PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 10 July 1915, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

(United Pkess Association.)

WELLINGTON, July 9. The Legislative Council met at 2.30. The following Bills were read a first time : —Statutory Compilations.. Enemy Contract, Local Authorities Empowering, ' Arbitration Amendment. New Zealand Societv ot Accountants Amendment Bills. *

' The second readings were carried as ' under: —Trading with the Enemy ' Amendment, Regulation of Trade and ' Commerce Amendment, and Statutes Compilation Bills. The Council arijourned at 3.5 p.m. till Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. TRENTHAM CAMP. Sir Joseph Ward asked the Minister o£ Public Health whether he would take 1 steps to organise the medical profession in New Zealand on much the same lines as had been done in Australia. The Minister,'in reply, said that if he found it possible to comply -with the request he would do so; but he must confer with his colleague, the Minister of Defence, on the point. Sir Joseph Ward asked if the Government would appoint a. legal gentleman to 3-epresent the men's interests in connection with the Trentham inquiry. Mr. Massev said that nothing had been decided on the point. He would consult the Attorney-General, and if it was thought desirable to appoint a legal representative it would be done. In reply to Mr McCailum, the Minister of .Defence said he would be glad to have particulars of offers of camp sites in Marlborough-, in order to record it. The Government had decided to shift the camp at Trentham, and operations had been commenced to this end this morning. It had been decided to establish camps at Waikanae, Tauherenikau,. and two on the Foxton line, and the show grounds at Palmerston North would also be utilised. Some of these sites selected might be -unsuitable, and he would like to have all the offers available from which subsequent selections could be made. In these new camps men woudl be placed in tents. The sick men would not be sent to the new camps. . They would Temain where they were. Dr. Thacker asked the Minister of Public Health whether he was aware that .measles were being distributed all over the Dominion by troopers being allowed to leave camp. The Minister replied that if contacts were leaving Wellington they must be sent back; THE-HOSPITAL SHIP. In reply to Mr Mander, Mr Allen said that the Hospital Ship was' being equipped partly out of Government funds and partly by public subscriptions. He took advantage of the question to refer to the action of Dr. Thacker, who, yesterday, while on the ship, cut open a, pillow- and mattress, and extracted part of" the' material of which they were made. The bulk of the mattresses had been paid for out of the fund organised by the Government, and five hundred of them had been made by Scoullar and Co., of Wellington. The feathers used had been' sterilised, and he was sorry the act of-vandalism had been committed by Dr. Thacker, who ought to have gone to the proper authorities and made his representation to them. Dr. Thacker denied that he had commit'ed any act of vandalism, and if he had he would do it again. xhe Military Camps Bill (Dr Thacker) wis introduced and read a first time. The amendment? made by the Legislative Council to the Statutes Compilation Bill and the Trading with the Enemy Bill were agreed to. MILITARY PENSIONS. •

Mr.- Allen, in the second reading of the War Pensions Bill, explained that the measure came ' into operation onlv when the soldiers left the shores of the" Dominion. The Bill went further thMi the Australian Law in this respect.A comparison of schedules with other Tensions Acts was also in our favour. Sir Joseph Ward) said) they looked upon the" Bill as a national one. He congratulated the Minister upon the general outlines of the measure. He pointed out the difference betwen superannuation and pension schemes, and said that naturally- the pension could not be made as large as the - superannuation grant. . He thought there should be uniformity of pensions paid to those who participated in' the South African war and those who are taking part in the pTesent war. He hoped, m dealing with the cases of partial disablement, the Boards would act generously. Dr. Poland adversely criticised the schedule. He contended that payments to .privates did'not go far enough, and said we should be prepared to do air pie justice to those, who are prepared to fight for the Empire. Messrs Malcolm, Buddo, and Fletcher argued in favour of more generous-treat-ment, particularly in the case of disabled soldiers. The House rose at 5.30.