would, he of no effect. , Mr.' Collins 'bbjected to the compulsory Reaching of military drill to children of height years.' My.- Fisher considered r the compulsory nature of the Bill necessary. Tse.. present Act was mandatory on the subject pf f milUary drill, but it had. not-, been ■Jejtforced. " ' - \ Mr. Massey said that its compulsory ,w.ture was essontjal to flko Bil,l, supported^ ' ' . y Captain Russell supported the. Bill ,nnd the retention of the word "compulsory." » , Mr. Atkinson — Why not put it in tho title of every Bill? All Acts are compulsory. Captain Russell would retain the word in order to make the Bill a real live thing. He supported compulsory drill in country as well a* town. He referred j±o tha good effect of discipline and obedience to tho word of command. Mr. Piraui charged Mr. Russell with not knowing the difference between military drill and physical drill. There was no word of command in physical drill. Physical drill was already taught in the best schools. Military drill had turned but p. 'mechanical Tommy Atkins. ' 'Under the Act drill was already compulsory, but the present Bill would create an exemption by means of the conscience clause. The Bill, if passed 1 , would be a faroe. Mr. Guinness maintained that the terms of the Bill were more compulsory than those of tho Act, which placed the matteij of physical training in tho discretion of the Boards. (A Member — "Quite right.") If the- exemption in the conscience clause was objected to, let that clause go out. Mr. Hutcheson considered that the ma-chine-like effects as shown in Tommy Atkins were not creditable to military drill. Physical drill and military drU were >as different as light and dark. The Education Boards had not carried out the drill instruction as fully as provided in the Act, through lack oi funds. The Bill, if passed, would be no more compulsory than the present Act. Mr. Monk supported military drill, pointing out that the New Zeolanaers who went to South Africa- were required, before being accepted, to show a degree of proficiency with the rifle. , Mr. Qilfedder considered the Bill unnecessary. Toe Boards were doing their best, and in Hawkes Bay and Wanganui military drill was being taught very, efficiently. He pointed out the burden that compulsory physical and military drill would be to female teachers in sole charge of schools. Mr. Fisher stated that female teachers had taught physical drill as well as men. He quoted figures as to the financial position of the Boards in tho direction of showing that they, or some of them, had money to spend in physical and military drill. The amendment moved by Mr. Pirani .striking the word "compulsory" out of the short title, was carried by 30 to 24. The title was passed ea follows :~r-"The State School Children Drill Bill." In' clause 2 Mr. Guinness , moved an amendment limiting the instruction of girls to physical drill, his motion being to the offeofc that it Bhall be the duty of Education Boards to oaus* military and physical drill to be taught to all boys over the age of eight years and physical training to all girls over the age of eight years. The clause as it stood provided for "military and physical /drill to be taught to all boys and girls over the age of eight years." Mr. Millar moved a- prior amendment -that the words "military and' be struck out. After considerable debate, mostly antagonistio to the inclusion of military drill, Mr. Napier moved that the Chairman leave the Chair, which was rejected on the voices. ' The amendment to clause 2, striking out the words "military and" was carried on the voices. Mr. Atkinson said that the striking out of military drill left it in the same position as under the principal Act. He moved an addition to clause 2 to the effect that every Board shall at its discretion cause military - drill to be taught to all boys over the prescribed age. This was negatived by 34 to 13, and clause 2 passed as amended. Consequential amendments mere made in subsequent ohtases. The next discussion was- on clause 6* dealing with exemptions. For this olause was substituted,' on the motion of Mr. Atkinson, a clause providing that "upon the principal of the school Ijeing satisfied that any boy or girl ' is unfit to perform physical drill" exemption should be granted. The Bill was reported with amendments, its further consideration being set ilown for Thursday of next week. w ' EIGHT HOURS. Mr. Fisher continued the adjourned- debate on the second reading of the Eighthours' Bill. He supported) the principle of the measure 1 . Mr. Field said thai if* the Bill was {•assed it would paralyse farm industry, t was not called for by the farm labourer. It could not be on eight-hours' day with the farmer. His success depended on his hand work. Afc times work with him Wa£ slack; and at times very busy. The eight* tours' provision would cripple the farmer in the busy season. Mr. G. W. Russell directed attention to the provision in section 6 of tho Bill' for recovery of overtime payment incurred otherwise than as provided- in the Act. Mr. Pirani stated that while tho principle of the eight-hours' day had Tbeen several times confirmed, the House could never agree as to how it should be applied to particular industries. He thought that an amendment to- the Conciliation and Arbitration Act should be introduced tc enable a number of workers to refer complicated question's of hours and similar matters direct to the Arbitration Court, There were long hours in connection with dairying, but the work was not continuous, and the only way in which the question of hours could be settled was 1

.feY MK&iiifi tk<? appointe.d.jium.beiiHpt continuous, but so arranged as to suit the requirements of the industry. A continuous eight-hours' uay could not be applied to such an industry. Mr. Arnold hoped that the .Government would give its own employees the benefit of the eight-hours' principle. Th.o Bill would be absolutely disastrous in the cities, and was not wanted in the country. Mr. Atkinson contended (hat the BUI could be got over by arranging to pay a man 8s a day, and then, if he was worked nine hours, the overtime payable would only bo a very small amount. If, ( as Mr. Arnold said, it would be abso1 lutely disastrous in tjie cities and was not >vantcd in the country,' ue' failed to see to what portion- of thtf cpjony it> cqul<J have any satisfactory application. The matter pf hours' of labour should h,a left to the Arbitration Court. ' Mr. G. W. Russell, in reply, said he could see the House was against tb.e proposal to apply this Bill to country dis j tricts, and % would pot imperil fts ptysBage by trying to force through a proposal which was against the sense of the Hone. y • TUo -Jecoftd jeadwg was carried by !& votes t0, 17, „ „ „, < • i The House rose ,at>' -midnight. \