PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13875, 8 October 1908, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BT TELEGRAPH. PRESS . ASSOCIATION.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. SECOND READING'S. The Monopoly Prevention .Amendment Bill, Hauraki Plains Bill Railways Authorisation Bill, Public faorks Amendment Bill, and the Education Bill were received from the House, read a first time, and the ■first four Bills passed their second reading. PUBLIC WORKS AMENDMENT. On the motion that the Public Works Amendment ..Bill bo read a second time, after the Attorney-General had explained the Bill, the Hon £>. T. GEORGE congratulated the Government upon having come to its senses on this important matter. The Bill contained exactly the proposals he had made to the Government thrco years ago. The Hon. 0. E. JENKINSON thought it a pity that the Government should take steps , to license the use of water power. He strongly protested against licenses being granted in perpetuity. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, in reply, defended the Bill and the Government's decision, as embodied in it. The second reading was agreed to. ARBITRATION BILL. A message was received from the House intimating that it disagreed with some of the amendments made by the Council in the Arbitration Bill. The Council decided to insist on the amendments, and the Hons. J. E. Jcnkinson, C. M. Luke, and the Attorney-Gene-ral were appointed a committee to draw up .reasons. NATIONAL DEFENCE. The Hon. J. RIGG announced that he did not intend t-i go further this session •with the -.notion of which he gave notice on Monday, relative to the appointment of a committee to report on the best means of providing for national defence. The Council adjourned at five p.m. The Council resumed at right p.in. IN COMMITTEE The Old Age Pensions Amendment Bill, Monopoly Prevention Amendment Bill, Hauraki Plains Bill, and Railways Authorisation Bill were put through committee without material amendment, and reported. The Public Works Amendment- Bill was taken in committee.

At sub-section 2, of clause 4, the Hon. J. T. PAUL urged that the right to grant a lease in perpetuity should be deleted. He argued that the rights of companies could be conserved without the lease in perpetuity being granted/ as the right of renewal could be provided. . The Hon. J. ARSHALL hoped the At-torney-General would stick to the Bill. The Hon. W. C. F. CARNCROSS considered that they should not give anyone the right of perpetuity to any of our water sources. He added that the Government had turned a complete somersault. He moved, "That the words 'either in perpetuity or' be struck out." This would not injure, but improve, the Bill. Discussion on the amendment took place at some length, opinion being divided. It was argued that the effect of the amendment would be to prevent money being invested in the Dominion.

The Hon. W. BEEHAN said that the lease in perpetuity had been dispensed with in the land laws, and should not be introduced in the measures dealing with water power. The Hon. J. BARR objected to the lease in perpetuity as giving away the rights of the people."' The ATTORNEY-GENERAL explained that the Bill would confer no greater hardships on local authorities than existed at the present, Und the deletion of the words would not affect the clause in any way whatever, as it would permit of a lease for 10,000 years, with the right of renewal. He added that it would be better to leave the clause as it was, and leave it to the Government to say whether the lease should be granted in perpetuity or for a limited number of years. The amendment was negatived by 19 votes to six. The Hon. G. JONES moved a new subclause to provide that no lease in perpetuity be granted without the consent of Parliament. This was lost on the voices. Trio Hon. W. C. F. CARNCROSS moved ' to amend sub-clause 6, making it mandatory to include an option of purchase by the Crown in every- license granted. The Hon. J. E. Jj&NKINSON suggested that' the Attorney-General should include soma provision in the Bill to provide that companies granted license?! should utilise their powers within a certain period. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the Government should be given some discretion in ' granting licenses, and it could be taken for granted that in very few cases would tho Government grant full conces- ■ sions. ' V •: r ' 1 .The amendment was negatived by 17 votes to five. The . ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved a new clause, providing for the cancellation or variation of conditions imposed by Or-der-in-Council undo., section 117 of, the principal Act. ' ? - >■ The new clause was adopted on the voices, and the Bill; was reported,' with amendments, read a third time, and passed. ■ • . . , . , All the Bills put through committee today' pased their final stages. EDUCATION BILL. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Education Bill, and outlined the principal features of the measure. The Hon. J. E. JENKINSON said money was being -wasted on technical education. , He contended that teachers in the secondary schools, were labouring under j great disabilities in regard! to. superannuation, and hoped provision would soon be made for these teachers. The ATTORNEY said secondary school teachers could join the Superannuation Fund, and most of them had/ done so: . > , The second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Council went "nto committee on the Bill, which was reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. The Council adjourned at 12.55 a.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NATIVE LAND LAWS. ,Mr. A. 1.. D. FRASER, with the indulgence of the House, moved, without notice, "That th<» Native Affairs Committee be allowed to sit that afternoon to further consider the Native Land Laws Amendment Bill." Mr. MASSEY said he -would not oppose the motion, but would protest at the way in which important Bills, such as this one, were brought - down in the last days of the session. It was neither fair to the committees nor to the House. The PRIME MINISTER said the House had sat comparatively short hours all the session, and 't was well Jcnown that some extra effort was demanded of members towards the end. He objected to this continual cry on the part of , the Opposition. There was no sign of wear and tear on members. As for committees sitting during the session of the House, that always wcurred towards the end of the session of Parliament, for the general convenience ; of members. : „ r Mr. HARDY i protested at the Prime Minister continually objecting to Opposition criticism, and reminded him that it was the;function and right of the Opposition to criticise the actions" of the Govern I mont when it .thought fit to do so. Mr. HLRRIES said the Prime Minister had declared that no unavoidable delay [ had arisen in bringing the Bill down, but

speaking with some knowledge of native affairs, and as a member of the committee, he could not find anything in the Bill which-need have prevented the Government from bringing it down tw months ago. The only matter which might have caused delay was a matter which the Government. was trying to get inserted in the Bill. Mr. Eraser's motion was agreed to. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In reply to questions, Ministers stated as follows: — That it was not proposed to have a close season for imported or native gaino throughout the Dominion in 1909, though possibly there might bo a close season in some districts. That when the area belonging to the Point Elizabeth State coal mine was opened up, the output would be increased to such an extent that it was anticipated' that all demands would be satisfied, and as a necessary preliminary, work was now being proceeded with. It did not appear to be advisable to consider the question of opening another State inino at Wallseml or Dobson. The House adjourned at 5. 30 p.m. The House resumed at 7-30 p.m. COUNCIL AND HOUSE. A message was received from the Legislative Council stating that the Council insisted upon its amendments in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. On the motion of the Hon. J. A. MILLAR, it- was resolved to ask for a conference, and that the managers for the House be Messrs. Millar, Hardy, and Tanner. GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. Sir JOSEPH WARD asked foe leave to move the notice of motion standing in his mime on the Order Paper, "That on and after Wednesday, 7th inst., Standing Order No. 54 be suspended for the remainder of the session so far as to enable new business to bo taken after midnight-" Mr. MASSEY said he understood that at. 7.30 p.m. the orders of the day must be proceeded with. He greatly objected to the Prime Minister's motion. Sir JOSEPH WARD: I really don't know why the hon. gentleman is obstructing business in this way. The motion is the customary one at the end of a session. The SPEAKER : Standing Order No 70 provides that notice of motion placed by the Government before the orders of the day continue to be dealt with at half-past seven. , Mr. MASSEY : Only if two clear days' notice has been given. Sir JOSEPH WARD said his motion was for the sole purpose of expediting business. Mr. MASSEY said the Government, if the motion were carried, could bring down important Bills like the Maori Land Laws Amendment Bill, or the Public Service Classification and Superannuation Bill, at two, three, or four o'clock in the morning, and put them, through all their stages before breakfast. He objected to such a practice, and would not facilitate it. Sir JOSEPH WARD said nobody bad suggested what Mr. Massey foreshadow- j ed. There were often messages from the j Council or from the Governor received after half-past twelve, which could not be dealt with unless his motion were agreed to. Mr. MASSEY : I shall not object to such messages being dealt with after halfpast twelve without the suspension of Standing Orders. That is a fair offer. The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister asks for leave to move his motion notwithstanding that two clear days' notice has not j been given. Does any hon. member j object? Mr. MASSEY : Yes; I do.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION. The House then resumed consideration, of _ the Workers' Compensation Bill in committee. ■ At clause 17, sub-section 3, which had been altered by the Labour Bills Committee, was restored to its original form, providing that any right of indemnity conferred by the Act shall be enforceable in the Supreme Court or some court of competent jurisdiction, and not -(save with the consent of the parties) in the Court of Arbitration.

At clause 23 an amendment Was inserted providing that action for the recovery of compensation must be commenced within six months. At clause 41, a new sub-clause, 2a, inserted by the Labour Bills Committee, stating that when judgment has been recovered against an employer by or on behalf of any person for compensation under this Act, such person shall not be entitled to recover damages against the employer independently of the Act in respect of the same accident, was struck out./ The MINISTER said he would have an amendment to clauses 41 and 33 drafted, and inserted in another place, making it quite clear that the worker may elect under what law he may proceed. Clause 45 was amended by the addition of a proviso limiting actions for claims in respect of. death to a period of six months after death. • ■ Various other technical and machinery amendments wore inserted. Considerable discussion centred round an amendment moved by Mr. Barclay, providing that an agreement made by and between any claimant and his employer, or by and between any claimant and his employers, in settlement of any claims for compensation, whether under the Act or independently thereof, can only be binding when it is shown tuat they signed with the, approval of a magistrate or an inspector of awards. / The MINISTER- objected to. anything which would complicate the process of obtaining compensation, as it meant the introduction of lawyer.? and increased expense.. The amendment was rejected by 37 votes to 19. On the motion of Mr. BARCLAY a new clause was inserted providing that there shall be no abatement of compensation if claimants are insured. Considerable discussion then ensued upon 1 the schedules. The first schedule, specifying hazardous occupations, led to a great deal of criticism. The MINISTER proposed that the title "hazaradous occupations" should be struck out, and the words "special occupations" substituted. This suggestion was agreed to, and the schedule, was passed. Schedule 2, with minor amendments, was passed, and amendments in the body of the Bill were made to conform with those made in the schedule. The Bill was then reported. * SUPERANNUATION BILL. The PRIME MINISTER moved the second reading of the Public Service Classification and Superannuation Amendment Bill. In order to prevent discussion on the clauses referring to the police, he desired to say that, as the police had generally asked to be excluded from the operations of the Bill, and he had no desire to press them against their , will, he would ask that the clauses referring to them be struck out in committee. With regard to teachers' superannuation, he had to point out that certain differences between the education service and the public _ service made it impracticable to include them in the sanK scheme of superannuation, but the two schemes were assimilated as far as possible. An annual subsidy of £7000 was provided for the fund, corresponding to the subsidy of £20,000 provided by the Act of 1907 for the Public Service Superannuation Fund. Mr. MASSEY said this was one of a variety of Bills whicfi* tho Government only seemed able to oring down in the dying hours of the session, with the result that hasty, ill-considered legislation got on the Statute Book. This was the Host technical Bill that had come before the House this session, and yet the evidence giveut on it had only been circulated within an hour. He assorted that actuarially the fund was in an unsatisfactory condition, and though there was an improvement, yet we were still only providing for three years at a time'. These funds should be made perfectly safe from the start. , The debate was continued by Messrs. Hogan, Wilford, Barber, Bollard, and Malcolm. The House was still'sitting at two a.m., when the telegraph office closed.