POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 14508, 28 October 1910, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[From Oun Papxiamejjtarv Hktortee.] WELLINGTON, October 28. A MERE TRIFLE. Tho somewhat stupendous task which tin? Prime Minister said yesterday that tho Government would ask Parliament to transact in the. next two or three weeks includes upward? of forty Bills, some ot them long, and some of them very eon-t-mtious. " Sir J. Ward only spoke of Bills which are on tho Order Paper, or which have- not emerged from Cabinet and the- printing press. There are others which have- been introduced and referred to committees, and which will not reappear on tho Order Paper until those committees report them back to the House. Of these Sir Joseph made no mention, except m the case of the Gaming Bill. The fortnight allowed to the- Special Committee within which to report it buck to tho House expired yesterday, but Mr Laureiuson, tho chairman, asked for and obtained an extension of a week on the ground that the Committee had found fheir task too big to enable them to report within another week. The Labor Bills Committee- have several important measures still before them. These include tho exceedingly contentions Tramways Bill and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, as well as the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, the Factories Act Amendment Bill, and the Workers Compensation Amendment Bill. On'c member on being spoken to .after the Prune Minister's announcement confessed his inability to understand tho position. Ho ventured the prophecy that tho following day would see tho introduction of a,n Imprest Supply Bil. probably tho last of the' session, and thought there was a poftdbility of its pasage occupying the whole silling. Probably on Monday (when tho House meets at 2.30 p.m. for the first Monday sitting of the session) '.hero would be discussion of a immbor of lompajatively minor li.ills in committee of the whole, lie- would not be surprised to f.eo the fei:cnnd rt ading of the Land Bill setdown for Tuesday.' " A.nd how much further will tho Bill get?" he was asked. '• No further than a second reading,'' ho replied, and he hinted that the comhi nation of l-ca?eho!ders would take good .■are of that. He ;dso mentioned that he had heard from the Opposition camp that the fosoioii was expected to end on Sainrd, y iortni'.dit (November 12). As to the iroepcit, iu Uceiamg legislation passing ilos' he- dismissed this with a c :'l!<!"ro. s hake of the head. ifLRIHTLY PERSONAL. Mr Lawry has been a moot infrequent fpeaker tlus s-... : i0!\. Yesterday, however, he unvoted a brief five minutes to Mr T. K. Taylor, whom he advised to learn three ;i.'::us—liisi.. how to talk ; eecnntl, when to tad;'; tu.d third (ami most important). v, urn net to talk. Mr Lawry added that Ci> ■:;.; who most loudly complained about i :::g hour:; were tiiwf'o who enjoyed tho , :; rtcst h"ii;:.\ leaving ether luemhers u..t only to eeo prolonged sittings through. hut to do rciiLiiiituv work in the lnonunys LASCABS ON LINERS. Ae. was immlicmed yesterday, Mr Poole a.-k.d the Prime Minuter, whether, after V)- representations from the Pedeniu-d t-i.amwi's Ijiiioii. he could see lr.s way '.■'■.■::•.'.• i-> iuti-uduco legislation this f-cssiou (i "i:i:g with tho j>i'o'n.ibit'.vm ot colored ! uv.,s (.-.'.rii-d by siiip.; trading in ••or j raters:' .Mr I'cole urged that the lime , had arrived when some determined elt'ovt I .vioukl be made- to preserve '.ho interests ;.t<l privi'.;:-•■• of the seafaring man. L'oooeratio.". witli Australia, on this matter K.oidd {:','■:•• immediate xh\ satisfactory i -juh-s. Tho trouble ha<i become a<-iite t-itwo the invasion of our waters by ships tarrying eoiorcd crews, ar.d the Federated Seamen's Cnkm feared tho effect of <utthroal rates.—Mr M'LaLva said he had recived telegrams from seamen in different parts of the Dominion asking him to urge on the Government tho need for legislation this session in order thai the difficulty might bo overcome. —Sir Joseph Waul raid iti wn-s intended to introduce legislation this session dealing with the matter of cheap colored labor competing in the inWcolonial trade. Tho matter was one of very great importance, and he pioposed to introduce a Bill and ask Parliament to put- it through this session. He wanted to seo the present coastal shipping laws extended to tho Australi tin a.nd South Pacific Island trade. It this were done it would bo possible to control this ] trad;', just as the co.'Lstal shipping was .-oiitrullod.—Mr Massey: How will that affect the P. and i). Company'.'—Sir] Joseph : If it t topped them altogether 1 would not object. Admittedly the P. ami O. Company is a magniiiecent line, but the matter Is far too s-nious to allow any sentimental feeling to deter na from taking action. We cannot allow- the- establishment of a principle, which might mean the sapping of tho very foundations of the existing conditions of shipping, as they anpiy to white crews. The fSi 11 to be introduced will also contain provisions for dealing with Asiatic crews sailing in thefso waters Sir Joseph Ward added that he thought tho difficulty would be best nvt by imposing a Stamp Duty on the Ijilie of lading. cargo, and passengers on vessels visiting "this country maimed by cheap colored crows. Lascars ami Asiatics generally accepted very low rates of pay, and made it almost impossible for British owned and manned vessels to compote against them. It- was necessary for New Zealand to protect the- white crews tradiic; in these waters, and he would ask the Monro to legislate* accordingly. MISCELLANEOUS. By 44 to 23 tho House rejected Mr Mosfie-y's amendment in favor of not meeting on Mondays till 7.30 p.m. In tho Legislative Council tho du.-tices of tho Peace Amendment Hill wa-s re]iorte<l without amendment, and tho Stone Quarries. Bill was further considered and reported ai> amended. The Land Settlement Finance Amendment. Bill was read a recond time pro forma, and Teforred to tiie Statutes C '.ii»n Committee.