Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 119, 12 September 1896, Page 3

Parliamentary Notes.

IN HOUSE AND COUNCIL. [Special to Standard.' Wellington, This day. The Council, doubtless guided by the speech delivered by the Hon Geo. McLean on the previous day. decided yesterday by 18 to 11 to refuse a second reading to the Private Benefit Societv's Bill". The Hon Mr Feldwick's Defamation Bill has been read a third time in the Council. Sir Bobert Stout has taken charge of the measure in the House, but at this stage of the session there will be little opportunity of its being reached. The fact that some banks charged higher interest to country customers t quiring accommodation than they do in the case of town clients is a reason given by an ex-member who has a seat in the House for supporting the Premier's ITsuries Bill. The Mining Act Amendment Bill as amended by the Gokltields Committee provides every safeguard for the, protection of owners' rights consistent with the Crown's right to royal minerals. Opponents of the measure are lobbying actively to prevent its passage through the Legislature. The Slaughterhouses Act Amendment Bill, the Poverty Bay Land and Deeds Registration Bill, and the Ngatitoa Trust Bill were read a second time in the Council yesterday afternoon. The relationship of master and apprentice has engaged the attention of the Government several times since the creation of a Minister of Labor, but all attempts at legislation for an improved state of affairs have failed. The Bill now before the House is not likely to meet with any better fate. The Premier, in asking for its committal, urged that it was much better to stop at once the indiscriminate employment of boys and girls of tender years as apprentices than to have the heads of families dependent on their children for support. Captain Russell made a damaging speech in opposition to the Bill, in the course of which he said the result of the deliberations of the Labor Bills Committee was that they thought it would be a very good thing If the Bill was postponed until some future occasion when better evidence could be obtained and members would have a better opportunity of studying the question. Mr Willis, a staunch Ministerialist, said that the Bill went in the direction of preventing boys getting employment. He would like to see legislation introduced giving them employment. The debate lasted the entire after-pooj-aati well into the evening sitting. foe motion for committal being evC&ualiy carried by 32 to 2*2. The Shops and Shop Assistants Act Amendment Bill and the Hawker's Bill were committed on the voices. Members finished their week's work Jast at midnight, when the House rose. The members of the Opposition have sent to the Hon £• Mitchelson a handsome salver suitably inscribed on the occasion of his silver wedding. It bears this inscription : "Presented by the party in Opposition N.Z. Parliament, 1896, to the Hon. Mr and Mrs Mitcbelenn on the happy occasion of their oUver wadding, im."