PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10119, 29 October 1917, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATE K COUNCIL. (PKK PkISB ASSOCIATION.I WELLINGTON, Oct. 26. The Li [relative Council met ai 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Native Laud Laws Amendment-(Washing-up) Dill was put through all stages. 'I tie Reserve and Other Disposal Bid, dealing with mailers affecting various dis l-riclss was received from the House mid put through all stages, with amendments. The Council adjourned ai 3.55 p.m. until 1] o'clock hi Monday morning. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. .MINISTERS' REPLIES TO QUESTIONS Tli.. Mom.' iix'l at 2.3(1 p.m. Replying lo Mr Met moli.-, ihe Premier saul thai nothing.!:) the way of profiteering would be permitted in connection with mineral oils, which,' though scarce, must not be sold at exorbitant prices. Replying to Mr Young, I lie Hon. .Mr Russell said thai there wa- no provision in ihe law to ciiiililo ratepayers in camp to vote ai. rlitapproaching county election--, nor was. it possible io pass legislation this session to enable this to be done. Repbing to Mr Imi ; M (Otaki), (lie Hon. Mr litis,:']! said that h>- would inform the Imperial authorities that lie ye was in the Dominion large quantities of sphagnum moss found to be suitable for dressing wounds. VARIOUS DILLS. The Statute Law Amendment Dill (Hon. Mr I latum) was introduced by Governor's message. The Dill • amend.-, the education Aei o? 1914. Tlie Expeditionary Force Amendment Rill, with amendments, was received from the Legislative Council, and on the motion of the Premier, the amendments wore set down for consideration at next sitting day. SERIOUS INJUSTICE, The disabilities of ten licensees of the South Island electorates, whose hotels have. been transferred through the electoral b Miliary changes into dry areas, were reported in ihe liouso today. The committee recognised the extreme hardship of the. petitioners' ease, and the urgency of the matter, but a - it was one of policy, no

recommendation could be made, Bir"J(Jscplf Ward said (Jiat ho realised the difficulties of the position. General instructions had ■been issued to the Rouridarics' Commission; org to endeavour lo avoid hardships. TJio people's vote should be respected, and the people- should not suffer if its Commissioners 'could avoid it. He quoted places when; hotels liad been placed in dry areas, and then put back into district? where licenses existed, but'in the meantime the origina licensees hod been ruined. There should bo fair play in ,tlte matter, and the vote of the people- should be respected. Several member-, protested against three Commissioner's being able, by a stroke oi the pen, to remove a hotel from a dry area to a wet area.

Mr Massey said thai this was nol the first time a 'difficulty had been met with. Injustices had occurred before, bit! thix time their appeared to be a moTe serious injustice than ever. lie had had many complaint' of late, especially from Ofago. but members should recognise that the iKmiularics had not been settled, the report of the Commissioners being only a temporary one. Objections could be lodged until November 5, for the North Island, and November 0 for the South Island. The repori was adopted.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Hon. Mr Italian moved tlie second reading- of lli" Statute Law Amendment Hill. which proposes to legalise tin- present staffing of Normal Schools ami enable regulations to be made providing' for,, the direct control of such schools bv Boards, instead of school committee*. It. propos.d to establish :i. few observation schools under competent head-teachers, where inexperiencco" teacliei's ma.\ mule; go short period? of training in touching' methods. Provision will ;i!dj lie made to enable technical clause* at small centres to be controlled by school committees instead of bv Hoards of Managers. !l is proposed lo make provision for securing tin- rights of soldier teachers on active service and lo safeguard the status of teachers appointed temporarily in place ol those at the front ; to pay inexperienced teachers ;| salary conimonsurato with tliofr qualifications, and control the staffing of schools where absolutely necessary. It alst proposed to increase the salary payable t" those in charge of grade 0 schools, and has powci i<j increase the incidental allowances of school committees on beinjr sought for. Another provision is that of'establishing prcibationan homes under this system foi' the handling' of young delinquents and children generally which is to be undertaken by specially appointed officers instead of \>\ the police! It is proposed to extend the power of the University Senate to confer degrees eti those enlisting, and to students who are called up for service under tieAct. .It is also intended lo' add economic* to the Jhl of subjects (or which research scholarships may be awarded. The Prisons' Act is also amended by en largiug (lie functions of Prisons Boards, who iiavjj power- to make regulations as to tin administratii n of prisons. An amendment of the Counties' Act hj proposed in the direction of preventing persons, who have mack- defsult in payment of rates, signing pelilion* lo County Councils. There is nl: > in [he Mil] n union of amendments of tin Defence and Land Settlement and F inane Vets.

Mr Buddo questioned the wisdom of intro ducing tli'? amendment of the Education Act in tin.. SUUuto Law Amendment Bill. Fuluca tion was too important a subject to be dcall with in this ob.-curo. way.

Mr Isitl expressed cli'nppoiiitinonl tlial no provision wan made in the Bill to settlf tho cjne?t.iou whether religion* bodies had tho right I" use the school buildings aft -1

school- hours for religion.-, teaching. _ Il< could not und-Tstancl the hesitancy of th< Minister to tackle and settle this question, which in causing a {treat deal of friction in -didi' part.- nf tli". Dominion. Mr 'llindni.ir.-h ridiculed the system ol l.niversirv education which so far had noi produced a -ingle man who knew anything about our forests. He regretted That tin Ministers' cub. contribution to secondary education tv.ts such a meagre proposal n tii.' Hill.

Various a-pecls of the Hill were discussed bv Messrs Wright. Harris, McCallum, Pair Webb. Rhodes (Thames), in the light ol local experience,

After a protest by Mr Payne against t'oriain features of our prison system, tin Bill was read a second time and the' House proceeded to consider the measure in Committee. A heated discussion took place over the working clause 9. which amended the provisions as to tli.' funds and accounts of Education Boards. Several incmbers contended thai befuvu ijio Boards' system of keeping accounts was changod, the Boards should be consulted. The Minister replied thai the clause was inserted tit tli" instance of the Audit Department in order to check accounts by depleting one fund in order to replenish another. .'The clause was in the interest, of business methods. Alter further discussion, Mr Massey said that solid opposition to tho clause would endanger the whole Bill. The clause was a good ore:, and something of the kind was wanted. Some Boards presented their accounts very carelessly. li an amendment was required it could be inserted in tin- Council. The clause was passed. Mr Hanau explained that asaistanee to school committees would take the form of a lump sum, wliich would be allocated among.-l various committees. Clauses 10 to 16 were passed with consequential amendments. Mr Russell moved the withdrawal of clauses 17 iiud 13, providing for prohibiting defaulting ratepayers voting at county elections, and limiting miner.-;' rights in the clause, so providing military detention for evasion of territorial .-en iocs was withdrawn alter some opposition had been shown to it. . Tho Minister then moved a series of new clauses; under which provision is made for the notification or suspension ol industrial award., to allow of the employment and training of disabled discharged soldiers. Hon. Mr Ilerdman explained that unless this power was given it would be impossible for him to arrange to introduce discharged soldiers into various trades for tuition purposes, and the whole scheme would be delayed. The under-rate permit svstein was useless for the purpose. "Mr McCoinbs strongly objected to the clause until the Labour Unions had been consulted, on the ground thai it miglil undermine labour legislation. Mi Masscv, on the. suggestion ol Mr Veiteh, agreed to have, the clause amended in the direction of giving the Arbitration Court power to consider every case before the soldier was employed. Mr Ilerdman said thai he doubted il tie achenio .was practicable; it il « - us so lie would be pleased to fall in with it. The powers of dairy companies were extended in the direction of enabling than k. purchase shares in freezing works and cool store- 'and refrigerating businesses in all branches. , ■ i i> i An amendment was made in the Lobulation of Trad.' mid Commerce Act, making a provision for restricting an increase in the price- of commodities: an extension ol time was given within which aliens in Atfw Zealand' may "register under the Registration of Aliens Act. The Bill was reporlcil with amendments and vad a third time and passed. WASHING-UP BILL. The Reserves and other .Lands Disposal Bill was received from the Legislative Council, arid on the motion of the I render the amendments were agreed to The House rose at 11.10 till 2.i0 on Monday. ...