PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 145, 16 December 1913, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

LAST DAY'S PROCEEDINGS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Yesterday, the last day of the 1913 session, saw the Legislative' Council pass the following Bills :—lndustrial: — Industrial Disputes Investigation, Monopolias Prevention, Shops and Offices Amendment. The Strike Bill was being discussed when The Post went to press. It is reported elsewhere. - MONOPOLIES AMENDMENT. The Monopolies Prevention Amendment Bill was read a second time, committed, read a third 'time, and passed. SHOPS AND OFFICES. The Shops and Offices Amendment Bill was read a second time. Its provisions were fully detailed when the measure was before the Lower House on Saturday. The chief proposal is for a six-days week, and the Arbitration pourt is required to award so, unless it is satisfied that the provisions would not be reasonably practicable. Under the Bill, seating accommodation is provided for female shop assistants. Hon. Mr. Paul considered the meaBure fell short of requirements. The matter of one day's rest ' in seven was left to the Court, but there had never beSn anything in the Act that prevented the Court from granting this before. It was not fair that any workers in this country should be deprived of ohe day's redt in seven. He hoped if this provision did not meet the case (if the Court refused to grant this), the Government would not hesitate to meet the case by legislation. Even in 0 materialistic France the employees received what was being asked here, svut what was denied in many rjart3 of C*iistian England. He believed it could be clone in a large number of cases. He again expressed regret that in this very important question the Legislature had said, in effect : "We would rather leave this to the Court," all the while , knowing that the Court had expressed the opinion that it would rather the Legislature decided the question. In effect, the Minister replied that the Legislature had done all that it could dp. He was of the opinion that in this matter of a six-day week there should be no exceptions. Who was to define the exceptions? There must be some tribunal for this purpose — there was the Arbitration Court. The Bill was " passed through all stages without amendment. During the afternoon the Minister announced that, after several conferences, the managers of both Houses had arrived at agreement with regard to a contentious amendment to the Law Practitioners Amendment Bill. Agreement was also reported on the "Auckland clause," (in an amended form) in the Municipal Corporations Bill, after four conferences. > Tho Bill was further amended by adding a clause enabling water rates to be collected, and the validating of rates already due. The business for the session concluded with the passing of the Appropriation Bill. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FINAL STAGES. The House continued its sitting after The Post went to press yesterday afternoon. , LAW. PRACTITIONERS. The report of the conference on the Council's amendments in the Law Practitioners Bill was agreed to. MUNICIPAL LAW AND MOTOR'BUSES. The report of tho conference between the Council and the House on the subject of the motor-'bua clauses in the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill was brought up for consideration- The Hon. . A. L. Herdman said the effect of the report was that ail local bodies frould be able to provido motor-bus services while at the same time doing justice -to. the' Auckland Tramway Company. The arrangement was that motor'bus services should only be established for extending or supplementing the existing tramway service. The Submission of the report led to considerable discussion on the lines of pa^fc debates on the same subject, and eventually it was agreed to by 35 votes to 13. VICTORIA COLLEGE. 1 The Hon. ,J.- Allen ■ moved the second reading of the -Victoria College Amendment Bill, and it was agreed to on the voices, ' ' ; APPROPRIATION BILL. . The Appropriation ' Bill was brought down at, 5.45. p.m. " During the Committee stage of the Bill 'Mr. Wilford wanted to know how much the State Fire Insurance Department had lost by the change of policy. Hon. J. Allen : I don't know that it has lost anything. k .' The last clause in the Bill proposed to authorise the expenditure of £50,000 for naval defence purposes. A division was threatened, but members were in a hurry and the clause was passed on the voices. ' ' The Bill got through Committee at 6.10 p.m., and was read a third time and passed. Then the' House adjourned till 8 p.m. On resuming, the Appropriation Bill was (after a brief interval devoted to hilarity) received from the Legislative Council at. 8.40 p.m. Then the Bill went to the Governor for his signature. The galleries, were full during the interval, and, in accordance with practice, a . Parliament" was; held, and members aimed at exhibiting themselves in a hilarious capacity. Though not of the highest order of mirth, it was good in parts.. It. was 11.10 p.m. when the Speaker returned with ' His Excellency's imprimatur On tho last batch of Bills, in- ; eluding the Appropriation Bill, and, though the galleries were still full, the benches usually occupied by members were very empty; many of the occupants having .gone north and south by train and boat. END OF THE SESSION. Closing the business of the session, ' the Prime Minister remarked that it was easily a record. He congratulated Mr. Speaker on the way in which he had discharged his responsible duties. He also paid a similar compliment, to Mr. Malcolm, Chairman of Committee, and said he thought that gentleman had given valuable assistance. Further, he paid a high compliment to the officers of the House for the valuable work they had done. wAs to the Opposition, he said their differences had only been political and not personal, and he wished them all " A- Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year." Sir Joseph paid a high compliment to Mr. Speaker for the manner in which he had carried out his responsible duties in his first year of office, and remarked that neither in the House nor in Committee had there been a scene on which they could look back with regret. (Hear, hear.) He believed that Parliament had lived up to its excellent record and carried out tys duties to the best of its ability. The sitting hours of the House constituted a record, and he was pleased to think that, though they differed politically, they easily forgot the acerbities of political life. Liko Mr. Massey, he paid a high compliment to the officers of the House, and expressed the hope thai;

the Speaker, Prime Minister, and Chairman of Committee, and officers, would spend a pleasant holiday. In returning thanks, Mr. Speaker said he had to thank members for their generous consideration. This was his first session, and he had had many difficulties. His end savour had been to give the greatest latitude in" debate, and he thought the House had upheld the high reputation that it had held and deserved for many years past. There had been many hoated debates, but he was sure there were no lasting ,difforences. (Hear, hear.) In accordance with time-honoured custom the House divided on the question that the House should adjourn. The motion was (as usual) carried, the figures being : For, 23 ; against, 13. That was the end, and at 11.35 p.m. the session of 1913 ended.