PARLIAMENT.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2463, 3 October 1914, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION. Wellington, October 2. HOrSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met «t 2.30 p.m. Tho Premier eaid lie was consulting the Foodstuffs Commission relative to the alleged shortage of flour in the Dominion and the inability of bakers to obtain supplies. In reply to Sir Joseph "Ward, who complained that people are not being put on the roll, the Hon. Mr Fisher said the system of enrolling people had not been" changed, and if people would not take the trouble to get on the roll no p_ower on earth could compel them to do so. The main rolls would be closed on tho 7th met., and be printed as soon as the printers could get them out. He would ask the officials to make special efforts to enrol electors between now, and the 7th. The Attorney-General laid on the table a return showing the amount collected iby way of death duty be- i tween 1909-10 ' and 1913-14. Sir Joseph Ward said the figures bore out the opinion he had expressed when he made an alteration in the death duties that the revenue therefrom would pay for the Dreadnonght within a comparatively short time. The increase since 1909-10 was £444,----000. which was very satisfactory. The increase was nearly three times as great as the interest and sinking fund on the Dreadnought. If this system of taxation was not satisfactory, he presumed the Government would have repealed it. I Messrs Russell, Payne, and Isitt j also commented on the return as vindicating the finance of Sir Joseph Ward. Sir Joseph Ward asked the Post-master-General if some modification I could not be made in the censorship iof cables. It should not now be neces--1 sary to insert the full name and ad- ', dress of the sender .and receiver in j commercial cables. It was highly in- ' convenient to business people. The j Hon. Mr Rhodes admitted that the system caused inconvenience. He would communicate with the Imperial authorities and see if modification could be mad©. Mr Massey moved that on and after Monday next β-nd for the remainder of the session the House meet on Mondays at 7.30 p.m. >for the transaction of Government .business only. Amongst the Bills the Government intend proceeding with, the Premier I mentioned the Amendment to the •Legislature Act and an Amendment of the Land Act would be brought down. A Bill was also being prepared for encouragement of .breeding remounts and horses suitable for artilI lery. 'A Workers' Homes Amendment Bill, Mining, Coal Mines, Cook Islands, Fruit Industry, Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment I Bills would be introduced. It would : probably ibe necessary to bring down two Loan Bills. There would also be a Washing-up Bill. If possible, a Bill j dealing with the iron industry would be brought down. Without committing the Government to drop them, ihe did not at present propose to go jon with the Motor, Crimes, Defamation, and Religious Instruction in Schools Bills. If the House attacked tho work in earnest, there was no reason why the session should not close in three weeks. Sir Joseph Ward claimed that the Premier should make an explicit statement and say what Bills he really intended to go on with. It was not fair to leave them in doubt, as they were prepared to help through legislation if they were treated fairly. The National Provident Fund Amendment and the Education Reserves Amendment Bills were introduced by Governor's Message and read a first time. On tho question that the amendments made in the Fire Brigades Amendment Bill be agreed to. Mr Sidey urged that in all cases inquests should be held awarding, the causes of fires. On the third reading Mr Sidey contended that the House was entitled to an expression of opinion from the Government as to the policy they proposed to follow to prevent the present enormous waste by fire in this Dominion, New Zealand having in this respect the most unenviable record in the world. Mr Fisher said he recognised tbo importance of the matter, and had had it under consideration. Since hehad .been Minister in charge of the department he had- declined any negotiations with private companies. The profits of the department were being profitably employed. There wore full powers in the Act at the present time to hold enquiries, but the power given was optional. The costs of the compulsory inquests jwould be £7000 per annum. He admitted that the expenditure of £7000 per annum would pay |he country handsomely. The Bill was then -read a third time and passed. Mr Fisher moved that the National Provident Fund' Amendment Bill bo recommitted for the purpose of reconsidering clause 9. He stated that since the Bill was in committee a. difference of opinion arose between himself and Labour members as to the effect of the clause. Since then he had instructed the head of the department to consult Mr T. F. Martin re drafting an amendment, ?wihich. he now introduced. The problem was the case of a worker employed by a local body and after paying into the fund for a number of years leaves or is discharged from service. The position was full of difficulty, and he now proposed that such a worker should be allowed to" pass from one local bo#y and retain the benefit of the fund. It he did not pass into the employ of another local body he would receive a refund of money paid in. Mr McCombs denounced the proposal as altogether inadequate protection to the worker, also Messrs Isitt, Glover, Hind-marsh, Veitch, and Payne. The House then went into committee on the Bill, and upon tho question of inserting the Minister's amendment a division was called for, the amendment being inserted Tjy 25 to 11. Mr Fisher, in reply, said he regretted the opposition shown to the Bill, because it had evidently been developed for the purpose of killing a measure that was designed to help the workers. What the Labour party wanted was the legalised thoft of other people's money. The effect of the Bill would be to steady $ie employees of local bodies and prevent strikes just as the superannuation scheme had kept our railway men within the bounds of reason. Members had not; appreciated the difficulties in floating such a scheme, and hnd not been even considerate in their opposition. The third reading was carried, the Bill passed, and the House rose at 12.55 a.m.