WAR REGULATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 24 October 1917, Page 5

WAR REGULATIONS

BILL PASSES THIRD READING. SOME DRASTIC PROPOSALS. (By Telegraph. —Own Correspondent.) : - : ; . WEnLINGTON", This Day. The .Hon. _A. L. Herdman moved the second? reading of the War Legislation Bili,v"which was explained yesterday. Mr : ! Witty said the Bill was extremely drastic, and if it came down earlier in. the' session, it would not have got throughi n a fortnight. The clauses relating' to aliens and contracts would, be approved of, but he expressed the fear that the retention of elderly public ser-vants-in the Service would interfere with,i'the-promotion of some of the younger men. The Bill was eo full of important points, that it should have been; brought down earlier, so that members, might have more deliberate opportunity' to consider it. Mr Ell said the Bill was one that would give considerable satisfaction to many- people in the Dominion.

Mr Smith ; (Waimarino) warmly approved!, of the. clauses granting relief to contractors responsible for bush contracts. : /

Mr Hindmarsh contended that the reht'^claiises ; would not be effective unless ;the valuation dated from 1914. If this;'-was not provided for, then the vlaiiation was based on present prices, with: the result' that rents invariably increased. thereby making war profit of the'worst kind/to greedy landlords. He thought the passport system was being worked in a most arbitrary manner. He advocated some appeal from the decision of the Department. Mr Wilford urged that if public servants were retained in. the Service the retiring age, they should pither be relieved from further contributions to suberanuation fund or, if so. "'should receive a larger retiring allowance. This was elearly an act of justice to the Civil Servants. Mr Young welcomed the clauses which made for national organisation. Dr Newman asked for more drastic naturalisation laws., to meet the cases of naturalised Germans who were wellknown to be hostile to us.

■''Replying to the criticism of the Bill, A. L. He'rdman said that few menib.ers appeared to have the slightest conception of the enormous increase in the 'work entailed upon the Civil Servants, especially those connected with Departments. In many cases they; 'had...to rely upon small boys and girfa.',*. Referring to the drastic nature ofvthe proposals, before the. House, the Minister stated that if members knew of ■some of the regulations existing in England,. they would . stand aghast. One case he mentioned was that the authorities at Home had the power to attest detain even British. subj^cts v y?itKout any trial whatever. There were-.three points that must be carried their entirety, no matter what happened. They were, the defence of New Zealand, the protection of the public- and aid to the successful prosecution of the war.

The House went into committee on the Bill.-

The clause providing for the keeping in the.Public Service of a member who had-reached the retirement age, excited some discussion, several members being apprehensive about such men as railway seryjifits, whose pensions may be jeopardised by a fault committed sometime after their ordinary time for retirement had' elapsed. The. Minister assured ''■ the House that nothing of the kind could, possibly occur. v '. .

Mr ,Tsitt; pointed out that young men .had -gone away to the war and risked and sacrificed their lives, and surely, members of the Public Service could', hold on for a few months after their ordinary time for retirement had passed. y A new clause was adopted providing that local bodies may without taking a poll of ratepayers, ;borrow money for the purpose of-providing work for discharged soldiers. The Bill {passed through committee and was read..a third time..