Parliamentary Jottings.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6144, 17 August 1891, Page 3

Parliamentary Jottings.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) . FACTORIES' BILL IN COMMITTEE. . The people in the country districts sweat a good deal more than the people in the towns, but theirs is honest sweat (laughter.) If the Government want to be torn to pieces by the people of the country they had better pass tho Bill. (Mr Buckland.) Mr R. Thompson said this Bill contained the principle of "one factory one man." He did not object to that principle if they kept it to the towns. Working women in Dunedin have had to work from Bin the morning till 12 at mi«ht on six days of the week and then to complete the. work on Sundays and they only received 8s per week. Ho wanted them to assist him in preventing this miserable sweating in the towns. (Mr j Pinkerron.) The Minister of Justice refused to allow the factories outside the towns to escape from the operation of the Bill. Ho suggested that they have three workmen to constitute a factory in the country and one a town factory. Whilst Mr Bryce was speaking a large number of Liberals were talking at the top of their voices, and the Chairman shouted "order" at the top of his voice. " I am afraid, sir, that the time will coma when you will have to name some members. What would happen then I don't know." Evory milk dairy, every bacon factory, every wheelwright, blacksmith, shearing shed, firewood cutter, fish curer, or charcoal burner will come under the operation of this Act, and have to pay the license fee and go under inspection. No mercy is shown to the country people, said the member for Manakau. An unforfeunate woman wouldn't be able to make a pair of stockings. I know we can't trust ourselves to the mercies of the majority the Government have at their back, said Mr Buckland. He was told he was out of order. '• Well sir I withdraw. I must have been mistaken," he jauntily said. Maoris came under the operation of the Bill, said the Minister. Every place •where three of four Maoris work is a factory and has to be registered . under inspection. Friday. Good work has been done during the past week in passing the Taxation Bill through committee. Each clause has received careful consideration, and the main provisions of the measure have provoked lengthy discussion. The principal debate was on the proposal to exempt, improvements, and the chief feature of this was the earnest way in which Sir George Grey with sobs of emotion, earnestly implored members to now, when they had the power to do it, pass a pure land tax. He went so far as to suggest that if Government did not do it they should desert their Government and form a coalition party which' would carry the measure. Sir George's eloquence did not weigh with the labor members, who stuck to the Government with that faithful allegiance they have shown all through the session. It is. amusing to see some of these labor members wake up from a sleep when the division bell is rung and follow their chiefs into the lobby without even enquiring what they are really voting about. I have seen this occur several times. The Taxation Bill is likely to come up for the third reading on Tuesday, and at least a seven hours' debate, when a repetition of the arguments we are now tired of hearing, is expected. The Factories Bill was put through last night with several amendments, and it has been sent to the Legislative Council, where it is likely to be considerably cut up. Next week the Land Bill will be put through Committee, and following it the Mining Bill will be taken. The Public Works is not expected to bo brought down next week, but members are pressing Mr Seddon not to delay ife too long. The Payment of Members Bill comes up for second reading next week. Committee work has not provided much printer's "copy." A careful summary of the work has been sent day by day, and balow will be found a few jottings. # # The enormous petition presented to Parliament by Sir John Hall, read as follows:—" That your petitioners are of opinion that the franchise should bo extended to women for the followingreasons : —That it has become an accepted axiom that Government derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. That a Democratic Government like that of New Zealand already admits the great principle that every adult person who is neither a criminal nor a lunatic, has an inherent right to a voice in the construction of laws which all must obey. That the physical weakness of women disposes them to exercise habitual caution, and to feel a deep interest in the constant preservation of peace, law, and order, and ©specially in the supremacy of right over might. Thafc those who are mothers are particularly interested in legislation bearing upon the education and moral welfare of the young. That many women are possessed of landed and other property on which taxation is imposed, and as has been justly said " Taxation without representation is tyranny." Your petitioners therefore pray your honorable House to adopt such measures as will secure the extension of the franchise to women, and your petitioners will, as in duty bound, ever pray "-The question of female franchise is to be considered with the Electoral Bill to-night. Some discussion arose as to tho necessity of flour mills being whitewashed. Members contended that it would only add to the filthiness. Mr T. M'Kenzio thought cheese and butter factories should not have to be whitewashed, though they ought to be regularly washed -with soap and water, Ib was carried by 24 to 21 that flour mills be whitewashed, and also shearing ahods. It was ordered fchafc dairy factories bo exempted from the provision, Mr Fisher moved, that newspaper offioes be hosed out once evory three months, but as the House did not accept it he withdrew it. Mr Fisher moved, that tho minimum age of female type-setters be 18, not 16 no provided in the Bill.— Sir John Hall said tho mule comps. were endeavoring to shut the field of occupation to females. — Mr Shera said the girls wcro in good health, and some of them were receiving as much as L 2 15s per week.— Mr Rolleston said any proposal to keep girls out of printing offices was a good thing, and every encouragement should be given to girls to go out in the country and receive training in domestic life. — Tha Hon. Mr Reeves said the occupation was unhealthy for men and especially so for women. —Mr Houston thought they should bring in a Bill to prevent tight lacing, which was far mGre harmful. —Mr Bryce thought the Unions who protested against the employment of girls should be heartily ashamed of themselves. -Mr Fisher's motion was lost by 18 to 24, and the age of 16 was fixed. The fees for registration were fixed at L 2 2s for factories with more than 30 employees, LI Is for factories with from 10 to 30 employees, with from 3 t© 10 ss, and ©very other factory Is. Ninety-four female type-setters have petitioned the Legislative Council praying that the clause affecting them in the Factories Bill be not enforced.

The B.s. Industry touched the rocks off Hunter's Poiat when going out of Bluff harbor. The vessel afc the time of touching was out of the channel, but the captain atat«a that he had to give way to cutters enteriog the harbor, and in doing so the tide caught the vessel on the pprb bow, taking herm-shore.