TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2.

Otago Witness, Issue 2430, 10 October 1900, Page 30

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2.

In the Legislative Council on Tuesday the Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Bill Avas passed, and the Government Railways and Slaughtering and Inspection Bill put through the committee stage.

GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS,

T].-e Government Railways Bill was further considered in coimuitteo.

A proviso was added to clause 11 that while tho regulations for checking of luggr.?o are in force no liability will be incurred the Government in respect of luggage that t.^; not been duly checked. Clause 8, relating to protective works, \\as amended by adding a proviso that all claims for compensation for such works shall, unless by ogreemeiib, be determined in accordance with the Public Works Act.

The powers of the Minister to make regulations were modified by an amendment of clause 11.

Permits for heavy traffic crossing roads and bridges on a:id o\"er any railway line Avill bo given frea of charge. No security for damage likely to be do^e to such roads or bridges Avill bo required, and heavy traffic may cross a bridge ovei a railway if there is no level crossing within one mile. The bill was reported wiili amendments. IN COMMITTEE.

The Slaughtering and Inspection Bill was further considered in committee.

In clause 15 Invsrcargill was added to the cities which h&ve not the option of delegating authority lo establish abattoirs to private individuals. The other cities arc — Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland, and any local authority in all cases within eight miles.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday got through an unusual amount of work. The New Zealand Consols, Midland Railway Authorised Area Land Settlement, Government Loans to Local Bodies, Encouragement of Fisheries, Rotorua Town Council, Manual and Technical Instruction, and West Coast Reserves Settlement Bills were read a second time, put through committee, and finally j>assed. The Maori Councils Bill passed its second reading, and was referred to the Native Affairs Committee.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE,

Leave of absence was granted to Messrs Masscy and J. Allen for the remainder of the session on account of ill-health.

FEDERATION WITH FIJI.

Tho PREMIER presented a petition from the inhabitants of Fiji praying for federation with this colony.

AMENDMENTS BY THE COUNCIL.

Tho PREMIER moved that the amendments in the Imprisonment for Debt Limitation Bill by the Legislative Council be disagreed with, and that the Premier, Messrs Jackson Palmer, and Houston, be appointed to draw up reasons for disagreement. — Carried.

The amendments made in the Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Bill hy the Council were, on the motion of Mr M'GOWAN, agreed to. The principal amendment was where an accused pleaded guilty to an offence he could be remanded for sentence to a judge of the Supreme Court without the trouble and expense of trial before a court.

THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

Mr SEDDON moved the second reading of the Midland Authorised A.rea Land Settlement Bill, which provides for dealing with the land released by the settlement of the Midland lailway question. Mr MILLAR said He would in committee oppose the clause proposing to alienate these lands under the present system of 999 years' lease.

Mr STEVENS said to induce confidence they must giA^e fixity of tenure, and unless that were done the six million acres dealt with in the bill would not be utilised to the best interests of the colony. Mr LAURENSON said he would rather see the freehold tenure of land reA'erted to than see the area comprised in the bill thrown open under the 999 years' system Avithout revaluation at fixed and reasonable terms.

Mr MEREDITH hoped there would, in dealing with these lands, be no reversal of the policy of Mr John M'Kenzie. The nature of the country should be taken into consideration. He did not think there Avai. more than 1 per cent, of agricultural land in tho area, nor more than 5 per cent, first-class j>astoral country, the balance being third and fourth class, much of which would not carry a grasshopper to an acre.

Mr MILLS -said the bill was one of the most important dealt with this session, and ho believed it would result in the rapid settlement of a large area of the land dealt Avith in the bill.

Mi COI/VTN congratulated the Government on the backbone they had displayed in dealing with the Midland railway question, and the subsequent proposal to throw the land open to settlement.

Mr G. W. RUSSELL was glad the question of the eternal lease had been raised in connection with the settlement of the Midland area. He objected to handing over for a period of 999 years a block of land al 4 per cent, on the present A'alue without reA'aluation.

Mr GRAHAM was also pleased at tho land being thrown open. While he agreed that a A r ery large portion was comparatively A'alueless, still there were othei •portions that Avere A'ory suitable for pastoral purposes, and the bill would prove of immense- benefit to the district he represented. Mi FOWLDS contended that a lease for 999 years without revaluation was the most iniquitous system that the mind of man could conceive, and lie trtwlod that the lands under

consideration would be disposed of on other tenure.

Mr COLLINS believed that long before the expiry of 999 year,? the entire land system at present in operation would be swept away. He disapproved of that tenure without nericdical revaluation. TVIr R. M'KENZIE wan pleased that the rights of those who held occupation licenses over the lands had been conserved. He hoped that liberal grants would be made for educational and other purposes.

Mr ELL contended that the freehold of none of the land should be disposed of either iri tho Midland or any other part of the colony, and advocated that leaseholds should contain a provision for revaluation. Mr GUINNESS protested against the question of tenure being raised in connection v.ilh the bill, and hoped that the conditions as to the disposal of the land would be the Fame as thoda obtaining- in other parts of the colony. Mr SEDDON, in replying, said there had been a great deol of unnecessary discussion on the bill in connection with the whole question of land tenure. The ordinary land laws of the colony would be applied to the bill, which was introduced merely to deal equitably with thofe wbo held occupation licenses over portions of the lands. He objected to the West Coast being- made a district upon v.-hich a land settlement policy should be experimented. Tho bill was read a second time on the A'oice'-s.

GOVERNMENT LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES.

Mr SEDDON moved the second reading of the GoA'emment Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill, extending the provisions of the act of 1E96 imposing upon all property that becomes rateable during the currency of a loan the liability to be rated for that loan, and shall extend and apply to loans current at the time of the commencement of that act.

Mr W. FRASER asked the Premier to agree to insert an amendment making the act apply to local bodies who haA-e borrowed prior to the act coming into force and who had not paid off the whole of the sum borrowed. The amount required Avould not bo so large as to embarrass colonial finance, and would prove of immense ach'antage to lr.any local bodies.

Mr MILLAR also advocated an extension of the piiA'ilege, but to local bodies Avho had borrowed nrior to 1885.

The PREMIER paid he was prepared to bring within the rating area Crown lands which had been benefited by special expenditure. As to o T anting loans to local bodies to ray off portion of the loans that had matured, it would be a large order, and would lay the Go%ernment open to the charge that they Avere heaping up the ptiblic debt of the colony. He thought it. would be better to let that question alone at present. The bill Avas read* a second time. The Local Bodies' Loans Act Amendment Bill Avas read a second time.

ENCOURAGEMENT OF FISHERIES.

The Fisheries' Encouragement Act Amendment Bill, providing for an extension of time for granting a bonus for tinned fish, Avas read a second time.

The Hon. T. DUNCAN moved the second reading of the Rotorua Town, Council Bill. incorporating the -town as a borough. Mr SEDDON, in reply to a question, admitted that the buildings and baths Avere obsolete, and that it was intended to .expend a considerable sum m effecting improvements. With municipal government and the baths in proper order and under improved management, the district ought to advance sreatly. Mr FOWLDS called attention to clause 14, the council to act as licensing committee. He was afraid, looking at the constitution of the council, that brewers Avould gain too great an influence in regard to licenses. Mr DUNCAN said the exceptional constitution of the borough Avould give it sufficient revenue to keep the place in good order, and that the proposal to give the council power to control licenses Avas an experiment.

The bill was read a second time on the voices. MANUAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCA-

Mr SEDDON moved the second reading of the Manual and Technical Instruction Bill.

Mr G. W. RUSSELL objected to tho inclusion of private schools in the bill, as opening a Avay to denominational education.

Mr BUDDO did not think the bill should be made to apply to boys under 13 years, as up to that age they had no time to spare from primary instruction. If continuation classes were established, a boy could then spare time for technical education.

Mr MONK said nothing Avould be more cruel than to educate a boy to a trade and then debar him from getting employment, as the restrictions to the employment of apprentices did at the present time.

Mr MEREDITH said the bill would have to be scrutinised carefully to ascertain Avhfether denominational education, did not lurk in it. He hoped the private schools enumerated in the schedule would be eliminated, and that the bill should apply only to schools established under the Education Act.

Mr PIRANI thought all secondary schools should be eliminated from the schedule, and that the bill should apply only to primary schools.

Mepsrs ELL and WILLIS supported the bill, which they said would piwe of great advantage to the young people of the colony.

Mr"T. MACKENZIE wns afraid we were training some of our best youths to go outside the backbone industries of the colony, and that more attention should be devoted to qualify them for agricultural and pastoral pursuits.

Air SEDDON said it would be for a majority of the House to say Avhether the two private schools* in tho schedule — AVanganui CoHetriate School and Christ's College Grammar School — should be included in ihe bill, but personally he would object to their inclusion. Some members were so prejudiced on the subject of denominational schools that they would sooner see the youth of the colony suffer than . that private schools should be encouraged in giving technical instruction. He would sooner drop the bill than exclude these schools, but he ai as not going to drop the bill.

The bill was read a second time on -the voices.

SECOND READINGS.

Mr SEDDON moved the second readme of the West Coasl Settlement Reserves Act Amendment Bill, which wap agreed to without discussion.

The Maori Councils Bill was read a second time, and referred to the NatiA'e Affairs Committee.

IN COMMITTEE.

The House won + into committee on tho New Zealand Consols Act Amendment Bill. — The bill passed without amendment*

Tho Government Loans to Local Bodies Amendment Bill was committed.

A proA'iso was added to clause 2, " rateable property Avith respect to currenrtoans, pi-6-. Aided that no such rates shall apply to CrownV lands at the time the rate was imposed, except by the consent of the Minister, and provided, further, that the section shall not aps ply to a loan raised prior to 1900."

A new clause was added, that boroughs ba included in the principal act, and that abattoirs may be included, but in no case yho-uld more than £2000 be advanced in any one year.

The bill passed committee as amended.

The Local Bodies' Loans Act Amendment Bill was committed, and passed Avithout amendment.

The Midland Authorised Area Land Settlement Bill a? committed.

Mr G. W. RUSSELL moved to insert am addition to clause 3 — " That such lands be subject to revaluation eA'ery 30 years." — The" PREIVJIER said ho would oppose the amendment, and if it Aveve carried he would drop the bill and throw the laud open under the ordinary Land Act. — The motion -was lost by 36 to 18.

Mr BUDDO moA'ed an addition to clausa 5, protecting people Avho had bought land' from the company, but who had not received; a title thereto. — Lost by 35 to 15. ,

Clau&s 5 was amended by giving njiplicants the right of appeal to the Supreme Court. >

The bill passed committee as amended.

The Fisheries Encouragement Act Air^ndment Bill Avas committed, and reported without amendment.

The Rotorua Town Council Bill was committed.

Clause 14, ' Council to act as Licensing Court."— Mr FOWLDS moved to strike out the clause. — Struck out on the A'oices.

Tho bill passed through commit tee aa amended. -

The West Coast Settlement Reserves Act Amendment Bill pasred committee without amendment.

BILLS PASSED

The various billp which had been committed were leported, and pasted ihe fmal stages. s

THE FACTORIES BILL.

The Labour Bills Conunrttee has miide some important amendments in the Factories Bill. Tho definition of a factory i 3 made to include every laundry — that is, every building or place where laundry work is performed, whether tho. workers receive payment or not. A proviso is added to section 38 (which deals Avitn penalties when work is done by employees elsewhere than in factories) to the effect that nothing in this section shall be deemed to apply to any Avork which cannot by reason of its particular nature be performed on the premises. In section 39, the provision that gas, oil, electricity, or compressed air engines exceeding fn-e-horse power shall be in charge of a driver holding an enginedriver's certificate, is struck out. A new; clause is inserted to prevent ths employment in a factory in which food is rxsanufactured or handled of an assistant whose health is likely to contaminate the food. Boys xuider 16 years of age are not allowed to work more than 45 hours a Aveek. The bill as introduced provided for 48 hours. A new subsection is added to section 55, dealing with hours of work. It is as follows :—": — " The proA'isions of this section, in so far as tho number of 'working' hours per Aveek is concerned, shall anply to all male workers, provided that nothiiig shall be deemed to prevent any man, from commencing work .before the- aforementioned hours whore such is necessary for the getting" up of steam for the . machinery, or making jjreparation for the work of the factory ; nor shall anything be deemed to preA*ont any employer from working his employees on shifts, provided that not more than 45 hours per week be worked by each man, without payment of overtime, at the aforementioned rates." In the clause dealing with, snecial prOA'isiom as to Chinese, the word Chinese is struck out and Asiatics substituted. The committee has also made a number of other less important alterations in the bill.