PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10901, 4 November 1898, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[BY telegraph—special CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. TUAKAU BRIDGE. While the Public Works Estimates were being dealt with last night the Minister for Lands, in answer to Mr. Massey, stated that plans would be got ready, and the bridge over the Waikato River, at Tuakau, would be proceeded with as soon as possible, though it was not expected that more than £500 would be required before March 31 next.

THE MINING BILL. The Mining Bill did not take long to get through the Council to-day. The most important amendment was the striking out of the clause to the effect that the occurrence of any accident in a mine shall be prima facie evidence that such accident occurred through some negligence on the part of the owner thereof. Another amendment of some importance is in the direction of allowing appeals to be dealt with only by the Supreme Court. The Lower House this evening, on the motion of Mr. Cadman, disagreed with the amendments, and appointed a committee to draw up reasons. The Act will not now come into force till January, 1899.

ARBITRATION AND CONCILIATION

Tho Arbitration and Conciliation Bill was greatly amended in the Council to-night, in accordance with .the recommendation of the Labour Bills Committee. Tho most important alteration made was the excision of the clause which, if adopted, would have forced employers to give preferential employment to unionists. A new clause was inserted, enacting that the Arbitration Court should not have piwer in any award to declare that members of unions should be employed in preference to non-unionists. This latter decision was considered necessary, in view of certain recent dciaions in the South Island by Justices Williams and Edwards. It is not likely that the Bill will become law this session.