PROCEEDINGS IN COMMITTEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13583, 12 September 1908, Page 6

PROCEEDINGS IN COMMITTEE.

THE NEEDS AND EXERTION WAGE. The proceedings in committee seem to have been of a verv harmonious nature. Divisions were few and far between; indeed, there appears to have been only one division of importance. When clause 57, regarding the needs and exertion wage, was reached, the Hon. J. A. Millar moved that it stand part of the Bill. • His only supporters were the two Opposition members, Messrs. Bollard and Hardy. The fit>es were five, namely: Messrs. Arnold, Barber, Ell, Poole, and Tanner. In one respect the Bill, as presented to Parliament to-day, does not. reflect credit on the committee, and it carries on the face of it evidences of haste in preparation. Some amendments are made in red ink, and others by means of typewritten slips, pasted. on the Bill. The Bill, of course, should have been properly printed. Another point worthy of note is that no copies were available for the press. The taking of evidence on the Bill was commenced on July 24, and the committee concentrated all its attention on it, postponing in its favour all the other measures which it had to deal with. Sittings were held about, three days a week, and the last finished this afternoon. "The Bill," said Mr. Tanner, chairman of the committee, " was reported at the earliest possible moment. To indicate the amount of work that had to bo done after the taking of evidence, I may say that during a single morning 110 resolutions making alterations in the Bill were carried."