N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 16

N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

In the Legislative Council to-day some private bills were read a first time, and the Land Transfer Act Amendment Bill passed.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House of Representatives again got through a large amount of work, although the afternoon sitting was mainly taken up with a discussion on tho Government banking account and^the North Island Trunk railway. Among the most important measures read a second time were the Inspection of Building Appliances Bill and the Unclaimed Lands Bill. The Employers' Liability Bill and the Bankruptcy Bill were passed.

INSPECTION OF SCArFOLDINO. The Hon. R. J. SEDDON moved the second reading of the Inspection of Building Appliances Bill, to provide for the inspection of scaffolding and other gear used for the construction of works of any kind. He said in several parts of the colony 6erious loss «f life had occurred, as well as many serious accidents, in consequence of no provision being made for preventing them, and the bill was meant to provide against such accidents as far as possible. It would be no expense to the State if the bill were given effect to. The inspectors of machinery and inspectors of factories and workrooms could be inspectors under it. It might be that some amendment was required in the bill, but he would ask the House to affirm the principle of it, as it was absolutely necessary that some action of this kind should be taken for tho prevention of accidents, which might cause sorrow in many households.

Mr FISH said the Government had this session been accused of much meddling interference, but there was no measure they had introduced which was so supremely ridiculous as this bill. He should like to know where they were going to stop. Unless inspectors were appointed who were conversant with the building trade, the whole bill was a stupid farce. He had no doubt the bill was inspired by a political agitator in Dunedin who would, no doubt, get the position of inspector under it. He moved that tho bill be read a second time that da}' six months. Mr DUTHIE seconded the amendment. Mr HOGG was surprised at exception being taken to the bill.

Mr WRIGHT pointed out that men who worked on it invariably erected the scaffolding, and this gave them more protection than if it were inspected. He, like Mr Fish, had employed thousands of men, and had never known accidents to occur through defective scaffolding, although they had through the carelessness of the men themselves.

Mr T. MACKENZIE said it appeared as if the Government were desirous of employing half the people of the coloDy as inspectors. Nobody could make a pound ol butter, employ a servant girl, or erect scaffolding without calling in an inspector. Mr W. HUTCHISON said Mr Fish bad touched the weak point of the bill. Still, the measure was in the right direction, and he would vote for the second reading.

Mr Fish's amendment was lost by 38 to 26

The Hon. T. FERGUS characterised the bill as grandmotherly legislation.

The Hon.- Mr SEDDON, in reply, pointed out that workmen were not represented in municipal bodies, while employers were. He pointed out {hat in 1891 one man was killod at Mornington, near Dunedin, and another seriously injured by defective scaffolding.

The motion for the second reading was agreed

to. SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS. The Hon. W. P. REEVES moved the second reading of the Education Reserves Act Amendment Bill, to declare school commissioners to be exempt from payment of rates upon education reserves. In reply to objections, he said it only applied to lands which were unoccupied. He would postpone the committal of the bill till local bodies had an opportunity of studying it. — The second reading was agreed to.

UNCLAIMED LANDS.

The Hon. Mr BALLANCE, moved the second reading of the Unclaimed Lands Bill, to place in the Public Trust Office all lands where the owner is unknown.; Tho bill provided that if an owner of land turned up and proved his title to the land within 12 years. Tbe Public Trustee would hand back the land subject to all subsisting contracts lawfully made by tho Public Tru&tee affecting same, and subject also to a deduction of 'all rates, taxes, and other charges |>aid by tie Public Trustee while the land was in tho Public Trust Office. If, however, after 12 years no valid claim to the land were made and.jirovod, the Public Trustee, with the approval "of the Governor-in-Council, may transfer tho land to the corporation of tho borough, town district, or county wherever the land is situated, as an endowment in perpetuity without power of sale. — The motion was agreed to. „ nativj: bills. The Hon. A. J. CADMAN moved the second reading of the Waikouaili Reserve Bill, to validate certain orders made by the Native Lands Court. — Agreed to. Tho Hon. Mr CADMAN moved the second reading of the Ofakei Succession Further Investigation Bill. — Agreed to. "*" OIPLOYEKS' LIABILITY.

Tho House went into committee on the Employers' Liability Acts Amendment Bill. Clause 5, liability of employer for injuries in respect of men working for contractors and sub-contractors. Mr FISH strongly opposed this clause, and moved that it be struck out. If (ho Inspection of Building Appliances Bill passed, what necessity was there for this clause, which would be also quite inoperative ? The clause was retained by 43 to 15.

Clause 6, defence of common employment.

Mr DUTHIE objected to this clause, and thought ib very unfair that an employer should be held liable in a case where a workman was injured through the negligent act of another workman. Mr FISH said, that bad as the last clause was, this clause was cvlii worse. Ib v. as :i monstrous tiling that, .supposing a noikmau bad a spite ag.'.insl bis fellow workman and bis employer, he should be ab.'e to drop a brick on his fellow workman's head and kill him, and then make the employer paj for it. Mr THOMPSON (Marsdeu) thought they should not trouble about claxiaes of this kind, but let them go. His opinion was that bills of this character would not do the working men of the colony any good. Tho Hon. Mr REEVES pointed out that the clause was simply the English ilcvlriue of common employment. - Mr FISHER strou,fly oppo od the clause. Mr T. MACKENZIE (Clutha) said the great omission in the. bill was tbe absence of a.v inspector, who phoukl first of all examiue all workmen anil then examine all the bricks to be used. The bill was not complete without an inspector. After further discussion the clause was carried on the voices.

The bill wa& read a third time and passed.

BILL PASSED.

The Kaiapoi Native Reserve Act 1877 Amendment Bill was committed, read a. third time, and passed without amendment.

MINING COMPANIES BILL.

The Hon. Mr SEDDON moved the second reading of the Mining Companies Act Amendment Bill, providing that all moneys of mining companies should be banked within 48 hours after their receipt, and that every manager or secretary of a company who failed to comply with the provision should be liable to a penalty of L 5, and to a further penalty not exceeding L 5 for every day during which such default continued. The bill also provides that halfj'early balance sheets should be forwarded to shareholders of tho company. — The motion was agreed to and tho bill referred to the Goldfields Committee.

BiNKHUPTCT BILL.

The Bankruptcy Bill was further considered in committee.

Clause 120, providing that moneys received by the assignee by realisation by a bankrupt's property may be applied to various purposes, was altered to provide that those moneys may be applied to pay the wages of any artisan, labourer, or workman in respect of services rendered to the bankrupt during four months prccediug the filing of debtor's petition or tho filing of tho creditors' petition on which the adjudication order is made — not to exceed LIOO.

In postponed clause 82, sub-section 2 was struck out, providing that when a bankrupt has assigned to a trustee for the benefit of his creditors the trustee's act may be validated.

Mr MEREDITH moved a new clause to the effect that the Supreme Court may in certain cases appoint a bankrupt the assignee in tho estate. — Carried by 23 to 8.

Mr JACKSON PALMER moved a now clause providing that a debtor may make a deed of arrangement. lie held that if a deed of composition were allowed they should also allow a deed of arrangement.

The Hon. Mr REEVES opposed the clause, and said there was a great difference between deeds of composition and deeds of arrangement. —Lost by 17 to 4.

Mr HOGG moved a further new clause empowering bankrupt to appear in court on his own behalf and to exercise the privilege of a barrister and solicitor. — Lost by 18 to 11.

The bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 2 o'clock on a count out. THE LAND BILL.

The Waste Lands Committee sat again on the Land Bill to-day, and agreed that the area of land to be set aside for special settlement in one year should be limited to 250,000 acres, and that tho tenure should be a lease in perpetuity ; settlers to be allowed to acquire more than one section, but not more than 320 acres ; holders of occupation licenses paying a rental of 5 per cent, on the cash price to be permitted to acquire their freeholds after 10 and not later than 20 years from the time of occupation, or to exchange for a lease in perpetuity. The following new bills were announced to-day :— Hon. J. M'Kenzie — Wellington Fruitgrowing Association Leasing Bill. Hon. Mr Seddon — (1) Westland Church, Hospital, and School Vesting Bill; (2) Westland, Grey, Inangahua, and Buller Counties Vehicle Licensing Bill.