MATTER BEFORE PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 92, 15 October 1913, Page 8

MATTER BEFORE PARLIAMENT

PLAIN SPEAKING. OPPOSITION LEADER'S AMENDMENT. In the House of Representatives this | afternoon, the Minister for Public Works (Hon. W. Fraser) made a statement regarding recent accidents to tram guards. ' Last night, he said, he mot the Mayor of Wellington and the tramway officials. He proposed to set up a committee to enquire into the matter and report within seven days, as to the best method of preventing such accidents. The committee he proposed would consist of Sir Waiter Buchanan and Messrs. Davey, Statham, Cxaigie, G. M. Thomson, Buxton, and himself. Next week a conference of representatives of tramway authorities and employees would be held 'in Wellington to further consider tho question. Mr. Davey said that if he was a Minister he' would insist on all cars with outside footboards being converted at once. Hon. Mr. Fraser : We can't do that. Mr. Davoy asked that the Committee should be open to tho press, so as to let the public know how many accidents had occurred. Hon. W. Fraser : I don't object. The Hon. W. F. Massey agreed that the press ought to be present, but ho pointed out that tho fact of the press being present tended to lengthen tho proceedings. Sir Joseph Ward moved, as an amendment : "That in the opinion of this House human life ia of greater importance than the convenience of the Wellington City Council." Ho characterised the cars with foot-boards as "death traps," and urged that such cars should be converted without delay. What, he asked, was tho use of putting off consideration of such a question ? It was about time the authorities were told that Parliament would no longer tolerate such a state of things. The committee would only report that these cars should be changed without delay. Why could not Parliament stop the running of these cars, and tell the Corporation that it must effect a reform. These men being killed seemed to be a matter of perfect indifference to some people, and it was time that Parliament made its voice heard in tho matter. Tho Hon. W. Fraser asked if tho amendment moved by Sir Joseph Ward was in order. Mr. Speaker said that as fay as ho could see it was in ordor. The Hon. W. Fraser urged that Sir Joseph Ward had spoken without a sensse of responsibility. Sir Joseph Ward : No, I haven't. FORTY-SEVEN CARS TO BE CONVERTED. Mr. Fraser said thore wero 47 cars without the central pas6age } and if they were put out of commission 100 men would be out of -employment. His object

in moving to set up the Committtee was to fmd out whether tho employees would be prepared to be out of employment until the cars were converted or go on until they could be converted. No one (he said in answer to Mr. Isitt) could compel the council to pay the men their wages while the cars wore being converted. Ho complained that tho amendment suggested that he was careless about human life; there was no reason in such a suggestion. His proposal was the only way out of the difficulty. The council could not see its way to convert more than three cars a month. He believed that the committee ho proposed could get all tho evidence it required in two days. Mr. Payne : You havo all the evidenco now. The Minister denied this. Unless tho House was prepared to legislate against such cars and recompense the men for the consequent loss of time, the setting up of the committee he had proposed was the only way out of the difficulty. "SIDE-TRACKING." Mr. Hanan said it was known that these cars were dangerous to life and limb, and that being so he did not see why the House should hesitate to put its opinion on record. This was a. question of lifo or death, and tho setting up of a committee was merely "side-tracking" the question. Some men otherwise out of work were prepared to take risks, but the House ought to protect those men against themselves. Tins was not a question to be handled with kid gloves. To-morrow and the life might be lost, and tho House would be to blame. The Hon. W. F. Massey regretted that this had been made a party question. (Opposition members: No.) Tho Minister of Public Works had taken a groat deal of interest in, tho matter, and ho (Mr. Massey) thought tho stop proposed was the most advisable. In view, however, of the amendment proposed, ha thought the best plan would be for tho Minister to withdraw his motion, allow the amendment to be carried, and throw the responsibility on the Leader of tho Opposition. Sir Joseph Ward : I am prepared to w cept the responsibility. (Proceeding.)