PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 63, 28 October 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (Per Press Association Wellington, October 27. Tiio Council mec at 2.30. '1 ho Mining Amemlment Bill was reported with amendments. The Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and. j’uhlic Bodies Empowering .pills wore passed. lae Dentists Amendment, Native Claims Adjustment and Military Pensions Bills were read a second time, and the Council adjourned till S.p.m. Vhc Council resumed at 8 p.m. The Attorney-General moved the second loading of the industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. Hon. J. Barr said the main body of workers favoured the Arbitration Act, and harm was done by soap-box orators and newspapers, who fanned tiie anti-arbitration movement. Hon. J. Bigg contended that the bad administration of the Arbitration Court was responsible jjor the discontent. He criticised at seme length the conduct of the present Judge, and said that alien tno Government made him a.life Judge it took away from the workers their last hope of ever getting a favourable award. He also advocated the abolition of imprisonment for striking. The Bill was road a second time., The Mining Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. In Committee on the Native Lands,. Adjustment Bill, in section 17, explaining the terms, lease and sublease, which had been altered to include the lessee by assignment, it was agreed on Hon. 0. Samuel’s motion to add a sub-clause stipulating that this section does not apply to any action commenced before the Ist of : October, 1911. The Bill was reported', with amendments. The Military Pensions Bill was reported with amendments. In the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill it was resolved to add a sub-clause stipulating that where a notification that no settlement had been arrived at has been delivered tothe clerk of awards, and the Council makes no recommendation for the' settlement of the dispute, the clerk shall forthwith refer the dispute to' the Court. The Bill was reported without further amendment. All Bills reported were- passed, except the Workers Compensation Bill, which Hon. J. R. Sinclair wished to be recommitted to amend section 5, relating to the employer’s share of medical expenses. The Workers’ Compensation Bill was reported and passed, and the Council rose at 12.-15 till 10 a.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, October 27. The House- mot at 11 o’clock. The Supplementary Estimates were considered. On the item Cook Islands veto (£2140), Sir James Carroll said a •judge of the Native Land Court was being sent to the Cook Islands to determine the disputed land questions. Replying to a question regarding the increases in the salaries of officials already receiving large salaries. Sir Joseph Ward said that out of increases in salaries totalling over '£138,000, £130,000 applied to ■ the smaller salaried men. Mr. Grecnsladc objected to the vote of £2250 for the expenses of the Racing Commission. .He maintained that the item was ridiculous in comparison with the work done by the Commission. Mr. G. Fowlds objected to the vote for the G-jbbon Wakefield memorial. The whole idea that Wakefield had was to keep up an artificial price of land in order that wages might ho kept down. He moved that tho vote of £IOOO should be struck out. Mr Greenslade moved as- a prior

amendment-to reduce the amount,set aside for the Racing Commission by .Cl, as an indication that me into was excessive, and that details of the famofinU received by each member of thb'Commission should be supplied to the House. Mr Grconslade’s amendment was negatived on the voices, and Mr F'owlds’ motion to reduce the Wakefield Memorial vote was defeated by 41 to 14. On the Defence vote—miscellaneous services—the items of £IOO,OOO for ordnance and other equipment, was questioned by Mr Fisher. Sir Joseph Ward explained that the vote was in accordance with what had been stated two years ago. Concerning the expenditure of £159,000 in territorial equipment, orders had already gone Home that would run into £IOO,OOO, and a further £50,000 would come under next year’s heading. The present vote was for the purpose of paying for this equipment out of consolidated revenue instead of the loan money. Mr Massey moved to strike out the vote of £155 to Messrs Stallworthy and Reed for acting as Commissioners on North of Auckland Railway Commission, contending that members of Parliament should not be appointed to Royal Commissions. Sir. Joesph Ward, replying to Mr Massey, deprecated the tendency of members to run down other members. The fact that a man with local knowledge was a member of Parliament should no± prevent the country using his services. The motion to strike the item out was lost, and the estimates'passed. The Christchurch Domain Rill was pasted. The House disagreed with the Council’s amendments in the Native Land Claims Adjustment and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Rills, and appointed managers to con fer. The Railway. Committee reported on a petition from the first division of railway servants, and expressed the opinion that a readjustment should be made, and a Board or Commission appointed to inquire into the whole position. The House rose at 2.50.