HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11740, 18 September 1902, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tue House met at 2.30. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr. T. McKenzie gave notice to ask if the Government will, during the recess, ■set xip a commission to inquire into the working of the co-operative system. FIRST READINGS. The Medical Practitioners' Registration Act, 1869, Amendment Bill (Mr. Laurenson) and Native and Mauri Land Laws Amendment Bill (Mr. Carroll) were introduced and read a first time. , THE PRESS ASSOCIATION. Mr. Fisher moved for leave to introduce the Electric Lines Act, 1884, Amendimenit Bill, which deals with matters affecting the Press Association. He said he hoped the Government woudl take up the Bill. he spoke a.t some length, explaining the Bill was designed to give every subscribing newspaper a share in the administration of the Association and to abolish the entrance fee.

Mr. Homsby seconded the motion. Major Steward objected to tihe waste of time that -would be involved in further discussing the question, and moved the adjournment of the debate, which, was lost by 59 to 13,. In the course of further discussion, the Son. Hall-Jones said he hoped some action would be taken in regard to the Press Association next session. The motion for tihe introduction of the Bill was agreed to cm tlie voices, and the Bill was read a first time. PETITION. The report of the Public Petitions Committee on tihe petition of James Smith, of Pahiatua, was brought down. It recommended that he be raid £20 in refund of money paid by him. As & member of the Wellington Defence Force, he took part in the Taranaki Maori war. In the course of a lengthy discussion severajl members urged that the claims of old soldiers should receive furtlier consideration. The Hon. Hall-Jonee promised that Smith's case would be considered before the Supplementa.ro- Estimates were framed. "*■ """ The reiport was ordered to lie on. the table, and be, referred to the Government for consideration. NOTICE OF MOTION. Sir Joseph Ward/gave notice to introduce a, Pharmacy Act Amendment Bill, Law Society Act Amendment Bill, and Companies Act Amendment Bill. A'ne House rose at 5.00. The House l-esumed at 7.30. FIRST READING.

The Post arid Telegraph. Classification Act Amendment^ Bill was introduced by Governor's message and! read a firet time. SECOND READINGS. The Horn. Carroll moved the second reading of the Land Transfer Act^ Amendment BUI, which, he said, was entirely of a technical character. Thii/s was agreed to. The Hon. Mills moved the second reading of the Manual and Technical Instruction Act Amendment ■Bill, the piwisions ol which he briefly explained The Bill has already passed the Legislative Council. The motion was agreed to on. the voices Avithouit debate. OLD AGE PENSIONS. Amendments made in committee hi th_e Old Age Pensions Act Amendment Bill'were agreed to, and the Bill passed its final stages.. MINING ACT. The adjourned debate on the Hon. McGbwan's motion, till aft ;tsie amendmenits made by the Legislative Cbuncil in the Mining Act Amendmer.it Bill be agreed to, was resturaied by Mr. C'olvin, who moved as an~, amendment that amendments be agreed to with the exception of those in clause 8. This clause, as it left the Council, : provided that, subject to the 1. revision* of any Arbitration Court award now or hereafter in force, ajniner shall ba entited) to be r>aid overtime* when he is employed underground in a mine for more than eight hours in any day, counting from the time he enters ta the time he leaven the underground workings of tlie mine.

Strong exception was taken by several members to the striking out of the proviso that no miner shaM be required to be underground for a longer ,p,eriod than eight hours continuously. Mr. .McGowan agreed with the excision of the proviso, as 10 \was an unwise one, and would tend to frighten away capital. They all knew that South Africa was offering inducemenitis to capital, and he pointed out if the mining industry was injured in New Zealand the miners would suffer.

Mr, Ell expressed astonishment at line Minister raising the cry of "frightening away capital." The minuers did not wish to be kept underground for more tlian eight hours. Other members expressed a similar opinion, and Mr. McGmvan then said that as there appeared to be this opposition, from the Labour members, he would accept Mr. Colvin's amendment. . Jin the course of further debate. Sir Joseph Ward gave an emphatic denial to the statement that the Government had entered into any arrangement with Mr. Cadman and tlie company in. regard to the llea.se of ironsaixd deposite. He further stated that the Government had: not given a lea.se of the Para.pa.ra- deposite to Cadman and Co*, or to anyone else. These deposits were still open to anyone. Mr. James Atilen said he knew that communications frcm Mr. Cadman to Mr. McGowan with regard to the Parapara deposits*'had been considered by the Cabinet, and the result was the legislation now before the House. Sir Jfv :ciyih W.n,i'd replied till at he had no knowledge whatever of any such comr municatdons. He repeated that r.o concessions had been, given or promised to Cadnnan .and Co. Mr. Colvin's amendment was agreed to on the voices. ACCIDENT INSURANCE. Sir Joseph Ward1 moved the second reading of tho Accident Insurance Complies Bill, whiibhi, ibta explained!, provides that accident insurance cctmpanies doing business in the colony Khali prepare an annual statement and" keep a separate acwiwt' of tiheu' acvidont iuswuwe

' business transacted! in New Zealand. Mr. James Allen drew attention to clause 7, which empowers the Colonial Treasurer to ask for such additional dnfiormaticn as fc> tine statement as he might deem neoessoriy, that the ippoiposal was noto fair to companies competing with the •ment. He thought the Bi-l should b« referred to a committee. Mr. Laurenson said the Bill was! most necessary, and its provisions were reasonable. Mr. Ell heartily supwocted the Bill. He thought *fs provisions! should also operate in respect to fire insurance companies. Sir .Joseph Wiaaxl, im implying, said clause 7 was net for the ipurpose of prying into the accounts of outside companies, but to facilitate the removal of any ambiguities tha,t might exist-. Fire insurance companies had flct a long time past submitted annual statements, and «» exceptin had bfeen taken to that course. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. LAND TITLES PROTECTION. Mr. Carroll, in moving the committal of the Land Titles. Protection Bill, said it was one of the most important Bills that had ever been brought before Parliament. The Bill was utdev discussion when the wires closed for tha night.