N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3149, 22 July 1914, Page 31

N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

TUESDAY, JULY 14. The House met at 2.30 p.m. RIGHT TO WORK. Mr PAYNE moved for leave to introduce the Workers Right to Work Bill. Dealing with the question from a historical point of view, he said that right down to the present day there were people who had inherited, no right to work. Not only had people the right to work, but they also had a right to a fair minimum wage. Revenue could bo provided for this work by a super income tax and a retention of the tobacco tax. The excess of workers should be placed upon State farms, covering sheepfarming, agriculture, and all branches of country life. He declared i-bztt lie would advocate the right to work for the people not only in the House but on every platform he accupicd in the country. The increase of wages was not the cause of industrial trouble; it was the way the Tory Party had forced up the price of land. Mr WEBB said that he thought the Bill should receive serious consideration. He referred to cases of victimisation as a big source of industrial trouble. The Government should see that every willing man had the right to work. Mr RUSSELL deprecated the victimisation of men who had taken part in industrial agitation. He could not say what was in the Bill, but he pointed out that the question of the right to work was one of the greatest problems in the Old World. Whore an honest man was willing to work something should be done to help him to keep a roof over his family. As a means of providing employment he suggested labour bureaux, development of national resources, and development of industiics. His side of the House was prepared to look carefully into any scheme which would improve the conditions of obtaining employment. Mr ELL suggested as a remedy a reduction in the hours of labour. If this were done by the Railway Department and local bodies and private employers were to adopt this method, it would mean the absorbing of a very large portion of unemployed labour. They could not cope with all unemployed ; but they could do a great deal to improve the conditions. Casual labourers should be paid more than permanent men, to enable them to tide over the periods of unemployment. Small allotments should be made available for men who wished to live in the country. Mr WILFORD said the Bill was on right lines, but it was idle to discuss the measure until it was printed and circulated to members. Ho took it that they wished to help the men who wore willing to work. Taking the export returns as an example, he held that, while in all industries there were “slackers,” the great bulk of the workers did a fair day’s work. The average wage of the casual workers was eo small that it took them all their time to make both ends meet. Whether an Act of Parliament would cure the trouble was doubtful, but it was undoubtedly their duty to consider the problem of giving men the right to work. If the Bill of trie hon. member went to help the man underneath it would receive genuine support from his side of the House. Mr VEITCH deprecated any revengeful fooling towards the men connected with the recent industrial trouble. They should rather try and get behind and see the cause of the trouble they had been experiencing. It was practically impossible to find work for all able-bodied men, but they could make an attempt to get over the real cause of unemployment in New Zealand. To. provide the money required, he suggested a super income tax on incomes of over £IOOO. Tho Government could issue paper money in anticipation of that tax. Parliament should not shirk its responsibility because the problem was difficult. Mr HAN AN said that the practical way to deal with the subject was to open up more land, which would moan more employment. More manufactories should be established. By devoting more attention to tho vocational training of our young men a great deal would bo done to oopo casual employment, They should er-

deavour to have their workmen skilled artisans, and make provision for insurance against unemployment. He approved of Labour agencies, but thought the matter should be tackled from bedrock principles. Mr ISITT said he had been looking for a word from true Liberals on the Reform benches, but ho had heard nothing but a sneer. It was the bounden duty of the Government to see that the right to work was given to every man. One difficulty in providing work was the fact that there were so many men engaged in monopolies, men who sweated the people while producing so little. Mr HINDMARSH said that if the Bill were seriously taken up by the Government, and an effort made to improve it, some good might bo done. Ho know the Bill would be scoffed at, while members were asked to express their opinion upon the Bible in schools, licensing, or military training; but a measure such as this would bo scoffed at, though no more important question could come before the House. Let a question of land taxation or railway sidings come up and the Speaker did not know who to catch, there were so many. He urged Mr Massey to give the country a lead upon the matter. If the Prime Minister’s mind was a blank, all well and good; but if he had any ideas upon the subject they should be placed before the House. Mr PAYNE then replied, and the Bill was read a first time. POWER OF FORECLOSURE. Mr PAYNE moved to introduce the Mortgage Chattel Security Foreclosure Prevention Bill. It was sought to take away the power of foreclosure so long as the mortgagor could pay 5 per cent, on the capital, involved. The Bill was read a first time. LAND AND INCOME TAX. The annual Land and Income Tax Bill was introduced by Governor’s Message, and the MINISTER intimated that it contained no proposed changes. The first reading was agreed to. LOCAL ELECTIONS AND POLLS AMENDMENT BILL. Mr FISHER introduced the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill, which, he said, was practically a machinery measure. Clause 2 was designed to deal with detection of dual voting, and proposed that the parliamentary election methods . be adopted Section 6 extended the period during which nominations could ho received from five to ip days-—Agreed to after some discussion, the Opposition. FRUIT-PRESERVING INDUSTRY. The PRIME MINISTER, moved the second reading 1 of the Fruit-preserving Industry Bill. The Bill, he said, proposed to extend the limit which might be advanced for the establishment of cool storage from ±,5000 to £9OOO. He said that considerable progress was being made in fruit-growing, and ho quoted figures to show that the exports totalled 85,000 cases. It was their duty to do all in their power to help the fruit-growing industry, as they had helped the dairy industry in the past. Sir J. G. WARD supported the measure, and pointed to. the very satisfactory development of the fruit industry. Mr ATMORE endorsed the remarks made by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. Mr WITTY supported the Bill, but he thought small holders should be fostered rather than large companies. The provision of cool storage should be => encouraged by private individuals. Mr VEITOH thought that the Prime Minister would have the unanimous support of the House. He suggested that the Valuation Department should revalue fruit lands, as, if this were done, the fruit farmers would bo. able to borrow much more satisfactorily. Mr HARRIS said that the Bill passed last year had been received with general satisfaction in his district, and he commended the present measure. Mr ISITT said that the House generally would support the Bill. He brought under the notice of the Minister the slackness of inspection of orchards in the cities and suburbs. Steps should be taken to have these orchards thoroughly inspected. Sir WALTER BUCHANAN expressed approval of the Bill. Mr RUSSELL suggested a general review of the fruit industry. The Government, he said, should stand as the protector of men who might be led into buying unsuitable land. Mr G. M. THOMSON also supported the Bill. The debate was cpntinued after the supper adjournment by Messrs Reed, Bradney, Scott, and Mander. The PRIME MINISTER replied, and the second reading was carried. HARBOURS AMENDMENT BILL. The Hon. Mr FISHER moved the second reading of tljp Harbours Amendment Bill. He explained the proposed machinery changes, and said that ample opportunity would bo given to the local authorities to consider the Bill before it was proceeded with.—agreed to. The House adjourned at 11.30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, JULY 15. The Council mot at 2.30 p.m. The Hons. J. G. W. Aitken, G. Carson, A. T. Maginnity, and Dr W. E. Collins were sworn in and took their seats. The Hon. Gantain BAILEY, ns senior member of the Council, congratulated the new members. The Hon. JOHN BARR presented petitions carrying 33,173 signatures protesting against the passage of the Bible-in-Schools Referendum Bill. The Hon. W. CARNCROSS was reappointed Chairman of the Committees. The House met at 2.50 p.m. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In reply to questions, Mr MASSEY stated that tho Government was doing everything possible by its development policy to provide opportunities to work, but did not intend this session to submit legislation in the direction of a Right To Work Bill. Inquiries would be made regarding tho establishment of a commercial board for the dominion. Tho question of granting the holders of licenses under the mining districts land occupation tenure tho right to the foe simple would receive careful consideration when the report of the Hauraki Mining and Tenure Commission was received. The Hon J. ALLEN said that the intentions of the Government with regard to the payment of an honorarium to the chairmen of education boards would bo disclosed in the Education Bill. Tho Hon. Mr HERRIES said that he could not grant the locomotive men of the service a hfilf-holiday on full pay on tho day of the' general election as was now

granted to the men in the shops, or in cases where it was impossible for locomotive men to get the holiday to give them half a day’s extra pay. The Hon. Mr HERDMAN said he would consider the suggestion to follow the lead of the British Chancellor and amend the Death Duties Act so as to make a substantial reduction in the succession duty levied in cases of death in quick succession, of beneficiaries. The Hon. Mr FISHER said it was not the intention to introduce legislation compelling shipping companies to provide nets to cover the mouths of hatchways when the hatches wore being removed or placed in position. There was no indication that friendly societies had discussed the evidence given before the special committee last year as to the payment of a Government subsidy. All departmental offices had been supplied with enrolment forms, and notice cards wore being despatched. It was not intended to make any change in the present method of paying old-age pensioners. IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT. Mr HINDMARSH moved the second reading of the Imprisonment for Debt Limitation Amendment Bill. Outlining the caluses of the Bill. Mr Hind march urged that a debtor should have the right to a rehearing. He also illustrated how adjournment fees accumulated. Fie knew how these fees accumulated. and how difficult it was to pay them. Mr HERDMAN stated that ho was not convinced that the Bill would bo of any advantage, but it would be well to refer it t r the Statutes Revision Committee. The second reading was carried. CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION. Mx* HINDMARSH moved he second reading of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. The object of tha measure was to bring chartered clubs under the operation of the Arbitration Act, tha same as hotels. Mr BELL said that unless it was specifically stated in the rules that the funds of a union could ho used for political purpose® members not agreeing with the political views of the majority would have a grievance if the funds were used for party purposes. In the event of legal sanction being given to the use of union funds for political purposes there should be no compulsion to join the union, and preference to unionists must disappear. Mr M'COMBS justified the use of union funds for political purposes, and pointed out that the minority in a union was exactly in the same position as a minority in a State, and bad to submit to the will 'of the majority. The efforts of employers in New Zea* Land were directed towards depriving tha workers of the rights given them by statuta The Hon. Mr FISHER declared that tha Government had nothing whatever to do with the judgments of the Supreme Court. A union not on strike had no right to contribute to strike fluids, and members had the right to object to the funds of a union being used for objects outside the objects of the union. He thought the Bill should go to the Labour Bills Committee. Mr WEBB, while supporting the Bill, attacked the laws at present restricting tha freedom of unionism. Small minorities bad no right to force conditions affecting'majorities on industrial unions. Ho objected tq the absence of any Labour representatives iif the appointments to the Legislative Council, The Hon. JAMES ALLEN said that th< experience of Labour Governments in othei countries was not encouraging. He pointed out that in New Zealand unionism was com* pulsory, and in such case it' was not right that funds should bo used for political pur* poses. Touching upon the Osborne judgment, he pointed out that unionism was not compulsory in the Old Country. No member of any union in England need contribute to a political fund if he did not so desire. Mr RUSSELL said that the Opoosition. would not object to union funds being employed for political purposes provided that every member of a union had the right to withdraw if he so desired from such contribution. Mr ROBERTSON, speaking for Mr Hindmarsh, said that the mover wished the Bill to go to the Labour Bills Committee. The second reading was carried, and the Bill wias referred to the Labour Bills Committee. ' The House rose at midnight. SWAMP LANDS. Mr Anderson, during a general discussion on the question of land drainage, urged that a report should be obtained regarding the drainage of the coastal lands from the Bluff Harbour up to the Mataura River. Unless it was drained in a proper manner it would be many years before the land could bs made use of. INSURANCE FOR FISHERMEN. In reply to a question by Mr Craigie as to whether the Government would make provision so as to enable those engaged m the fishing industry to insure their fishing fleet, gear, etc. at reasonable rates, the Hon. Mr Fisher said that the matter was at present under consideration. PLUNKET SOCIETY. In reply to Mr Reed as to whether tha Government would alter the system of payment of subsidies to branches of tha Plunket Society and make the payments in future direct to the branches of the society instead of paying through the Local Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards, the Hon. Mr Rhodes replied that the matter was receiving favourable consideration. THE PAYNE INCIDENT. A question arising out of the recent “ Payne incident ” “was put by the member for Grey Lynn to the Prime Minister today—viz., whetlior Mr Massey would tako steps to have the Standing Orders h\ rej gard to charges of “bribery and corruption, amended. The Prime Minister replied that the Government had no intention to ask Parliament to amend the Standing Orders, THURSDAY", JULY 16. Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. ELECTION OF MINISTERS AND PARTY GOVERNMENT REFORM BILL. Mr HANAN moved the second reading of the Election of Ministers and Party Government Reform Bill. Ho illustrated that tha Cabinet of the day was tho master instead of the servant of Parliament. Private members had little say in the House. The party machine ruled everything. This same applied to tho press. Reports wore distorted to suit party purposes. Tho reports of the), proceedings of Parliament were at present partisan. To serve the national interests it would bo wise to destroy party government. Measures should be considered upon thejf merits apart from party government. Tha position to-day was that tho Government ruled Parliament, instead of Parliament ruling the Government. Pointing to Australia, he” said there was now a double dissolution

as the result of party government. In this and other oases money was being wasted through wrangling. Mr ELL said that while the party system existed he was compelled more or less to fal. in with it, but he would welcome a change to noii-party government. Frequently proposals were made by a Government which were rot favoured by its party, but members had to support such proposals because of the party. It did not necessarily follow that members of a Government were the- mosu, capable men in a Parliament. • Mr M'CALLUM failed to sec that any advantage could be gained by adopting the Bl JVli- ANDERSON said that ho' thought the Bill a good one, though Mr Hanan would have been wise to alter it in respect to the allocation of portfolios. Whether or not the Bill was carried, they would have before long - to consider the question of incr lasing the number of Ministers. Much was done by party government which would not be done by free members. Party government also tended to place power in the hands of one man. Until his power declined by having an elective executive, members of Parliament would rule instead of the Cabinet. , _ , . Mr WEBB held that the Government in any case would represent the dominant party. It waso not possible to get nonparty government in the House while party warfare "took place jbe remedy was proportional representation. Mr COATES said that an elective executive was an ideal way of selecting a Ministry, but opinion in the country was formed upon party lines. Pie thought that they were perhaps ahead of the time in attempting to do away with party government. He would, however, vote for the Bill. Mr M‘COMBS said that he would always vote to place power in the hands of the members of the House. At present legislation was controlled by the Cabinet. The Bill would not get rid of all the evils of party government, biit it woiid give Parliament a better hold over its executive officers. Mr HARRIS agreed that it was unfortunate that party- politics prevailed. The greater number. of members in the House were not divided by politics but by party prejudices. Mr YOUNG supported the Bill. The party system, lie said, had been handed down to them from the past, but they had a right to improve the machine of government. Under* non-party government a Ministry would feel that it was free to serve the country as a. whole and not its party. The will of Parliament should be expressed, and not the will of one man at the head of et cabinet. The Bill was read a second' time, and the House rise at 0.10 a.m. x FRIDAY. JULY 17. The Council met at 2.30. The Hone. O. Samuel, J.-MacGregor, R. K. Simpson, W. Morgan, R. Moore, T. Mac Gibbon, and J. Fisher were sworn in. On the motion of the Hon. H. D. BELL it was decided that the Fire Brigades Amendment Bill be taken upon next sitting (jay. The Council rose at 2.45. The House met at 2.30 p.m. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH PROPERTY ACT. Mr G. M. THOMSON moved the second reading of “The Presbyterian Church Property Act, 1885/’ Amendment Bill, a measure for the more effective v.esting in trustees of property hold for the use and purposes of any congregation of the Presbyterian Church. Mr Thomson explained, that the power asked for was necessary in view of the extension of the social side of the church’s work, especially in the direction of establishing orphanages and colleges. The second reading passed without debate, and, the Bill was referred to the Committee of- Selection. LAND AND INCOME TAX. The Hon. Mr ALLEN moved the second reading of the Land Tax and Income Tax Bill. He stated that it made no alteration in the amount of the tax levied. Sir J. G. WARD asked if Mr Allen would supply the House with information as to the effect of the stepping system introduced by the Treasurer in connection with the ordinary land tax. By how much had the system increased the taxation and the number of taxpayers. Personally, he had objected to the system when he was Minister of Finance, and he wanted, to know what the effect of the stopping system had been. Mr MASSEY, in reply, declared that there

had not been any increase in the rate of land tax levied since the Goyernmcnt had come into office. The only people whose land tax had increased were those whose valuations had gone up. Beyond the in-n-ease made in the graduated tax there had boon no legislation introduced by the Goi vormnent increasing taxation, in spite of what the Leader of the Opposition had stated from the public platform. Sir J. ij. WARD denied, that he had ever said that the Government had, by legislation, increased the direct taxation. That, however, did not alter the fact which he had stated,, that taxation had increased by 10s Id per head under a Government that had promised to reduce taxation. Mr RUSSELL declared that since Mr Massey had declared as part of the Reform platform that taxation must be reduced, the taxes taken from the people had increased by £197,000, but there was no legislation to reduce taxation. The Minister of Finance had stated in most emphatic terms that a Customs Bill would be introduced last session to reduce the cost of living, but where was that Bill? Every one of the concessions made was made to people who were comfortablv off. But where were the concessions to the masses in the shape of a reduction in the cost of living? Mr PAYNE declared that the present system of taxation was' iniquitous. It was a m : stake to think that country people escaped taxation. In addition to the land tax the country people paid one and. a-half millions in local taxation. Mr ELL accused the Government of a change of front upon the taxation question. Mr ALLEN, in reply, said that one of the reasons why the Bill had not been brought down last year was the waste of time resulting from the stonewall. There was no encouragement for the Government to bring down a reduction of taxation. It was nonsense to say that there was any change in the land tax last year. Ordinary values had gone up, but there was no alteration in the land tax. The second reading of the Bill was agreed to. SATURDAY, JULY 18. The Financial Statement may come down at about the end of this month, but the actual date of its presentation will depend on the progress made with the general business of the session. THE LICENSING BILL. The Licensing Bill will come up for its second reading on Tuesday, and it is expected that it will occupy the House almost continuously, so far as Government time is concerned, until it has passed through all its stages or has been otherwise disposed of. Wednesdays and Thursdays, however, will for some weeks yet be available for private members’ business and local Bills respectively. It is considered highly probable that the Licensing Bill will command a majority so far as the second reading is concerned, but beyond that stage its fate is somewhat problematical.