Parliament In Session

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 202, 9 August 1928, Page 6

Parliament In Session

Voting at Referendums

Labour s Preferential Bill Thrown Out

Wellington, Aug. 8. Mr J. McCombs (Lyttelton) moved the second reading of the Preferential Voting Bill in the House of Representatives to-nigbt. The machinery clauses of the bill, said Mr McCombs, were taken from the late Mr Massey’s Legislature Act Amendment of 1923. The bill, however, had nothing to do with the elec tion'of members to the House. It would only apply when more than two issues were submitted to the people. The bill was much the same as that brought down last year.' It was in accordance with the platform of the Labour party but there were many in the two other parties who voted for the bill last year. In 1963 the position was the same. The bill was not technically an amendment of the licensing law, but if more than three issues are submitted to the people on that question the bill would apply to that poll, unless special provision was otherwise made. In voting no proposal was to bq struck out, but preference was shown by marking in squares opposite the figures 1,2, 3, and so on. Thus, while the voter had a number of preferences he had only one vote, and the poll was decided by a bare majority of those who vote. His experience in Queensland had convinced him that preferential voting worked with perfect smoothness and fairness. Under the bill a State Controller can vote for his issue if that issue is on the ballot paper. De urged supporters of prohibition to vote for the bill, because it was one way of getting the two-issue ballot paper; indeed, he believed his bill would provide the easiest and best soluction of the licensing problem.

AGAINST x—< MEASURE. ■ Mr G. W. Forbes (Leader of the Nationalists) said that since the bill provided for. the determination of the licensing issue on a bare majority he would not vote for the .bill, because he was against the bare majority cn that question. The Hon. A. D. McLeod said he would vote as he always had voted, against the principle of the referendum. It had been decided by past Parliaments that the licensing question should be submitted to the people and, that being so, he favoured going further and letting the people decide the period between the polls. Personal ly he was against increasing roferndum polls and for that reason he would vote against the bill.

The Leader of the Opposition said the real principle of the bill was like ly. to be lost in a discussion about referendums. This was not a referendum bill. It was a bill which only provided the method of voting when a referendum takes place. It did not apply to the licensing question only; it applied to all question, but it would provide means of arriving at an equitable decision on the licensing question.

Sir John Luke said there was no doubt this was a machinery bill to promote the referendum, and he would not vote for it. Members were seut tp Parliament to vote directly <m question and they should do it. If they admitted this bill there was no telling where it would end., Mr D. G. Sullivan. (Avon) argued that the bill was thoroughly demo cratic, because it settled the question on a bare majority aqd gave minorities an opportunity of recording their preferences. As far as the licensing issue was concerned, it was equivalent to a two-issue ballot paper aud a bare majority. Mr W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) declared himself so much against the principle of the referendum that he would take away from the people the right to settle the licensing question. WHY NOT FOR PARLIAMENT? Mr W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) asked, if preferential voting was right, why was it not applied to voting for members of Parliment? and so counteract the unfair influence enjoyed by the Government at elections. Mr McCombs, in reply, challenged Mr Forbes and' Mr Veitch to say straight out why they proposed to change their vote this year. He appealed to all democrats in the House to vote for his bill, since it gave '<ll shades of political opinion an opportunity of fairly expressing their opinion. A division was called for on the second reading which resulted. For the bill . 2J, against the bill 30; The bill was not read the second time. DIVISION LIST. The division list on the second reading was as under: — For the Bill (25). Bartram Martin Bellringer Mason, H. G. E. Dickson, J. M. Parry Forsyth' Ransom Fraser Rolloston, F. J. Holland H. Savage H. E. Sidey Horn ’ Stewart Howard Sullivan Lee, J. A. Sykes Loe, E. P. Waite McKeen Young McCombs Against the Bill (36). Atmore Jones. W. Bell Luke’ Bitchener > Lysnar Buddo McLennan Burnett McLeod Campbell Macmillan Dickie Mason, J. Dickson, J. S. Reid Eliott Rolleston. J. C. Field Samuel Forbes Scddon Glenn Smith Hamilton, A. Urn Hamilton.-J. R. Veitch Hawkea Walter Henare Walter ‘ Hockly Wilford Hunter , Williams Jones D - - - ■ . . ■• - --■■■

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BILL READ~SECOND TIME. Wellington, August 8. The second reading of the Workers’ Compensation Amendment Bill was moved in the House of Representatives to-night by Mr E. J. Howard (Christchurch South). The member said the Bill contained three main principles, but even so it did not contain all that Labour desired. He had “dodged” the “appropriation” difficulty by specially exempting the Crown from the operation of the Bill. The first principle in his Bill was that a worker meeting with an accident shall receive full wages and medical attendance from the day on which he meets with the accident. At present he received only 66 per cent, of his wages. The second principle was that in cases of total or partial disablement all workers shall be treated alike, regardless of their occupation. There was no reason why a carpenter and a labourer meeting with a similai accident should be treated differently in respect of compensation. The third principle was the removal of the last remnant of the bad old system known as “common employment.” He claimed that the present day interpretation of what one of our Judges called a “pernicious system” was not what the framer of the original Act intended, in proof of which he quoted the Samoa Act, drawn up by the same authority but in which “common employment” was deliberately left out. QUESTION OF FULL PAY. Mr H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) hoped that if the Government was not prepared to take up Mr Howard's Bill it would bring down a Bill of its own giving a worker full pay when he met with an accident. This could be done without greatly increasing the premiums to be paid by employers. Mr W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) said it was only reasonable that when a worker met with an accident the industry should carry a hundred per cent, of the loss. The Hon. A. D. McLeod said no one would object to. the sentiments expressed by Mr Howard oh the subject of his Bill, any more than they would object to increasing pensions; but in all such matters the responsibility must rest with the Government. At present the Minister of Labour was absent from the Dominion, but while abroad he was making an inquiry into the subject, and this fact had prevented the Government from coming to a decision on the points raised; but the Government had not by any means overlooked them. At the same time, they must remember that New Zealand was in industrial competition with other parts of the world, because that fact had an important bearing on the question. Qhe Government would not object to the Bill being read the second time if it was referred to the Labour Bills Committee. Mr Howard, in reply, said his greatest desire was that the Government would wipe off* the Statute Book air reference to “common employment.”

The Bill was read the second time and referred to the Labour Bills Committee.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

FEES FOR RADIO SETS. Wellington, August 8. Members of the House of Representatives. spent some time this afternoon discussing answers given by Ministers to questions. Among the replies were the following:— That it is not possibe to charge lower license Fees to owners of crystal sets than to owners of valve sets. The department’s experience is that the owners of crystal sets very soon invest in valve sets and unless a considerable amount was expended on additional inspectors it would be quite impossible to keep a check on such charge. That during the past year or two a systematic investigation has been made of existing oyster beds, and experiments have been carried out to ascertain whether cultivation and production of oysters couid be increased by adopting methods which have been successfully practised on the mudflats of certain Australian estuaries. A suggestion that existing beds be leased was very fully considered some time ago, and the conclusion was reached that no advantage would accrue to the general public by adopting such a course. That territorials and cadets residing within a three mile radius of a drill centre are required to attend parades and to And their own means of locomotion. If residing outside this radius they were not normally called up for parades, except under special circumstances, when free transport is provided. That the question of supply free stationery and requisites to school children has been earefuly examined bv the Education Department, with the result that it is evident that tn supply a reasonable quantity to all children would cost a much greater amount than the Government can devote to the purpose at present. That when the need arises in the North Island of a school for backward children, similar to tl at at Otakieke, the Government wil] take the matter into consideration. Tn the meantime provision is being made at Otakieke' for additional accommodation.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

lION. THOMSON’S BILL WITHDRAWN. Wellington, August 8. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Methodist Theological College Edson Trust Extension Bill was was put through the final stages and passed. The Church of England Empeoweiing Bill was read the first time. A motion by Sir Robert Stint, “that in the opinion of the Council,

it is contra bonos mores for a high officer of the State, such as the Public Trustee, to carry on the business of manufacturer, vendor and encour ager of the use of alcoholic liqurrs, and that if any trust he has accepted calls upon him so to act he should take the earliest opportunity to discharge himself from the performance of such a trust, was defeated by 21 votes to five after a brief discussion. The Captive Birds Shooting Prohibition Bill was read the second time by 19 to three. The Education Amendment Bill of the Hon. G. M. Thomson, proposing non-sectariau religious instruction in schools was withdrawn. The Orchard and Garden Diseases Bill was put through- the final stages and passed without amendment. The Council adjourned at 4.16 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.