PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15646, 27 June 1914, Page 11

PARLIAMENT.

... g_ i "'■ —»>'««». ill.. • ~.' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SECOND • DAY'S,. SITTING. i THE PUBLIC SERVICE. , IMPREST SUPPLY BILL PASSED [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Fridav. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 ibis tfWnoot. The Hoc. a I. Herd'uan (Minister foi internal it:';- , gave :ice oi his inU.:t..on to introduce a Civil Service' Officers' Cuarautoe Repeal Bill, a Crimes Amendment Bill, and a Defamation Bill. 'Ihe Hon. F. M. B. Fisher (Minister for Marine) gave notice to introduce an Immigration Restriction Bill and a Local LKiious Proportional Bcpiesentation Bill. J wo days' leave of absence was granted Messrs. IV. D. 8. Mac Donald (bay of l'icnty) ajd J. 13. Mine (Stratford), on weount o urgent private business aud u.iicss respectively. inc Hon. James Allen (Minister for Education} introduced tho Religious Instruction in Schools Relcxeudum Bill Public Service.. BIH. Sir Joseph Ward (Leader of the Opposition), in introducing the Public Service ' Amendment Bill, said he was in a position ;o say that theic was grave dissatisfaction prevailing throughout the public service j because the right of appeal did not prevail in all branches of the service, nisi Bill proposed to give tho right of appeal ;n accordance with the recent decision of ! tie Chief Justice. The i'rime Minister interjected that the matter was sub judico. Sir Joseph Ward replied that ho did not know whether the matter was going to the Court of Appeal. Ho knew that members | of the public service were clubbing to-gei-er to provide funds to fight the caso if it did go to the Court of Appeal. At any rate he was going on with his Bill. Continuing, ho said no considered tlio Public Service Commissioners were fair-. ,mnded men, but they were an autocracy c-.;<i tid Ukcn away tho right of appeal wb*r«i 'I had previously existed, with the re+u'.i thai several iniix.rtani. departments weie in i staU of suspense. He asked \>liy the Crown law officers were being em* ploye>! to fight the public tnrvant* and | keep from them the right 'vliieh Parlia inent intended they should have. The Premier asked if Sir Joseph Ward thought thai private lawyers should have been employed, ' Sir Joseph Ward replied that he wanted to know why the case had been brought at all. Continuing, ho said ho also proposed in hn> Bill that every vacancy In the public service should ho advertised for Tim power of retrenchment should jtjuiftin In the hands of the Government, *itd the Minister for Finance should lie in a position to «ny how much should be spent on the public wrvlce, service. Discontent Denied. Th* Hon. A. L. fterdrnan denied that tb>)r«t wss widespread discontent In the pfeblio service, Ho claimed that the polllion of the Commissioner* was not autocratic, They were wspoflilble {.» I'arllfi.' ment and could be removed from office If Parliament bo willed, fie understood the attitude of the Opposition was hostile to the Public Service Act and if they preposed to repeal it, It should be known that they would also take from the public nrrvanta the many benefits Conferred upon them by the Act. He denied that public servants now had no right of appeal. That right had boon given by the present Government and not bv the Lender of the Opposition. The Constitution of the Board ci Appeal wns perfectly just and no fairor body could well be conceived. Tie quoted an extract from the Katlpo to »bow that the Post end Telegraph l)e j*rtme.'it was well satisfied with the administration of the Commissioners, but ho proposed to lake up higher ground than the view of Departmento, Tho talk com* pleUd by the Commicsiohert since the Act nam* into force was coloswl and ho conitvit'd that if there was any discontent •a the public service it had bodn fermerited by the Opposition, and was confined to the friends of that j»arty.

Bit Joseph Ward JtopllM. Sir Joseph Wa/d, In reply, Hid that if that wax the owe then 03 per cent, of tho public eorvioo must bo tlio Mends of the Opposition U the benefit* of (ho Act wre so enormous why wore the railways not brought under it? He denied thai, the Opposition had stirred up discontent in the public service. Ho was now pursuing the method he had always adopted, thai the public service ought to bo under Parliament and the wisdom of that position wRa now K *lng confirmed by. Australia wbcro tho system of commissioners was boing revoked. Too Bill wan read a first time First Readings. Tho following Bills were read a .first limo ; — n«>konui County Bjll (Mr. 0. J. Anderson, Mataura), Firri Inquests Bill (Mr. T. K. Sidcy, Dun-din South), Railwav Improved Laud* Bill (Mr. R. Mc« Galium, Wttirau). The Standing Orders. Sir Joseph Ward naked the Prime Minister whether, seeing that the Standing Or Am did not reoogniso that "closure' bo applied to members, ho would give an assurance to the House that in order to prowent the right of f.-oo speech being taken (ran the paople'a representatives, un amendment to the Standing Orders would lie made defining the nowers of tho frailer and the Chairman of Committer to h* to prevent unv misunderstanding, in the Interpretation of the same, Mr, M/iesoy.eaid ho would not in any way attempt to Interfere with the right of (ri!« speech In tlio ordinary acceptance ol ih.it term, but he would do everything in bit power in stop (he silly and absurd \m«M* pursued by Urn Opj» on hint voir. Sir Joseph Ward retorted that it wn riot within I ho province of the I'remie* vi dicta Wi to inrinhem of the Upmn'tiothey wnrn (.<# dIKUM matters that cue. >*• fori' the flow*. The Rtiralfr said that. ho did not think anything bad I**') done laet r.eeriioii that roidd not be borne out by tho Standing Order*. Imprest Supply Bill. 11m linn .lamp* Alj.'n (Minister for Pimm-el introduced the Imprest Hupnly Bill No 1. providing lor £064,000, for the payment of tin public service. f'.|»eiikioy on the. peeowl reading *ir Joseph Ward a/>li«l when the financial btooemenl would ho brought down, Mr Mousey *nid that there was generally a period of 10 In 14 days between the Address-in Reply debate and the bringing down of Hie financial (■Statement, ami he tii/itiffht the time wont) I." altonl 'be feme litis se«ion. During the interval he would bring down the Licensing Bill. Kir Joseph Ward said Hie anomalous position with regard to I be reform of the i ni/ii wis unprecedented He objected to the introduction of the lei/ielallon In the fWimn! and contend"! Government. had] no noiodftlxi fcr the net ion it had taken. Mandate of the People, Mr Mwcey c/rfilended that the elections lie/1 i/|wn them (he mandate t» reform the tippet Moose. Me Imped to be able to fliinooti'e the appointments next. week, Me held thai eoiit!llnl|oM/.l Jiiw«)l|ift Wftfl Ulfie followed In Introducing the Reform Hill |t, the fVml/ell, Mir JoM'pll Ward further eottl-etiilfd that Mm ttmivk should be consulted before an Irniioiifl'it change in the constitution wa* ffiitde, Thttffl wm fm Iflftfldflto for tli« Th« 'Mm!* ma Iflterrupled by tho 5,30 bdjourrifflertt. '/he House resumed at 7.50 p.m. The Prime Minister told it might be & matter" of opifthm a* to whether the Govsmuifint had A mandate from the people to Ul'iTia ti» (hm'ilf but there nun no

doubt that a majority of the. present rarliamont.was elected pledged .to' & re-, lorm of the Council. He quoted the resolutions submitted to the House last session and also figures to show that tne resolutions, were carried by a two to one majority. The Leader of the Opposition complained that the Government aad no mandate to alter tho constitution, but what about the second ballot? '■ Sir Joseph Ward : That is electoral reform, nob constitutional. Mr. Massey contended that it was constitutional. He added that Sir Joseph Ward had suggested that the appoint ments to the Council we» being made to ! block the land tax. This was absurd, The appointments were being made to enable the Government to pass its Bill. The proper thing to do was to pass the Bill this session and allow it to come into operation at the following general election. Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) criticised the accounts of (ho Railway, Deface, and Lands Departments. Appointments to be for Three Tears. The Hon- James Allon asked what mandate tho Mackenzie Ministry had for the appointment of three members to the Council. That, be said, ought to answer 'the Opposition objections to the Government's action. ' In reply to Mr. Russell he dealt with the quarter's accounts aud repudiated a suggestion that payments had been held over to swell the surplus. Dealing with the Legislative Council appointments ho said tho appointments would be for three years if Parliament passed a measure to legaliso appointments for that term. Ho denied that there was at present a sufficient Government majority in the Council to pass the Reform Bill without the new appointments. When Parliament resumed after supper, tho debate dovelooed into a ventilation of local grievance, uid at 11.45 p.m. the Bill passed tho committee stage without amendment. On the third reading Sir Joseph Ward proceeded to discuss HearAdmiral Hondorson's report on the establishment of a local navy to fhow that his statement that the cost "of a fleet would be £25.295,000 was correct, Tho Bill passed its third rending shortly after midnight, and tho House rose at 12.10 a.m. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. BILLS TO BE INTRODUCED. [by raECiurH.--i'HKss ASSOCIATION.] Wellington. Friday. Tin Lcgifldtlrj Cmriril tret at 2.30 p.m. The Hon. H. D, Bell gevc notice of his irtMition to introduce on tho iie.it sitting day, the Land Agents Amendment Bill, the Legislative Council Bill, and tho Masters and Apprentices Bill. Tho Hon. J. Barr gave notice to move' the Addrosadn-lteplv on. Tuesday next. The Hon. C. A. C Hardy will second the motion.

The Council adjourned At 2.38 p.m. until 11 ft.m. to-morrow.