PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13450, 23 November 1907, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

Per Press Association. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, November 22. The Council met at 11 a.m. SUPERANNUATION. The Public Service Superannuation Bill was further considered in committee. Clause 41 provides for the inclusion of the teachers' superannuation fund in the public service superannuation fund. The Attorney-General stated that, the teachers were "not- properly "public servants;." The teachers had their own superannuation fund and before it could be grafted on to the fund provided for in this Bill a large number of workmg amendments would have to be made. The Government proposed to have .the matter carefully considered during the reoers and next year it was hoped to be able to bring the schemes into consolidation. He moved that the clause be struck out. — Agreed to. The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. IN MEMORIAM. A committee was set up to enquire during the recess into the most- suitable way of perpetuating the memory of those who had occupied the position of Speaker of • the Council inncet iihe inception of central government. HOUSE ,OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at. 2.30 p.m. AMENDMENTS. The conference on the Council's Amendments to the Bills of Exchange Act reported that- it had been decided to amend the Bill by providing that "no document shall be destroyed prior to three months after the passing of the Act or at. any time after a demand has been made for delivery of the document. The report was agreed to. An amendment- to the National Endowment Bill was brought- down by Governor's Message eliminating from the schedule an area of about 2U) acres in Hawkes Bay district, which is at present occupied by natives. . An amendment to tihe Native Land Settlement Bill was brought down by Governor's Mtesage providing that the power of restriction of alienation vested in the Governor should not b; restricted in any degree whatever. The Hon. Mr Carroll stated that the amendment was designed to give to the Native Lands Commission an entirely free hand in its investigations in respect to any block of lands. The amendments were agreed to. The amendments made by the Council to the Public Service Superannuation Bill were agreed 'to. The Premier intimated that he proposed to look into tlje question of teachers' superannuation during the recess with a view to introducing Legislation'next session, but he thought , the teachers would have to be kept separate from the public service superannuation scheme. ENDOWSIENTS FOR EDUCATION. On rue motion of the Hon. Mr McNab certain areas of land were permanently f»et apart as an endowment for primary education in the Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington and Nefeon land districts. RAILWAY CLASSIFICATION. The House went into committer on the Railway Classification Bill. In reply to Mr Hogan. the Premier said that- members of the service would receive their increments as provided by the Bill on the Ist April, 1908. The clauses of the Bill passed unaltered. The Premier explained that in the eighth grade of sub-division of the first division the minimum salary had been raised from £235 to £240 per annum, and the maximum from £250 to £255. The tenth grade had also been amended by substituting for the eight increments of £lO. four of £ls and two of £lO. Thus a cadet could re aeh £2OO per annum in 12 yeans. The; additional amount "involved by the alterations in increments was £13,6C0. Guards had been separated from signalmen, shunters and storemen as in the original schedule and the number of first-class guards* had been increased to 50 per cent. The rates of pay of claims 1 were 9s 6d to lis per day, the increments being one of is and one of 6d per day. Similar rates applied to first-cIaEG signalmen, storemen and shunters, the maximum number -of first class not to exceed one-third of the total number in both grades. The- total alteration made including allowance in last year's estimates (about £60.000) involved" an amount between £155,000 and £140.000.

Replying to questions the Premier stated that- the officers' institute had taken ercepion to the Bill on incomplete information. If members of th<> S2ivice conld telegraph their unconsidered representations all over the country there would be a. reaction some dav.

Mr Massty saicl tint rorn- in Wellington had wired to their colleague, all over the country urging that th-.y should wire member.* of the Ho"? 1 that they were satisfied with the schedule of the Bill and lie contended that members of the service had a perfect- ii"hr fo make representations to the members cf the House. The Premier said that he reeognis'-d that members of the service had a right to place their cases before members cf (he House, but he maintain.:.! that ii'torreer

; information had been sent out from Wellington, and he objected to this procedure. He exonerated the heads of the Departments from participation in this agitation. What had made him hesitate with the Bill* was the- organised dissatisfaction that had been exhibited.- He had meditated not dropping tlis idea and increasing the wages of the railway service, but- of asking the House to place the whole railway service under the Arbitration Court. Mr Rcss contended that the officers who had telegraphed to the House v ere conversant with the proposals of the ill as it had been telegraphed all over the ! country and published in the newspapers. The officers had i-very right to j lace their grievances before members. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Premier moved the) third reading; of the Bill. Mr Hogan. criticised the schedule contending that there were too many barriers in the case of classes and in this direction the Bill compared! unfavourably with that of the Post and /Telegraph Department which had less classes. He deprecated the existence of two divisions urging that in a democratic countrv there should be no such class distinction. Before the concessions were granted tile public's first duty should be i.o jiranfc tiie lower ranks of the service- a living ■wage. Mr Poland spoke on similar lines. The Premier in reply deprecated the attempt of Mi- Hogan in ,th e direction of what he termed- an unfair comparison of the railway service with the post and telegraph service. In the postal and -telegraph branch it. was necessary in terms of the Bill passed this session for officers to pass an examination before passing into a higher class. He regretted that certain members had" endeavoured by their criticisms .to gain personal kudos at it he expense of a. Minister who was doing his bast to improve the conditions of the railway service. Members who were urging that the impossible should be done, were not the best- friends of the railway servants and it would be far more in the interests of the railway employees if the members had assisted -the measure to pass. The Bill was read a third time and pas-red. BILLS ADVANCED. The Christ church District Drainage Act. Amendment B'll was through Committee. read a third time and passed.. The Waiter Supply Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Hon. McGowan moved the second reading of the Railway Authorisation Bill which lie explained was merely for the purpose' of extending sidings.—Agreed to. The 'Resea-ves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill was read a second time. The House- went into committee on the Shops and Offices Act Amendment Bill. The Minister moved an amendment to; extend the half holiday provisions to employees of hotels, including those employed in private hotels, also a new clause to provide for a poll of electors to determine the statutory half holiday tenth, of the electors.

on a petit-ion signed by not less than oneThe new clauses were agreed to, and the Bill was reported with amendments. The Reserves and Other Land Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill were put through Committee and reported. li'jhe House went into Committee on the Fire Brigades Bill. At clause 5 in regard to the population SCOO was struck out with a view to inserting a lfcser number. ' The debate was proceeding when the telegraph oftk-e closed at 2 a.m.