PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 83, 6 October 1915, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Th« House of Representatives resumed at 7 30 o'clock last evening. The Hon. W. H. Herries moved the committal of the West Coast Settlement Reserves Amendment BUI. He explained that the Bill dealt with the partitioning of Native lands on the West Coast, and the most important clause- made the partitions come into operation at once, so as to enable the owners to get their land. The Bill was put through its Committee stages, read a third time, and passed | with amendments. The Minister then moved the committal of the Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill, which (as reported elsewhere) was put through all stages and passed -with minor amendments. The House Jealt in Committee with the Counties Amendment Bill. A number of amendments were introduced and added with very little discussion. The Bill was reported with amendments, and read a third time. FEIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL. The Friendly Societies Amendment Bill was committed. The Hon. J. A. Hanan moved to insert an addition to clause 4, sub-clause 2, which in its original form in the Bill validated the rules of the various societies which were passed to consolidate the funds. The addition proposed by the Minister adds the further provision that where any rules for the ■consolidation of any benefitfunds had been made before the passing of the Act, but had not been registered, such rules might be registered if after the passing of the Act they are confirmed by resolution passed at a special or annual or biennial meeting of the society. Clause 6, which proposed to make penalties under the societies' rules recoverable at law, was deleted. The Bill was reported with amendments and read a third time. The Education Reserves Amendment Bill was put through its remaining stages and passed without amendment"; the Lake Coleridge Water-power Bill was passed with amendment, and progress was reported on the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill. _, ' > THE VON^ZEDLITZ CASE. Reporting on the petition of the Victoria University College Council that no legislation be passed which would have the effect of interfering with the free exercise by the petitioner of its functions under the Victoria College Act, 1905, the Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives yesterday said that in its opinion the question raised was one of policy, and the Committee had no recommendation to make. No discussion attended the submitting of the report, which was adopted by the House. A RAILWAY PETITION. The Railway Committee, reporting on a petition praying that casuals be given the same, benefits which are given to permanent employees of the Railway Service, recommended that the petition be referred to the Government for immediate and favourable consideration, the Committee being of the opinion that all regular casuals paid at a daily rate, and who were ineligible for the permanent staff when they first joined, and who have been continuously employed for a period of ten years and over, should be granted the privileges under Regulations Nos. 98 and 114, and that effect be given thereto at an early date. J820..000 COMPENSATION. The report of the Petitions Committee on tho petition of John Scott Myers, praying for £20,000 compensation for wrongful imprisonment, which was submitted to Parliament yesterday, made no recommendation. The Hon. D. Buddo moved that the, report be referred back 'to the Committee. He said that Mr. Myers had a real grievance. He outlined a series of legaJ actions in which the petitioner had been engaged as prosecutor. He had gone to gaol ultimately rather than pay Court costs, and had been sentenced to hard labour. He had been advised later that he was wrongfully committed. The only* course open to him was io appeal 'to Parliament. If the report V e re referred again to the Committee, said Mr. Buddo, and the amount of the compensation asked for reduced, the claim might be recognised. Mr. Hindmarsh strongly supported the petitioner's claim, but Mr. 'Isitt viewed the matter differently. The report of the Committee was i adopted. !