PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10115, 24 October 1917, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Peh Pkess Association.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 23. The- legislative C.’ouiKvil met ivt 2.30, p.m. ami adoji oh 1 a motion of sympathy with t-lm Acting-Speaker (Hon. t'arncross) and family iu tlit?* death of their son in act,ion. The local Bills parsed by the House yesterday were read a hist time. _ . i The Council further considered in Committee. the Shops and Offices Amendment Dill (Hon. J. Ban), proposing to nsslnel the hours of employment of women and girls m hotels and restaurants to 10,50 p.m., except wlnre. shceping accommodation is pn>- ' objected to t.he introduction of “livin ,r -in” provisions, and struck out the elans:- "restricting the hours. Progress was then reported. HOUSE of representatives. The House met at 2.30. The Prime Minister reported on the result of the conference with the Legislative Council on amendments to SALE OF LIQUOR RESTRICTION BILL. M- Masses moved that the arrangement under which Honor might be supplied with meals betw-rn the hours ol ax and eight o'clock He agreed tm . Mr Isiit said the temperance, section ol the House was most: anxious to bo reasonable, and while recognising the right of persons to have liquor supplied with their meals thev were afraid that miles:, the* term “mini" was clearlv defined, it. would load to the introduction of “sawdust sandwich.’ H.s Vi ns tho Cti-Q In ' lilt ed States. iS asked that meal be defined as dinner, costing not less than Is 6d. , , M,. Malcolm said tho last position was worse than the first. They now Jest the substance while they kept the. shadow ol sis o’clock closing. However, he felt sure, it the Trade abused the,concession given them the people of the Dominion would resent it bv wining the. Trade out altogether. Mr Harris ppoke in a. similar strain. Mr Massey, in reply, said lie thought there was no- need for tear or alarm. In Ids opinion, the Concession would not. load n, abuse, but would remove a great deal of frirfion which otherwise would arise,. war LEGISLATION. Hon A L llerdmun moved the second reading of the War Legislation Bill, explaining tho ciaxises >\ inch iluah v. itn held bv onemy alien subjects, which rnitfbt be vested in the Crown, and which might. bo di.qio.-xd of iu any way the Governor-General directs. . , Part 11. of the Bid deprived alien enemy subjects of tho right to be elected or to vote at local elections. , Pan 111. gives relief to soldiers ended up in ballots who entered into business contracts which might be cancelled. extended, or modified on application to a Magistrate, raid if the other party to the contract leels ac-rieved, lie has the right of appeal to the Supreme Court. Further relief also is given to civilian contractors, who are unable to complete contracts owing to exigencies oi the war or short age of labour. . ]>ar(. IV. gives inspectors of lactones

power to apply, on behalf of tenant-' to have! the capital value* of dwelling houses a seer - tainod,' in order to prevent cxcr-ssivo increases in rent. Pari V. extends, the life of rope used in I mines from 3i tit 5 years; extends tint principles of the Mortgages Intensions Acts to insurance, policies; ■ gives the Minister for Internal Affairs power to demand security front persons desiring’ to leave New Zealand. Power is ids > given to the, (Jovernoi-Oeneral to take possession of land and buildings forj purposes of State trading if required. _ I Clause 25 prevents Civil Servants leaving! the public service without the consent, of the Minister. Clause 27 provides for war bursaries for tho education of children of deceased soldiers; clause 29 made provision for the temporary investment of money not immediately required for the purposes of the fund; clause 50 sought- to prevent abuse in collecting moneys for war purposes; clause 32 gave power to make further war re-guLi-lian : on a groat variety of subjects, including investnu ni. of capital, establishment of companies, employment of prisoners of war, and employment of women in certain classes of work. Me Witty said the Bill was extremely drastic, and if it, had come down earlier in the session it would not have got. through in a fortnight. The clauses relating to Aliens and coiitracts would be approved of, but he expressed a fear that tho retention of elderly public servants in the service would interfere witii tii promotion of some of tin' younger men. The Rill was .so full of important points that it should have been brought down earlier, so members might have had a more deliberate opportunity to

consider it. Air Ell said the Bill was one that gave considerable, satisfaction to many people in the Dominion. Mr .Smith (\Va.imarine) warmly approved of tho clauses granting relief to contractors responsible for bush contracts. Mr Jliiuhnarsh contended that the rent i clauses' would not In* effective, unless the valuation dales from 1914. If this was not provided for, their, valuation was baled on present prices, with the result that rents invariably increased, thereby making a war profit of the worst kind to gnvvdy landlords. He .thought: the pas.<jjort. .vyr.iem was being worked in a most arbitrary manner, and advocated some appeal from the decider, of the Department. Mr Wilford urged that if a pufdic servant was retail icd in the pervioi after the retiring age, tie should either be relieved from turther contributions to the superannuation fund, or receive a larger retiring allowm.ee. This was clearly an act of justice to Civil Servants. Mr Young welcomed the clauses which made for national organisation. Dr. Newman asked for inoie drastic naturalisation laws- to meet. the. oases of naturalised Germans who v.cro well known to be hostile to us. After the dinner adjournment the debate was continued by Messrs McCombs, Brown, Webb, Walker and Veitch. Mr Ilerdman, in reply, answered a. re-fr-rence by Mr Veitch to ihc cost of living by saying this had been a fruitful field for politicians, but no one seemed to get any near* r ton .settlement. 'Discussing criticism offered on the Bill, he said very lew people realised the, difficulty of canying bn the business, of the State during war time, and that was - the-reason the Government, was taking power to retain the services of some of the old civil servants There, would be no undue in lei fort-nee with promotion v, and the question of giving women eipial pay for equal work. Regarding the war regulations, he defended the action of the Government, by making a comparison with the British rti.gularipn.-s, which he declared were infinitely more severe than anything attempted in New Zealand. On the House resuming after tho supper adjournment, the second rending- v,as curried on the voices, and the House went into committee on tho Bill. On the short- title. Mr Veitch a-sked "hut l!u* position of the public serv ant would he

tinder eliiu • 26, if, after his .services had h<- n oompulaorily retained. lie committed a broach of the departmental regulations ami wav. dismissed. Would he receive the pmm'uii to which lie hud already become entitled, op would he lose it. Tho .Mini.-te.r said he would tain'cere that the right; of every servant so retained would bo fully preserved to him. At elanse 11 Dr. Nctvma.n complaint'd of the definition of '‘alien enemy.” fie said the sous -,f natui aliped German.-; were Img called up in tho ballot, hut were obtaining exemptk.u bet .me- of their Gorman u.vmpalilies, yet they were iv Bing all the priyh ■ leges oi British subject*. 'lbis he thought, was unfair. Clause 25. providing'for the retention of police oflicol's in tho service after they l ad icached the retiring age, was challenged by tint Labour Party, but, on division, the clause was agreed to by 40 to 6. At clause 26 tho Minister moved an addition to the clause, providing that no public servant should be compulsorily retained in the- service and required to contribute to tho Superannuation Fund, though he would not receive the pension till he leaves tie- service. .Messrs McCombs, Wobb and \\alkor contended that an soon .'is a. public, servant earned the pension he ought- to receive it, as; it was his by right, and, il lie was retained in the service bo should bo paid a salary in addition to iuperannuation. On division tin addition was carried by 47 to &. At clause 31, validating tho War Regulations, -Mr McCombs moved to except, the regulation published on 4th December, 1916, relating to “seditious tendency.” Tin- amendment was rejected by 44 to B. After midnight Mr 11 indmsusJi moved 11 e repeal of seel urn 4 of tho War Regulations published on the 4th December, 1916. The. chairman of committees ruled this could not he. done ill this Dill, as the War Regulations Acf, could not be. amended in the \\ nr Legislation Bill. Mr llindmarsh moved to report progress in order to lake tlie mling of the. .Speaker, contending (hat it the. Jleuse could validate regulations the 1 louse could amend those regulations. , v .tie licraman contended that the Wat Regulations were not made by Parliament, and the amendment virtually proposed to usurp the power of the Doveruor-m-Louneil. 'J'he .Speaker ruled that the House could validate the regulations or refuse to do so, but could not" discuss them in detail, or amend tliem, as they were not- before me Umu.c except, lor purposes of validation. Mr llindmarsh then proposed to insert a provision in the Bill that a person charged ...ill; sedition should bo tried by a Judge Lit the .Supremo Court and not before a Mem-Irate, who was often not m a pe.-ijion -m n-si-'-:t the- pren.mre of public opinion. Ihe amendment was lovr. by 37 wo. An amendment moved by Mr Mdonib.-. Rial women employed under the Dill should receive the, same rate of pay as men was ri ieet< d bv 30 to 12. ■fh,. Minister moved a new clause pvovub ; n , r tint local bodies may, without taking a. poll Oi the ratepayers, borrow money lor employing discharged .roldiors; ami a iurUiet clause extending the time within which local authorities may borrow monev m the exercisd of the authority conferred by tile iaenaycri at tho poll. , , Tho Premier moved a new clause dealing with tho rent question, providing Inal lll,! valuation of a pioperty shall be the same m the valuation at tnc wiuratwn ■ o* Uic u ., r 'l’lua was iigrcetl to and the bill wa. reported with amHulmenb, react a ibml time, and passed, hue House wo at 1.15.