AFTERNOON SITTING.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4407, 13 July 1901, Page 7

AFTERNOON SITTING.

tho House resumed at 2.30 p.mSdnolliatibh and Arbitration. The debate on the Bill was continued by Mr MASSEY, who scouted the idea that the Government was responsible for file present prosperity of tho colony, aild denied that the Farmers’ Union was iih offshoot of the National Association. , ... Air R. TfIOAIPSON urged an amendment of tho shipping law in tho direction of compelling every coastal vessel to carry at least one apprentice. Sir JOSEPH WARD defended the Government from the charge that it had done nothing to assist the farming industry, arid pointed to the change in the the incidence of taxation, the concessions in railway freights, and the exemption Of improvements under the idtid and nebirie tax, as instances of the relief that had been afforded to farmers by thfe Goverhnient. The farmers had a perfect right, to form legitimate unions, but if political organisations were being formed, lie , must say that it would be a vel-y bad thing ior the country. It Was regrettable at this stage in the* history of New Zealand to hear the antiquated, old-fashioned notion® that had been given , expression to- by Opposition members during this debate. Hfe considered the Bill a very necessary ° U Th6 PREMIER said that to listen to some of the speeches, it might have been imagined that the Government Was introducing ail Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill for the first time. But tho fact was that members had been speaking to their cotasfituents instead of .to their fellow-members. H© pointed out that the land and income tax was f is much in tile interests of the country as in tho interests of the towns. What had the previous Government done for the farmers? When they had found themselves short of Money, they Had made up the shortage by imposing a grain rate upon the railways. Later on, having found that they could not venture to do anything of' that sort arrain, they had shirked their responsibility bv handing the railways ever to Commissioners, so that when further taxation was to be imposed upon the farmers, the responsibility for it might be thrown upon the Commissioners. The phenomenal success of the railways and the large concessions which had been Made since the Government had taken control of them proved what the Government had done for the farmers. As to the Farmers’ Union, he must say that, judging bv its programme, it looked very like a'resuscitation of the National Association. As an answer to the assertion that industries had been retarded by the Labour legislation of the Government, he pointed, out that the number of employees in factories bad doubled during the last eight years; and if the number of factory employees was doubled, the consumption of produce would be doiibled, and the best markets for the farmers were those at their own doors. Ho contended that as the towns progressed so must the country; and ho would be no party to disturbing the harmony existing between town and country. . ■ Tho'Bill was read a second time on the voices; and sent to the Labour Dills Committee. Cyanide Process Extension Bill. The Hon J. Ale GO WAN moved the second reading of the Cyanide Process

Extension Bill, the provisions of which ho explained in a brief speech. Tho second reading was agreed to. Public Health Bill. On the motion of Sir J. G. Ward, the second reading of the Public Health Act Amendment Bill, which is to bring the Chatham Islands within the provisions of the measure, was agreed to. Trustee Act Amendment Bill. The PREMIER, in moving tho sec ond reading of this Bill, stated that it was designed to bring the law into conformity with that in England. He had received letters from trustees who, under the existing law, were not. able to do justice to their trusts. He explained the provisions of the measure. Mr PIRANI urged that a clause should bo included to meet the case in which money had been loft to a family by will, to be divided when the children reached twenty-one years of age; but in thp meantime the family wore suffeiing'distress. In such a case power ought to lie given to a Judge of the Supremo Court to grant relief. Tho PREMIER agreed that some alteration of tho law in the direction indicated was no doubt necessary, but this was not the Bill in which to make such a change in the law. The Bill was road a second time, and sent to the Statutes Revision Committee. Chinese' Immigi’ants Bill. The PREMIER, m the absence of the Minister for Customs, moved the second reading of this Bill, which, he said, was intended to meet the case of Chinese orew s coming to this- colony. At present the master of a ship was held responsible for Ins passengers who were Chinese; but there’ was nothing to prevent a mau from bringing 200 or 300 Chinese to the colony as members of his crew, paying them a nominal rate of Is per month. The motion was agreed to. Accidents Compensation BISS.

Sir JOSEPH WARD moved the second reading of the Accidents Compensation Bill, which is intended to allow an independent examination of a person claiming damages for accident. There had been cages, especially in the railway service, in which malingering was suspected, and tho Bill was to meet cases cf this kind. In the course of the debate, Air Atkinson said be considered it somewhat drastic to deprive a mau of his appeal to a jury because he resisted examination, especially as that fact was almost bound to prejudice him in the eyes of the jury. Air WILFOIID believed the Bill necessary, and quoted an instance to show 11 fjir JOSEPH WARD, in reply to Mr Atkinson, slid that claimants were now able to refuse examination, even though it were ordered by a Judge of the Supremo Court, and yet claim damages. This had occurred in the railway service. . The Bill wa s read a second time on the Voices. Cemetcpy Trustees. The Cemetery Trustees Validation Bill passed through committee without amendment. The Referendum Bill. When this Bill was committed, Mr F.T,Ti asked the Minister in charge (the Premier) to insert a clause enabling the people to demand that any Bill may bo submitted to th e Referendum. He claimed that the Bill in. its present form wa s useless, and spoke against it generTtm PREAIIER said that Air Ell was eneclavouring to stop the measure from ; You know me better than th ln clause 4, Mr Alillar moved that subclause 1, providing that all rejected Bills should be submitted to the Referendum; should be struck out. He argued that ordy oreat policy measures ought to be submitted to the people, otherwise the expense would be enormous if every unimportant Bill was to be submitted to th Tlm° discussion waS interrupted by th e 5.30 adjournment.