BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1929, Page 11

BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

SEVERAL MEASURES PASSED SEQUEL TO ELSIE . WALKER C.ASE. PETITION TO RE-OPEN INQUIRY. By Telccraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Hon. A. J. Stall worthy in the House of Representatives to-day presented a petition containing over 15,000 signatures, praying that legislation be introduced to enable the reopening of .inquest proceedings, and that the inquiry into the death of Elsie Walker be reopened. The Minister of Health gave notice of his intention to introduce the Nurses’ and Midwives’ Registration Amendment Bill, and the Hon. G. W. Forbes gave notice to introduce the Products Export Amendment Bill. Replying to Mr. j. A. Nash the Hon. T. M. Wilford said he hoped to be able to state definitely on Monday whether legislation would be introduced this session in connection with police superannuation. The Rural Intermediate Credits Amendment Bill was introduced by Gov-ernor-General’s message. Mr. Forbes said the Bill provided for the raising of the limit of an advance to any one applicant from £lOOO to £2OOO. The Bill was read a first time. Amendments to the Land Laws Amendment Bill were introduced by Governor-General’s message. The Minister said the main item met the wish that had been..expressed by the House by providing that one other person should be appointed to the Lands Development Board, thereby permitting the inclusion of the man with farming experience. The amendments were agreed to. The Town Planning Amendment Bill was introduced and'read a first time. Replying: to a question Mr. Forbes said it was intended that the House should sit on Saturday morning. The following. Bills were reported from select committees with recommendations that they be allowed to proceed: Gisborne Harbour Amendment Bill (with amendments), Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill and the Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Bill (with amendments). The reports were laid on the table.

The House went into committee on the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill. Mr. J. A. Nash asked what was being done to rectify the shortage of house surgeons. The Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, replied that it was hoped to overcome the shortage by this time next year. CONDITIONS OF NURSES. Mr. A. M. Samuel and Mr, H. M. Campbell raised the question of improving mirses’ conditions and hours and asked the Minister, to give an assurance something would be done.. ; , Mr. A. Harris asked what remuneration . would be paid certificated nurses who went to St.. Helen’s, hospitals to. train as maternity nurses. At present, they received nothing but the Minister had promised to look into the question. The Minister stated that the first consideration in connection with nurses’ conditions rested i ith the respective hospital boards. It might be possible to adopt such by-laws as would make it possible to improve the conditions. He had done his best to indicate to all hospital boards what his policy and mind was on this subject, and in some instances he had had the pleasure of authorising expenditure on improved accommodation for nurses. It was impossible to bring about all the desired reforms in a few short months. Recently, he had received reports concerning nurses’ conditions and hours in St. Helen’s hospitals. This information had never previously been collated and was most valuable. .

Mr. Sfallworthy said he was now considering a scheme to be tried out in one hospital, under which the nurses would work eight hours a day and have one day off each week. He was desirous of improving the hours and conditions of all. nurses and it was his intention to make a thorough investigation during the recess, to ascertain whether legislation should be introduced to improve the lot of nurses. The Bill was put through all stages and passed. Its only effect is to amalgamate .the Wairau and Picton Hospital Boards. . LAWYERS’ FIDELITY FUND. The Law Practitioners Amendment and Solicitors’ Fidelity Guarantee Fund Bill was discussed on the motion to go into committee, the Minister of Justice, the Hon. T. M. Wilford, explaining that it was a Bill to provide means whereby people who *iad been deprived of money through the dishonesty of any solicitor might be reimbursed. The Bill was promoted voluntarily by the Law Society and there was no liability oh anyone outside the legal profession. The foundation principle of the Bill and the. spirit behind it were that the honour of the legal profession was bound up in the honour and integrity of each member of that profession. Lawyers desired that those who trusted them with money should have the assurance of protection. Every law society and district society, together with the council, stood behind this Bill. There were 1750 solicitors in ' .ew Zealand, but many of them were in offices or the Public Trust Office, and there were only 1500 practising lawyers to whom this Bill would apply. Each practising lawyer would be called on to pay £5 to £lO a year, thus creating a fund at the rate of £7500 annually. No lawyer would pay more than £5O into the fund during the whole of his practice, and when any contributor went out of practice he would get his contribution back.

Mr. W. J. Broadfoot,- speaking as a member of the legal profession, said the lawyers wanted tho principle of the fidelity fund to be written into the Statute Book, The scheme could be improved in detail later. Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller) asked what was the reason for limiting the fund to £160,000. Mr. H. G. R. Mason said solicitors did not desire any more than other people to go on paying contributions once a sufficient guarantee fund had been created. He considered the main principle of the Bill was so important that comparatively unimportant imperfections should not be allowed to imperil its passage. The Bill was put through the committee stages -.without amendment. The Pacific Cable Sale Authorisation Bill*was considered in committee. Replying to Mr. J. G. Coates the Hon.

J. B. Donald said that as a business man ho would have bought the Pacific cable for Now Zealand at the price at which it had been sold to the merger company, even if at the risk' of losing £100,060 a year. Mr. Coates said £lOO,OOO a year would not have covered the loss. It would have been hopeless for the Pacific cable to have coped with competition from other serivces. , .

Mr; Donald said he was Only expressing his own opinion and not that of the Government, but he still thought New Zealand would have been well advised to have taken over the Pacific cable. The Bill went through committee unamended, was read a third time after a fairly lengthy debate -.and passed. The Law Practitioners Amendment Bill was recommitted to ,permit of consideration of amendments submitted by the 'Statutes Revision Committee. The amendments were passed without’debate, tho Bill was read a third time as amended and passed. Tho Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland Empowering Bill was read a second time, put through the remaining stages unamended and passed. Moving the second reading of the Destitute Persons Rest Homes Amendment Bill tho Hon. A. J. Stallworthy said it was intended to provide a rest home of the most congenial ' type. Provision would be made for tho maintenance of destitute persons who by reason of ago and infirmity were unable to take care of themselves Another important aspect of the Bill was that it would do wonderful work for people who under the present law were incarcerated within bare walls for manufactured offences involving vagrancy. They would be admitted to the. rest homes where in pleasant envirenment they would enjoy a much happier existence. People detained in mental hospitals on account of mental infirmity arising from age might also be transferred to the rest homes. Provision would be made for the establishment of State rest homes on areas which might be acquired forthe purpose, and the Minister would be empowered to declare institutions established by private organisations to be rest homes for the purposes of the Act. The debate was interrupted when the House rose at 10.30 p.m.