POLITICAL NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 35, 10 August 1905, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

STARVATION WAGES. The attention of the Minister for Labour, who is also tho Premier, was recently called by Mr. Ell to a case reported in the Wellington newspapers, of a man who; out of a wage of 30s a week, had to pay 14s a week rent and support a wife ana a child. Mr. Ell wanted to know whether a- minimum wage law should be passed "in order to protect men from being compelled to accept a starvation wage, which is fixed by the law of 6upply and demand for labour." He also wanted an enquiry miule as to the rent paid by working men in Wellington and suburbs. The Premier's reply can scarcely be regarded as consoling. It would, he said, be almost an impossibility to fix a minimum wage to cover all classes of work, and still more difficult to enforce it. The remedy was for the workers to form an industrial union in each trade, j and then for the Arbitration Court to fix j the minimum wage. The man in ques- 1 tion had to -pay nearly half his small income in rant, and the Government wished to try and relieve, the workers by legislation affecting tint p'irt of the diminishing value of wages. ihe Labour Department report would contain the result of enquiries as to rents paid by workers. WERE THEY PLEASED? The suggestion was recently made to the Minister for Railways by Mr. Hawkins that the employees in the Petouo workshops were annoyed at being compelled to take a half-holiday on the occasion of the official opening of tho new railway stations at Petone and Lower Hutt, more particularly as a half-day's pay would be deducted from all wages. The Minister, in replj, said he was not aware of any dissatisfaction. On the contrary, there was every reason to believe that the arrangement was an entirely satisfactory one to the workshops employees, who, on their own initiative, requested that a full half-holiday should be given on the occasion. He added that the arrangement to close the shops for the whole afternoon was the outcome of the request of tho majority of the employees. AN IMMIGRATION MATTER. A curious instance of mismanagement on the part of one of the Government Departments was brought before the House yesterday by Mr. Aitken. From his remarks it appears that a circular has been issued to the public, signed by T. E. Donne, Secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce, containing the following paragraph :— "Warrants for passages can be obtained in New Zealand from any of the companies' agents on payment of full amount of ordinary fare, the Government contribution and special allowance to be refunded od subsequent production of the Agent-General's approval in writing." In spite of that statement the Depirtment of Immigration had refused iD one- instance to pay the promised contribution, notwithstanding that the Agent-General's approval in writing and all other documentary evidence required had been' produced. The Premier, to. whose notice the matter was brought, admitted the publication of the circular^ and that it might have been more clearly expressed in order to prevent any misunderstanding, but, he added, "upon a careful reading the conclusion arrived lit is that persons may obtain passages at the reduced rates specified therein." So far as the Department was aware, every person who had acted upon the information contained in the circular had obtained passages at the reduced rates specified. Mr. Aitken urged that the reply was not at all straightforward, and he pointed out, as against the Premier's reply, that the Immigration ( Department admitted I the facts, but said the reason was that no j money had been appropriated for the pur- | pose. The member for Wellington urged the Government to remedy the matter as soon as possible, as otherwise immigration to the colony would be seriously affected. Later oh Mr. Major, who is a strong Government supporter, described the conduct of Ministers in the matter in terms of strong disapprobation, "dishonest" and "shuffling" being some of the terms employed. Mr. Duthie also complained that the Minister was sheltering himself behind his officers, and he expressed his opinion $at there had been a breach of ffjith on fie part of the Government. The Premier, who is in charge of the Depart - j ment, said he had no evidence of any breach of faith on the part of the Government. The case had not been submitted to him yet, but if there had been reasonable compliance with the conditions he would be the last in the world to repudiate the liability. AN INACCURATE ORGAN. A breezy little episode took place in the House shortly before midnight last night. The Leader of the Opposition held up a copy of a periodical published in this city which, he said, claimed to be the official organ of the Liberal Party in New Zealand. He went on to point out that in the last number of that journal there was a paragraph reflecting on those members who opposed the setting up of the Extension of Commerce Committee. Mr. Mataey pointed out, what every member of the House knew, that the opposition to the committee was on account of its size only, and he remarked, with considerable warmth, that "what would be .a breach of privilege in the case of a respectable journal, could only be regarded with contempt in the case of a thing like this." It was, he continued, evidently intended to circulate that paper among the constituencies for the purpose of injuring the members who voted against the committee. He noticed that "this thing" contained' quite a number of Government advertisements ; and it contained false and distorted reports of the proceedings of Parliament. The Premier, on "rising to reply to these reflections, was asked by Mr. Taylor "What do you pay for these advertisements?" Disdaining to answer this query, Mr. Seddon s>aid this was the first ho had heard of it — a statement that was met with an outburst of ironical laughter. He expressed the hope that the House would abide by its Standing Orders and not deal with a newspaper unless there was a breach of privilege, to which the Leader of the Opposition retorted that "he was not prepared* to allow himself or his party to bo placed in a false position by the Premier or any of his organs." PUBLIC AND PARLIAMENT. , One of the most significant features in connection with the present session is the very lage number of the' public, of both sexes, who habitually flock to tho galleries, and the evident interest they take in the proceedings is a good augury for a heavy poll at the coming elections. In the afternoon, yesterday the galleries were full. In the evening, long before the lights were turned up, a. large crowd invaded Parliament Buildings,' and before seven o'clock there was not a seat to bo had, even in the ladies' gallery, for love or money. In the hopo of a lively debate the large audience waited patiently until the House met, only to find that the Fisher-Seddon incident had ended for the day two and a half hours before, and that the House was meiely engaged in debating the replies given by Ministers to questions. And yet, such is the interest in matters political just now that the occupants of the galleries kept their places till quite a late hour.'