PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8632, 30 July 1891, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION,] • LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday. The Council met at half-past two. THE INCOME TAX. Mr. Buckley, in reply to Mr. Stevens, said it was not the intention of the Government to exempt annuities or pensions from taxation under the income tax proposals. TRUSTEES AMENDMENT BILL. The Trustees Amendment Bill was considered in committee and reported with slight amendments, but Mr. Buckley gave notice to move for the re-committal of the measure to re-consider certain clauses. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday. THE SHOP HOURS' BILL. After 1 the telegraph office closed at two o'clock on Wednesday morning, Mr. .Thompson (Marsden) moved to alter clause 9., so as to make it read " Nothing in this Act shall apply to shops where persons employed herein are members of the shopkeeper's family." Mr. Reeves hoped members would not vote for this amendment, because if it were carried he would have to seriously consider whether it was worth ; while going on with the Bill. Mr. Thompson said he was only acting in the interests of small traders. > Mr. Shera said unless this amendment was made the measure would be a most conservative one. , The amendment was lost by 26 to 16. Mr. Hamlin moved that the Chairman leave the chair. Lost by 35 to 6. Mr. Earn9Haw moved that clause 9 be struck out. Carried 29 to 11. Clause 13 was amended so as to provide " That no Justice of the Peace who is a shopkeeper shall sit or act as justice under this Act." ' , . , , Mr. T. Thompson spoke against the alteration which had been effected in the clause, i and declared the Minister was doing all lie could to prevent the Bill being passed in another place. Mr. Fish moved a new clause which he said would prohibit any shop allowed to remain open selling any goods sold in shops which were prohibited from opening. Carried, 29 to 8. Mr. Reeves undertook to have the clause submitted to the Crown law officers, and if it was necessary he would have another clause inserted in its place when the Bill reached the Upper House. Sir John Hall moved an additional clause that nothing in the Act ' should prevent the sale or repair of any parts or fittings of agricultural implements. Agreed to, ' A new clause proposed by Mr. Bryce, providing that shopkeepers supplying provisions to mail steamers, goods to lodgers, or requisites in case of sickness, should be excepted from the operations of the Act, was negatived by 28 to 8. The Bill was reported, and the House rose: at tea minutes past three. ' The House met at half-past two p.m. electric lighting. The Christchurch Electric Lighting Bill was read a third time by 26 to 15. THE FEDERATION QUESTION. Replying to Mr. George Hutchison Mr. Reeves said the Premier intended asking the House to meet on Monday next at 7.30 p.m., for the purpose of discussing the Federation question. NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. ' Replying to Mr. Bryce, Mr. Reeves said the Government were not negotiating for the ' sale of the New Zealand Railways. employers' LIALILITY. 'Ihe Employers' Liability Bill was read a third time and passed. THE TRUCK BILL. On the motion for the third reading of the Truck Bill, Mr. Rolleston deprecated a discussion of these important measures at three o'clock in the morning. There was no reason why they should not have had more time for discussing the Labour Bills, especially as they had so little explanation of them from the Government benches. His opinion was that the tendency of those Bills would be to promote a period of unrest and disquiet amongst the people, and so postpone the reconciliation of the interests of labour and capital. The Truck Bill was, in fact, a clumsy attempt to effect the object in view, and it would . prevent the free exercise of competition, and would reduce the amount of work given to workmen themselves. As to the Shop Hours' BHI, he had heard it stated that its effect would be to create a strong and violent revolution among the working classes. . ' . Mr. Reeves denied that the Bills were the creation of a few agitators. They were introduced by the late Government last session, and received a large support of the present Government party. He differed from the prediction uttered by Mr. Rolleston as to the direful results that would ensue from those Bills becoming law. If the Truck Bill was likely to injure the manufacturing industry, why had it not done so in England, where a similar measure had been in force for 60 years past. If any panic resulted from these Bills it would be solely due to the action of certain politicians and newspapers. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. SHOP HOURS BILL. On the motion for the third reading of the Shop Hours Bill, ■ , Sir John Halt, said it was a great mistake for the House to limit the hours of labour by legislation. He felt that before long the Bill would be regarded as an intolerable hardship by the people of the colony. Mr. Scobie Mackeniik did not think the Bill had been brought forward in the true interests of the working man. Mr. Mackenzie (Clntha) looked upon the Bill as a step in the right direction. Messrs. Shera and Saunders also spoke. Mr. Reeves wished to thank the leading members of the Opposition for the attitude they had adopted towards the Labour Bills, saying that the criticisms of the majority of the hon. gentlemen opposite had been eminently fair. * The Bill was read a third time and passed. - bills in COMMITTEE. The Adulteration Prevention Amendment Bill, and the Companies (Memorandum of Association) Bill were passed through Committee without amendment. ;; *' The House rose at 5.30. f The House resumed at half-past seven. AUCTIONEERS BILL. The Auctioneers Bill was committed. Clause 8: License and other fees to be paid to local authorities. A lengthy discussion took place on this question, several members contending that the private residence of all auctioneers should not be considered in the matter, and others expressing the opinion that license fees should be paid in the district where the auctioneer resides. This clause was eventually added to the Bill on the voices. Clause 11: Licensed auctioneers may appoint a substitute in case of illness or intended absence. Several members took strong exception to this clause, saying that it was likely to be abused in many cases, but all efforts to effect an alteration were unsuccessful, and the clause was retained as printed. " , Clause 12: Auctioneer not to sell after appointing a substitute, was altered so as to provide that a licensed auctioneer should not be entitled to sell until ten days after his substitute was appointed. Clause 15*. Night auctions prohibited, except cattle sales. On the motion of Mr. Mills (Port Chalmers), it was decided that auctioneers should be allowed to sell any property only up to six o'clock in the' evening, instead of seven as proposed in the Bill. Sir J. Hall moved a proviso to the clause to the effect that sales of land, wool, tallow, and books be allowed at night. Agreed to, and the clause added to the Bill. Clause 16, account sales to be rendered within one month, was altered so as to provide that account sales must be rendered by the auctioneer and paid over within 14 days after receiving a demand from the vendor of the property. < Tne remaining clauses passed with slight alterations. A new clause was inserted to the effect that no person holding a pawnbroker's license shall hold an auctioneer's license. The Bill was reported as amended. PARTNERSHIP BILL. The House went into Committee on the Partnership Bill, which passed through without . amendment, and was reported, read a third time, and passed. REPEALS BILL, The Repeal Bill was considered in Committee, no alteration being made. The Bill was read a third time and passed. The House rose at eleven p.m.