PARLIAMENT.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume VI, Issue 708, 12 October 1898, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

By Telegraph— Press A ■> duti in.

Weixixgton, This Day,

Legislative Council

Xn». Co>.ucil r..'' ot 2.30. The Old Aga Pensions Bill wm introducod ami read a ii-st titn •. By 15 to 14 it was decided n to insist on amendments in the Municipal Franchise Deform Bill. The second reading of the Kauri Gum Industry Bill was agreed toa I -.- a brief discussion an l me Council ro3e at 2.30 p.m. House of Representatives. The House met at 2.30. The Railways Authorisation and Mining Companies Act Amendment Bills were introduced and read a first time. The Di fence Report and Parliamentary Paper, giving details of tin. public accounts, were laid on the table of the House. Mr Beddon intimated that the most important bill will be taken this week, and the Loan Bill will probably be taken on Friday. Neat week the General Estimates and the debate on the Public Works Statement will be taken. A careful selection would be made of the Bills which were considered necessary to be parsed and which would be brought to the top of the Order Paper. The second reading of the Native Land Laws Amendment Bill was agreed to. The Master and Apprentices Bill was further considered in committee. Clauses 4 to 0, inclusive, were agreed to. In clause 7an amendment was moved to increase the period in which girls may be taken on probation from three to six months, and was under discussien at 5.30. The House resumed at 7.30. By 30 to 2G Mr Thompson’s amendment to clause 7 of the Master and Apprentices Bill was agreed to. The clause was further amended to provide that no young person during the period of probation shall receive less than 2s (id per week as wages. The clause was agreed to. Clauses 8 to 13 inclusive were agreed to with sbght amendments.

Clause 14 was amended to provide that the wages of apprentices for the first quarter of the term of apprenticeship shall be 10 per cent, of the standard wages pa : d to journeymen : 15 per cent, the second quarter ; 25 per cent, the third quarter ; and 35 per cent, the fourth quarter. Cl a lies 15 to 20 were agreed to with slight amendment. The schedule of skilled handicrafts proposed by Mr Seddon was discussed at considerable length. Butchers were struck out, and book finishers, milliners, riggers, sailmakers aud whitesmiths added to the schedule, which was agreed to by 33 to 15.

The Bill was reported with amendments.

The House adjourned at 1 a.m.