HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12600, 14 September 1905, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 2.30

MORI-! "VOUCHER" PETITIONS

Mi. Taylor presented several petitions praying for a full judicial inquiry into the alleged payment to Captain Seddon. PRIVILEGE. Mi\ Jas. Allen called attention to the publication in ■tho Dunedin ''Evening Star" of what purported to be a report of tho proceedings at last week's meeting'; of the Education Committee, and pointed out that it was incorrect in three respects.

Mr. Seddon said the same message appeared in the "Lyttelton Times," and he moved that both newspapers had committed a breach of the privileges of the House by publishing a report of tho proceedings of a Select Committee of the House, which had not presented its report. Mr. Massey concurred. It was quite clear that a breach of privilege had Tjeen committed. The Standing Order that had been infringed should either be enforced or swept away altogether. Mr. R. McKenzie ventured to say that if each paper was fined £250 the privileges of the House would be fairly well represented in the future. Mr. Seddon's motion was agreed to on the voices.

Mi 1. Seddon-.pointed out that in his speech at tho Town Hall, Wellington, on Monday night, Mr. James Allen had disclosed a portion of what took place at the Education Committee, and he moved that. a breach of privilege had been committed by tho "New Zealand Time.';" and "Lyttelton Times" in publishing the references made by that hon. member to the j>roceedings of the Education Committee

Mi\ James Allen said he had referred in his speech to tho superannuation scheme, but not to the work of the Education Committee, in fact he had distinctly stated that he would not divulge what was done in the committee.

Messrs. Massey and Buchanan, who were present at tho Town Hall meeting, said Mr. James Allen had not disclosed any evidence given before the Education Committee.

Aftej' considerable discussion, Mr. Rhodes moved the previous question, whicli was lost by 32 votes to 26, and Mi 1. Seddon's motion was carried by 34 to 25. - , . ..-■.'.

Mr. Seddon moved a similar motion in regard to the Christen ureh "Press," which had also ■published a report of MV. James Allen's speech. Mr. Taylor said the Premier was deliberately "wasting'the whole afternoon, and he had also been guilty of wasting timo and lowering the tone of the Houso throughout the session. Mr. Baume moved tho previous question.

Mr. Harding seconded, saying the House was being converted into a Punch and Judy show. Mi 1. Seddon said he had had a return mado out, and he found that Mr. Taylor had cost the country £5000 for the session. It would pay tho country to givo him a pension of £3000 a year and send him to Timbuctoo.

My. BauniG's motion was lost by 31 to 27, and Mr. Seddon's was 'agreed to by 33 to 27. . Mi1. Seddon intimated that he "would movo next day to set up a Privileges Committee to consider all the Gases dealt with that afternoon.

QUESTIONS. In reply to questions, Ministers stated— ' '

That the Referendum Bill will be circulated in a few days, and it will bo the same as the Bill of last session.

That if tho Gaming and Lotteries Bill again comes before the House the opportunity will be given of considering tho abolition of tho totalisator.

Thai! an amended Lands f6i- Settle merit Bill will be introduced- this session. That tho. question of Hospital and Charitable Aid admiriistratkiii will be carefully considered -during ..'the rece?*, with r. view 6i introducing any necessary legislation next' session?' Tho Rating Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's message and read a first time;. , The ■•remainder of the afternoon's sitting was occupied iii discussing the replies given by Ministers* to the questions oiv the order paper. The House rose at 5.80. The House resumed at 7.30. FIRSI1 READINGS. The Coal Mines Acts Compilation Bill and Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts Compilation Bill were received from the Legislative Council and reacVri first time. SHOPS AND OFFICES. BILL. -Mr. Seddon moved that tho amendments made in committee in the Shops and Offices Bill be agreed to. Mr. Barber moved as an amendment that tli3 Bill bo recommitted for thepurpose of reconsidering clause 5, which amends section 21 of the principal Act.

This was lost by 33 to 29,- and Mr. Scddon's motion agreed to. • On tho motion for the third reading of the Bill, ' 1,'.:-

Mr. Arnold (Chairman of the Labour Bills Committee) urged that the Bill in its present form enabled shop assistants in some trades to be kept at work tilt 11 o'clock at night, providing that they did not work more than 52 hours a week. The Bill was no good to the assistant, and was of no use to the shopkeeper. It provided that shop assistants should leave work at an early hour, and another provision enabled shopkeepers to vote the shop assistants out of that benefit and keep them at work till a lato hour.

Mf. Herdman considered tho effect of clause 3 of this Bill was that shopkeepers could decide themselves how long they should keep open and employ their assistants, tho only restriction being that they must not work the assistants more than 52 hours a week. Unless some drastic alteration was made in the Bill in tho Legislative Council trouble would ensue.

Mr. Wilford urged that a universal hour of closing should be fixed for the colony, with tho provision that particular trades might fix the hour for clos-

ing for thoso trades. The countrt^r wanted r, rest from legislation, and he added that the trouble was that the>courts and the lawyers were unable t<j,7construe the legislation already passed. The reason was that the Committee ot tho Whole was unable to draft clauses--, in a sufficiently clear manner. Mr. Mosa urged that hawkers should' not be allowed to keep their waggons--, open for tho sale of goods to all hours > within two hours of a shop. Mr. Ell complained that last night**:, voting showed that the House had no desire to ease the conditions of theworkers. Tho petitions presented to the-. Houso proved that tho demand foxshorter hours did not come only from?!, shop assistants, and that a large number of shopkeepers themselves desired" t) observe reasonable hours.

Mr. T. Mackenzie declared that Mr... Arnold's occupation would be gone unless he kept up perpetual unrest in labour matters. One of the great blemishes in the Bill he considered was that; it would enable Chinamen, by subdi— dividing their business premises to evadtr: ail tho provisions of the Act. Mr. Barber considered tho fatal mis>tako m the Bill was that it was nofcapphcable to the whole of the colony^ Ha objected to special legislation four the four big centres. He admittedU however, tliat the Bill .would give &L good deal of relief to his constituents. Mr. McGowan argued that no revision could be made which would apply? equally to town and country. It wask only by compromising that they could get fairness for all parties. Mr. E. G. Allan did not sousider thesBilJ satisfactory. Mr. James Allen regretted that subsection 3 of clause 3 made a distinctions between town and country, and he regretted also that the Bill was leaving tho House in such an unsatisfactory" state. Mowever, despite its shortcom nigs, the Bill was an improvement ons tho existing Act. Mr. Buddo felt that the Bill gave m set-back to the regulation of the hoursof shop assistants, and those who worked in offices.

Mr. Harding protested against the* Bill being allowed to leave the House iis* its present form. , '

Mr. Massey agreed that the Bill was; leaving tho House in a form that wa&v "o* at all creditable to; the House_ VVhilo ho considered the Bill was aisu improvement on the existing law, he-., did not think it was anything like sucbi a good Bill as the one that passed the-^ House last session. He hoped that when tho Bill was returned from the^ Legislative Council tho trouble of last;: session would be avoided, and that whem. tho Bill finally reached the Statute-. Book it would satisfy the public fotr some years to come. ':..: ' ' .

Mr. Hanan hoped that the Legisla— tivo Council would show itself a. little?moro progressive than the. members ofc the House had shown themselves in connection with this Bill, and that theBill would be returned on better linesthah it was at present. Mr, Duthie said no Giie : was satisfiedii with the Bill, and the general hope was--. that tho Legislative Council would, make a good working Bill,of it. Mr. T. E. Taylor contended that oneof the first things the new Parliamenfc would have to do would be to save the* industrial and artisan population fronsa the operations of trusts.