THE SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13387, 13 September 1905, Page 5

THE SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL.

■FARCICAL PROCEEDINGS IN' PARMA- ■; iIIJNT. fl?aou Ode Owk Cokbespokbent.) ; WELLINGTON, September 12. Section 21 of tho Shops and Otfioea Act. of last session provides that ftthrco-fifths mamay fix tho hoiir of closing. Mr Ktrkbrido this afternoon moved to strike out a paragraph in Mr Seddon's bill, which would havo . the effeot of compelling shop assistants (in districts that do not take adYantago of seotion .21) to ccaso 'iV'ork ;it 6 o'clock,- Except';in tho .caso of trades such as chemists, fruiterers, otc.,.permitted undor Mr Seddon's bill to work till 8 o'clock. On this point .Mr Seddon -/was defeated, Mr Kirkbrido's motion, being to strik'o out tho paragraph being carried, several of Mr Seddon's. party voting with tho member for Manaknii agfcinst their leader. The awkwardness of the paragraph that was struck out may bo gathered l from the fact that according to tho interpretation clauso tho term "shop assistants'* includes members of a man's family, therefore, on the stroko of 6 o'olock, a wifo assisting her husband or a daughter assisting her father would liavo to withdraw from tho shop and ica-ve tho occupier t to- do all. tho work. After tho oarrying of Mr Kirkbrido's amendment a very peculiar position arose, showing tho readiness with which Parliament under the present regimo is prepared to abrogate its rights and its functions. Mr Massey's watchfulness and 'determination, however, saved tho' situation. 'Tho troublo was caused in consequence of Mr Millar's vacating the chair in favour of Mr Laurenson in order that- ho (Mr Millar) might tako part in the discussion on tho bill in committee. This was a peculiar and unusual thing for tho chairman of committees to do. but tho main cause of troublo was that ho had taken this action without asking the leave of tho committco, At any rate, wlicn flio committee resumed at 7.30 p.m., Mr Laurenson was discovered in.tho chair. Mr Masscy roso and asked by what right lie was there. Mr Laurenson replied that Mr Millar had asked liim to tako tho chair. Mr Seddon contended that Mr Laurenson was justified in his action, and that Mr Millar had a right to put him there. Mr Masscy and others quoted standing orders to prove tho contrary. Mr Millar explained tho pcouliar circumstances under which he had acted. Unfortunately both tho other members representing Duiiedin Civ were absent, and the question to bo discussed was of vital importanco to tho city of Dunedin and to thousands of his constituents. Mr Ivirkbride's amendment, which had been carried in committee, • materially affected them. Ho (Mr Millar) therefore asked tho indulgence of the committee.so that. Mr Laurenson might tako tho chair. Mr Taylor Paid the Opposition had succeeded in practically destroying the rights of shop assistants in tho largo centres, and' Mr Masscy now feared Mr Millar's taking part in tho debate. Mr Masscy emphatically denied this, and added that ho was not afraid of any man or any set of men in that House,. Tho question was not in any way a personal one, but whether or not Mr Millar had power to nppoint an acting chairman without tho consent of honourable members.—Mv Laurenson ruled that ho had a perfect right to occupy the chair. Mr Maacy then moved to report progress so that tho Speaker's ruling might bo obtained. Mr Hawkins. suggested a way out of the difficulty—viz'., for Mr Millar to resume the chair, and ask tho leavo of tho oommittoo to allow Mr Laurenson to tako it. This suggestion was received with "Hear, hoars," and Mr Millar agreed. A kind of general post then ensued. Mr Laurenson left tho chair, Mr Millar " took " it, asked the leavo of tho eommittcc to let Mr Laurenson take it, tho committee agreed, Mr Millar left tho chair, and Mr Laurenson resumed it amidst laughter. This matter having been disposed of, Mr Seddon set himself to the task of straightening matters up, and the result was that for soma hour? tho House was in a complete tanule. The Premier moved an amendment whieh nobody could understand, and which ho- himself could not explain. Tho Acting Chairman attempted to read the amendment, and failed, but eventually did so with t.ho assistance of tho Premier. From the amendment, as it was' first drafted, itappeared that the Premier wanted to "carry the shopkeepers," but lion, members did not seem to know whother it was (lie schedule or the shopkeepers, or the members of tho Houso - that had to he earned. Tho Leader of the Opposition called attention to a' Standing Order, which stated that an amendment must'be coherent. If not, it was out of order. Ho read tho amendment. "If that is coherent," lio added, "what does it mean"' .The Acting Chairman, amid some laughter, ruled that llw amendment-, when considered with tho context, was coherent. After much talk, the Premier appeared to yro the futility of his amendment, and withdrew it. A motion to report progress wa« then moved by Mr T?ll. The corrvinir of this would have had the effect of killing tho bill. Tho Premier stated that unless they passed t'ho hill that, night he would drop it. Shortly l>cforo half-past 11 the tangle into which the Houso had got was straightened out. and members settled dow.n to real work onco more. The results will bo seen in tho Press Association report,