PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 51, 16 October 1914, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. [Pee Phess Asbmujahow.] Wellington, October 15. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. FACTORIES ACT AMENDMENT. The debate upon the Factories Act Amendment Bill was continued.—Hon. EC. D. Bell replied at considerable length, affirming that the Council should not stand between the women workers and a reform passed almost unanimously by the House—The Coun•il then divided upon the motion to .ro into committee, the voting being is follows:—Ayes 10, Noes 16. The Remounts Encouragement, faieri Land Drainage, Rangitaiki Drainage, and Hauraki Plains Bdl were put through committee without Amendment and read a third time, and passed. The Fisheries Amendment Bill was ■eported from committee with amendment, road a third time, and passed. The Council rose at 5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATSVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. The M to Z Petitions Committee brought down a report that it had 10 recommendation to make on thebetition of the trustees of Cornwall Park (Auckland), asking for a remision of rates on the park, and all >ther endowments similarly situated.

The Lands Committee reported on ho petition of the Wairoa Harbor ioard, asking for an endowment of ' 000 acres, that it could not recomnond that the prayer of the petition io granted. Speaking on the of endownents to local bodies generally, the 'render said he could not possibly omply with all' the requests for .ml endowments that were made to im If he did so, they would soon Invfi no Crown land at all. Further, lie management of endowments by ,cal bodies had not been satisfactory. Personally, he would prefer, after us experience, to give local bodies a nonotary grant rather than an en'owment of land. In reply to Mr Wilford. the Prefer stated that he would endeavor o validate in the "washing up" Bill -;ifts of labor unions towards war •harities. Hon. Fisher moved the second read'iig of the National Provident Fund Amendment. (No. 3) Bill. He explained that the measure intended to MBO and secure the position of ,hose members of the expeditionary who are contributors to the -und, during their absence.—Mr Veitch suggested. that similar proviion be made with regard to life insurance policies held by members of •he force.—ln his reply, Hon Fisher ;aid the Government Life Insurance Department intended to do that. The ,econd reading was then carried. The Premier moved the second eading of the Workers' Dwellings Amendment Bill, providing machinery amendments to the main Act.— Sight Hon. Massey said the scheme ,f workers' dwellings was working veil, and had been approved by both he House and the country. The amendments proposed were necessary •o meet developments of the policy, mch as increasing the amount to be ,ent from £7OO to £750, while an ■ Iteration in the area of land attached .o a- dwelling required to be "made more elastic. Messrs Wilford, Wilkinson, Witty, and Ell commended che Bill as likely to have beneficial results.

On resuming at 7.30 p.m. the House vvent into committee upon the Education Bill.

At 8.30 p.m. the Minister made an .ippeal to members to make their remarks as concise as possible, otherwise there was a clanger that the tfill would not be got through. In reply to criticism, he said that he regarded the reduction of education districts as a vital part of the Bill. Personally, he did not favor making a reduction by Royal Coinmisison. With a view to coming to some more satisfactory arrangement he had that morning met'informally some of the members of the Education Committee, who felt strongly on the question. He had endeavored to overcome the difficulty by drafting another schedule, which was of quite a provisional nature. Under the arrangement Auckland would lose the counties of Kawhia, Awakino, Waitomo, Ohura, and most of Taupo, leaving the education district with a population of 228,749. The Taranaki district would bo retained, witli the addition of the five countio-, taken from Auckland, and Eltham from the Wanganui district, giving a population of 47,105. Hawke's Bay would take in the counties of Whakatano and Opotiki from Auckland, giving a population of 72,505. Wanganui district remained, minus the Eltham county, with a population of 81,258. Wellington took in Marborough and Nelson and had a population of 179,072. North and South Canterbury districts would bo abolished, and Grey and Westland taken into Canter bury, giving a. new district with a population of 199,192. Otago, with J 128,246, and Southland 01,216, would remain unaltered. J This statement aroused what look|ed like a storm. Hon. Roderick MeKenzio raised a vigorous protest against the absorption of the Nelson district, and Mr Colvin moved to report progress, with a view of sending the Bill back to the committee. Sir Joseph Ward said he regarded it as a fatal mistake to hold private meeting with interested members. He favored referring the qu^stio ll to the Commission, which would report to Parliament next' year, and lot Parlia-

mcnt decide what the now districts should be.

Mr Wilkinson said Ke ought to hove been consulted about the readjustment of the Taranaki district, as ho was virtually interested. What lie wanted to see was the- Taranaki province under one control.

Mr Allen stated that since' the House rose yesterday, he had had an amendment drafted, which would go in the direction suggested by the leader of the Opposition, and which might meet the wishes of those, who objected to the scheme of the new districts. He first read out the amendment, which provided for setting up a Commission for the purpose of reporting to Parliament on the most suitable education districts, the number not to be less than seven and not more than nine. The report was to be submitted to Parliament by June 30, 1915, and any alterations made as a result would take effect on January Ist, 1916. Mr Colvin expressed himself satisfied with that arrangement, and said that if the Minister would move the amendment at the proper time he would withdraw his motion to report progress. This the Minister agreed to do, and the motion was withdrawn On resuming after supper, discussion centred round the scope of the Commission suggested by the Minister, exception being taken to limiting its discretion as to districts. Finally the, Minister agreed to leave it to the House to decide whether the minimum number of boards should be seven or a* smaller number, but would not agree to increase the maximum to ten. Clause 1 was agreed to at 11.20, and the reainirig clauses up to clause 11 passed without amendment. This clause, which established district councils, Sir Joseph Ward moved to strike out the words "District Council of Education/' with a view to abolishing thivS new body. The Minister contended that the councils would be exceedingly useful to him from an advisory point of view. On a division being taken, the Words were retained on the casting vote of the chairman, the Ayes and Noes 'being 29 each. The House rose at 12.9 a.m.