PARLIAMENT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17934, 30 October 1918, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

(Abridged from Press Association.) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, October 29. AFTERNOON SITTING. The Houso met at 2.30 p.m. WOMEN MEMBERS. Mr Wright gave- notice of his intention to ask whether, in view of the splendid war work of the women of the Dominion, the- Government will introduce legislation enabling women to becomo candidates for Parliament. REPATRIATION. Mr Anstey gavu notice to ask the Minister of Defence if" in any scheme of repatriation ho would provide for the immediate return to their civilian occupations of all military men of every rank, especially those who have seen no active service, in order that repatriation may be enrried out by civilians of known and tried experience. ISOLATION CAMP. Dr Thacker drew the- attention of tho Minister of Defence to an articlo in a southern paper in which a soldier gave his experiences at the isolation, camp at Trentham, and which he described as a '•'filthy hole.'' The Minister, in reply, regretted that tho honourable member had endeavoured to create a falso impression in the House by reading an extract from a newspaper. He could give tho soldier's description of the isolation camp an emphatic denial. RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

Replying to Mr Hornsby, who inquired as to tho Government's intentions with regard to the pay of railway employees, tho H,on W. H. Hemes said that the readjustment of railway employees' wages and salaries was ah extremely difficult and complicated matter, as theso rates of pay wero all set out in the Act. Under - these circumstances it had been considered best to leave any extensive readjustment till after the war, but tho Department recognised that .the cost of living had been increasing to railway employees as well as to other people, and an endeavour would be mado to meet that increase by way of war bonuses. Several bonuses had been paid already, and payment of another was now under consideration. Up to the present married men of tho Second Division had received two bonuses of Is a day each. These bonuses had cost over £300,000 a year. He believed the amount was close to £350,000 a year. PARCELS FOR SOLDIERS. Mr Dickie asked whether the Minister of Defence could arrango for the prompt dispatch at consignors' risk, of about IOOu tons of parcels (now iu store), for soldiers at the front. AUSTRALIAN WHEAT. Mr G. Witty gave notice to " ask whether the Minister of Agriculture would take all necessary steps to prevent the inclusion of '|weevily" wheat in consignments for millers from quantities imported from Australia. MINISTER IN LONDON. Replying to Mr Craigie, the Prime Minister said he hoped shortly to be in a position to make a statement on the subject of appointing a Minister to represent New Zealand in London during the period of tho war. FIRST READINGS. The following local Bills were intro-

duced and read a first time:—flauraki Plains, Thames and Ohittemuri Counties (Mr Rhodes); New .Plymouth Harbour Empowering (Mr S. Smith); Auckland Institute and Museum Empowering (Mr. Parr). WORKERS COMPENSATION.

Mr Hindmarsh moved for leave to introduce tho Workers Compensation Act Amendment.

Speaking to the question, Mr Poland said there was a time when New Zealand claimed that it led the world in tho x matter of Labour legislation, but that\time was long past, especially with regard to compensation to workers. With the exception of a few minor amendments nothing had been done to keep this legislation ur> to date, and ho was going to tell tho Government that they were no longer tit to represent the people unless they were prepared to put this legislation on a more satisfactory footing. The time had arrived when a careful examination should bo made into the methods of insurance companies carrying on accident insurance in the Dominion. _ Except that the Government was afraid of offendinothese companies, which found a certain part of the money when Government loans were required, he. could not understand the official tenderness towards these financial institutions, which fought and contested every claim for compensation right up to the very hilt. He quoted largely from Australian legislation on the subject, contending that our legislation should be brought into line with that of the sister States. Mr Veitch said this was a private Bill, and the pity was that after four years of National Government this important subject was still left to a private member. The Government made no move to endeavour to improve the law. He paid a high tribute to tho Minister of Marine, whose recent Commission of. Inquiry into working appliances on waterfronts was calculated to do great good. Many people pretended to think that the workers were unreasonable in demanding redress fof their grievances and compensation for injuries, but his marvel was that they had been so patient under exasperating circumstances. Mr Poolo claimed that the maximum compensation now allowed under the workers compensation law had becomo a miserable minimum under the increased cost of living. He had no desire to embarrass men who were doing their best to administer their Departments and at the same time win the war, but he wanted to tell the Government that the spirit of unrest was so widespread that no patriotic attitude would serve to quiet the growing impatience of the public. Mr M'Combs claimed that if a Bill introduced by a private member contained useful provisions they should be allowed to pass without let or hindrance. The Labour Government of Australia had during the war been able, to improve this class of legislation. Why could not a National Government then do what a labour government had done? Dr Thacker contended that a worker who did his duty at home was fighting just as good a fight as the soldier, and should be just as liberally icompensated in the event of meeting with accident. The policy of the National Government was on /the side of the profiteer. If a coal miner went slow the National Government said to him, " We will 'jug' yon," but if a wheat grower went slow the Government said "We will double the price of your wheat." That, unfortunately, was* tho comparison on which the Government worked.

Mr Hindmarsh, in reply, asked the Government if they would introduce a Bill on the subject, or failing that would they set up a Labour Bills Committee, 60 that the whole question could he gone into. He was anxious to see something done. The Bill was read a first time. . BILLS INTRODUCED.

Tho following additional public Bills were iiTtroduoed and read a first time: —Temporary employees (Dr Newman), Maori War Medal (Mr Wright), Harbours Act Amendment (Mr Hindmarsh),. Legislative .Amendment (Mr 'Wright), Shop and Offices Amendment (Mr Hindmarsh). ; -,-•. v , •■_■ ; COMMTTEES. ■ ' " Several sessional committees .were, on the motion of Ministers, set up. . Dr Thacker complained of the predominating influence, given to the Reform side of the House on the Native Affairs Committee. The Hon W. H. Herries replied that the Native Affairs Committee was without party. It was necessary to keep the same members on the committee so far as possible, because continuity was so necessary to consideration of Native matters. The House adjourned at 4.55 p.m. EVENING SITTING. V The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. :. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. Tho debate on the Address-iu-Replj was opened by Mr Anderson. (A report of the speeches appears ii another column.) The House rose at 11.50 p.m. ,'; .