PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13713, 1 October 1908, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY.

t*er tress Association-. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WKLLDiGT&N - , Sept. ad vi. .. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. BILL PASSED. *?■' The Wellington Harbour Board fm- -- powering Bill and Justices of the Peace i' Bill were read a third time and passed. FIRST READING. : The Education Reserves Leases Validalion and Empowering Bill 1908 was' read a fint time.

; BALLOT. . -A committee s wadset tip to ronsider the ' House's : disagreement "with the Council's '"y am»mlm«itK to the ikcond Ballot Bill. '". , The committed recommended the Council to adhere to it* amendments in the "■ Second Ballot Bill, because a SCO majority ' < > wa» inmßSßtent with' the principles of - the BiD, and becai3se»the amendment to clause 19 was necessary.; •• The Council endorsed the CommiU<x.-'t> recommendarionLABOUR BILL. Mr Itigg oa resuming tho debate on tbe second reading of the Arbitration Bill fa id that the Bill in its present state wa« an improvement on the existing law. He -approved of the option of giving the workers the right to strike or go to arbitration, and defended the right of the -' - workers to strike. He detested any sug- ' gestioa of an exertion wage as such wages would result in the degeneration of the " race. He urged that tho Conciliation -" i Councils' recommendation should be given

the force of an sward. He condemned J* the Arbitratioa Court for failing to make an award in the farm, labourers' dispute, ' and expressed the opinion that in refusing to make an award the Court had cxccedjl eit.its jurisdiction. He intended to move amendments in the direction of restricting

' the powers of the Court, the repealing of the clause, making the president of the Cmirt x life oftio-, and removing tfro necessity of having a barrister or solicitor appointed ari president. Jlr /Itorn lk<?rge contended that the small nranber of strikes during the last lo years was not due to the existence of iha Arbitration Court, bat to the fact that the country had passed through a long series of prosperous years. He expressed diosatirfkation with the constitution 'of the Conciliation Councils and advocated the introduction of an energy wage, as it had proved succcesfal at the Waihi (pines. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m. When tbo Cucncil resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Barr said he deprecated strikes as having % demoralising effect on tho community and urged that strike* should not be tote rated in any shape or form.. He added that the increase in' tho number of worker* necessary form a union, from 7 to 15, vrouki bo a real hardship to a number of worker*. Mr McCardle regretted that certain labour leader* had turned against theHon. Mr Jlillar. Mr Luk- advocated a system of profitsharing. Mr Anstey approved of thf Bill. Mr Jvnkirton thought the unions tihuuld not Im allowed to approach the Arbitration Corjrt «r Conediation GinoeiU direct, but through tlx- Trades and Labour Council. who should also guarantee the observance of an award. The Attorney-CJeneral. in reply, quoted otatfeticsr to «how\that tl>" wealth of the colony was distributed over a wide are".. Of 4900 tirm* and traders of all classes, •1018 niadt* I«s> than £.IOOO n year, and ISO 1! made less than £4OO a year. Of 24SS person* wh<» earned ov r £3CO a year, only 150 earned more than £7CO .« y«?itr. and ! !wre were- only 116 persons who received mor*- than £IUX) .i \ear. Dr. Find lay strenuously defended the adniink- ' rat ion of tin- Arbitration Court, and advocated an exertion wage. If they were \>t pres.? everyone to a dead level it would b .i poor outlook for the wurktit-. The ."•.fond reading was agr».-d mi '■he voietiif. i The- Council adjourned at. 11.30 p ni.

lIOUBK OF It K PKKS KXTAT 1V K.S. 'I he Hous.' iu-:t at 2.30 p.m. RKPLIKS TO gi .Minitterx replying to <{ti<r»tion.N stated it i» not iiwsible to widen th«j :>«tio»ing {»wers under the tioveinumit Lo.nw to Local Bodies Act. t hat uhexi tltc Maaawatu iijtil»uy tu.i trtk»« over the goods conveyed over that line will be subject to tho (.JoveriuiKnt of charges in o{>er.itiou at the tune. A >iISMN«I IIAHQI'K Itrplrmg to .1 question anked by Mr IVdlard withoitL in»tiec, th- Minister for Marine tip* tiovernnient had no \e*>el to send to look for tho luijsiug baci(Ut) IxK'h The Uovermncnt had taken Miefi »te{r> as it could. 'llto-e who kiK\r, had little hoj« that the ves-.-•.•1 had ti'-'t foundcrcxl. Tins Premier said that tho only place where the vessel might povMbly hav driftetl a*hotf would In- Auckland t?lar.d«, .'isd he had ;uketl th' (governor that day if he rould arrange for 11.M.5. Kaci>t)litcr to v:-""it the Auckland I-k>. with a. view to verifying liio aceutaey or o>firrni«e »i the Mippo-otioti h.«l in- • lit ateil. ADVAXCK.S TO SiriTLKl'^ Sir \V. .1. Steward, al-o without no;.va.«ked the I'nim-r wlKther ho could tn.ik" ;» statement reganiing the delay* m }«y itlg advancx> agreed to by th- Advainc* U> twitters Jicpaxtuicnt. Many pcrvn.' were M.*rif>u»ly by tho de lay and complaints were coming from all partH of tIK- Dominion regarding thew del»Tj.

Sir J. G. Ward said that if tie course followed lately in regard to this Department Tvere jjersisted ill, ho would be reluctantly compelled to instruct the Department to stop all further lending operations until the loans already agreed to had been completed, and until time had elapsed proportional to the advances already made during "tbe current financial year. The Department had only a certain amount of money at its disposal, and loans most bo dealt with in sequence. The po-' ?itk>n was that the demands were so enorm- us that it was impossible to meet all of them. In one month £500,000 had been, advanced, and if they -went on at that rate it would be impossible to meet all the demands. Everybody bad a right to be considered, but if an attempt were made to bring pressure to bear he would be obliged with great regret to instruct the Department to suspend further operation!* for a time. THE VAILE SYSTEM. The railways committee reporting on the petition of Mr Samuel Vaile, praying for a trial of his railway zone system, recommended the matter to the considcraof the Government-. This was adopted after a. debate initiated by Hcrries and participated in by the Hon. Hall-Jones, Mr Massey and the Premier. Thai arguments pro and con were on similar lines to those adduced on previous occasion on the sam* topic. Tbe House then adjourned. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. A SHARP PASSAGE.

A comuiittw of managers was appelated to confer with a Mtnilar committee of the Council relative to the Council's insistence upon their amendments to the Sccon 1 Ballot Bill.

In the discussion on the appointment of manager. Mr Massey complained that they were all ftoui one side of the llutwe, which wa» grossly unfair. St J. 1«. Ward replied: "1 am not going to lei/you get to windward of me." He farther said that the Opposition had moved heaven and earth to kill the Bill, and lie would be doing a gross injustice to the House if lie asked that one manager should lie selected; from amongst it* opponents. NAVAL SUBSIDY.

Sir J. G. Ward moved the (second reading of the Xaval Subsidy Bill, providing that during ten years conimeno ; ng Mar 12th, 1909, a subsidy of £IOO.OOO shall bo paid out of the Consolidated Fund to the Imperial Government, in aid of tho Imperial navy, such tsubsidy to supersede any subsidy payable under "the Naval Defence Act 1908. The Premier explained that the subsidy was not loaded with any conditions. He felt that no elaboration was needed on his part to recommend the Bill to the House. They were ihrn.: nc , in'--.- than they ought in ree.g iii..,~i ~f I tho great services of the Imperial navy. : Mr Massjey expressed satisfaction at : having a Bill before tho House over which i 'bcre was practically no difference of I "'pinion. All recognised that thev must liear their fair share of the cost "of Imperial dvfenee if they wanted commerce protected. He hoped that a British squadron of warships would visit the I)o----mmon to inspire itp, j>eoplc with sny; of the power of the Kinpire. Mr Hornsby. in supporting th: Mill, thought they should have a i.».wn! »v>. tem of defence, with if necosi'V creiipul"'ry service; ultimately t!i ;• »!ioulu fallow the noble example jf Atto'rXit. Mr James Allen «id ih.it u»uld object to the Hill, but it vas d-iiul-lc that they should euijuire wuat «... iln.position of the naval agreement ■.■xMiii.r hitherto. It was well known that Australia had asked to lie freed from that agreement, and if that happened the agreement would collapse altogether, and he '?•" !i wa * ,! his ±;100 - 00 ° uncondi. tonally. H 0 contended that they should put the toast line and harbours in a pro I>er state „f defence. ami averred that lompulsory service must come sooner t,r later. New Zealand and Australia would m course of tune have to h ee to the protection of the trade route:, in the Pacific and Ik- warned thr countrv that t|.., us; l'i ti»e Japanese WCI« allies o! Britain. Xcv Zealand was doing everything l.v minigration n-ltieti<.n- and so on, to irmke the Amatics our cnemi.-.*. ,<iul they must be prcjmred to liul<l ibcir own when t Intone t.une.

Mr 'l. Mackenzie aigued th.it i, wa* inevitable lh.«t sooner or later the vellow laccw mil*: overrun thc.-e rich but >i>;>rsclv l*<pu!ated counttkx It «,[„ ncce.v*uv, Mierefoie. Ui.it tho voting men should do their duty m tl*- matter of defence."

i Ut ' 'fU'Hing from til'* Imiitria] Conference speeches in reganl to defence, to illu-tnite hi- (Kiint of view and attitude in rvgurd to Imperial Defence, and the part Xcw Zealand should play therein. In relation -to Au.v tralian behaviour, lie said that 2n'ow Zealand had no right to Jay down any condition- «« to where the Admiraltr »houM -end any \v;*clj. Hie l»ill Wat read a. Mit'lid time. BORIIOWIXU UILL. >ir .1. if. Ward moved tk«» .-ccond fad "f «!>•_• I iorerniuent Advances t., S«ttlerx .Vet Amendment llill for increasing from £SCO.OCO to £600.000. tho rum m i in; di-jwisil of the Department, and from £200.000 {., £500.000. the mom-rp nf t!ir Adv.uiecf to Worker?' branch, io extend t t:«efuinc> K of the Dcjwrtment. .Mr Mwy supiK>rtcd the Hill. but t<H* muih munrv Iw^rlorrefl locally by thi> Mr Jcnnuigt urge<l tiw for .v*fting the back block" hitler*. Mr Xi'at.* urged th.it 'nrUer f.^ili'l-

should be afforded th© Maoris under tho Act in regard to the class of securities upon which advances can be had. He asserted that the Government/ were not doing justice to the industrious natives ■who desired to farm their lands, and he earnestly pleaded for much-needed reform. Several other members supported the Bill. The l'rinie Minister, in replying, quoted figures show : ng the operations of both branches of tlio Department, and said that these -should be an answer to those who complained. , As for borrowing money, that borrowed 1 outside had been two and a half times the amount borrowed inside th- colony by the -Government. The Bill was read a second time. IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION". The Hon. -Mr Millar moved the second reading of the Immigration Restriction Act Amendment- Bill. The motion was agreed to. BILLS PASSED. The Naval Subsidy Bill. Advances to .Settlers Act Amendment Bill, and Immigration Amendment Bill. parsed the committee stages. The Bills*"were reported, read a ilrtd time, and passed. The House Tcee at 1.12 a.m.