PARLIAMENTARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12551, 12 July 1901, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thuksdat, Jttt/st 11. AFTERNOON SITTING. The Council met at 2.30. NEW MEMBER. The Hon Charles Louieson, of -Christchurch, was sworn in. BILLS. Tho Police Offences Act Amendment, Young Persons Protection Act Amendment, and Chinese Immigrants Act Amendment Bills were read: a first time. _ Tho Local Authorities Indemnity Bill came up from the Lower House, and was read a first time. HOSPITAL NURSES. In committee on the Hospital Nurses Registration Bill, a clause was inserted, on the motion of the Hon W. C. Smith, to provide that "a copy of the register of nurses, be published dn the 'Gazette' annually." The Bill was reported. The Council rose at 3.50 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, July 11. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. BILLS. The Prevention of Employment of women in Dangerous, Trades Bill (Mr Hornsby) and Remuera Water Works Construction Empowering Bill (Mr Lawry) were introduced, and read a first time. THE NEW COMMANDANT. The Premier announced that on the recommendation of the War Office, the position of Commandant of the New Zealand Forces had been offered to Major and Brevet-Colonel St George Charles Henry, of the Northumberland Fusiliers, who had seen service in the Egyptian campaign vwd-er Lord Kitchener, and had commanded the Fourth Mounted Infantry Corps in South Africa since April 4, 1900. His record showed that he had twenty-two years' full pay service, and was mentioned in despatches during the Egyptian campaign, for which he has several medals. Tie terms and ' conditions of the offer made to Colonel Henry were the same_ as' those enjoyed by Colonel Pole Penton, viz., £7OO a year'for a term not exceeding five years. . Mr Pirani said he was sorry the Premier did not consider that any of our own young men, who had performed distinguished service in Soutli Africa and had returned. to the colony, were eligible to fill the position of Commandant. The premier, referring to the appointments under the Commandant, said the Government would adhere to the promise that it would give preference to New Zealanders, and those who had had training in South Africa. Owing to the Royal visit and tho departure of the contingents, defence matters were' not in their, normal condition, but as soon, as things, settled down Government intended to estab/sh a school of instruction .for graining colon vnls. Ho stated that-of the thirty'commissions offered to New Zealanders by the Imperial authorities,' only ten or a, dozen haa U-pv takep up, but tlie Agent-General- 3nd obtained • a<n extension of time. He (the Premier) would endeavour to. jret the r.isi; tions filled, and he was now prepared to take nominations for them. ; : Mr Hogg asked whether our own youv.g men would be eligible for high appointments in the military service of 'the co'ony The Premier replied that he hoped it time to 'have every position in the service filled by our own men. ■ I COMPULSORY DRILL IN ■tfTATti I SCHOOLS. Mr Guinness moved the second road ; ng of 1 the State School Children Compulsory Dril: Bill, to provide that Education Boards shall cause military and physical drill to be taught to boys and girls attending the public schools. He explained that the Bi'.l was for the purpose; of making it compulsory that military: and physical drill should be taught -.;to . all and' girls oyer the "age ' of eight years, attending public'schools. The Bill applied also to Native schools, and contained a clause providing for the conscientious objector. Mr Thomas Mackenzie supported the Bill, but considered that Clause 6, prepared to meet the conscientious objection of parents, was the weakness of the Bill. i Mr Fowlds (maintained, in reply to Mr Mackenzie, that those who opposed the military spirit ought not to have their children taught drill when they were opposed to it, • Mr Hall-Jones believed that children should be taught drill, and that the Government ought to provide the necessary rifles. At the same time he agreed that conscientious objections ought to' be respected. . - Mr Miliar looked upon the Bill as one to' legalise a "modified form of conscription. Physical drill was good 1 enough, 'but he objected' to the military spirit.now becoming rampant in the colony. Mr Meredith and Mr Napier opposed the Bill. . " Mr Hutcheson thought that' Clause 6 was the one redeeming feature .of the Bill. He would oppose the measure in all its stages. The Premier said that to be prepared ready far emergencies meant the preservation of peace. He did not think there was any necessity for compulsion in this matter, but he believed that military drill improved a- country. It was intended ■ to distribute light rifles amongst boys of the Sixth and Seventh Standards, and the Government was now in negotiation with a firm; for the supply of these weapons. Mr Buddo and Mr Arnold supported the second reading, bub would endeavour to amend the Bill in committee. Mr Hogg opposed the Bill, and said that sufficient military drill was being taught in the schools already. Mr Carncross did not think anything was necessary to stimulate the military spirit, and opposed the Bill. Mr Graham, dn opposing the Bill, said he did riot see how they were going to compel Education Boards to do more dn the matter of military instruction than they were doing at present. In any case a scheme of this kind should come from the Defence Minister. Messrs Wilford, M'Guire, and Field supported the Bill. Mr Laurenson supported the Bill, not because he was in sympathy with the spirit of militarism, but because the Bill would compel the Education Boards to include physical drill among the subjects of the school curriculum. Mr Massey objected to some of the details of the measure, but would vote for the second reading. JVlr A. L. D. Fraser objected to the compulsory clauses of the Bill. He thought that after the fine cadet display at Christchurch review there was no necessity for i the compulsory teaching of 'military drill in the schools. It might safely be left to the masters. Mr Monk supported the Bill, but would vote against compulsory military drill. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Withe-ford continued the debate on the second reading of the State School Children Compulsory Drill Bill, which •he supported. He said that he would like to see facilities afforded the youth of the colony to obtain a naval training, and suggested an amendment of the Bill in that direction. on the groundj

that it would trench on our present education system. Mr M'Lachlan supported the Bill. Mr Pirani said that he' thought th.it a penalty clause, to compel an Education Board to carry cut the provisions of tho Bill, should bo included, as it was when ■the Bill wa.s first brought in last year. The Hon J. M'Gowan said that the Bill could b2 made a real'.y useful measure, and h? would voto for the second reading. Physical drill was .necessary, and no one cmvld object to it, and as' to the question of military drill, they ought to respect the views of those who conscientiously objected to such a thing. -._ . In replying, Mr Guinness, -said tha.t though the chief centres might be already giving much attention to 'drill, it was not so in the back-blocks, where improvement was much needed. If the Bill was placed on'the Statute Book it wouid devo.ve upon, Parliament to see that Education Boards had funds to carry out the scheme. On a division, the. second reading was. carried by 35 to 18, . EIGHT HOURS. Mr G. W. Russell moved the second reading of the Eight Hours Bill, to provide ' that eight hours shall be a legal day's work. He said that he had no desire whatever to anticipate or accept tne responsibility in this matter, which should properly rest on the shoulders of the Government, and he> would be quite agreeable to lay his Bill aside in favour of any measure dea'ing with the question which the Govenimemt might introduce. • During the recess the Premier had promised a deputation from the Canterbury Trades Council that the Government would _ introduce an Eight'Hours Bill this session, but he (Mr Russell) did mot- ses any such measure foreshadowed in the Speech from the Throne, therefore he had introduced a Bill of his own. In explaining the provisions of the Bill, Mr Russell said that the broad principle of eight hours' work per day was generally recognised, but there were exceptions which rendered legislative interference necessary. For instance, very long hours .were worked in connection with the dairying industry, and. on .y recently he had seen the term of " white slaves" applied to the workers in, that industry. The Bill proposed to apply to servants of the State, many of whom wxre overworked, and it also provided for the payment of overtime. .Mr M'Guire strongly objected to the Bill being made applicable to the dairy industry. 'The Premier said that the Government supported the Bill, and would give every facility for its passage. If Mr Russell failed to get it through, the Government wouT.d take it up. He admitted that there were certain occupations to which the eight hours' principle could not be applied, but 'that was no reason why thousands of other workers, to whom it could be applied, should be excluded 'from its benefits. The'Bill was only giving in concrete what was laid down in other statutes; He ■ would be the last to do anything that would interefero with or prejudice the dairying industry. There was no antagonism between town and country, for the interests of the two were inseparable-. . Mr Houston: Then make the Bill.apply to towns alone. The Premier: That is a not unreasonable suggestion. A schedule might be included in the Bill stating the districts' to which it should refer.! Ho would take care that nothing was contained in the Bill which would ,be detrimental to country interests. The second reading "would be caCTied, and in committer the industries to which the provisions of the Bill should bo.applied could fos specifically stated. 'Mr Guinness-UTgcd that eight hours for underground .mining work should beicalcu.ated froirm bank to bank, instead of from face to face. •'..... Mr Witheford supported the Bill. ,'Mr Hutcheson said that if the Bill were limited to wage-earners in towns there would be no, difficulty, in. getting it through. The restrictions of the country worker to an ■eight Soul's day:was practically impossible. Messrs Wilford, Willis and Napier said that they would vote for - the second reading. Messrs Symes and O'Meara opposed l the Bill, on the ground of its interference with the dairy industry. . Mr Carncross opposed the Bill, and said that he was not anxious to see any'more Labour measures put upon. the Statute Book until a better feeding existed between employers and employed. Mr Millar, stated that if the Bill be-. came law it would'take away the power of the Arbitration Court. Mr Flatman agreed' that the Bill would have to be .completely re-casb before ' it could be made workable. He opposed the second reading. Mr Hornsby said that he did- not'think, that the. Bill ought .to app'.y to the dairy industry, but he would vote for the Bill, as he recognised there were thousands of people who would be benefited by it. .Mr Meredith said that the Bill would cripple certain industries. He opposed the second feadisg. Mr Collins congratulated Mr Russell upon his efforts to reduce, an abstract principle to .practical and-concrete form, and said that he would heartily support the second Teading. Mr Colvin supported Mr Guinness in, his contention that the day's work of an underground miner should be calculated from bank to bank. Mr Stevens said that he. hoped that the Bill'would be considerably amended in committee. ... Messrs R. Thompson, Steward, Graham, Houston, Massey, E. -G. Allen, Ell and T. M'Kenzie also spoke. They all agreed with the eight hours' principle, but thought that .*Ee. Bill should bo materially altered in committee. On the motion of Mr Hall, the debate was adjourned, and 1 the House rose ab 12.5 a.m. until 10.30 a.m. to-morrow.