PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14533, 22 November 1910, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[abridged press association REPORT.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Monday. The House. of Representatives sat at 7.30 p.m. AUCTIONEERS BILL. Hon. I). Buddo moved the committal of the Auctioneers Amendment Bill. Replying to a question the Minister said the sales of fruit, fish, and vegetables were cash transactions. It had been found that there were inconsistencies iu regard to these eales, hence the insertion of a clause dealing with the matter. It would not be wise to make the clause apply to country sales, where credit was given. SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL. Hen. J. A. Millar moved the committal' of the Shops and Offices Bill, which specifies the hours of labour to bo worked by assistants in hotels- and restaurants, 62 for males, and 52 per week for females and also for night watchers and porters. Mr. Herdman (Wellington North) said the Arbitration Court ought to fix the conditions of labour in awards. Tho Bill was one of those harassing and irritating measures now all too common. Air. Fisher (Wellington Central) referred to the tobacco trade, and the desire of tobacconists that some restrictions ought to be placed on Chinamen and others selling tobacco. The Labour Department was powerless to deal with a Chinaman, who was allowed to keep his shop open after eight p.m., when European tobacconists had to close. Mr. Poole (Auckland West) advocated restrictive measures on Chinese traders. Mr. McLaren (Wellington East), replying to Mr. Herdman, said the industrial legislation complained of by the latter had been adopted by many countries and for good reasons. Surely it was necessary to pass legislation to provide against female employees working excessive hours. The Bill granted a measure of justice to workers ia hotels and restaurants, and such legislation was required in the interests of humanity. Mr. Arnold (Dunodin Central) said the only way yto deal with the difficulty in the tobacco trade was to make a compulsory hour for the closing of all trades. Hon. J. A. Millar said the Bill had been standing over since last year. It was too late in the day for Mr. Herdman to say that such matters should be dealt with by the Arbitration Court. He proposed to add a new clause, providing that any person employed in a shop, other than the occupier arid wife, would be deemed an assistant. This would have the effect of doing away with the unfair competition of shopkeepers who did not employ labour and kept open beyond eight «Cclock. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. In moving the second reading of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill, Sir Joseph Ward said that clause 2 (dealing with medical attendance in childbirth) would be deleted, as provision for maternity assistance had already been made in the National Provident Fund Act. The Bill was read a second time . , MEASURES CONSIDERED. The Government Railways Amendment Bill (No. 2) was read a first time. ; The Scenery Preservation Amendment Bill passed its second reading. The Stamp Duties Amendment Bill and the Slaughtering and Inspection Bill, were read a second time. On the motion of Sir Joseph Ward the Hawke's Bay Rivers Bill was read a second time. . "i In moving the second reading of the -Crown • Suits Act, the Prime Minister said ho proposed to add an amendment, by which a jury would be enabled to try cases. ';■'' ■ ■ -Sir. Mnssev approved' of the striking out. of the clause excluding a trial by. jury. He considered the law, as regards compensation to workers, should apply to all. State workers in the same way as it applied to ordinary employers. The Bill was read a second time. . The Census and Statistics Bill was read a second time. .',... ■ . - ■ , ■ The Scenery Preservation Amendment Bill was reported with amendments. The Auctioneers Amendment Bill was amended by substituting in clause 5 the words "on fall of the hammer" for "on delivery thereof." „ /T , On the suggestion of Mr. Dive (Egmont) the Minister promised to prepare a proviso exempting bazaars for religious and ' charitable purposes from the provisions of ' the Act: .'- v • The Bill was reported with amend- ' ments. On ;the, House resuming, the Scenery L . Preservation and Auctioneers AmendI xment Bills were read a third time and passed. The House rose at 1.15. i - ; ■• :.. ~■■;.: ,'v;/..; •'•■ -.-.■,■:,■-.'- POLITICAL NOTES. i -.">■. ; .'. ■ —*— ' SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL. i '--.;• -:'.'■•.. "'■ '■' I ■'•'•■ ' ' ", "~~~ " ». SOME PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. ' [BI TELEGEAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] "Wellington, Monday. The Minister for Labour (Hon. J. A. [ Millar) has given, notice that in committee . he will move some important amendments . to the Shops and Offices Bill. He proposes . that hotels shall be defined to mean pre- } mises in respect to which a publican's • license is granted. Under the Bill hotel [ meant "any premises whether licensed or . not'in which meals are sold to the public i' for consumption on ,the premises and lodg- !■ ing provided for hire." The definition of > restaurant under the Bill was j "any pre- : mises in which meals are sold to the public ■ but in which lodging is not provided." The new definition is "any premises other than the hotel in which meals are provided," and includes tearooms and oyster rooms. As regards hours of employment it is proposed that in-the case of hotels they shall not exceed 62 (including meal times) per week for males over 16 and more than 58 . hours' (excluding meal hours) in any other . case. The hours in restaurants are to be . 62 and 52 respectively. Neither the wife II nor children of the occupier of hotels and 1 restaurants shall be deemed to be shop J assistants within the meaning of this sec- } tion. Any award of the Arbitration Court I in force on the passing of the Act shall continue for the period for which it was made. AUCTIONEERS BILL. 11 The Auctioneers Bill has been returned k to the House by the Stock and Commerce is Committee with amendments. The following new clauses are added : — c , "Every license shall take effect from q the date of its issue, and shall expire on j the day on which the first ordinary meet- ,' ing of the local authority is held after December 31 next." • ," At any auction sale of fish, fruit, or d vegetables, every lot shall be sold to the ° highest bidder, and it shall not be lawful '". for ■; any auctioneer to refuse to accept a bid from any person present at the sale, i who is willing, or who states that he is t willing, to pay cash for the' poods on e delivery^thereof'.■•'■■"and any condition or r stipulation in the conditions of sale in any e manner violating this provision«.shall be e void, and have no effect." a EDUCATION RESERVES * BILL. 4 Several amendments will be moved in 0 the Education Reserves Bill by the Hon. s J. Anstey (Canterbury). The Bill pro- !" vides that school commissioners shall cease to hold office after April, 1911, and that e all reserves shall thereafter be adminisa tered by land boards as Crown lands, with r- the object of securing at least a 33 years' y lease. Mr. Anstey proposes to provide 3- that the land may be administered under te the J Land for Settlements Act, 1908. to Secondly, he proposes to extend to the it J tenants, in:respect of all existing leases lejmnd licenses,- the. right to obtain a- lease ii £9$ the \ homestead '.aadL; Siismupdine, land. '■ •. .','■' - '■ "■''' '■-■. '■'•'■ i .'.',-v/', ; ;V.-.v -:;■':.'■>'":'■

mi. i——— ———II I An extension of the Bill to enable any reserves or endowments to bo leased,, under the Public Bodies' Leases Act, 1908, is also proposed by Mr. Anstey, in place of reconstructing such endowments to town lands, or those classified as such by the land board.The most important amendment to be proposed is the addition of the following new clause: —"On the expiry of any lease or licenso granted by. any school commissioners and existing at the ' commencement of this Act, the land board may grant the former lessee a new lease for a period not exceeding 21 years, with perpetual right of renewal for periods not exceeding 21 years, but at a rent to be fixed by valuation or arbitration, provided that if, in the opinion of the board, it is desirable to subdivide the land included in such lease, such right of renewal shall apply only to such one subdivision as tho tenant shall apply for." PUBLIC HOLIDAYS BILL. The amendments made by the Commerce Committee in the Public Holidays Bill include the alteration of April 23, from plain St. George's Day, to " April 23, in celebration of St. George's and St. David's Day." The other amendments are the addition of Empire Day and Dominion Dav, and tho striking out of Whit-Sun-day. TEACHERS' SUPERANNUATION. The Public Service Classification and Superannuation Bill has already been numbered among the " slaughtered innocents" of this session. There is one clause in it, however (clause 15, which revives the right of election to become contributors to the teachers' superannuation fund), which Sir Wm. Steward desires to save. He pointed out to the Prime Minister tonight that a number of petitions had been presented from teachers asking for a fresh opportunity of joining the .superannuation fund. He asked the Government to consider the advisability of bringing in a Bill of a single clause, such as clause 15. Sir Joseph Ward promised to consider the matter. THE STATE COAL MINE. A paragraph that appeared in a Christ- ! church paper recently complained of the conditions at tho State coal mine, the accommodation provided for the miners, and drew attention to tho number of accidents at the mine. Mr. G. Laurenson (Lyttelton) asked the Minister for Mines to-'ni<:ht if ho had noticed the complaint, and, if so, what steps he intended to take in the matter. The Hon. R. McKenzie said the Mines Department had nothing to do with the accommodation given to the miners, the men finding their own accommodation. As regards" the other complaints, he advised the lion, gentleman to put a question on the Order paper,, and he would obtain a report.