PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8275, 17 October 1905, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

House of Representatives.

{By Telegraph — Press Association.) Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 7.30 p.m.

LANDLESS NATIVES. The Landless Natives Bill was read a first time. TUB MEIKLE CASE. The Premier made a statement with regard to the Meikle case. Ho said tho Government had decided lo appoint a Commission to go thoroughly into the case ami also to enquire into the matter of tho first compensation paid to Meikle, what led thereto, and how the discharge was granted therefor. Mr Seddon remarked that it was understood that that payment was final, and that it was satisfactory to all parties concerne.l. The Commission would also investigate tho matter of costs incurred by Meikle in connection with the whole of the action and if necessary legislation would bo introduced to give effect to tho recommendations of the Commission. With regard to the claim that Meikle's name be struck off the prison records of the Colony, Mr Seddon went on to say that tho Government had searched for precedents and had found that in one case, the Becke case, that had occurred some time ago in England, the person who ha.l wrongfully been imprisoned had received £5000 compensation, but nothing whatever had been done by tho Imperial Government in the direction of interfering with the records. He repeated that the Government would bo prepared to act on tho recommendations of the Commission, and he hoped it would never again be said that tho Government had acted either harshly or unjustly in the Meikle caso.

In reply to several questions, the Premier said it was the desire of the Government that the Commission should report as soon as possible ; but he did not think there was any chance of the roport being received before the session closed. The Government wanted the Commission to thoroughly investigate every phase of the case. THE SESSION END. Tho Premier gave notive to move —" That on Wednesday and on every alternate day thereafter until the close of the session, the House meet at 11 a.m." FIRST READINGS. The Loan Bill and Inspection of Private Hospitals Bills were read a first time. In reply to the Leader of the Opposition, the Premier said he hoped to take the debate on the Loan Bill and the Public Works Statement on Wednesday night. SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL. The amendments made by the Legislative Council on the Shops and Oilices Bill were set down for consideration next clay. PUBLIC WORKS COMPILATION. The Public Works Compilation Bill was read a second time pro forma and sent lo the Statutes Revision Committee. SECOND READINGS. The Industrial, Conciliation, and Arbitration Acts Compilation Bill, the Kaiapoi Native Reserve Bill, the Lincoln College Reserves Bill, and the Taranaki Scholarships Bill, were read a second time on the voices.

The Premier moved the second reading of the Workers' Compensation For Accidents Bill, which provides—(l) That the weekly payment in respect of compensation for total or partial disablement shall not be less than £1 per week in every case where the worker's ordinary rate of pay for the work at which he was employed at the time of the accident was not less than 30s per week; and (2) that the compensation payable in any case of total or permanent partial incapacity may in lieu of weekly payments be such lump sum as is agreed upon.at any time by the parties or as the Arbitration Court determines. The second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill was referred to the Labour Bills Committee with instructions to report on Friday.

The Premier moved the second reading of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. Many of the proposals in the Bill, he said, were what the President of the Court considered necessary. The Bill was read a second lime and referred to the Labour Bills Committee. The Hon. T. Y. Duncan moved the second reading of the Epuni Leases Surrender Bill to provide for the sections in the Epuni settlement being sub-divided into lesser areas. The Leader of the Opposition said the Bill acknowledged the principle that the Opposition had been contending for all along, viz., that the surrender value of the leasehold belonged to the tenant and not to the Crown. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. The Victoria College Bill and the Education Reserves Bill were read a second time on the voices. The Premier moved the second reading of the Waikaka Branch Railway Bill, which authorises the construction of the Waikaka railway by the Government on locally-raised money. Objection was raised to this district being specially favoured, and Mr W. H. Hawkins (Pahiatua) moved to kill the Bill, but this was lost on the voices, and the second reading was carried on the voices. THE MINING INDUSTRY. In course of discussion on the motion for the committal of the Mining Acts Amendment Bill, Mr W. H. Hemes (Bay of Plenty) complained that the Bill did not afford sufficient encouragement to the mining industry. Ho was afraid also that the Bill would be a dead letter as it contained no appropriation to enable the Minister to lend money to companies desirous of promoting the industry.

Mr A. L. Herdman (Mouut Ida) regretted that the Minister had not seen his way to provide greater facilities for prospecting.

Mr James Allen (Bruce) complained of the want of assistance to the mining industry, which was now dead because of the failure of the Minister to do anything to help it.

The Hon. J. McGowan said the Bill made better provision in several respects for the mining industry than had ever before been attempted by the New Zealand Parliament. Further than that, there was never a Minister for Mineg. in/New, Zealand who had caused

the expenditure of so much money on goldmining as he (Mr McGowan) had done. Tho committal was agreed to. FACTORIES ACT. The Premier moved the second reading of the Factories Act, 1901, Amendment Bill, which provides that every person of the age of twenty years or over who has been employed in a factory not loss than four years shall bo entitled to a wage of not less than 17s per week, and that a person under twenty years of age shall bo paid a wage of 5s per week during the first year of his employment, with an annual increaso of 3s per week until he reaches twenty years. Agreed to on the voicesj and tho Bill was referred to tho Labour Bills Committeo to report by Friday. THE CASE OF Mil MUELLER. The Premier moved the second reading of the Gerhard John Mueller Enabling Bill, which is promoted for the purpose of enabling Mr Mueller to get a pension under the Civil Service Act. In the course of considerable discussion, the claims of Mr Beetham, ex-S.M. at Christchurch, were advocated, and Mr Seddon said that application had been made by Mr Stratford, ex-S.M., to bring his case beforo the Courts. If his caso were adjudicated upon favourably by the Courts, tho Government would bring in a Bill dealing with his case and tho case of Mr Beetham. Tho second reading was carried by 1C votes to 10. LOCAL BILLS. Mr Seddon intimated that next Wednesday morning the sitting would be devoted to consideration of Local Bills.