PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 3 November 1914, Page 3

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (United Pbkss Association) WELLINGTON, Nor. 2. The Council resumed at 2.30. Tho Legislative Council Reform Bill -was considered as amended' by the conference., between the two, s Houses. s The Hog : H. D. BeUlexplained the,- al-,claim.ed-|that the .'Bill had not been; materially affected. The Horis:,Barr-and Paul'declared,that the insertion of the'.clause with regard to qualifications for women -was a plain illustration of insincerity. - The Hon. W. Beehan regretted the provision had not been made in the first place for women to sit in the Council. The Hon. Captain Bailie said he did not express an opinion as to whether women would be suitable as legislators cr not. The Hon. J. Wigram thought it was not right that such a big constitutional change should be brought about by a side issue. _ The Hon. H. D. Bell said that the managers of the House had dealt fairly with the Council. The Council rose at 3.15. The Legislative Council met at 8, and adjourned until 11 a.m. to-morrow, without transacting any business. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House of Representatives resumed at 2.30, when the mining industry was discussed (reported elsewhere). The House resumed at 7.30. In committee on the Mining Bill, cdause 6, conferring mine managers' certificates on graduates of tho Otago School of .Mines after four years' practical work underground, was strenuously opposed by the representatives of the mining districts; but on a division was carried by 31 to 18. Clause *ls was amended on the motion of Mr Poland, providing that workmen's inspectors be compensated by the owners if they meet with an accident in the discharge of their duty. Mr Poland moved a new clause providing that in the case of accident, a miner be entitled to the same amount of compensation as he would have been entitled to under the Workers' Compensation Act, 1908. In case of his dying of miners' disease his family shall be entitled to the same compensation as would have been paid under that Act. The Minister opposed the clause. The proper way to deal with these cases, he said, was by way of pension. This he was prepared to do next session. Mr Poland contended that last year the mines in his district alone produced £BIB,OOO worth of gold and silver. The mines in the Dominion last' year paid over £250,000 in dividends, and surely the owners, in,whose interests these huge sums of money were raised, could afford to contribute to the keep of a few men whose lives were ruined in their service.

On a division the amendment was rejected. , ... The Bill was then reported with amendments; and read a third time' and passed. The Hon. W. Fraser moved the second reading of the Coalmines Bill, which, he said, was founded on the recommendations of the Mining Commission; and prepared by him in 1912. On resuming after the supper adjournment, Mr Fraser declared that the Government was in no way responsible for the Huntly disaster. It was grossly unfair to say that the Bill would not have been brought down- had not the Huntly disaster occurred. Speaking of the suggestion that steps should be taken against Fletcher, Mr Fraser said the matter had been placed before the Crown Law officers, and upon their advice steps would be taken. Mr- Wilford criticised the delay» in bringing down the Bill, and said that if the measure had been brought down in 1912, as promised, the disaster could not have occurred .at Huntly. Continuing, Mr Wilford said that while he would not say that the Ministry was responsible for the disaster, if it had not delayed in bringing down the Bill in 1913 the disaster would have been averted. " Mr Russell also charged the Government with neglect in passing the Mining Bill.

Mr Massey said it was a sorry spectacle to see members endeavouring to make political capital out of the lives of their fellow-citizens. Never had he been ashamed to be a member of the New Zealand Parliament. It was owing to the delay and obstruction by the Opposition that tho Bill was not putthrough in 1913. •Mr McKenzie said that accidents would always happen, but it was quite possible to take precautionary measures. Mr Poland said it was, impossible to say that the Minister was entitled to any credit for bringing the Bill down. Mr Webb condemned the Government for not taking tho proper legislative action to prevent the disaster. I' Mr Robertson said he believed that the disaster would have occurred whether the Mining Bill had been passed or not. Mr Colvin claimed that if the Bill drafted by the' Mackenzie Government had been put through /there would have been no accident at Huntly. Messrs R. F. Bollard and Payne continued the debate. Mr Payne defied the Tuling of the chair to withdraw certain words regarding the Premier. He absolutely refused to withdraw. The'question of suspension was being considered. After the Telegraph Office closed, the House continued to discuss the Payne episode. Mr Massey said he did not care what Mr Payne said about him, but as he defied the chair it was his duty to move for the censure of the member. ■Mr Payne Was recalled on the suggestion of Mr Massey, but said that, with 1 all due respect to the chair, he refused t to withdraw his words. I The member was then suspended *•** i the remainder of the sittincr. The House then went into committee on the Coal Mines Act, which was reported with amendments. Clause 4 was altered to enable Mr. Reed to-retain his position as Chief Inspector of Mines. ■ On the thh-d reading Mr Wilford strongly condemned the lack of precautions to prevent disaster. The Minister rose at 4 a.m. and declared that the object of the criticism was to make political capital. He denied that the passage of the Bill last year would have prevented the accident A lesson could be learnt from the sad accident which might prevent future accidents of a like character. The Bill was read a third time at 4.10, and passed. In replv to Mr Webb, Mr Massey said it would "not be right for him to make any definite statement regarding Huntly, as a man would probably shortly be on trial for manslaughter. He further declared that he would do anything he could to prevent the victimisation of miners. A motion to print tl<> report of the Huntlv Commission carried at 4.25, and tne House rose tili 2.30 p.m.