PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11, 13 September 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

The Irrigation and Water Supply Bill was put through committee and both measures were read a third time and passed.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THE ESTIMATES

The House met at 2.30 and went into committee on the Estimates.

Class VIII., Minos Department, £33,950. —Replying to Mr Poland, Mr Fraser,said that a Mining Bill would be brought down this session. Mr Poland urged the medical inspection of miners, so that miners complaint could be deteoted in its incipiency, and sufferers removed from the mines and given healthy employment.

Mr J. Payne urged the creation of a Board to protect the lives of those working in the mines of the Dominion. He held that the fundamental causes of the Waihi, Reef ton, and Huntly strikes were the insufficient protection of the lives of those whe vvere compelled to work underground. Mr W. Fraser said that as mud attention had been paid to the mining industry as when bis predecessoi iyas in charge. On the subject- of miners’ phthisis, he said that ihr matter was provided for in the Mining 3ill. Under the Bill the miners’ sick hind would apply only to sufferers Tom miners’ complaint. The fund .vhich was in the hands of the Pub tic Trustee, had been depleted. One Thousand pounds had been voted for jhe purpose,, but that would not do >s nearly all would. 1 'be mopped up for payment to widows whose husband: lad died several weeks ago for do Taying funeral expenses. The mone> had to he paid out of .unauthorised ixponditure. Mr Colvin and Mr Poland strongh irged the pushing on of the mining ■ndustry, which at the. present time vas lagging. Mr Poland also plead xl for the abolition of the night shift, both in the interests of the men am ih© mine owners. • • •

Mr H. G. EJI contrasted the wort Hfi-'the miners' with that of thos' working in the sunshine. He held tha' PhHiShieiit * should not rise this sessioi without doing ; something to prevent ninerij at night. "Mr'A. E. Glover as'ked that pros meeting- should be fostered, more: particularly as the mining industry ; a ! the present time 'was languishing.; l '- lie' ‘House ’ repilmfed the discussion on the Mines vote at 7.30. > ’ ‘ 11 1 Mr H. Poland 1 said, with regard tc night shifts, that for many years ihad been held to be absolutely neces says that three shifts should h< maintained in coal mines. That hat now been .altered. There was no rea son why it should not apply to gob

mines. ! Mi}' Mr G. W. Russell pointed put''tna : there were two clasK>eg:. of EstipiaW, Mfofk i M House,' those, 'sujpitteh i>y the Ministry; and those of tin Public Service Commissioners. H< Hvhnt on to quote from the Estimate; and Civil Service classification, showing the differences in many of the salaries of officers iq the service. Who h,e asked, controlled the salaries F Tin House or the Commissioners ? Mr iW. Fraser said that with re gard to salaries all increases would appear on the Supplementary Esti’ mates. That had been the custom fo’ many years. The increases this yea would be those which the Commission ers advised. The Commissioners die not control one penny of the expendi ture. That function was reserved t< the House. If the votes under con sideration were not passed by tin House they could not be paid. Mr C. E. Statham said it could no be denied that the House could over ride anything the Commissioners did They were responsible to Parliament

Mr J. A. Hanan said that it wait waste of time for the House to d‘ cuss the Estimates, as they piuid b< over-ridden by the Civ I Service Com mission.

Mr Allen: Those Estimates are the Estimates of the Government. The House resumed in committee ai 10.30. •Mr Seddon moved a reduction of £1 in tho ealary of the Inspector o' Mines oh tho West Coast, us an indication that it was unfair to expect one inspector to inspect all the mines from Collingwood to Okarito.The motion was lost.

Several members were ruled out of order by the chairman for discuss ing the powers of the Public Serive Commissioners in conjunction with tin Estimates.

Eventually Mr G, W. Russell moved to take the Speaker’s ruling as to whether members were not entitled tr quote-the Public Service Act for tin purpose of showing that the Estimator were not in accordance with the Act

%r Ma ssey repeated that the Estimates were not the Estimates of the .Commissioners, who had no powers in that direction, but were the Government’s Estimates.

The Speaker ruled that memborr were not entitled, to discuss the Public Service Commissioners on the Minos Estimates, on the ground that at a later stage they would have the fullest opportunity of doing so. Sir Joseph Ward said that the ruling was an important one, and he was hound to it, but he asked the Speaker to consider in what position an officer of the Mines Department was placed whose salary was upon these Estimates but might afterwards be reduced by the Commissioners. Such an officer would not have an opportunity of having his salary discussed by Parliament. He was, therefore, placed at a disadvantage.

■The Speaker said that that raised

a question in which he was not at present concerned. The class was passed at 12.30. Tho Department of Internal Affairs vote was next proceeded with, a discussion ensuing on the compilation of the Year Book. The Minister stated that it was proposed to popularise it and give more comparative information. Sir Joseph Ward warned the Minister against making these comparisons in a way that was very misleading. On the vote for the High Commissioner’s office, Mr Hindmarsh moved a reduction of £l, as a protest against the Government’s policy of immigration. Ho denounced the practice of inducing people to come to the country under the impression that they could get land or work.

At 2 a.m. the House was Ibft sitting.

ALL NIGHI SITTING

AN ACTIVE OPPOSITION

After the Telegraph Office closed at 2 o’clock, the House continued the discussion on the emigration policy of the Government. The attack was led by the Labour Party, who claimed that there was no room for imported labour and no land for intending settlers. Mr Hindmarsh said the country could support five million, people in the near future. What was wanted was closer- settlement and more intense cultivation. The Government must bring down a land policy to attract people fft the country, not drive them out.

Sir Joseph Ward said he was not in favour of indiscriminate immigration, which must bring about a serious condition of affairs in the labour market. New Zealand wanted a fresh supply of people every year, but it must be done with discretion. There could be no harm to bring oyt people with small capital, but if an attempt were made to populate the country in a short period, there -would be great langbr of glutting the labour market.

Mr Russell said the Mackenzie Go vernment was endeavouring to arrange for the introduction of suitable emigrants. To that extent he lavoured immigration, but he was not in favour ° • i •. - | of an absolutely open door. The Minister said he agreed with' Sir Joseph Ward chat immigration must be- carried, out with discretion because in 1909, when 900 people w*we retrenched from theT civil teryice 19'58

people were brought into tire -cou'r^ 1 try- >• ' I Sir- Joseph Wald said; the reply' of /the {Minister tyroyed one'.thing, he*, that ihel (Sir Joseph Warfl) had fought, to■ convince the then Opposition that retrenchment had taken place in 1909." Had the Government desired to do so they could not have prevented any of the 4933 emigrants " coining to the Dominion. The inference of the Minister, therefore, was most unfair.

Mr Hindmarsh’s motion was defeated by ~29 ~tg,sJl. _ - ' ' ' ; A lehgfiiy' discussion took place on 'the conduct of the Government printing office, the debate resolving itself into a duel between *lr Fisher, Min-, ister in charge, and Mr Russell, his, predecessor, i At 4 o’clock Sir Joseph Ward suggested an adjournment, but Mr Massey refused to consider the proposal. A discussion followed on the advisability of adjourning, during which Mr Anderson urged the Premier not to give way.

Sir Joseph Ward took this as a threat and moved to report progress. A division was taken, but the motion was lost by 29 to 18.

Mr Massey then stated that he might have been prepared to consider the proposal to adjourn but for a lading which prevented a class once commenced being postponed.

Mr Witty then began a discussion on mental hospitals, censuring ti e Government for not bringing down the report of the Inspector-General, who had expressed bitter disappointment that no provision' was being made to provide adequate accommodation for patients. He complained that the institutions were dreadfully' overcrowded, and no steps were bemg taken to remedy a disgraceful condition. Mr McCailum rose at this stage to i point of order, challenging the Premier’s that progress could not be reported on an unfinished class. The House at once proceeded to dismiss the point of order until the chairman ruled that progress could be reported under such circumstances. Mr Russell resumed the debate, moving that the salary of the Inspector General (£1000) be reduced by £1 as a protest against the failure of the Government to lay the report before Parliament.

At 5 a.in. a number of Opposition members who had been absent during the early part of tho sitting arrived, and proceedings developed into an obvious stonewall, members being repeatedly checked by the chairman for tedious repetition. The burden of the speeches was the overcrowded condition of mental hospitals. At 7.10 .Mr Xgata suggested that they might take the Tourist Department and then adjourn, but the Covernment refused to entorta’n tho suggestion At 7.30 the question was put and negatived on the voices.

Mr Witty at once moved to reduce the salary of the Medical Superintendent at Auckland by £2O as an indication that the mental hospital in that city wa* overcrowded.

At 7.35 Mr Malcolm, who had been relieved at 5 a.m. by Mr Hine, resumed the chair.

The Minister said nothing would he gained by pressing the motion, as he admitted overcrowding existed, but he was doing his best to meet the exigencies of the case. Buildings

were already authorised and he hoped soon to have the necessary accommodation to meet all requirements. Mr Wilford at this stage offered himself as a medium of mediation between the Government and the Opposition to see whether an arrangement could not be arrived at, but the Premier refused to accept the olive branch offered. Mr Isitt hoped there would be no talk of a compromise until the report was brought down. Not one single class should go through unto the necessary information was supplied. The House adjourned at 8 o’clock and resumes at 9 o’clock. The House resumed at 9 a.m. Much discussion centred round the administration of mental hospitals. Eventually the Minister said that he had just received a proof copy of the report. Sir Joseph Ward said the Liberal Party was accused of doing nothing to assist the mentally afflicted, but the Liberals had established the most efficient Health Department in the world. Ho appealed to the Premier to put through the minor classes and adjourn. Mr Massey said that course was impossible, as the whole class must be put through that day., ,