PARLIAMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 18 August 1910, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. : , ,

[United Pkess Association.]

*\V ELLINGTON, Wednesday

Tlie Council met at 2.30 p.m.

Tlie Attorney-General mad" a specific denial of imputations contained in a petition presented to tive vHouse by Joshua Jones, in relation to •the Mokau estate, in which, amongst <other things, the Attorney-General •was statei to have acted profession'ally for Lewis, the purchaser from 'the mortgagor of Jones's Mokau peases, and that he (Dr. Find.lay; bad •improperly- influenced tlve removal of •a caveat lodged by Jones to stop registration of a title to Lewis. The adjourned debate on the second reading of the Crimes Act Amendment Bill was resumed by Mr Bigg, who disagreed with the details <of the Bill. Referring to inebriates' home'-., he took exception to ■such institutions being in the hands •of any sectarian 'body. He thougliv th'e Government should control the •whole of the reformation institutions. He objected- to the proposal "that the reformatory method should came after the expiry of the .-■entenco as -till retaining th c element of revenge. The question of employment of prisoners w : as one which would have to lie considered, for if prisoners were brought- into competition with outside labour, it might endanger the successful carrying out of the Act.

Mr Sinclair supj>orted the Bill. Speaking of the superiority of ai; indeterminate sentence- over a fixed sentence, there could be no question about the wisdom of leaving in thc h-ands of a prisoner his own reformation and release. He felt confident the, application of the Bill in proper eases would mean a final release at an early period of an indeterminate sentence. The sueces s of tlve measure would depend' entirely upon the manner in which it was administered. The debate was adjourned, and the Council rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr T. E. Tayloi (Christchureh). the Hon. J. A. Miliar said that he had not promised to grant recognition of the Kngine Drivers' Union; but only to eonsidei the matter. "When the membership reached 800 he wa.s prepared: to recommend the Cabinet to grant thr recommendation, and the mattei would be further considered. After further discission, Sir J. G. Ward said t-he Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants had don 0 much to improve th-e conditions of the railway servants. Tt was largely owing to the fact that it represented the railway service as a whole. If Mi.e engine drivers' claim was granted, it would* not ibe long before the .surfacemen would desire a separate union. He however, considered it to be far better that the railway ser vants should be represented by one union. The petition of the enginedriversl merited the careful consideration of the House.

Mr Fislver said' the only way the engine drivers could obtain theii rights w,ii iby forming a separate union.

Mr Hogan said it was a waste of time to discuss the matter at this .juncture, as this and other questionswere before the Railways Committee at the present, time.

Replying to other que-tions, Min i.ster s said thnt it was not intended to place a sum of money on the estimates as compensation to Meiklebut legislation enaibling the case tf be dealt with' will be submitted tc Parliament during the ses-ion. 'That in order to obviate difficulties created by the ruling of the Arbitration Court, that a settlement to a dispute arrived at by the two parties to the same cannot become an award until such is signed 'by all parties cited, an amending Bill "will fbe brought before the House.

That the matter of making provision enabling uncertificated teachers to pa- s the D examination in sections will receive favourable consideration shortly, when th-e regula tions for examination and classifies t-ion are revised.

The House rose at 5.30 p.m. Tn the House in the evening the following Bills were read.—Mining Act Amendment, Shops and Offices Amendment, Inspection of Machinery Amendment, Kauri Gum Industry, Tramways Amendment, and Coal Mines Amendment.

'The House proceeded to discuss ari swers to questions.

'Mr Wright, referring to the Meikle case, hoped the matter would foe dealt with once and for all.

Mr Herries urged tb'e claims of the vetoran s for old age pensions, and

said' that iiu-blicity should bo given :o the fact that magistrates arc hold'ing inquiries into the claims of old soldiers for medals as a recruit ion of their services in the Maori War. Considerable d'ueussion centred round th.e representation of country districts in the Upp'* l ' House, Mr Xewman contending that the fanning community was not sufficiently represented.

Mr Laurenson pointed out that there were nine mem'bers of th'e Upper House representing the farming class, -which was a fair number on a numerical basis.

Replying to Mr Glover, the Hon. I. A. Millar said it was not the case that the .judge of the Arbit rit ion i'ourt required every party cited to sign a settlement arrived at by two parties to a dispute before the same became an award; but he only required a certain time to elapse to allow of any objections to an engagement being made. Replying .to Mr Taylor (Thame-), who demanded the abolition of th'e Vaccination Act. the Hon. 1). ISudd'O said a danger was creeping in owing to exemptions of the snppiv of vacfine, running short, which might be a serious matter in the ease of an opideinic. Legislation would have to be passed to meet, this want. The abolition of vaccination would be opposed by a large section of the community.

'The remainder of the petition was taken in the discussion of the petition of the veterans that the New Zealand Cross be granted to Harry Rigg for services in __ the Bay of Plenty during the Maori war.

The committee had do recommen elation to make.

Mr Hogg moved that the report be referred 'back to the committee for further consideration.

Tire debate was adjourned., and the House rose at 12.10.