PARLIAMENT

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 2028, 18 September 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

YESTERDAY'S SITTING. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Press A««)«ation. r -Bj TeJegr*^*. Wellington, Last Night. Tne Conncil met at 2.30. The Ch istchurch Electrical. Empowering Bill was rea'i a seconJ time. The Boroogh of Mornington Tramway Aot Amendment Bill was taken t rough Committee without anientmeut and rea. a thir tiaie an i passed The Council then continued tie adjourned debate ou the question that the Council resolve itself into Committee as a waole on the JUegislative Council Bill The Hon. R Sinclair sai I the propose < change of system in the Bill under consideration would be a retrograde step Care s»> uld be taken to see that one House is not a reproduction of t e other He di« not support a nominated Chamber, but a system of nomination for life might well be couaidere . He would support a proposal for three-fourt >s if the mecubs s to be electe by the people, and the ot er fourr,h nominate for life. If wholly e'ecte by the people it would be a pro notion of the House of Kepre.ientatives, and its existence wonlu then be indefensible. The Council adjourned at 4.45. THE HOUSE.

I The Hoase, ia Committee, resumed at 2. 30 i Mr Davy asked for information ' concerning the Sydney an Melbourne tourist ffices. There was nothing in the Estimates to indicate rents or anything in that direction. Sir Joseph Wart sat I those two officers were the most valuablo outgi e this conntry ■ ad. If they were done away wish it would be a fatal mistake. The Minister sai' the reorganisation of the Australian offices wa* at present under consideration. The vote passed unaltered. ' In the vote for the Public Service Commissioners Office, Mr Hanan asked what were t e number of app?als lo 'ged against the Commissioners' classification; also why t e Government tad gone outisde t h e country without advertising when appointing the Coni'uissi uers TT;e Hon F. M B Fisber replied t at the number of appeals lodged i were 20 per cent , whic ; was the lowest number under any scheme in j Australasia oa its inception

Mr Si ey co tended that the Government's action in p esenting the Estimates of salaries was illegal. The classification list should be suspended this year. The metho pursued by the Goveument was unconstitutional. Sir Joseph Ward said t'e reason the salaries were classified and gazetted was that they could not be altere. Parliament coul not reduce a vote for salaries. They could reduce a collective v te and seii'i Estimates *o amended back to the. Commissioners informing them that t ey wo:il ■ have to reallocate tie who!.-! sum over the class affecte ; t en each of those affected had a claim for recovery against the Crown. What woold bet e positi n if the Commissioners said a man was wo-th £250 a year, and Parliament increased the amount Mr Massey (Premier): He woil ' be aii accor;ing to t e classification.

Sir Joseph Ward: Of eottrgfl he would. Then what is the use of the House touching the Estimates. The Government were simply flouting Parliament.

The Hon. J Allen snid the Estimates di ■ not fix a man's salary. They only granted supply In any case the salaries were only estimates The position regarding te Public Service Commissioners was that they would pay exactly w ;, at tie law state i. If the classification list should decrease in the Estimates the matter could be put right on the Supplementary Estimates which were brought down on 4th or 6th N vember/ Public Service Classification ha not been brought down then. If it had been ''own we would n-t i ave altered his plans at all. The maximum and minimum salaries were fix9d in law passed last year. If the' House did reduce any item he would not lose as he wbs working uuder contract and could recover. Reduction would simply beau in ication t at the class weeded amendment.

Mr T Wilford contended that much valuable time would have been saved if the Commissinne s had classified the service an < then asked the Government to provi e sufficient money to pay tre salaries allocate'; in the Olassificafci n List. T'\e Government s oui> then present a list to Parliament an - ask t?.e Hoase to vote the total amount in a lump sum The present method was simply tiukering with tjo position. Mr Rusßell said ev«ry employee in the Printing Office had his palary raise \ the increase averaging £SO Two members of the House w<io wo" Id benefit from that were the Minister of Marine and the Minister of Justice, in whose districts the majority of the employees lived. The Hon. Herdmau said t at Mr Russell's suggestion was ridiculous The Estimates were in complete accord with the law It was quite competent for the G vernment to bring down additional and revised Estimates if they thought fit. Mr Massey said he co>uld not understand the attitude of the Opposition in regard t • the legality of the Estimates Eac ' grade in t'e service was fixed by Act of Pur Ha ment, and the Commissioners marie appointments ace r iug t) gra es If t r e House reduced the salarits t e act • nt ■a- to be made up from unanfehorise' exp?n iture. The Government's position was not a weak one but particularly strong Mr Veitch desired t see some of the power now vested in the Commissioners replaed in the Jan s of Parliament f riihe further protection of the service. Sir Josep • Ward said the Government hart g?t themselves into a difficulty and it would have to be tackled by legislation before the session came to an end If tfce Government proceedel to make payments without proper statutory authority tfcen good-bye to this country. Mr Laurenson said they were H6ked to vote £2,031 as salaries for cle ks in tne Commissioners' office which was a piece of extravagance. He wanted to enter his piotesfc against the whole jing bang lot.