AUCKLAND PARLIAMENTARY UNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7415, 25 August 1885, Page 5

AUCKLAND PARLIAMENTARY UNION.

Ths Parliamentary Union met last evening (Mr. Worthington, acting Speaker, in the chair). Qojsstion.— Jeune (East Coast) asked the Government the coßt of conveying the Northern members of the Assembly to and from Wellington by the s s. Hmemoa, and also by the steamers of the Onion Company ? The Government deferred giving any reply till certain enquiries could be made. Employment of Females Act.—Mr. J. J. Austin (Awarua) moved the following motion staudingin his name : " That this House is of opinion that the working of the Masters and Apprentices Act and Amendments, also the Employment of Femaleß Act, is detrimental and injurious to the industries of the colony, and seriously interferes with the liberty of the subject." Mr. Austin said the Masters and Apprentices Act, and the Employment of Females Act, had worked very unsatisfactorily, and had been the means of fettering many prosperous industries. It was a fact that employes bad subscribed among themselves to pay the fines of masters breaking the law. He disbelieved in the principle on which these Acts were founded, and contended that the individuals concerned ought to be allowed perfect freedom of contract. Boys and girls ought to be allowed to work overtime if they chose.-Mr. Peacocke seconded the motion pro forma. —The Attorney-General (Eon. W. J. Napier) opposed the motion. He said the Masters and Apprentices Act should be swept from the statute book. I.t was a relic of a barbarous time, and children should not ba branded as criminals, and the severest punishment inflicted for acts which wero treated as ordinary breaches of contract when committed by adults. The master, in the event of the failure of the apprentice to carry out his contract, should be relegated to his common law right of action. He said the principle of the Employment of Females Act was a sound one, which could never again be departed from. We did not want a race of stnuted and deformed manufacturing operatives in the colony, and the working hours should be reduced in order that leisure might be given to such a class to improve themselves physically and intellectually. Messrs. C. McMaster (Mount Ida) and G, L. Peacocke (Oamara) also took part in the discussion on the same side, though they thought the Employment of Females Act could be amended to advantage. The motion was rejected on the voices.

Abolition of Oaths Bill.—Mr. Buchanan (Auckland West) tooK up the adjourned debate on the Abolition of Oaths and Statutory Declarations Bill, and spoke strongly against the measure.lie was followed in a similar strain by Messrs. R. VVynn Williams (Wairarapa South), Boardman (Newton), and Crowther (Hawke's Bay); while Messrs. H. U. Lusk (Waikouaiti), F. Jeune, McManus (Gladstone), and Austin (Awarua), spoke in favour of the Bill.—On going to a division, the following was the result: Ayes : Hons, T. Henderson and W. McCnllough, Messrs. Bruce, Robinson, J. Coates, Blyth, Bloomtield, H. H. Lusk, J, Mason, Austin, Jeune, W. Cooper, Webb, McManus, R. (Jrauwell, Hon, J. W. Gcddis (teller) 16. Noes: Hods. W. J. Napier and Hudson Williamson, Messrs. Ah Kew, Billington, Blaydeß, Boardman, J. Buchanan, Burton, Campbell, Cherry, Cox, Crowther, Gray, McMaster, Wright, K. Wynn Williams (teller)—l7. — The Bill was consequently thrown out by one vote. RHPBksKNfpioN Bill.—The House went into committee on the Representation Bill, Mr. H. H. Lusk acting Chairman of Committees.The amendment making the number of electorates 20 instead of 9 was carried on the voices.—Mr. Boardman protested against the Government forcing the Bill through the Bouse till the Local Government Bill was brought down —The R?v. D, Bruce (Timaru) endorsed the sentiments of the previons speaker.—The Government did not suoceed in their intention of carrying the motion that the clause as amended stand part of the Bill, progress being reported, and the House counted out at half-past ten p.DJ,