PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 144, 12 July 1901, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, July 11. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. Hon.Ohfls.LiuiawD.ofOhriVchurcb, was sworn in. The Police Offences Amendment, Young Persons Protection md Chines') Immigration Amendment Bills were read a first time. The local authorities Indemnity Bill came np from the Lower House and was read a second time. In committee on the Hospital Nurs's Registration Bill, * clause was inserted on the motion of Hon. W. C. Smith, to provide that" A lopy of the R«gia!er of Nurses be published in the Gazette annual]*." Tbe Bill was reported and the Council rose at 3.50.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. TKe Houas resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Prevention of Employment of Women in Dangerous Trades Bill (Horn<-by), and Remuera Watoworka O instruction E mpo wering Bill (Liwry), will be introductd and read a fitat time. Mr. R. J, Seddon announced that on the recommendation of the War Office the position of Commandant of the New Zealand forces had bet. offered to M*jor and Brevet-Oel nel St. George Charles Henry of the Northumberland Fusiliers, who had wen service in the Egyptian campiign under Lord Kitcherer and had commanded the Fourth Mounted Infantry Corps in South Africa since the 4th ef April, 1900. His reoird showed that he had twenty-two years full pay tervioe ai4 was mentioned in despatches during the Egyptian campain. for which he has several medals. Tbe terms and conditions of the offer nude to Colonel Henry were the same aa those enjoy d by Colonel Pole-Pention, via., £7OO a year for a term not exceeding five years. Mr Pirani said he waa aorry the Premier did not oonrider that any of our own young men who had performed such distinguishable service in South Afrioi, and had returned to the colony, were eligible to fill the petition of commandant. Mr. Saddon, referring to appointments under the Commandant, said the Government would adhere, to the promise thit they would give preference to New Ze danders and tho«e whi hid training in South Afrio*. Owing to the Royal visit acd the d pat-tare of contingents defence matters were not in their normal condition, but aa eoou as things settled down they intended to e»tibli-h a school of instruction for the twining of colonics, and he tt%ted the* of the 30 commissions off-red to New Zealanders by Imperial authorities only ten or a dozen had been taken up; but tbe Agent General had obtained an extension of time. He (Mr. Seddon) would endeavour ti get the positions filled, ar d he wes now prepared to take nominations for them,

Mr Hogg asked whe'her our owa young men would be eligible for high appointments in the military tervio* of the co'ooy. Mr. S ddon replied that he hoptd ia tme to have every position in the ear* uics fiiled by our own men, Mr. Guinness m>ved the seoob4 reading of the Stite School ObiMfM C .mpulsory Drill Bill, to provide that/ Education Boards ahull cause military 1 and physio tl dull to be taught to boys attending tha pub'ic schools. He explainelthat the Bill was for the purof making it compulsory thai military and physical drill should.be taught to a'l boys and grls over the *ge of e : ght years etc«ndiog publio s hook The 81l applied also to native Hcboj's, and contained clauses providing for the conscientious objector. Mr. Thomas McKeozie supported the Bill, but .onsidered clause 6, prepared to matt conscitnti us objections ' f p rents, was the weakness of the bill.

' Mr. Fowld msainttined, in repay to • Mr. McKenzie, paid that those who opposed the military s» : r t • lght not to )>ave their children tntuht drill when > thiy wereoppwed to it. 1 ft n. H»ll-Joncs tcieved thit all • chid en slou'd bo" t.ugbt drill, and that ought to povida the n. ees-ary rifle<. At the same time he agreed tint confident i'iu* obj otioni ti \ e respected Mr. Millar looked upon the Bill as one <o 1 gaWse a modified form of con- , scipti n. Physical drill was good enough, but he objected to m littrj spirit now becoming rampant in the co'ony. Messrs Men dilh and Nspi.r opposed (•he Bill. Mr. Hu'cheson thought elauw 6 was the one redeeming feiture of the Bill He wou'd oppose the Bill in all ita staerg. Hon. R J. Siddon said that to be pr*p<red and ready for ernergmciee meant the preservation of pesc\ Ha did not thiik there w»s any necessity fi-r eomp Ision in this mat'er, bat ha believed mi'i'ary drill imp oved * countiy. It wan in'endei to distribute light riftes amongst boys -of th* s>'xth and seven h Bt*i<Urds and the Government: was now in negotiation with a firm for supply of these weapons. Mr. BuHdo nnd Arnold suppor el the teconl mding, but would endeavour to maer-d the Bill in Committee. Mr. Ko <g opp sei the Bill and said that snffici nt military drill was being taught in schools already. Mr. Onnmo-s did not think anything was necessary to s imultte the mili ary spiiit and oppose! the Bill. Mr. G aha>r>, in opjos : ng t'eßill, said he did not see how th«y were soing to <ompel Educ.itinn Bards to demote itj tlw mitt r of military in- * ruction than they were doing at pre unfc. In a< ycs • a scheme of this kind should c mio from the Defenot Minister. Messrs. Wilfotd, McGuire and Field suppor'ed thu Bill. Mi. Laurenson supported the Bill, not because ha was in sympathy with spirit of militarism, but bectusi the B 11 would compel Education Botrds to Jnclude phy ical drill Among tho subjects of the school curritu'um. Mr. Massey objected to some of the details of tho men-ute, but woul I vote for the sicond rending, Mr. A. L. D. Eraser objected to the compulsory clauses of the Bill. He thought th tt afier the fine cadet display at <h« ChnVchurcL Review there was no n ce si y for compuhwy teaching of military drill in schools. It migln safely be left to masters. | Mr. Monk supported the Bill, but would vote against compulsory military dril'. ' The debase was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment, '

I Evesinq SrmHo. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr. Witheford continued the debate on the se»ad reading of the State

Bcbeol Children Compulsory Drill Bill. Which he supported. He would like to see facili'ies afforded the youth of the colony to obtain naval training, and suggested an amendment of the Bill in that direction. Mr. Hall opposed the bill on the ground that it wauld trench on our preient education system. Mr. McLacblan supported the Bill. *" M'. "Piran>,thought a penalty clause-, to compel Education Boards to carry out the provisions of the Bill, should be included, ai it was when the Bill was first brought in la«t year. Mr. McGowan paid the Bill rould be made a uf eful measure. Mr.Guinre=B replied, and the eecond reading was orried by 35 to 18. Mr. G. W. Ruesell moved the second reading of the Eight Horns Bill to provide that eight hours ahull ba a legal day's woik. He said he had no desire whatever to anticipate or accept tha responsibility in this matter which ehou'd properly rest on shoulders of the Government and he would be quite agreeable to lay his Bill aside in favour of any measure dealing with the question which the Govrroment might introduce during recess. The Premier had promised a deputation from the Gintetbuiy Trades Courcil that tbe Government would introduce an Eight Hours Bill this session, but he (Russell) did not Bce8 c e any such moasure foreshadowed in tbe fp ech from the throne. Therefore be had introduced a Bill of his own. In explaining the provisions of the Bill Mr. Russell paid bread principle ef eight hours work per day was generally recognised, but there were except ions which rendered legislative interference necersary. For instances very long hours were worked in connection with the dairying industry and only recently he had eeen the term of " white slaves " applied to the workers in that industry. The Bi I wis to apply to servants of tbe Slate many of whom were overworked and also provided for payment of overtime. Mr. McGuire strongly objected to the Bill being made applicable to the dairying industry.

Hon. B. Soddon said the Governnent supported the BUI, and would give every facility for its passage. If Mr Russell failed to get it through, Government wou'd take it pp. He admitted there were certain rccupa'ions to whirh eight hoar prinoiple could not be applied, bat that was no reason why thousand of other workers to whom it could be app'ied, shouM ba excluded from its benefits. The Bill was only giving in concrete what was laid down in other staWes. He would ha the hut to do anything that would interfere with, or prejudice the dairying industry. There was no antagonism between town and country, for interests of tin t*o were inseparable. M. Houston: Then make the Bill apply to towns alone. Mr Seddon: That is a not unreasonable suggestion. A schedule might te included ia the Bill stating districts to which it should refer. He would take care that nothing was contained in the Bill which would be detrimental to country districts. The eerond reading could be carried, and in comm-'ttee the indwt* iee, to which the provisions of the Bill should be applied, could be specifically stated. Mr. Guinness urged that eight hours _ for underground minißg work should be calculated from bank to bank, instead of from face to face.

Mr. Whiteford supported the Bill. Mr. Hu'chesoß said if the Bill was l'mited to wage earners in towns there would be bo difficulty in get'ing it through. The restriction of the coun'ry worker to eight hours a day was practically impossible. Messrs Wilford, Willis and Napier would vote for the second reading. Mes rs Symes and o'Meara^oppos c d the Bill on the ground of the interference with he dairy industry, Mr. Carncro : s opposed the Bill, and said he was not anxious to see any more libour measures put upon the Statute B ok until b't'er feelicg existed betwesn emp'oyer and employed. Mr Millar stated that if tbe Bill became law it would take away the power of the Arbitration Court. Mr. Flat man agreed that the Bill would have to be completely recast before it could be made workable. He opposed the second read-ng.-Mr. Horcsby did not think the Bill ought to apply to the dairy industry, but he would vote for the Bill si he recognired there were thousands of people who would be benefitted by it. Mr. Mered'th said the Bill would cripple rertain industries. He op: posed the second r.adiog. Mr. Collins congratola'ed Mr. Bussell upon his efforts to reduce an abstract principle to a practical and concre'e -form, nnd would heartily support the second reading. • Messrs B. Thomson, S'ewird, Graham, Houston, Massey, E: G. Allen, Ell and T. M Kenzie al-o spoke. On the motion of Mr. Hall the debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 12.5.