PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144197, 13 September 1913, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL! THE PENSIONS BILL, TEE TEESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Sept. 12. Tho Legislative Council met at 2.30. The Pensions Bill was recommitted for tho purpose of inserting verbal amendments. The Irrigation and Water Supply Bill was put through committee and both measures wero read a third time and passed.

Tho Hon. H. D. 801 l moved that tho committal of the Legislative Council Bill bo made an order of the day.

The Hon. J. E. Jonkinson objected, on tho gj’ound that no notice had been given. , The motion -was agreed to and the Minister moved that the Council go into committee on tho Bill. Ho said that the committee which had considered tho Bill had proceeded on certain resolutions. Ho recommndcd that tbo Council amend the Bill in accordance with thoso resolutions. It was only necessary for him to say that he did not agree with tho recommendation of the committee. It had in on sense his assent, nor that of the Government. Tho form in which tho committee proceeded was consistent with the resolutions. but ho dissented from tho resolutions, and, therefore, with the result. Tho Hon. O. Samuel moved tho adjournment of the debate until AVednosday next, and this was agreed to. The Connell rose at 2.40. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE ESTIMATES. Tho House mot at 2.30 and went into committee on the Eslimates. Class A 7 111., Mines Department, £33,860. —Replying to Mr. Poland, Mr. Fraser said that a Mining Bill would bo brought down this session. Air. Poland urged tho medical intpection of minors, so that minors’ complaint could bo detected in its incipiency and sufferers removed from the mines and given healthy employment, .. Mr. J. Payne urged the creation of a board to protect tho lives of those working in tho mines of the Dominion. Ho hold that the fundamental causes of tho AVaihi, Reefton, and Huntly strikes were tho insufficient protection of the lives of thoso who wore compelled to work underground. Mr. AV. Fraser said that as much attention bad been paid to tho mining industry as when his predecessor was in charge. On tho subject of miners’ phthisis ho said that too matter , was provided for in thb-Mrning Bill. .Under tho Bill tho miners’ sick fund would apply only to sufferers from miners’ complaint. The fund, which was in tho hands of tho Public Trustee, had been depleted. Ono thousand pqu’nds had been voted' for tho purpose, but that would, not do, as nearly all would be moppod un for payment fo Widows whoso husbands had died several weeks ago, for defraying funeral expenses. Tbo money had to be paid out of unauthorised expenditure. Mr. Colvin and Mr. Poland strongly urged the pushing on of the raining industry, which at the present time was lagging. Mr. Poland also pleaded for the abolition of the night shift, both in tho interests of tho men and tho mineowners. . , , , , Mr. H. G. Ell'contrasted the work of tho miners with that of those working in tho sunshine. Ho held that Parliament should not rise this session without doing something to prevent miners working at night. , , , Mr. A. B. Glover asked that prospecting should bo fostered, more particularly as tho mining.industry at tho present time was languishing.

evening session. The House resumed tho discussion on the Mines vote at 7.30. ■ . ' Mr H Poland said, with regard bo night shifts, that for many years it bad boen hold to b© absolutely necessary that throe shifts should bo maintained in coal mines. That had now boen altered. There was no reason why it should not apply to gold mince. Mi. G, W. liusecll pointed out that thoro wero two classes of Estimates before the House, thoso submitted by tho Ministry and those of tho Public Service Commissioners. H© went on to quote from tbo Estimates and Cml Service classification, sliowim* tho differences in many of the salaries of officers in tho service. Who, ho asked, controlled tho salaries ?—the House or tho Commissioners ? Mr. W. Fraser said that with, regard to salaries all increases would. appear on tho Supplementary Estimates. That had boen the custom for many years. Tho increases this year would bo those which the Commissioners advised. Tho Commissioners did not • control one penny of expenditure. That function was reserved to tho House. If the votes undor consideration wero not passed by the House they could not bo P!l Mt. C. E. Statham said it could not be denied that the House could override anything tho Commissioners did. They were responsible to Parliament. Mr. J. A. Human said that it was waste of time for tho House to discuss tho Estimates, as they could he overridden bv tho Civil Service Commission. Mr. Allen; Those Estimates aro the Estimates of the Government. The House resumed in commfttoo at 10.30. Mr. Sodden moved a reduction of £1 in the salary of the Inspector of Mines on the AVest Coast, as, an indication that it was unfair to expect ono. inspector to inspect all the mines from Collingwood to Okarito. The motion was lost. Several members were ruled out of order by the chairman for discussing tho powers of tho Public Service Commissioners in conjunction with tho Estimates. , Eventually Mr. G. AV. Russell moved to take the Speaker’s ruling, as to whether members wero not entitled to quote tho Public Service Act for tho purpose of showing that the Estimates wore not in accordance with tho Act. Mr. Massey repeated that the Estimates were not the Estimates of tho Commissioners, who had no powers in that direction, but were the Government's Estimates. The Speaker ruled that members were not entitled to discuss the Public Service Commissioners on tho Mines Estimates, on the ground that at a later stage they would have tho fullest opportunity of doing so. Sir Joseph AVard said that tho ruling was an important one, and he was bound-by, it, but ho asked tho Speaker

to consider in what position an officer of the Mines Department ytss placed whoso salary was upon these Estimates but might afterwards be reduced by the Commissioners. Such an officer would not hare an opportunity of having his salary discussed by Parliament. He was, therefore, placed at a disadvantage. The Speaker said that that raised a question in which ho was not at present concerned.

The class was passed at 12.20. Tho Department of Internal Affairs vote was next proceeded with, a discussion ensuing "on the compilation of the Year Book. Tho Minister stated that it was proposed to popularise it and give more comparative information. Sir Joseph AVard warned tho Minister against making these comparisons in a way that was very misleading. On the vote for tho High Commissioner’s office, Air. Hindmarsh, moved a reduction of £l, as a protest against tho Government’s policy of immigration. Ho denounced tho practice of inducing people to como to tho country under the impression that they conld got land or work. At 2 a.m. the House was left silting.