HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 19896, 13 September 1913, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The Houso met at 2.30

THE ESTIMATES

The House went into committee on the Estimates—Class VIII (Mines Department, £33,850). Replying to Mr Poland, the Hon. Fraser^ said a Mining Bill would be brought down this session.

Mr Poland urged the medical inspection of miners, so that miners' complaint could be cletected < in its incipieney, find the sufferers removed from th«. mines and given healthy employment.

Mr Payne urged the creation of a 'Board to protect the lives of those working in the mines of. the Dominion. ■ He held that the fundamental causes of the Waihi, Reef ton and Huntly strikes were the insufficient protection of the lives of those who were compelled to work underground. Thfl. Hon. Fraser said as much, attention had been naid to*the mining ,in.-> ♦dusti'y as when his predecessor was in charge. On the subject of pneumoconiases, he said the matter was provided for in the Mining..■■ Bill. Under the Bill the miners' sick fund would apply only to suff.ei-.ers from the miners' complaint. The fund, which was '■. in the hands of the Public Trustee, had been depleted. One thousand i>ounds had been voted for the purpose, but that would not do as nearly all would be mopped up for payment to widows (whose husbands had died some years ago), and for defraying funeral expenses. The money had to be paid out of unauthorised expenditure.

Messrs Poland <and Colvin strongly urged the pushing on of the mining industry, which at the present time was lagging. Mi1 Poland also pleaded for the abolition of the night shift, both in the interests of the men and the mine-owners.

Mr Ell contrasted the work of miners with that of those working in sunshine! lie held that Parliament should not rise this session without doing something to prevent miners working at night. Mr Glover asked that prospecting be fostered, more particularly <as the mining industry at the present time was languishing.

The House resumed the discussion on the rai&ei *vote at 7.30.

Mr Poland said with regard to night shifts, that for many years it had been held to be absolutely necessary that three shifts should be maintained in the coal mines. TWt had now been altered. There was no reason why at should not'apply "to gold mines. Mr Russell pointed out that there were two classes of ostmates before the House: those submitted by the Ministry and those of the Public Service Commissioners. He went on to .quote irom the Estimates and Civil Service classification, showing differences in many of the salaries of officers in the service. Who, he asked controlled the salaries, the House or the Commissioners?

The Hon. Fiaser said with regard to salaries all increases would appear on the Supplementary Estimates. That had been the custom for many years. The increases this year would be those which the Commissioners had advised the Government to grant. The Commissioners did not control one penny of expenditure. That function was reserved to the' House. If the votes under consideration were not passed by the House they could not be paid. Mr Statham said it could not be denied that the House could over-ride anything the Commissioners did,. They were responsible to Parliament.

Mr Han.an said it Mas a waste of the time of the House to discuss the Estimates, as they could be over-rid-den by the Civil Service Commission. The Hon. Alien : Those estimates are the estimates of the Government. Several members were ruled out of ' order by the Chairman for discussing the powers of the Public Service Commissioners in conjunction with the Estimates. Eventually Mr Russell moved to take the Speaker's ruling as to whether the members were not entitled to quote the Public Service Act* for. the purpose of showing that the Estimates were not in accordance with the Act. Mr Massey repeated that the Estimates were not the estimates of the Commissioners, who had no power in. that direction, but were the Government's Estimates. The Speaker ruled that members were not entitled to discuss the Public Service Commissioners on the Mines Estimates on the ground that at a later stage they would have the fullest opportunity of doing so. Sir Joseph Ward said The ruling was a most important one, and he would be bound to it, but he asked the Speaker to consider in what position an officer of the Mines Department was placed whose salary was upon these estimates but might afterwards be reduced by the Commissioners. Such an officer would not have the opportunity of having bis salary discussed by Parliament and was therefore placed at a disadvantage. The Sneaker said that raised a question in which ho was not at present concerned. The House resumed in committee at 10.30. Mr Seddon moved the reduction by €1 in the salary of the Inspector of Minos or| the west coast as an indication thint it was unfair to expect one insneetor to inspect all the mines from Cnllingwood to Okarito. The motion was lost. The class was passed at 12.20. The Department of Internal Affairs vote was next proceeded with, the discussion ensuing on the compilation of the Year Book. Tito Minister stated that it was proposed to popularise it and give more comparative ''nformiation.

TELEGRAPHIC

Sir Joseph Ward warned the Minister against making these comparisons in a way that was very misleading. (Left sitting.)