PARLIAMENTARY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6486, 1 October 1892, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

(FR«M OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, last night. SHOP ASSISTANTS BILL. All reference to compulsory closing was removed from the Shops and Shops Assistants Bill by the Legislative Council this afternoon, it being contended by Sir G. Whitmore and Messrs Oliver and Stevens, who spoke in favor of a motion to that effect, that it was contrary to the British constitution and utterly unjust to compel small shopkeepers who employ no assistants to close their places of business. This was carried by sixteen to four. Ayes : Stevens, Walker, Oliver, Reynolds, Swanson, Grace, Pharazyn, Williams, Ropata, Dignan, Haut, Whyte, Johnston, Pollen, Holmes, and Whitmore. Noes : Buckley, Stewart, Barnicoat, and McLean. Mr Oliver moved an Amendment to clause five, providing that every employee in every shop shall have a half -holiday once a week, under penalty of £5 to the employer refusing to grant the same. This was carried without disseut. The clause providiug sitting accommodation to females and the machinery clauses were passed, and clause six, providing that the afternoons for closing be decided by the local bodies, was struck out. The Bill was then reported, and the third reading fixed for Monday. FACTORIES MLL. The Factories Bill passed passed the committee stage in the Council to-day. Clause eight, providing for the appointment of a Chief Inspector, with excised, Mr Stevens considering it inadvisable to have the whole country run by inspectors. Dr. Pollen mored'to strike out clause nine, precluding bojrs between 13 and 14 years of age from

employment in factories, stating that it was one of the most monstrous propositions ever conceived. The clause wa3 struck out. On the motion of Sir G. Whitmore, a new clause was added providing that slaughterhouses, freezing works, dairy factories, and shearing sheds shall be exempted from the operation of the Act. REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE. The report of the Commissioner of Police says there has been practioally no promotions, owing to the ranks of sergeants and first-class constables being over-crowded. A new classification is required to carry out the scheme proposed and which would entail additional expenditure in salaries to the oxtent of £2500, but would hold out hopes of advancement and give promotion at once to many who have been disappointed for years, and give sixpence a day increase to the third class constables, many of whom have held that rank since 1879 though qualified in all respects for promotion. A thorough reorganisation of the detective force is required. The Commissioner of Police says that the Department has given special attention durthe past year to Sunday trading, but with very little success. It is almost hopeless to endeavor to successfully enforce the provisions of the Act unless the police are relieved of the necessity of proving an actual sale. This, might be done by amendment of the Act to provide that the admission of a person not being a lodger shall be prima facie evidence that a hoiiire is being kept open for the sale of liquor. Street larrkinism, sheepstealing, and arson are oa the increase. JOTTIXOS. The Industrial Bill was considered by the Council this afternoon. A clause was added by the Labor Bills Committeo providing that no lawyers appear before the Court without the consent of botli parties. It was agreed to progress being reported at clauso 42. Mr Blackett, ex-Engineer-in-Chief, who is retiring from the Public Service, will draw a pension of £350 per annum. The Westland, Grey, Inangahuia, and Buller Counties Vehicles Licensing Bill passed its final stages iv the Council this afternoon. The Hon. Dr. Pollen does not know by whom some of the monstrous legislation of the present Government is devised, unless it is some person who has nothing else to do but devilment employed. Mr Jellicoe was heard in reply to the Chemis case by the A to L Petitions Committee this morning. Chemis will arrive from Auckland to-night, having been transferred by Government at the instance of the Committee and Mi Jellicoo to Wellington, where he will be interviewed by the Committee on Monday and his evidence taken. Directly the whole of the shorthand notes are printed the Comniitte will conaider and give its decision. The Native Land Purchase Bill has passed its final stages in the Council. TAXATION. The Taxation Amendment Bill was further considered in Committee of the House to-day, when Dr. Newman moved to treat farmer.*' co-partnerships as it had been decided to treat business co-partnerships. The Postmaster-General dec lined to accept this, as fanners were exempt from improvements and for stock. Captain Russell said a man left his property to be divided among four or live children on the youngest coming of age, and each child had a distinct and separate interest, but land was worked in common for convenience, yet because it was so worked they lost the exemptions for all but one, and were mulcted in the graduated tax. Such a law would lead to chicanery ami evasions. Ministers advocated co-operation, but this was to prevent co-operation, and would prevent young men taking up country to be worked in common. Dr. Newman said he knew of a large number of struggling farmers who, for the sake of economy, worked their farms in common, and would be treated like partners in any other business. After considerable discussion the amendment was lost by 28 to 19. Wellington, to-day. Clause 14 was amended after a' tie of 24 to 24, in which the Chairman exercised his casting vote, giving the owners of laud whether encumbered or unencumbered, the right of appeal on the taxation of improvements. Sir G. Grey moved to exempt all improvements. The Postmaster-General s ( aid the Government could not agree, as it would disarrange the finances. The concessions made in the Bill involved the remission of upwards of £20,000 of taxation. Though Ministers desire to effect reforms, they must secure the reforms slowly. Sir G. Grey said it was always the desire of Ministers to do something which they never did. (Laughter.) He had never before been confronted by such a Ministry. They were always burning to cany out some great reform, but did not do it. (Laughter.) They were always " intending to do it," but said " reforms came slowly." (Laughter.) What Liberal measures had they passed ? Cries of "None." They only added to our burdens. (Cheers.) The Postmaster-General: We have reduced the exemptions. Sir George Grey : Exactly, that is what I say. (Laughter.) Their object was to bid to the poor by the taxation of the rich. They had a surplus of £3C0,000, yet £27,000 would ruin them. They had a surplus, yet thoy kept up heavy Customs duties. Sir John Hall said according to the. financial statement the surplus left, after all e»timates had, beeu provided for, must still be £90,000, yet the Government could not afford to lose' this £27,000 for exemption on improvements. After a long debate the amendment was lost by 34 to 15. Clause 17 was amended by the Minister to provide that where a company borrowed money on debentures, neither the company nor debenture holders pay income tax. Building Societies were exempted on £6000 of mortgages where they have no exemption for deposit. The Bill was read a, third time after debate. The House rose at 3.5 a.m. VALIDATION OF TITLES BILL. Mr Cadinan and Mr Carroll are both sanguine of forcing the Validation of Titles Bill through, though they anticipate a certain amount of obstruction, they are determined not to consent to Mr Rees' proposal for a Royal Commission instead of Court Judges. NATIVE LAND COURT HILL. An effort will be ma.de in the Native Laud Court Amendment Bill just introduced by Mr Cadinan, which provides for the appointment of a deputy Chief Judge, to set right several matters which require immediate attention, chief of which is raised in the important petition of Mr Studholme, of Hawke's Bay. According to the recent decision of the Privy Council, hundreds of titles may be threatened, owing to informality in Coiu-u procedure, the applications for rehearing having been heard in private instead of in an open Court. It its hoped to get clauses passed in this Bill providing that in such c?ses where applications have been taken afresh, no new claims be admitted. SIIOl" ASSISTANTS BILL. It is considered certain that the Shop Assistants Bill will not become law this session. Ministers will not accept the amendments made by the Legislative Council, considering that the half-holiday proposed to be given by the Bill is something which is now law or that an inspection can enforce, because it is the duty of every shop assistant deprived of his holiday to lay an information against the offending employer, but that no employee who valued his situation dare take. The Council on the other hand will not concede to the compulsory closing of shops, which is reckoned to be an Unwarranted interference with the liberty of the subject. A conference between both branches of the Legislature respecting the Electoral Bill will be held on Monday.