PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 109, 28 October 1911, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Friday. After midnight the Council passed the following Bills: Public Reserves and Domains Amendment, Representation Commission Report Validation, Post and Telegraphs Amendment, Public Service Classification and Superannuation Amendment, (Railway Authorisation and Government Railways Amendment. The Council rose at 12.30 a.m. Wellington, Last Night. The Council met at 2.30. The Mining Amendment Bill was reported with amendments. The Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bills were passed. (The Dentists Amendment, Native Claims Adjustment and Military Pensions Bills were read a second time, and the Council adjourned till 8 p.m. The Council resumed at 8 p.m. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. Hon. Ban- said the main body of workers favored the Arbitration Act, and harm was done by soap-box orators and newspapers, who fanned the anti-arbi-tration movement.

Hon. Rigg contended that the bad administration of the Arbitration Court was responsible for the discontent. He criticised at some length the conduct of the present Judge, and said that when the Government made him a life judge it took away from the workers their last hope of ever getting a favorable award. He also advocated the abolition of imprisonment for striking. The Bill was read 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, explnininjj the terms lease and sub-lease, which had been altered to include the lessee by assignment, it was agreed on Hon. 0. Samuel's motion to add a sub-elauße stipulating that this section does not apply to any action commenced before the first of October, 1011. The Bill was reported with amendments. (The Military Pensions Bill was reported without 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' to the 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. Sinclair wished to be recommitted to amend section 5, relating to the employer's share of medical expenses.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tn the House in committee on the Conciliation andi Arbitration Bill, on the clause providing the methods by which' Dominion awards may be sought, the Minister said the object of the clause was to overcome the cumbersome machinery attached to the process of seeking a Dominion award. It was to relieve unions of the trouble and expense of calling witnesses from everywhere and anywhere. The Bill was reported with amendments.

The committee then took the Dentists Amendment Bill on the clause added to provide for a man who, in the last three years, was a student or apprentice in any of the Australian States and has a diploma. The Bill was reported with the amendment.

' The House went into committee on the Native Lands Claim Adjustment Bill.

Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 11 o'clock. The Taieri Land Drainage Bill was read a first time.

The Supplementary Estimates' were brought down and consideration deferred till later. In connection with the Workers Compensation Bill, clause 10, section 3, relating to the approval of a magistrate or a inspector, a proviso was added applying this only to death or permanent disablement, whether partial or total. Clause lfi relating to representation by counsel of parties to the proceedings was struck out. The Bill as amended was reported.

The Dentists Amendment Bill was reported without amendments.

On the item Cook Islands vote ( £2140), Sir .Tames 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 eaid that /out of iincfreaSes tf.n salaries totalling over £133,000,£130,000 applied to the smaller salaried men.

Mr. Greenslade ofojeeted to the vote of £2250 if or the exjpenses 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 Gibbon Wakefield memorial. The whole idea that Wakefield had was to keep u,p an artificial price of land in order that wages might be kept down. He moved that the vote of £IOOO should be struck out.