THE SESSION'S WORK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9273, 27 June 1908, Page 7

THE SESSION'S WORK.

+ BILLS TO BE INTRODUCED. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES. [From Oub Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, June 26. The session that will open on Monday does not hold out promise of any marked political activity, and should be both short and uneventful in comparison with the record session of last year. The legislation that has been suggested is quite important enough to call for the most serious consideration of the legislature, but the members, as well as the public, seem to be interested mainly in the amendment of the labour laws and the prospect* of the election. The minor Bills that have been outlined by Ministers during the recess have not yet commenced to attract much attention. The larger questions, suoh as Socialism and land nationalisation which have occupied a good deal of the attention of the dominion's political leaders during the recess, are not included in the session's programme at all. The most serious work of the session will be the consideration of the proposed amendments in the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. The Minister of Labour will present a Bill similar to that introduced last year, one or two changes having been made in response to representations made and expexi-

ences noted during the recess. The chief points of last year's Bill, including the substitution of the Industrial Councils for the Conciliation Boards, will be retained, and some of the clauses, such as those demanding that union officials shall be employed in the trade concerned, and that non-unionists shall under certain circumstances contribute to union funds, will produce some strenuous fights. The Minister of Labour has his Bill printed and ready for presentation to the House, and it will probably come down at a very early stage of the session. The Hon J . A Millar will also reintroduce the Workers' Compensation Act Amendment Bill of last year. The members of the Government have spoken, in connection with the labour laws, of providing a system under which superior skill and energy would command more than the minimum rate of wages, but the feeling amongst members seems to be that the Government will not do moTe than outline such a proposal. The weight of the labour organisations would probably be thrown against the change. -. , , • The Prime Minister has promised to amend the Civil Service >ot~ reintroduce the National Annuities BUI, substitute post-audit for pre-audit m connection with the. public accounts pro* vide a special loan for backblocks roads and bridges, bring forward a Second Ballot Bill and -make proposals for new parliamentary buildings, lno National Annuities Bill, a very important measure that has failed for some reason to attract much public attention, will probably be carried as far as its second reading this session. The Second Ballot Bill is likely to encounter vigorous opposition, because many members are of opinion that the Absolute Majority Bill, introduced last year by the present Minister of Lands, offers the best solution of the problem of minority representation. The Hon G. Fowlde has promised to reintroduco his Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill, which has been overhauled by a conference of the representatives of local bodies, and now offers the country some valuable reforms. The Bill probably comes next in importance to- the amendment of the arbitration law on the session's programme. The Minister of Education is committed also to an amendment of the Education Act in the direction of improving the position of the schoolteachers. The Attorney-General proposes to further amend the Infant Life Protection Act of last session, and he will reintroduce the Judiciary Bill with drastic amendments based on the views of the judges and lawyers of the dominion. The Hon. James Carroll has some Native land legislation to carry into effect the recent recommendations of the Native Land Commission and remove some weaknesses in last year's Bill, and the Hon R. M'Nab, who occupied so much attention last session with hie amendments to the land laws, will probably bring forward little but a Bill dealing with the dairy industry, to make landlords share with tenants the cost of improvements demanded by the Other measures have been suggested, and perhaps some of them will come forward, but it is certain that the work mentioned will be more than eutficient to occupy members during the three months mentioned as the probable duration of the session. At least a week will be lost through the visit of the American fleet, but, of course, the absence of galleries and creature comforts in the temporary quarters of the legislature will assist to condense the business. PARLIAMENT'S NEW QUARTERS. The temporary Parliament Buildings are still in the hands of the carpenters and painters, and the officers who have already taken possession of their quarters have to dodge ladders and workmen /as they make their way about the building. A smell of new paint pervades the whole place, and it is hard to see how order can be secured in time for the opening of Parliament on Monday. Members and Ministers will certainly have to face many inconveniences in the course of the session's work. A loud voiced speaker in either House or Council will be audible in the other chamber, and the members of the Lower House are to be grouped together in a manner suggesting the audience at a public meeting. Certainly few members will be able to slumber at their posts and there ie very scant accommodation for them in .the few small rooms available for their use. At the same time the members will have little real cause for complaint if they attend strictly to business. The Ministers will suffer severely, because their quarters are entirely insufficient for the ordinary demands of their work.