LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13868, 30 September 1908, Page 8

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Tuesday. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. JUDICIARY BILL. The Statutes Revision Committee reported that there was nob time to proceed with the Judiciary Bill this session. PAWNBROKERS BILL. The committee to which the Pawnbrokers' Charges Bill was referred reported that they were of opinion that the Bill should not be proceeded with. MACHINERY BILL. Tho Inspection of Machinery Bill was taken in committee. Clause 11 was amended to provide that where two or more steam engines are working side by side, and are driving a mutual shaft by means of belting or gearing, the class of engine-drivers required must be determined with reference, to the combined circular inch area of the cylinders. The Bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. ' HARBOURS AMENDMENT. In tho Harbours Amendment Bill, recommitted for consideration, clause 5, providing for granting occupation leases of foreshores was struck out, and clause 6, providing that reclamations may be made in certain cases authorised by the Cover-nor-in-Council, was also struck out. Tho Bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. Progress was reported, and the Council adjourned at five p.m. ARBITRATION BILL. 1 j The Council resumed at eight p.m. Tho ATTORNEY-GENERAL, in moving I the second * reading of tlia Arbitration Amendment Bill, said that the definition of I a strike or lockout, as set forth in the Bill, was unsatisfactory, and it was for the Council to clearly define these., points. He added that the provision for deducting fines from wages had been struck out, and a clumsy means substituted through a. Court of law. The provisions that conciliation councils could not make any recommendations unless they were unanimous would have to be fully considered. Ho intended to move that tho Bill should, after passing its second reading, bo referred to the Labour Bills Committee. The Hon. J. T. PAUL, in seconding tho motion, referred in eulogistic terms to the Hon. W. P. Reeves. The only alternative to arbitration was strikes, and he was totally opposed to strikes, because they were 'against, the interests of the workers and the general community. He urged that • domestic servants should be a!"owed to come under the Arbitration Act, and asked for statutory preference to trades unionists and the insertion of a clause which would act as a deterrent to victimisation. ' The Hon. R. A. LOUGHNAN expressed tho opinion that tho cancellation of a union's registration would prove the severest possible, punishment for striking. He added that the provision empowering a magistrate to deal with certain cases would save the time of the Court. The Hon. J. R. SINCLAIR favoured the Bill, and commended the constitution or conciliation councils. He cordially . supported the abolition of imprisonment for failure to pay fines, and contended that all "strikes, were a menace to the community, and were inconsistent with the results which we had a right to expect from our system of franchise and education. He regretted that all reference to the exertion wage had been excised from the Bill. The debate was adjourned on the motion of the Hon. J. Rigg. The Council rose at 11.15 p.m.