PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. AMENDING JURY SYSTEM. COMPENSATION FOR WORKERS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Statutes Revision Committee reported the Local Bodies Loans Amendment Bill with amendments. The Samoa Bill was received from the House, was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Law of Libel (further amendment) Bill was committed and reported to the Council with minor amendments. Sir Francis Bell (Leader of the Council) moved the second reading of the RabbitNuisance Amendment Bill, which withdraws some of the very wide powers of inspectors. The Bill was read a second time. The Juries Amendment Bill was committed. The Hon. T. W. Hislop (Wellington) moved to make the Bill apply to all criminal offences; in other words, to withdraw the exception of capital offences. The amendment was lost on the voices, and the Bill was reported, read a third time and passed. The Hon J. MacGregor (Dunedin) moved the second reading of the Workers’ Compensation Bill, which limits the monetary liability of an employer whatever Act proceedings are taken, under for an accident to an employee caused through the negligence of a fellow employee. The Hon. J. Barr (Christchurch) said that if the limit was to be fixed as suggested by the Bill the amount of compensation should be increased beyond the present amount of £750. This Bill should be delayed until the Government brought up the whole question. The Leader of the Council said Mr. MacGregor’s Bill remedied a plain blunder in the original Act. The Bill was read a seccn'd time. The Council adjourned at 4.15 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WORK FOR THE UNEMPLOYED. TASKS TO BE FOUND. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m., but, after the transaction of formal business, which occupied ten minutes, the House, at Mr. Massey’s suggestion, adjourned till 7.30 pm. to enable the members to attend the opening of an industrial exhibition now being held in Wellington. When the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South) asked Mr. Massey if there was work at present available for the unemployed. Mr. Massey, in reply, said there were at present between 1300 and 1400 men employed on what might be called relief works. Men seeking work should apply to the labor bureau, but he understood that during the past few days no men had been taken on. There was a temporary lull, but he expected there would be work for all in a short time.

Replying to Mr. R. McCallum (Wairau), Mr. Massey said if there was a danger of gift duty being abused, as it might be under a recent judgment of the Supreme Court, he would have it remedied. He would not have the legislation of the House trifled with.

The Hon. G. J. Anderson read a statement bearing upon the working of the State coal mine, the effect of the statement being to show that the recent stoppages in the mine were not due to importations of coal into the Dominion. The Mouse rose at 12.25 a.m.