HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 19961, 15 December 1913, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

SATURDAY MORNING

\fter the telegraph ofiice closed at 2 o'clock, tho following business was done: Tho Shops and Offices Act Amencliueut Bill was brought down by Governors TOlfSply to Sir Joseph Ward, Hon. W F Massey said it was a new 15iu, and was supplementary to tho one on tho order paper. ft only contained seven or eiaht clauses. In reply to Mr. Webb., the Premier said that the Bill dealt with the sixdav week for hotel employees, llie -.ill was read a first *ime \ ,„..-,- rc! •STOCK AND APIARIES . . Tho Stock Amendment and the Apmries Amendment Bills were put through When the Labour "Disputes Investigation Bill was in committee Mr. Massey si-id in reply "to Sir Joseph Ward that ho would have a clauso inserted in the TJpper House providing for a secret ballot of employers concerned in a strike or looK-out. The Bill was reported wita machinery amendments. LAW MEASURE. Tho Law Practitioners Amendment Bill was passed through committee, a new clause being added providing that on and after Ist April. 1014. solicitors shall, at their own cost, have their trust accounts audited, on a penalty of £100. MATRIMONY. . The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment Bill was passed with minor (amendments. All the. above Bills, exceDt the Labour Bill, were road a third time and passedTho Houso rose at 3-3-5 a.m. till 11 o'clock. Tho House* resumed at 11 o'clock. , VARIOUS MEASURES. The Monopoly Prevention Amendment Bill was read a second time. Tho Hon. Jas. Allen reported that s second conference with the Legislative Council on the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill had agreed to nil tli2 clauses except clause '22. Managers were appointed to again discuss this wita tho Council. The House agreed to the Council's amendments to the Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill., also tho Reserves and < Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill. SHOPS ANT) OFFICES. Tho Hon. Mr. Massey moved the second reading of the Shops and Offices Bill, No. 2. He explained that the objects of the Bill were to rectify anomalies in tho old law.. Clause P provided that industrial agreements could provido for employees in hotels or restaurants having a whole day off in each week, provided the Court is satisfied that, in tho particular locality, hardship will JCOt ho inflicted, in iVnish case the provision may be modified. The Supplementary Estimates were brought down by Governor's message Replying to Sir Joseph Ward. Hon. Jas. Allen said the amount allocated wns £371,000 greater than he forecasted. SHOPS AND OFFICES. Tho House continued discussion uu tho Shops and Offices Bill. Sir Joseph Ward suggested that as a compromise that hotels with less than fivo employee* be exempt. Mr. Massey said he could not accept tho suggestion. Later on, in reply to Mr. Witty, ho said he was prepared to drop the Bill if the opposition continued. Mr. Witty'replied that in .some respects it would he better to drop it. Tho debate was adiournod. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT. Hon. Herdmau brought down the report of the conference* on the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment. The report was to the effect that clause 22, giving the right to municipalities to run motor-bus services, be struck out.

Sir Joseph Ward protested against; this course, arguing that all the boroughs in the Domiinon should not be deprived of the right to run 'busses just because «n agreement could not be come to regarding a dispute with the Auckland Tramway Co. He suggested a now clause exempting Auckland from the exempting Auckland from the operation of the I3ill, and allowing all other towns in tho country to enjoy the privm-ge c" establishing a system of petrol traction. Mi1. Russell said there w«s no^nossihility of agreeing on the tramway clause. Rather thru drop the whole Bill, it was dc-rmrd wiso to defer fina-I consideration of that question for six months. Dr. Newman and Mr. Buick strongly supported Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion. Mr. Wilford contended that because Auckland had been foolish enough to delegato its tramway rights to p. company, that was no reason why the city should run tho whole country. Hon. Herdman contended that if tho Pill war, not amended as desired by the Legislative Council a great injustice would bo dono to the Auckland Tramway Co., and, rather than lose tho whole Bill, the conference bad rl^c'do-:! to drop the-tranv.vr.y. claufjo till next session.