Parliament

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 279, 5 November 1924, Page 3

Parliament

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A BUSY DAY. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, Nov. 4. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. BILLS PASSED. The Honey Export Control Bill was put through all stages. In . moving the second reading the Minister explained that the producers for the measure and there was little or no opposition to it. In committee the date of the poll was altered from not later than the first day of December. 1924, to not later than the first day in January, 1924. The bill was then passed. The Egmont National Park Bill was also put through all stages with machinery amendments. The Master and Apprentices Amendment Bill was put through the committee stage with an amendment made by the Labour Bills Committee. The bill was read the third time and passed. SOLDIER SETTLEMENT BILL. The Hon. A. D. McLeod moved the second reading of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Amendment Bill. Provision is made in the bill by wheih the Dominion Revaluation Board is empowered to deal with any application for revaluation which is received too late but which was in course of transit to the Dominion Board within the time prescribed- .Provision is made whereby the Dominion Board can in the case of mortgages given as security for improvements, stock, etc., reduce the owing under the mortgage and direct that any part of such mortgage can be transferred to the suspense account free of interest for any period not exceeding three years. In cases of realisation of securities under power of sale the Minister of Lands, on the recommendation of a land board, may write off such amount as represents the excess of the niortgago debt over the amount realised and thus free the mortgage from any further liability under the personal covenants of his mortgage. Provision is also made whereby values of buildings on settlement land leased to discharged soldiers can be reduced as from July 1, 1921, or from the date of the lease, whichever date is later. Power is given whereby discharged soldiers who hold small grazing run leases of Crown and settlement land can obtain extension of their leases for any period not exceeding ten years. The Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi) said there was not much in the bill to which anyone could take exception., but he objected to so many important bills being brought down in the closing hours of the session when members could not possibly study them all. Mr T. W. Rhodes (Thames), also commended the bill, but thought it might have gone a good deal further in its assistance, to soldiers. The Minister in reply, said that to do as Mr Rhodes desired would require further appropriations and there was in this, as in other cases, difficulty about money. . _ ~ The bill was read the second timeARBITRATION BILL. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment No. 3 was read a second time without debate, th# Minister explaining that the bill gav< unions the right of appeal in cases where they had been fined for breaches I of the Act. PROFIT SHARING. The Companies Empowering Bill was, on the motion of the Hon. G. J. Anderson, read the second time with out debate. The Minister explained that before any scheme under the bil could operate the Arbitration Court must certify that the. scheme is favourable to workers taking up laboui shares in the company concerned. The House then went into commit tee on the Coal Mines Amendmeui Bill and all other bills read the sec ond time were passed through the remaining stages. . On the third reading of the Com ?ames Empowering Bill, Mr J. A. oung (Hamilton) said the present Companies Act admitted only the right o 5 capital to profits, but the bill admitted that labour, under certair conditions, should be entitled to share in the profits and management of a company. He hoped it would bring aoout a closer relationship between capital and labour. . . Mr Massey said he had seen a. similar scheme working satisfactorily in the Yorkshire woollen mills. He was pleased when he first saw the draft of the piestnt bill. The proposal would make for better relations between master anu men, both in primary and secondary industries. x«.r n. E. Holland (Buller) did not think the bill would materially altei tilings at ail. The Labour party wao not opposing it, but it was not enthusiastic about it. The originator ot tne scheme was an idealist and that was what was at the back of the proposal, but Mr Holland was unable to take the same view as the Premier hau taken regarding it. Mr W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) saici that for once he found himself in complete agreement with the Premier. Mr Massey: Proof that you are becoming wiser- (Laughter). Mr Veitch said that only suspicion tween employer and employee woulu prevent the development of the ideal. There were safeguards in the bill pro viding for the payment of award rates to workers. How could a worker fai to gain something or at any rate hov could he lose anything? Mr L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North; said he would be sorry if the bill pass ed into law. He recognised the sincer ity of the originator of the scheme ano he agreed that a co-operative system was better than competitive, but the bill was not workable. The Hon. G. J. Anderson believeo the scheme was the outcome of idealism and would be successful so long at tne manager was of an idealistic tern perament and put his energies in tht direction of making the effort a suo cess. Mr Wilford: What about casual labour? Mr Anderson; The bill docs not ap ply to casuals. I Air Wilford: That is the point. Mr Anderson: It is an advance on ! what we have at present. I The bill was then read the third timt ; and passed. FINANCE BILL. The Finance Bill was brought down by Governor-General’s message. Air. Massey said the bill contained the borrowing proposals of the Government . They were 112,000,000 for public worksand not more than £5,000,000 for the Advances Department. There was nothing in the bill reducing taxation on country racing clubs. He had been looking into this matter but he die not think it wiso to reduce taxation this year. The position was compli cated and he thought he would be able to bring down proposals next .yeai which would meet the whole position. He did not propose to go on with tht bill till to-morrow. The bill was introduced and read the first time. OTHER MEASURES. I The Hon. W. Nosworthy moved that the amendments made in the Fruit Control Bill be agreed to. Air. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) said he had looked at the amendments and so far as he could see they were on the right lines. In reply to Air. G. Witty (Riccarton), the Minister said the provisions of the bill as now agreed to would not be overridden by regulations,

I The amendments were agreed to. The House decided not to accept the reasons of the Legislative Council for disagreeing with the amendments made by the House in the Thomas Cawthron Trust Bill, and Messrs. Atmore. Savage and Young were set up as managers to confer with the Council on the amend-1 ments. The Hon. C. J. Parr moved the second reading of the British Nationality and Status o f Aliens (in New Zealand) Amendment Bill, which, he explained, was intended to meet the case of Samoan natives who were anxious to become British subjects. The bill was read the second time without debate and passed all stages. A number of reports of select committees was then received and at 11.5 p.m. the House rose until 11 to-morrow morning. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tho Legislative Council mot at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Native Land Rating Bill and Wanganui City Council Vesting and Empowering Bill, which were reported without amendment from standing committees, were put through the final stages and passed without alteration. The Wellington City and Suburban Highways Construction and Hutt Road Amendment Bill' and the Hauraki Plains County Council Empowering Bill were passed with amendments. The Christchurch District Drainage Amendment Bill, Dannevirke Hospital District Bill, and Waimakariri Harbour District Empowering and Amendment Bill received from tho House, were read the first time and referred to the Local Bills Committee. The Thomas Cawthron Trust Bill was ' referred to a special committee for the consideration of amendments made by the House. Tho Council adjourned at 3.8 p.m. > After the resumption the Christchurch . District Drainage Amendment Bill and Waimakariri Harbour District and Empowering Amendment Bill were reported from the Local Bills Committee without amendment, and tho Dannevirke Hospital District Bill with a minor amendment. All were put through the final stages and passed. Tho resolution referring the Cawthron Trust Bill to a special committee was rescinded, and the Council decided to disagree with the amendments made by the House. A committee was set up to frame reasons for tho disagreement. The Fruit Control Bill was recommitted and passed with amendments introduced by Sir Francis Bell. Tho principal alteration is that the poll on the question of export control is to be not later than December 31, 1924, instead of December 1. The Washing-up Bill was received from the House and read the first and second times. The amendments made by the House in the Master and Apprentice Amendment Bill and the Companies Empowering Bill were agreed to. The Egmont National Park Bill and CJoal Mines Amendment Bill were received from the House and read the first and second times. The Honey Export Control Bill, Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Amendnent Bill and Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill were received from the House and read the arst time. The Council adjourned at 9.15 a.m. until 10.30 a.m. to-morrow.